In the home locker room, after receiving the Trail Blazers' starting lineup, the Nets' rookie head coach Byron Scott began his tactical breakdown.
At just 39 years old, Scott was a fresh face in the head-coaching world, having spent the past two seasons as an assistant with the Kings. The Nets' management surprised many by hiring him—especially with such a loaded roster. Even Yao Ming and Tim Duncan privately questioned the decision.
"Why gamble on a rookie coach when the team's already built to win?" Yao Ming once muttered to Duncan. It felt like one of those mysterious, head-scratching moves only Nets management could make.
But now, Scott stood confidently in front of his players, clipboard in hand.
"Listen up," he said, looking at Yao and Duncan. "Fortson's spacing doesn't matter. Yao, stick with him, but if he drifts out, let him go. Tim, you take Jermaine O'Neal."
Yao nodded. Duncan hesitated for a split second—his athleticism wasn't what it used to be, and keeping up with O'Neal would be tough. But asking Yao to switch was impossible. So, Duncan agreed with a silent nod.
---
At 8 p.m. sharp, the jump ball went up. Jermaine O'Neal and Yao Ming leaped—Trail Blazers possession.
Fortson lingered around the edge of the paint, barely stretching the floor, while Yao guarded him comfortably.
O'Neal moved outside, forcing Duncan to follow, though Duncan sagged two steps back, ready to rotate inside.
Bringing the ball up, Zhao Dong scanned the defense. The Nets were set in a 2-1-2 zone—Yao and Duncan on the wings, Stephen Jackson manning the middle, and Marbury with Kendall Gill at the top.
As Zhao Dong approached the arc, Marbury stuck to Eddie Jones, while Gill and Jackson closed in for a trap.
Seeing an opening, Shawn Marion cut hard from the left wing. Duncan stepped over to help, leaving O'Neal wide open. Zhao Dong zipped a quick pass to O'Neal.
With nobody in front of him, O'Neal took a step inside and rose for an easy mid-range jumper.
"Bang!"
The shot clanged off the rim.
Zhao Dong, already charging inside, sealed off Yao Ming, snagged the offensive rebound, and immediately backed Yao down.
Jackson rotated over to double-team, but Zhao Dong powered through, faking left, spinning right—knocking Jackson aside and shaking Yao off balance. Exploding off his pivot, Zhao Dong hammered a two-handed dunk right over Yao Ming's head.
The crowd roared.
"Beep!"
The whistle blew—and-one. Stephen Jackson was called for the foul.
---
Duncan walked over to Jackson, voice calm but firm.
"Stephen, if you're gonna foul, make it count. Don't give him a three-point play."
Jackson, known for his fiery temper, bit his tongue. Duncan's stoic presence had that effect.
Meanwhile, Zhao Dong looked over with a teasing grin.
"Hey, rookie No. 21, giving lessons already?"
Duncan just stared at him with that trademark stone-faced expression, ignoring the jab.
Zhao Dong laughed to himself. Stone Buddha indeed.
He calmly sank the free throw—3-point play complete.
---
On the other end, Duncan and Yao Ming pulled wide, dragging Fortson and O'Neal out of the paint. That cleared the lane for Marbury, who drove hard from the right wing.
The Blazers were in man-to-man, with Zhao Dong himself guarding Marbury.
"Zhao Dong, I'm gonna beat you!" Marbury barked mid-drive.
But Zhao Dong anticipated every move, staying low and cutting off angles. Marbury made his spin—only to feel the ball stripped clean from his hands.
"Damn it!"
Before Marbury could recover, Zhao Dong was already sprinting in transition.
"Haha, Marbury's gone, but the ball isn't!" commentator Su Qun laughed on the CCTV broadcast.
Two strides later, Zhao Dong detonated at the rim—fast-break slam. The Nets' home crowd, though cheering for the home team, couldn't help but applaud the sheer athleticism.
Jogging back, Zhao Dong handed the ball to Marbury with a smirk.
"Here, Lone Wolf. You can have it back. Try not to lose it again."
"I'm not a Lone Wolf anymore," Marbury grumbled, frustrated.
Zhao Dong feigned surprise. "Oh? New nickname then?"
"No," Marbury snapped, receiving the inbound pass.
"Well, I'll give you one." Zhao Dong grinned. "You're fast as a horse, your last name's Ma, and you love hammering the ball like a blacksmith. How about… Iron Horse?"
At that exact moment, Kendall Gill swung the ball back to Marbury, but Marbury, still fuming at the nickname, fumbled it.
"Snatch!" Zhao Dong pounced, stealing the ball mid-air, and soared downcourt for another thunderous dunk.
"Zhao Dong, you're shameless!" Marbury yelled, red-faced.
Zhao Dong just laughed, jogging to the backcourt.
Behind the baseline, reporters chuckled.
"Iron Horse fits perfectly, doesn't it?" one said.
"Way better than Lone Wolf," another agreed.
Marbury, standing at the baseline ready to inbound, overheard them. He wanted to protest but stopped himself. Better Iron Horse than Lone Wolf, he thought grudgingly.
He pushed the ball upcourt again, this time avoiding the top of the arc, sliding to the right wing. Zhao Dong was already there, crouched low, eyes locked on him.
"Hurry up, Iron Horse, give my ball back!" Zhao Dong teased, dribbling casually after another steal.
"Don't even think about it!" Marbury snapped, glaring.
Kendall Gill jogged over, setting a solid screen. Everyone in the arena knew Marbury couldn't crack Zhao Dong one-on-one, so the Nets went back to basics.
Using Gill's pick, Marbury slipped past Zhao Dong and darted into the paint. Fortson rotated back to protect the rim, but Marbury dished a crisp pass to Yao Ming, who drained an easy jumper near the basket.
"As long as Marbury gets inside, there's no way to defend that pass," Zhang Heli analyzed from the CCTV broadcast booth. He chuckled. "The Blazers' bigs have to collapse to the basket, whether it's Duncan or Yao who's left open. And if those two big men are hitting less than 80% from that close, they're having an off night."
---
On the next possession, Zhao Dong controlled the ball at the top of the arc. Stephen Jackson and Kendall Gill swarmed him in a double-team.
Spotting a seam, Shawn Marion slipped behind Duncan, setting a sneaky pick. At the same moment, Jermaine O'Neal cut sharply from behind Marion, catching Duncan off guard. Zhao Dong zipped a pass to O'Neal, who rose up for a mid-range jumper—right over Yao Ming, who had scrambled back.
"Bang!"
The ball bounced off the rim. Duncan secured the rebound, and the Nets pushed in transition.
Gill set another screen for Marbury, but this time Zhao Dong fought over it, sticking close.
Then Yao Ming stepped up from the low post to set a high pick. Marbury used it perfectly, shaking Zhao Dong and gliding into the paint. Fortson rotated early, but instead of forcing a layup, Marbury kicked it back to Yao.
Zhao Dong switched onto Yao, planting himself in front. But Yao backed him down methodically, spun, and rose for a smooth fadeaway jumper.
Zhao Dong had no chance. Not just him—O'Neal, Duncan, even Garnett would've struggled to contest that shot.
"Too tall, too skilled," Su Qun said on commentary. "Once Yao gets separation, there's no stopping it."
---
Unlike against the Lakers, Zhao Dong didn't relentlessly attack the Nets' paint. This wasn't a grudge match, just a regular-season game. And more importantly—he didn't want to risk injuring Yao Ming.
Even holding back, Zhao Dong's mid-range game was deadly, keeping the Blazers competitive. But the Nets' twin towers—Yao and Duncan—combined with Marbury's slashing eventually wore Portland down.
Final Score: Nets 111, Trail Blazers 105.
Zhao Dong still dropped 56 points on 56% shooting, recording his eighth straight triple-double—but it was an "empty stats" night. Yao and Duncan combined for 61 points on 64% shooting, outpacing him in efficiency.
The Trail Blazers fell to 7–1, sliding out of first place, while the Nets remained perfect at 8–0, sitting atop the league.
---
In the tunnel after the game, Zhao Dong grinned at Marbury.
"Iron Horse, you played smart tonight. Fourteen assists—selfless game."
Marbury chuckled. "I'm chasing that assists title this season."
Zhao Dong patted his shoulder. "Then keep grinding, young man."
Marbury scowled. "Young man? I was born in February '77, a few months older than you."
"Only a few months," Zhao Dong said with a laugh, walking away before Marbury could respond.
The Blazers' loss sparked a wave of hot takes—not about Portland, but about the Lakers.
Charles Barkley said on TNT:
"Keep their main lineup healthy, and the Lakers can take Portland. The Nets just showed the blueprint: two dominant bigs and elite perimeter play."
A Lakers legend echoed that sentiment:
"David Robinson may be aging, but with Kobe and Shaq, the Lakers have the same tools as the Nets. If they stay healthy, they can beat the Blazers."
The Lakers, without even playing, got a PR win.
The Blazers continued their East Coast swing with six more road games before returning to Portland on November 23.
They dominated weaker Eastern Conference teams, winning all six, finishing the trip 13–1, regaining the league's best record.
Meanwhile, the Nets finally cracked, losing to the Lakers in L.A. The standings tightened—Portland and New Jersey were now tied for first.
---
With David Robinson back, the Lakers unleashed their full strength. Shaq and Robinson battled Yao and Duncan inside, but the real difference-maker was Kobe Bryant.
Marbury held his own offensively but was exposed on defense. Kobe repeatedly attacked him, forcing Yao into foul trouble. Yao fouled out after just 24 minutes, stuck watching from the bench.
On the other end, Kobe locked Marbury up, suffocating him and cutting off the Nets' perimeter flow.
Kobe exploded for 46 points, overshadowing even the superstar bigs. His intensity was undeniable—a sharp edge and killer instinct.
---
There was no game on November 24, and after a grueling stretch of road games, coach Dunleavy canceled practice.
Zhao Dong finally got a rare day off. He spent it at home, playing with his four young sons—his most cherished victory of all.
Lindsay sat in her home office, a dozen assistants bustling around her as she remotely managed Tianlong Investment Bank and Storm.
"Hubby, the UN General Assembly is the day after tomorrow," Lindsay said while scrolling through reports. "Once China officially joins the WTO, I want to launch a major asset management project at Tianlong."
Zhao Dong leaned back in his chair, nodding. "Makes sense. Tianlong doesn't have enough operating projects right now. It needs more capital to expand its influence."
"Also," Lindsay added, adjusting her glasses, "the acquisition of Huifeng Bank fell through. We didn't secure enough management shares. So, I'm planning to have Tianlong open its own bank."
Zhao Dong smiled. "That's the better play anyway. In China, we've got way more advantages than Huifeng. Just the funds from those industrial group companies alone could back a full-fledged bank."
---
At noon, the Nets arrived in Portland for a highly anticipated showdown. Zhao Dong personally drove to the team hotel to pick up Yao Ming and Marbury for lunch.
The next afternoon, the UN General Assembly officially approved China's WTO membership. That night, the Trail Blazers and Nets clashed at the Rose Garden for control of the league's top spot.
This time, Zhao Dong showed no mercy.
He went full throttle, targeting Duncan relentlessly. In the first quarter alone, Duncan picked up two quick fouls and was benched after just seven minutes. By halftime, Duncan had four fouls, severely limiting his minutes.
On defense, Zhao Dong locked in on Marbury, cutting off his drives and forcing the Nets to rely heavily on their twin towers. The strategy worked—the Trail Blazers won convincingly, reclaiming the league's best record.
The loss sparked questions about the Nets. Analysts pointed to their weak backcourt—Marbury struggled against elite defenders like Zhao Dong and Kobe, and Kendall Gill simply wasn't good enough. The lack of perimeter firepower was dragging down their two dominant big men.
---
Player of the Month
On December 1st, the league announced its monthly awards.
Zhao Dong, averaging a jaw-dropping 45 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 10.5 assists per game in November, won Player of the Month and retained the top spot in the MVP race.
---
On December 8th, the Philadelphia 76ers came to town.
The 37-year-old Karl Malone, still in great shape, had developed strong chemistry with Allen Iverson—one attacking downhill, the other punishing defenders with mid-range pull-ups. The two kept pace with the Blazers throughout the first half.
Unlike the Nets or Lakers, the 76ers had depth. Their bench matched Portland's second unit blow for blow, making them dangerous.
This was Iverson's fifth season, and he was firmly in his prime. His lightning-fast drives forced Zhao Dong to stay near the paint, unable to roam freely.
Just like their Eastern Conference Semifinals battle months ago, Iverson's penetration created open looks for Malone. The Mailman's elbows punished anyone except Zhao Dong. With Iverson pulling defenders away, Malone thrived, scoring 21 points in just 22 minutes on 57% shooting in the first half.
The game was tied at halftime.
In the third quarter, Larry Bird switched things up. Zhao Dong was assigned to guard Malone directly, while Iverson faced a "human wave" defense—Fortson, O'Neal, Brian Grant, Schrempf, and Dale Davis rotated in, wearing him down with constant physicality.
Malone's production plummeted under Zhao Dong's defense. Iverson still got to the free-throw line, but the 76ers' overall offense stalled.
In the fourth quarter, Bird made another adjustment, putting Fortson on Malone and freeing Zhao Dong to roam inside. Fortson had experience defending Malone back in New York, but he couldn't neutralize the Mailman like Zhao Dong could. Still, the change let Zhao Dong dominate the paint, cutting off Iverson's drives.
The 76ers' deadly Email Combination—Iverson and the Mailman—was finally contained, and the Blazers pulled away for the win.
---
Postgame Banter
"Larry, your coaching is impressive," Zhao Dong said afterward, grinning.
Bird smirked, puffing out his chest. "Everyone knows I'm elite—same tier as Pat Riley."
Zhao Dong chuckled, shaking his head at Bird's shamelessness. But the victory was proof: Portland had the tools to shut down Philly's best weapon.
The media quickly pounced. Commentators questioned whether the 76ers really belonged in the same conversation as the Blazers, Nets, and Lakers.
---
On December 12th, the Blazers defeated the Warriors on the road, then flew overnight to Los Angeles for a back-to-back against the Lakers.
At this point, Portland boasted a league-best 21–1 record. Zhao Dong continued his unprecedented streak of 40+ triple-doubles, showing off his unmatched versatility.
---
In Los Angeles, the hype was building.
Magic Johnson, speaking to local media, said:
"I think Zhao Dong's trying to do what Wilt Chamberlain did in his prime. If he succeeds, he'll be the true ruler of this league."
Shaquille O'Neal, in a rare serious tone, declared:
"We're ready. We're not bowing to anyone. Tonight, we kill God."
Kobe Bryant, ever confident, told reporters at practice:
"There's no ruler in this league. He's not invincible. The Nets beat him, and so can we. If we want to win, we'll win."
The New York Times ran with a dramatic headline:
"The Ruler Has Arrived at Staples—The Lakers Are Ready to Kill Gods!"
Despite leaving the Knicks, Zhao Dong remained New York's biggest basketball star. With the Knicks sitting at a miserable 6–15, New York's media had shifted its full attention to him.
Meanwhile, Los Angeles outlets echoed Shaq and Kobe's words, plastering bold headlines across morning papers:
"Tonight, We Kill Gods!"
"This League Has No Ruler!"
The stage was set for a war at Staples Center.
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