The day after Game 1, New York media exploded with headlines.
"Zhao Dong Scores 68 — Second-Highest Playoff Game Ever!"
"Efficiency God Reigns at MSG!"
From Times Square to Tianjin, Zhao Dong's performance was the talk of the basketball world.
But not everyone was cheering.
Scottie Pippen, now with the Trail Blazers, spoke out in a heated ESPN interview, throwing shade at the reigning Finals MVP.
Pippen had helped Portland reach the second round against the Suns, but his numbers—12.5 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists in the regular season—hardly echoed his prime. In the playoffs, he'd improved slightly to 15–7–3, but his days as a star were clearly behind him.
Still, old frustrations resurfaced.
He'd once been matched up against Zhao Dong during his Bulls tenure—and got torched. Now, seeing Zhao drop 68 and draw comparisons to Jordan?
It pushed him over the edge.
"Look at the rest of the Knicks—no one scored over 20. Zhao Dong's so-called 'success' is built on hijacking his teammates' shots. That's not greatness, that's selfishness. Jordan would never. He's no god—he's just another ball-hog."
The quote aired nationally on ESPN at noon on May 7th. It instantly went viral.
---
Zhao Dong's Apartment – Noon
Zhao Dong glanced at the TV, then smirked.
"Heh."
Before I was reborn, Pippen always dragged Jordan's name into interviews for attention. This clown deserves to go bankrupt.
What made it funnier was the fact that Jordan—now tied to Zhao Dong's camp through Mavericks ownership talks—was quietly supporting him behind the scenes.
Pippen's rant? Inconvenient at best, damaging at worst.
Jordan saw the headlines and could only shake his head. He knew exactly how it looked—and worse, how it sounded.
He ignored calls from the media. So did his agent, David Falk. No need to stir the pot further
That Evening
During a phone interview with SportsNet, Zhao Dong was asked about Pippen's comments.
He answered without hesitation:
"Who's Pippen?"
The quote hit the New York Times front page by morning:
"Who is Pippen?" – Zhao Dong
Pippen saw it before shootaround.
His blood pressure spiked.
Last night's joy over the Trail Blazers' win over the Suns?
Gone.
---
May 8 — Game 2: Knicks vs. Philadelphia
With the chance to go up 2–0 before heading to Philly, the Knicks were determined.
So determined, in fact, that Coach Nelson got conservative.
Without Fordson anchoring the paint, Nelson shifted focus to defense. He spoke to Zhao Dong pre-game.
"I need you to dial it back a little. Save your legs. Focus on organizing. Make the others better."
Zhao Dong nodded.
But the result?
Disastrous.
While he played the full 48 minutes, putting up a 38–18–10 triple-double on 13-of-20 shooting and 12-of-12 at the line, the rest of the Knicks shot poorly.
They went 17-for-48 from outside. Just 35.4%.
Despite Zhao Dong's efficiency, the Knicks fell behind.
Final score: Philadelphia 102, Knicks 95.
---
Postgame Press Conference
Coach Nelson took full responsibility:
"We miscalculated. We put the brakes on Zhao. That's on me. That's a tactical failure."
Still, Zhao Dong received near-universal praise from the press. The "God of Efficiency" moniker remained untarnished.
But not everyone let it go.
Pippen, Again
With Zhao Dong trending worldwide, Pippen doubled down:
"Trying to prove he's not selfish by passing up good shots? To guys who aren't even open? That's not leadership. That's desperation. And that loss? That's on him."
May 9 — Lakers 2, Mavericks 0
After arriving in Philadelphia for Game 3, Zhao Dong saw Pippen's interview and nearly snapped.
He picked up the phone.
"Shaq," he said. "When you face Portland in the Conference Finals… kill that man for me."
"Are you crazy? I'm a center. You want me to check Pippen?" O'Neal shouted.
Zhao Dong didn't flinch.
"Shaq. Reebok's about to tank. You wanna sign your next shoe deal with Zhao Dong Sports or Nike?"
There was a pause. Then:
"…Fine. If he comes in the paint, I'll flatten him."
Shaq chuckled.
"I'll make him wish he retired in '98."
That night, the Trail Blazers beat the Suns again.
The Bulls evened their series against the Pacers.
---
May 10 — Game 3: Knicks vs. Philadelphia, G3 at Wells Fargo Center
Coach Nelson had learned from Game 2.
He huddled with the staff and announced one thing:
"Zhao gets full control tonight. Unlimited green light."
His reasoning was simple.
"We've got the God of Efficiency. Let him cook. Screw balance—we win with elite offense, not pretty charts."
As the game tipped off, Zhao Dong went into full attack mode.
He ran off-ball screens, slashed through traps, and attacked the rim relentlessly.
His main target?
Theo Ratliff.
The Mailman's paint defense was average. But Ratliff? Elite.
So Zhao went straight at him.
By halftime, Ratliff was in foul trouble—4 personals—and Zhao had already attempted 13 free throws.
He had 36 points, and the Knicks led 56–48.
Third Quarter Begins
Larry Brown tried to save Ratliff by keeping him benched. He thought Zhao Dong would rest. That the Knicks would pace their offense.
He was wrong.
When Zhao Dong saw that Ratliff wasn't on the floor to start the third quarter, he turned up the pressure immediately. In just half the quarter, he dropped 11 points and extended the Knicks' lead into double digits. Larry Brown had no choice—he sent Ratliff back into the game.
Big mistake.
Zhao Dong relentlessly targeted him. Before the third quarter ended, Ratliff picked up his fifth foul and was forced back to the bench once again.
The final quarter came, and Ratliff checked back in. But four minutes later, the inevitable happened—foul number six. He was gone.
By that point, the Knicks were already up 15. With only Karl Malone left anchoring Philadelphia's interior, Zhao Dong tore through the paint like a wrecking ball. Tyron Hill tried, but he couldn't contain him. The Knicks secured a critical Game 3 win and took a 2–1 lead in the series.
Zhao Dong played all 48 minutes, going 23-of-35 from the field for a blistering 65.7%, 1-of-2 from deep, and 19-of-21 at the free-throw line. His final stat line: 66 points, 15 rebounds, 5 assists.
After three games in this second-round series, Zhao Dong was averaging 57.3 points per game, shooting over 60% from the field—a level of offensive efficiency previously unheard of in playoff history.
"Zhao Dong, if you average 50+ with over 60% shooting this series, you're not just the God of Efficiency—you're the god of the game."
—Thomas, Knicks team reporter
---
Back in the locker room, news broke: the Lakers dropped their first road game, tying the series 2–1 against the Mavericks. Dallas' alternative twin-tower setup forced O'Neal and Ben Wallace to chase shooters out to the three-point line all game. The physical toll was clear—and the Lakers felt it.
Meanwhile, the headlines were all Zhao Dong.
His Game 3 performance flooded every major sports outlet. The media didn't just repeat the nickname this time. They declared it: "Zhao Dong is the God of Efficiency." The legend was becoming lore.
That night, the Bulls tied their series with the Pacers, and the Suns answered back against Portland. Now, both Eastern and Western series were 2–1.
---
Chapter: Game 4 – Full Court Fury
May 12 – G4: Knicks vs. Philadelphia
Starting Five – Knicks: Zhao Dong, Willis, Rodney Rogers, Stackhouse, Ginobili
Starting Five – Philadelphia: Theo Ratliff, Karl Malone, George Lynch, Allen Iverson, Eric Snow
Zhang Heli voiced what many were thinking before tip-off:
"Zhao Dong burned through so much energy during the regular season and is now playing every playoff minute. Yet he's still delivering at an elite level. He truly is the God of Efficiency."
Su Qun chimed in with a grin, "Let's see if he can give us another 50-piece tonight."
Barkley, laughing from the studio, added:
"You've got some of the league's best defenders out here—Zhao Dong, Malone, Ratliff—but this series? This one's all about offense. Who would've guessed?
Kenny Smith nodded.
"Without Fordson, the Knicks had to sacrifice defense. And while Philly's built on Larry Brown's defense-first mentality, Zhao Dong's been blowing up every scheme they throw at him."
"The Tyrant torching 'em," Barkley said flatly.
"Let's be real," Smith added. "Philly's got the defense. Larry Brown's system, Malone and Ratliff protecting the paint, and the Iverson–Malone combo clicking on offense... but they ran into something they can't guard: the God of Efficiency."
Tip-off – 8:00 PM
Philly struck first with their usual setup: Malone pulled up from midrange after a slick dish from Iverson. Rogers hesitated on defense, worried about the Mailman's infamous elbows, and gave him too much space.
Zhang Heli sighed on CCTV:
"If Fordson were here, Malone wouldn't have that much freedom. In the past few seasons, Malone has always come up short against Zhao Dong—offensively and defensively."
Su Qun added, "This one's turning into a shootout between Zhao Dong and the Mailman. It's all about who's more efficient."
Knicks Ball
The floor spacing was wide. Even Kevin Willis drifted from the paint. Zhao Dong handled the ball out on the left wing. George Lynch was on him, no help yet—Philly was in a 2-3 zone, trusting their interior to stop Zhao's drives.
Zhao faked a pull-up. Lynch bit. He slashed down the left lane.
The zone collapsed instantly.
The triangle around him formed like a trap: Malone rotated from the block, Ratliff slid over from under the rim, and Lynch chased him from behind. Meanwhile, Iverson and Snow were ready to collapse the second Zhao paused.
But Zhao didn't hesitate.
He stopped short at the elbow, yanked the ball upward, shifted left, and leaped sideways—cutting clean through the small gap between Malone and Ratliff.
One step.
Elevated.
Glass.
Swish.
"That's just unfair!" Marv Albert exclaimed.
"He shook three defenders with one side-step," Doug Collins added, in awe.
"You can't trap this guy. He escapes like water," Barkley said on replay.
Smith nodded. "Zhao Dong's footwork, core strength, and balance... there's no one in the league who can finish like that through traffic."
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