"Give the ball to Kobe! That kid won the dunk contest—let him fly!" Michael Jordan yelled from courtside, drawing a round of laughter.
"Pfft!"
Even the players on the court cracked up.
Kobe's face, however, darkened. He turned to Jordan, visibly annoyed.
"Why you gotta bring that up?" he muttered. "That was years ago."
Ever since he won the '97 dunk contest and the league canceled it the year after, Kobe always felt a little weird when people brought it up—as if he'd dunked the whole event into extinction.
Meanwhile, on the court, Gary Payton held the ball awkwardly. He glanced at Jordan, then at Kobe, then at the clock.
Who the hell was he supposed to pass to?
"BEEP!"
The ref blew his whistle.
24-second shot clock violation.
"HAHAHAHA!"
The entire arena erupted in laughter. Even Marv Albert, calling the game courtside on NBC, chuckled.
"Well, that's one way to kill momentum," Marv quipped.
"You can blame that one on MJ and Zhao stirring the pot," Doug Collins added.
The Western All-Stars weren't happy. Their rhythm was all over the place. Coach Gregg Popovich finally had enough.
He signaled for subs.
Duncan and Garnett were out. In came Chris Webber and Steve Francis, and suddenly the West looked more like a one-big-four-shooters lineup.
Don Nelson, coaching the East, responded by swapping in McGrady and Ray Allen for Iverson and Kidd.
The tempo flipped.
Now it was just pure showtime: alley-oops, windmills, 360s—you dunk one, I dunk one. The crowd was hyped. Every slam brought another wave of energy.
After playing for about half a quarter, Zhao Dong checked out and took a seat next to Jordan, not joining in the dunk-fest.
Yao Ming came in as his replacement. With him on the floor, the East stuck to a true one-big-four-out lineup. And with Zhao gone, the game slowly began to resemble an actual basketball match again—more serious, more tactical.
But the buzz in the building wasn't the same.
---
Courtside – NBC Broadcast Booth
"Man, the crowd was electric when Zhao was on the floor," Doug Collins noted.
"He brings gravity—not just in the paint, but to the entire arena," Marv replied.
"He leaves, and it's like the lights dim a little."
Meanwhile, Zhao Dong and Jordan had shifted into casual conversation while watching the game.
"Zhao," Jordan said, side-eyeing him, "You going for MVP this season?"
Zhao didn't hesitate.
"Of course. I want to be the best to ever do it."
Jordan sucked his teeth, like he'd just been jabbed in the ribs.
"Without Fordson, you'll have a hard time against the Lakers," he added, trying to dampen Zhao's fire.
Zhao nodded. Their last game against the Lakers—with Fordson—had ended in an L. Now without him?
Still, Zhao's confidence never dipped.
"They might not even get past the Spurs."
Jordan raised an eyebrow. "And what about you? Spurs' Twin Towers are no joke."
Zhao's smile widened.
"Just watch. I'm winning four straight."
Jordan froze for a beat. Four straight?
Damn.
If I hadn't retired, I'd have six in a row.
The friendly chat slowly shifted into thinly veiled bickering. Competitive fire never slept.
Later…
Zhao shifted the topic. "Dallas looks good. You happy with their progress?"
Jordan nodded, smiling for real this time. "Wang's doing great. Much better than Luke Longley ever did for me."
Zhao laughed. "How's the operation side?"
"It's solid. The Dallas market's strong," Jordan said, nodding again. "Twice, actually."
But his tone shifted as he added, "Still, the Cowboys run that town. Every home game's packed—85,000 seats, sold out. Their ticket revenue is wild."
He sighed, then looked at Zhao.
"You're lucky. The New York Jets are even hotter right now. You gotta be making serious bank."
Zhao chuckled. "Wanna buy them?"
Jordan blinked. "What?"
"I'm serious. I'm selling. If you got the cash, they're yours."
Jordan stared at him, stunned. "The Jets are raking it in. Why would you sell now?"
Zhao leaned back.
"I don't need the money."
It wasn't a flex—it was a fact. Between Storm Fund and Tianlong Investment Bank, he and Lindsay were managing over a trillion dollars in assets. Commission and profit shares alone dwarfed anything the Jets brought in.
They'd already discussed it—time to cash out. The market value of the Jets had climbed to $700–800 million, multiple times their purchase price. With U.S. asset bubbles looming, this was the moment.
The sale would also cover Lindsay's custom Boeing 737 jet and a luxury yacht.
She needed it. Lindsay was constantly flying between U.S. cities and deserved to travel in style—and sleep in peace.
---
Back on the court…
The Western All-Stars pulled away in the second half and won the game. Shaquille O'Neal and Tim Duncan were named co-MVPs—a rare double-yolk.
Yao Ming, in his All-Star debut, played 28 minutes, dropping:
13 points
7 rebounds
4 assists
3 blocks
Solid numbers. A clear statement: the big man had arrived.
After All-Star Weekend…
The NBA season entered its stretch run.
Teams with playoff spots locked in were adjusting their rotations, resting stars. Those on the bubble went into war mode.
Bottom-feeders? Tank city. Eyes locked on the upcoming draft.
Late February – Beijing, China
Zhao Dong sat in his private office, finishing a late call with Lindsay.
"Babe, Penguin can't hold on," Lindsay said. "They're trying to sell off QQ. We're negotiating with Julong right now."
Zhao raised an eyebrow. "How much?"
"One million RMB," she said, laughing.
Zhao couldn't help but laugh too.
Just last year, Julong Investment had raised $300,000 for Penguin and acquired 49% equity, beating out an offer from the Li family's second son.
But history had a sense of irony. Just like his past life, Penguin still couldn't hold on—even in this alternate timeline.
And not because the company was failing—far from it.
Its explosive growth meant surging user traffic and server costs. But with no monetization yet, it was hemorrhaging cash. No revenue, no cash flow.
"Let Julong handle the buyout," Zhao said calmly. "Also, what about the other three tech startups?"
Though Julong already had strong control of Penguin via its 49% stake, they had never interfered in day-to-day ops—until now. With the company on the edge of collapse, it was time to step in.
"Those three tech companies are planning to go public in the U.S.," Lindsay said over the phone. "But with the current state of the U.S. stock market… I don't see it ending well. Should we intervene?"
Zhao Dong leaned back in his chair, eyes narrowing. Julong Investment held 40% of the shares in each of the three firms. If they wanted to step in, the impact would be immediate. Between Julong Investment and Tianlong Investment Bank, their influence was enough to shake boards.
But was it worth it?
"Let them do it," Zhao finally replied. "Once things go sideways, we'll step in and finish the acquisition."
Lindsay chuckled. "Got it."
Three Days Later
The deal between Julong and Penguin was finalized.
As a majority stakeholder, Julong Investment vetoed Penguin's desperate plan to sell QQ. Instead, they proposed a bold new financing strategy—valued at 300 million RMB.
Julong's control and influence persuaded the other shareholders, and the board unanimously approved.
Penguin's market value jumped to 600 million RMB, and with 300 million in working capital, the company came roaring back to life—instantly outpacing its three internet rivals.
Now hungry and envious, those three companies eyed Julong for funding—but with caution. They wanted the capital, but not at the cost of control.
Still, their IPO processes were already rolling. All three had submitted listing applications. If successful, they'd raise the operational cash they needed—without surrendering power.
---
End of February – NBA Season
The Knicks wrapped up February with a 13–0 run, improving their season record to 48–7 after 55 games.
On March 1st, the league announced its Player of the Month: Tim Duncan.
But the MVP leaderboard? Still ruled by Zhao Dong, whose dominant performances and the Knicks' league-best record kept him firmly at the top.
That same day, headlines in China surged.
After long-standing bilateral talks, China and the EU reached a historic WTO accession agreement, months ahead of schedule.
March—Rotation & Reality
As the season shifted into its final stretch, Coach Jeff Van Gundy tightened the rotation. Starters rested more. The rookies, Marion and Ginóbili, began to show signs of fatigue. Without Sprewell, the Knicks' perimeter game lost bite.
Fortunately, Jerry Stackhouse stepped up. The veteran found his groove, averaging over 20 points per game in March—earning himself real All-Star buzz.
On March 15, Zhao and Lindsay finalized the sale of the New York Jets, pocketing $820 million in cold, hard cash.
Just four days later, Zhao's phone rang.
It was Charles Barkley.
The Round Mound of Rebound had officially joined NBC as an in-game commentator, paired—just like in the previous life—with Kenny Smith.
"Get ready," Barkley said. "I'm calling your playoff games next month. You better put on a damn show."
By March 31, the Knicks held a 60–12 record. In March, they went 12–5, still the best in the East.
Player of the Month honors went to Shaquille O'Neal, marking his second win of the season—equal to Zhao Dong's tally.
Yet, on the MVP ladder?
Zhao Dong still sat at No. 1.
With 10 games left in April, the regular season would wrap on the 19th.
The Lakers trailed the Knicks by just one win at 59–13. No other team was close.
The Spurs had yet to hit 50 wins, and Coach Popovich had begun limiting David Robinson's minutes in anticipation of a deep postseason run.
Eastern Conference standings:
1st: Knicks (68–14)
2nd: Philadelphia 76ers(57–15)
3rd: Nets (51–21)
4th: Pacers (50–21)
Zhao couldn't help but reflect.
In his past life, Tim Duncan had torn his left meniscus in the 78th game of the season—an injury that forever grounded the once-soaring Big Fundamental.
Would history repeat itself?
Strangely, Popovich wasn't reducing Duncan's minutes. If anything, he was increasing them while benching Robinson.
That was a red flag.
---
April 7 – Knicks vs. 76ers
The Knicks lost at home. Again.
Two games against Philly this season, and both times, the home team lost. A weird anomaly.
April 10 – Road Rematch
This time in Philadelphia, the Knicks bounced back and tied the season series at 1–1.
April 11 – Back in New York
Zhao tuned in to watch Spurs vs. Kings, a must-win for Sacramento. The Kings were sitting at ninth place in the West, just one win behind the SuperSonics for the final playoff spot.
From tip-off, the Kings played desperate—and it showed.
By the 9th minute of the 4th quarter, Zhao sat upright.
Duncan was still on the floor.
"What the hell is Pop thinking?" Zhao muttered.
The Spurs had nothing to gain from this game, but Duncan hadn't sat once. Zhao knew what was coming.
And then, it happened.
While fighting for a rebound, Duncan landed awkwardly.
His left knee twisted.
He grimaced.
No sub.
No time-out.
He played through the pain until the final buzzer.
Zhao stared blankly at the screen.
"Pop and Duncan… both outta their minds," he muttered.
---
April 12 – The Aftermath
The Spurs released an official statement: Tim Duncan is out for the season.
Zhao sighed. History, it seemed, refused to be rewritten.
With Duncan done and Robinson's minutes limited, San Antonio effectively dropped out of the title race.
To make matters worse for them, Duncan's contract was up.
He'd enter the offseason as a restricted free agent.
April 19 – Regular Season Ends
The Knicks closed the season with a 68–14 record, locking in 1st in the league.
Right behind them?
The Lakers at 67–15, riding a monstrous run of their own.
The NBA Playoffs were set to begin on April 22, with every team getting two to three days of rest before the war began.
In the Eastern Conference, the top four teams in the regular season were:
New York Knicks
New Orleans Pelicans
Brooklyn Nets
Indiana Pacers
It was a shocker—three teams from the Atlantic Division held the top three spots in the East. Nobody saw that coming.
But due to playoff seeding rules, division champions were automatically placed in the top three seeds. That meant the official Eastern Conference playoff standings were:
1st – Knicks (Atlantic Division champs)
2nd – Pacers (Central Division champs)
3rd – Heat (Southeast Division champs)
4th – Digital Team
5th – Nets
6th – Bulls
7th – Hornets
8th – Raptors
This reshuffling hurt both the Nets and the 76ers, forcing them to face each other in the first round. Only one would survive.
On the flip side, the Bulls, despite finishing 5th in the standings, were bumped to 6th in seeding—ironically giving them a slight edge by drawing the Heat in the first round.
Western Conference Playoff Picture
In the West, the regular season standings aligned with division titles, so the playoff seeds were straight:
1st – Lakers
2nd – Trail Blazers
3rd – Spurs
4th – Jazz
5th to 8th – Mavericks, Suns, Timberwolves, Supersonics
---
First-Round Matchups:
East:
(1) Knicks vs. (8) Raptors
(2) Pacers vs. (7) Hornets
(3) Heat vs. (6) Bulls
(4) Digital Team vs. (5) Nets
West:
(1) Lakers vs. (8) Supersonics
(2) Trail Blazers vs. (7) Timberwolves
(3) Spurs vs. (6) Suns
(4) Jazz vs. (5) Mavericks
If the Knicks advanced, they'd face the winner of Pelicans vs. Nets in the second round. Same logic applied in the West.
Zhao Dong's Stat Line – Regular Season:
Zhao had played all 82 games, averaging a league-high 44.5 minutes per game—an iron man through and through.
His stat line was downright historic:
43.0 points
11.5 rebounds
10.2 assists
1.9 steals
3.1 blocks
1.9 turnovers
3.8 fouls
64% FG
91% FT
He also recorded over 40 triple-doubles, becoming the second player in NBA history to average a triple-double for a season—after Oscar Robertson.
Naturally, the media and fans were shouting: MVP!
Zhao won both the scoring title and the assist title, narrowly edging out Jason Kidd (10.1 APG) for the latter.
Rebounding Title: Dikembe Mutombo – 14.1 RPG
Blocked Shots Leader: Alonzo Mourning – 3.7 BPG
Steals Leader: Eddie Jones – 2.7 SPG
Fordson, who had been averaging 15.9 boards before injury, was robbed of the rebounding crown by misfortune.
April 20, 10:00 AM — Call from Yao
"Brother Dong, we're so unlucky pulling Philadelphia in the first round," Yao Ming said on the line, a bit frustrated.
Zhao Dong chuckled. "Then crush them. They've got nobody who can guard you anyway."
The 76ers had Theo Ratliff and Karl Malone, but neither could stop Yao in the post. The Nets and Philly had split their regular season series 2–2. Yao held his own in each.
The first two rounds of this year's East playoffs were going to be bloodbaths. Of the top three seeds in the East, one was guaranteed to fall early.
Whoever survived would carry serious Finals potential.
Western Conference Outlook
With Duncan officially ruled out for the year, only one contender remained: the Lakers.
It was their conference to lose.
Zhao took a moment to praise Yao Ming's rookie season.
72 games played
37 MPG
22.5 points
9.6 rebounds
2.1 assists
0.8 steals
2.4 blocks
He nearly broke into the 20+10 club, posting numbers comparable to Duncan's rookie season.
Even Zhao admitted: "Honestly? I'm too short to guard you one-on-one."
Yao laughed, honored by the praise.
Later That Day — Call to Hu Weidong
"Brother Hu, you and sis heading back to China soon, or staying for the playoffs?" Zhao asked.
"We're flying out tomorrow," Hu Weidong replied cheerfully. "Won't be staying."
"Alright, make sure to stop by the Dongcheng Base in Beijing for a full physical. Take care of that body," Zhao said.
"I know, I know. After this season, I definitely need a breather. National team training's gonna be intense with the Olympics this year."
"Once you report, talk to Coach Liu," Zhao said. "Remind him about your rest schedule. He promised before—you're playing year-round, you need recovery time."
"No worries. I'll take it easy this time. Coach Liu owes me one."
Hu had put up solid numbers this year as a swingman for the Wizards:
16.5 points
4.2 rebounds
3.5 assists
He was the third scoring option and had played his role well.
---
April 21 – Night Before the War
That evening, Zhao hosted a pre-playoff team party at his mansion. A close-knit gathering, no media. Just teammates, food, music, and playoff vibes.
The get-together wrapped around 10 p.m.
---
Meanwhile – Beijing International Airport
At the same time, back in China, Zhao Zhenguo and Zhao Dacheng stood on the tarmac at Beijing International Airport, wide-eyed as they looked at the private aircraft in front of them.
Painted sleek black with silver trim, the Boeing 737 Zhao Dong's custom signature aircraft.
Both men were stunned.
"Son... you really bought a plane," Zhao Zhenguo muttered.
Zhao Dacheng stared, mouth agape. "Big bro… is this even legal?"
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