On the NBC broadcast, Marv Albert sighed, "Man, at crunch time, Zhao Dong was just too damn composed. Dude even had time to throw in a fake before pulling up."
"If he didn't throw that fake, Jordan and Pippen probably would've contested harder, maybe even forced a miss," Matt Goukas added.
"Big-time player, big-time moment. Now the Knicks are up 3-1 on the Bulls. Coming back from that? Man, that's a mountain to climb," Marv Albert said.
Matt Goukas nodded. "Honestly, the Knicks got Zhao Dong, and now that he's running point-forward, they've got elite playmaking and even tougher perimeter D. This squad's better than the Bulls, plain and simple. The series score reflects that."
"In all four games, except for Game 3 when the Bulls won, every game has come down to the wire, which means these teams are close in strength," Marv pointed out.
Matt Goukas wasn't buying it. "Nah, there's a gap—especially between the coaches. One's a dynasty builder, the other's still a rookie coach. The only reason the Bulls have kept it close is that the Knicks aren't maximizing their full potential."
Marv Albert agreed. "That's facts. Knicks are way too reactive instead of proactive. Van Gundy's defense is solid, but tactically? He ain't on Phil Jackson's level."
Meanwhile, over on the CCTV broadcast, Zhang Heli was breaking down the numbers. "Jordan played 46 minutes, shot 19-for-36, hitting 52.8%. That's crazy efficient, especially since the Knicks threw double and even triple teams at him all game."
"On top of that, he drained 2-of-5 from three and 15-of-16 free throws, finishing with 55 points, 8 boards, 4 dimes, 3 steals, 2 blocks, 4 turnovers, and 4 fouls. Another 50-piece in the playoffs. His offensive firepower is just ridiculous," Zhang continued.
Sun Zhenping followed up. "Zhao Dong also logged 46 minutes, going 13-of-22 from the field—almost 60% shooting—plus 1-of-1 from deep and 15-of-17 at the stripe. He dropped 42 points, 13 rebounds, 9 assists, 6 steals, 4 blocks, 3 turnovers, and 4 fouls."
Zhang Heli shook his head. "Damn, just one block away from a 5x5 and one assist from a triple-double. If we had gone to OT, he probably would've hit both."
Sun Zhenping grinned. "But Zhao Dong just put up his playoff career-high with 42. Only eight points away from a 50-ball. His previous best was 41 against Orlando in the first round."
Zhang laughed. "Dude was locked in tonight. Completely flipped the script from last game. Knicks turned up the tempo, ran the break, and locked in on defense, so Zhao Dong was getting way cleaner looks. The Bulls couldn't set up that extreme defense like before."
"Van Gundy finally got something right," Sun Zhenping joked.
"Defense is his bread and butter, so the fast-break game was his best bet," Zhang nodded.
"Scoring was way too lopsided tonight. The Bulls only put up 88 points, and Jordan had 55 of them—62.5% of the team's total. That's insane," Sun Zhenping said, shaking his head.
"Even with multiple defenders draped on him, he was still hitting tough shots. That was some all-time great shot-making," Zhang Heli sighed before grinning. "But Zhao Dong wasn't far off either—he accounted for 46% of the Knicks' points. Neither team really shut down the opposing star. Just shows how elite both of them are offensively."
---
Postgame Interview
At the presser, Knicks' team reporter Thomas went straight to Zhao Dong.
"Zhao, now that you guys took Game 4, how many more games do you think it'll take to finish off the Bulls?"
Zhao Dong smirked. "Look, I don't know if Oakley is gonna be back next game, so we gotta be ready either way. But we ain't talking about if we'll eliminate the Bulls. That's already written. We just don't know which game it's happening in."
"So, at most, it goes to Game 6?" Thomas pressed.
"Who says we can't close it out in Game 5?" Zhao Dong fired back with a grin.
An AFP reporter jumped in. "Zhao, you scored a playoff career-high 42 tonight. 34% of your points came from the line, 36% on fast breaks, and just 30% from half-court sets. In past playoffs, you've relied on the half-court game for over 60% of your points. Is that the key to beating the Bulls?"
"Yeah, no doubt. We finally ran the right offense. That's what won us the game," Zhao Dong nodded.
Van Gundy might have his limitations, but he called the right game plan for Game 4. The fast pace made all the difference. If they'd stuck with just half-court offense, he wouldn't have been nearly as effective against the Bulls' suffocating defense.
Thinking back, Zhao Dong had to give Jordan his props. Even under extreme defensive pressure, MJ still put up 55 on elite efficiency.
If the Bulls had a stronger interior presence, or if the Knicks didn't have Ewing, this series would be a different story. As dominant as he was becoming, Zhao Dong knew his scoring output still wasn't on Jordan's level—at least, not yet.
"Zhao Dong, that's your third buzzer-beater against the Bulls and your second one in this Eastern Conference Finals. What do you want to say to Jordan right now?" a New York reporter asked.
Zhao Dong smirked. "Jordan, I'm still coming for you."
The press room erupted. Some reporters gasped, others just laughed at the pure audacity.
After wrapping up the interviews, Zhao Dong and his teammates made sure their families and partners got into the team-arranged transport first.
The Knicks' management had set up a car for the wives and girlfriends to head back to the hotel. The whole ride, the conversation was buzzing about the game—excited voices filled the space.
Lindsay sat quietly, listening but not saying much. She had a natural distance about her—elegant but untouchable. Most of the other wives and girlfriends kept their conversations among themselves, hesitant to engage with her.
Still, they were curious. After all, she was with Zhao Dong. Or at least, that's what everyone assumed.
Oakley's wife, Matali, finally broke the silence. She leaned across the aisle with a grin. "Lindsay, Zhao played his ass off tonight!"
Lindsay smiled back, her voice calm but confident. "Thanks, Matali. No doubt—Zhao's the best. And he's only gonna get better. Jordan won't be the GOAT for much longer."
Matali raised an eyebrow. She wanted to ask the question that had been floating around forever—was Lindsay really Zhao Dong's girlfriend? The media never caught them in any real intimate moments, just the occasional hand-hold. But one look at Lindsay's calm, almost regal demeanor made Matali hold back.
---
Meanwhile, at the Bulls' press conference, the vibe was completely different—tense, stiff, and on edge. Reporters fired off questions non-stop.
The Bulls were down 3-1—one loss away from elimination. Just last season, they won 72 games and the championship. Now? They might not even make the Finals.
"Coach Jackson, do you think the team can still make a comeback?" a reporter asked.
Phil Jackson hesitated, then said, "Absolutely. History has shown that teams can come back from 3-1. It's happened five times before. The Celtics did it twice—in 1968, Bill Russell led them past Wilt Chamberlain's Sixers. In 1981, Larry Bird did it in just his second year.
It's rare, but it's possible. And if anyone can do it, it's Michael Jordan."
All eyes turned to MJ.
"Michael, do you believe you guys can pull this off?"
Jordan's response was ice-cold. "No doubt about it."
No hesitation. No fear. Just that signature Jordan confidence.
---
Over at the Knicks' press conference, it was a completely different mood—loose, fun, and full of energy. Everyone was hyped.
The next morning, New York's media went crazy with the coverage.
"Jordan, I'll kill you again!"
That was the front-page headline of The New York Times.
But before fans could even fully digest that, the NBA dropped a huge announcement at 9 AM—a fresh batch of personal honors.
1996 NBA All-Rookie Teams
First Team: Zhao Dong, Stephon Marbury, Allen Iverson, Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Antoine Walker.
Second Team: Kobe Bryant, Ray Allen, Kerry Kittles, Derek Fisher, Matt Maloney.
Other Awards
Sixth Man of the Year: John Starks (Knicks)
Coach of the Year: Jeff Van Gundy (Knicks)
The media was already buzzing over these, but the real heat came with the All-NBA and All-Defensive Teams.
So far, the league had only revealed the All-Defensive Second Team and the All-NBA Second & Third Teams. The First Team selections were still under wraps.
1996 NBA All-Defensive Second Team
Mookie Blaylock
Anthony Mason
Hakeem Olajuwon
John Stockton
Zhao Dong
---
Zhao Dong's eyes scanned the paper. Then he froze.
"Man, they really put me on the Second Team?"
He crumpled up the newspaper, resisting the urge to rip it apart.
"Oak, you know damn well the media ain't showin' me no love. They ain't tryna see a Chinese dude make First Team as a rookie," Zhao Dong said, shaking his head.
Oakley smirked and tapped the newspaper. "Shit, at least they put you on the All-NBA Second Team. You better be grateful for that. You know how hard it is to make that list your first year?"
Zhao Dong scoffed. "Man, I was undrafted and still made the All-Star starting lineup. Being named Second Team ain't nothing special. I should've been First Team, period."
He glanced at the list. The other names on Second Team? Hakeem, Glen Rice, Gary Payton, and Mitch Richmond.
Third Team? Pippen, Shaq, Karl Malone, Penny Hardaway, and Stockton.
Zhao Dong smirked. "Yo, Charles, Pat definitely made First Team, huh?"
"Of course," Oakley chuckled. "Let's go find his ass. If he made it again, he gotta treat us. This might be his last time making First Team, so he definitely owes us."
When they got to Ewing's spot, the place was already packed. Van Gundy and Thibodeau were there too, congratulating the big man.
Ewing was grinning from ear to ear. This was only the second time in his career he made First Team, and with the Knicks looking like legit title contenders, he was hyped.
But then, bad news hit.
The league officially announced that Oakley was suspended for Game 5.
"That's some bullshit," John Starks muttered. "The league's just tryna keep this series alive."
"Not just that," Larry Johnson added. "I bet the refs ain't giving us no calls in Game 5 either. Wouldn't be surprised if they start favoring the Bulls heavy."
"The league's hurting without Jordan in the Finals," Allan Houston said.
"You think they want the Bulls back in?" Starks asked.
"Man, that shit sounds real possible," Oakley grumbled.
Everyone went quiet for a second, realizing how much money the NBA would lose if Chicago got bounced early. Jordan was their golden ticket. Without him, the Finals ratings would take a major hit.
Zhao Dong wasn't sure if it was outright rigged, but it was definitely suspicious. Either way, he wasn't about to let his teammates get caught up in that mindset.
"Yo, listen up!" he shouted, snapping everyone's attention back. "This is all speculation, alright? Ain't shit set in stone. What we gotta do is get ready for Game 5 and handle our business. Even if the league's tryna screw us, we gotta come out and play our game. We got the squad to send the Bulls home."
"Hell yeah! We ain't lettin' 'em get away with that!" Starks yelled.
"Zhao Dong's right! We handle our shit, don't get distracted!" Van Gundy added.
With Zhao Dong and the coaching staff keeping things in check, the team shook off the negativity and got back to focusing on the game.
By noon, the Knicks landed back in New York, greeted by a roaring crowd of fans.
Zhao Dong noticed something—at least half of them were rocking his No. 46 jersey. His name was cemented in this city. If he won the chip this year, he'd be a Knicks legend, no question.
Almost at the same time, the Bulls' private plane touched down in New York.
Instead of hopping on the team bus, Zhao Dong waited at the airport for Lindsay's flight. When she arrived, the two left together.
Being with her was a different vibe—calm, relaxing. In the middle of a heated playoff run, that kind of peace was priceless. They made plans to cook dinner together and chill with a game on.
Later that night, as they lounged on the couch watching the Western Conference Finals, Lindsay asked, "Zhao, who you want in the Finals—Jazz or Rockets?"
"They both tough," Zhao Dong replied, "but I'd rather see Houston."
"Why?"
He smirked. "I just don't wanna see that Karl Malone dude in the Finals."
Lindsay burst out laughing. "You're too much."
Zhao Dong chuckled too, then asked, "Eve, you think I'm taking the championship this year?"
"No doubt," she said confidently.
"And Finals MVP?"
"Mm-hmm."
"Oh yeah, Ringo Wells said some big fashion magazines want us on their covers. You down for it? These are first-class brands."
Lindsay tilted her head, studying him. "Do you want me to do it with you?"
Zhao Dong knew she wasn't big on the fame. He smiled. "If you don't wanna do it, then we skip it."
She nodded, satisfied.
May 28th – Game 5 Day
Morning came, and Zhao Dong hit the team's tactical meeting.
Van Gundy stuck to the usual game plan—defensive pressure leading to transition buckets. No one had a better idea, so they rolled with it.
Meanwhile, over at the Bulls' hotel, Phil Jackson was plotting.
His system always relied on a superstar carrying the load, but he knew Chicago had a hole in their offense—no low-post threat demanding a double-team.
Rodman was elite on defense and the boards, but offensively? The Knicks were happy leaving him open so they could swarm Jordan.
That's why the Bulls had been struggling against New York's suffocating defense. They couldn't free up MJ like they wanted.
Still, Jordan's insane efficiency in Game 4 gave Phil some confidence. The real issue was defense—how the hell do they stop Zhao Dong?
"Alright, listen up," Phil said, addressing the squad.
Shut down their transition game. No easy buckets.
After a Knicks rebound, pressure their outlet passes.
Pippen, stay glued to Zhao Dong in transition. Don't let him get the ball early.
If we can't stop Zhao Dong, we stop his teammates. His matchup advantage is real, but his teammates ain't got that luxury.
Clamp down on Ewing. No extra help, but cut off his connection with Zhao Dong.
Oakley's suspension weakens their defense and rebounding. We gotta capitalize.
Expect some favorable calls. The league doesn't want this series ending tonight. They want seven games, they want us in the Finals. Profits come first.
Keep hammering Zhao Dong. Fouls don't matter. If we lose this game, we're done. Go all out.
At this point, even after throwing the Jordan Rules at Zhao Dong, Phil knew they still didn't have a real answer for him.
So all he could do was focus on the little details, hoping to tip the scales.
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