Eddie Jones brought the ball up into the frontcourt. With no defender pressing him, his mind wasn't on scoring—his eyes kept darting toward Zhao Dong's position.
That split-second of distraction cost him.
Kobe Bryant suddenly lunged forward, cutting in for a clean steal.
"Oh, turnover! Kobe snatched it!" Zhang Heli shouted.
But before Kobe could sprint for a fast break, Zhao Dong reacted like lightning. Using his body as a wall, he stepped in and cut Kobe off, forcing the Lakers to reset into a half-court set.
---
Kobe took control of the offense, dribbling past half-court, Zhao Dong standing between him and the rim. The Blazers star didn't press too close, giving Kobe just enough space to feel comfortable.
That was exactly what Zhao Dong wanted.
The moment Kobe pushed the ball past midcourt and prepared to shift gears, Zhao Dong exploded forward. One sharp stride—his arm shot out—and poke!
The ball was gone before Kobe even processed it. He hadn't expected Zhao Dong to gamble; the Trail Blazers still had time to burn, and Zhao Dong rarely went for reckless steals.
But this was no gamble. This was instinct.
---
Zhao Dong powered ahead, shoving past Kobe with his sheer size and strength to secure the ball. The crowd roared as he dribbled into the frontcourt.
Red-eyed and furious, Kobe chased him down. One step outside the left-wing three-point line, Kobe caught up.
Kobe was ready to sacrifice his body, throwing himself at Zhao Dong to drive him toward the sideline.
"Squeak!"
But Zhao Dong stopped on a dime. His sneakers screeched against the hardwood as he braked hard. Kobe, unprepared, slid past helplessly.
Zhao Dong calmly rose, releasing a smooth three-pointer.
The entire Staples Center went silent. Millions watching around the world held their breath.
The orange ball soared in a perfect arc.
Zhao Dong landed, turned his back before the ball even dropped, and flashed an OK sign with his right hand still raised.
Swish!
The net snapped crisply. That clean sound was like an electric shock running through the arena.
"YEAH!"
The Staples Center exploded. Fans leaped to their feet, arms raised, screaming until their voices cracked.
---
"IT'S IN! HE HITS IT!" Su Qun's voice cracked with excitement. "Zhao Dong just scored a three—101 POINTS! HE'S BROKEN CHAMBERLAIN'S SINGLE-GAME SCORING RECORD!"
"A new chapter in basketball history! 101 points! Zhao Dong has done it!" Barkley shouted in the TNT booth, pounding the table. "He's the true No.1 in history—THE GOD OF BASKETBALL!"
Smith's voice trembled with disbelief. "One hundred and one points, and 38 points in this quarter alone. Zhao Dong just shattered two of the league's greatest records in one night. This… this is legendary!"
"Look at that! LOOK AT THAT!" Barkley suddenly yelled again.
The camera panned across Staples Center. Fans—Lakers fans—were standing, bowing deeply toward Zhao Dong with their hands raised high in tribute.
More joined in, row by row, until nearly the entire arena followed suit.
Zhang Heli's voice cracked, his eyes red. "This… this is something only a true king deserves. To receive this kind of respect on the road? Only Zhao Dong. Only the true king of basketball."
---
On the court, Zhao Dong waved back at the fans, his face calm but his heart racing.
Truth be told, he had never planned on breaking the 100-point barrier tonight. This had always been something he'd only try against weaker teams, not against a powerhouse like the Lakers.
The Lakers' starting lineup was stronger than Portland's—only their bench was weaker. Scoring 100 against them should've been nearly impossible.
But fate had aligned tonight.
Kobe insisted on challenging him one-on-one all game. Phil Jackson refused to double-team him for three quarters. His efficiency stayed high, and his energy didn't drain early.
Just like Wilt Chamberlain's famous 100-point game, where even Wilt's historically bad free throws inexplicably fell—tonight was destiny.
---
Larry Bird finally called for a foul, giving Zhao Dong the chance to check out of the game to a standing ovation.
The scoreboard read 132–108, Blazers up by 24.
As Zhao Dong walked to the bench, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson approached with reluctant smiles.
"Congratulations, Zhao Dong."
"Thanks." Zhao Dong nodded, understanding the bitterness behind their forced smiles.
He celebrated with his teammates before sitting. Larry Bird handed him the stat sheet with a grin.
---
35-of-49 shooting.
71.4% from the field.
10-of-13 from deep.
76.9% from three—higher than his two-point percentage.
21-of-22 at the line.
95.4% free throws.
In the final six minutes, he was perfect:
7-for-7 shooting, 5-for-5 from three, 3-for-3 free throws.
The Trail Blazers stopped defending in the final moments, allowing the Lakers to score two meaningless buckets. The game ended 132–114, an 18-point blowout.
But no one cared about the final score.
What everyone was talking about… was Zhao Dong's 101 points.
On December 13, 2000, at the Staples Center, Zhao Dong dropped a historic 101 points against the Lakers—a game instantly hailed as one of the greatest performances in NBA history.
---
Regrets in Los Angeles
No one felt more regret than Lakers owner Jerry Buss and general manager Jerry West.
"I really regret it," Buss said with a bitter smile. "We should've stuck with him. He didn't reject us back then."
"Sorry, Jerry. I was too impatient." West sighed heavily.
This was the second time West had missed out on Zhao Dong. The first time, he refused to trade for him because of his faith in Kobe Bryant. The second time, Zhao Dong delayed negotiations on purpose, and West—desperate to strengthen the roster quickly—gave up too soon.
Now, West knew he might never bring the "Golden Tyrant" to the Lakers.
Meanwhile, across the country in New York, Trail Blazers owner Paul Allen was also filled with regret—not because of any failed deal, but because he hadn't flown to Los Angeles to witness the greatest game in franchise history.
---
Post-Game Interview
After the game, Zhao Dong was surrounded by reporters.
"Zhao Dong," one reporter began, "Mrs. Lindsay just announced she'll be donating five million dollars to the Association for the Protection of the Disabled on your behalf."
Zhao Dong paused, then smiled. "My wife made a great decision. The disabled are a vulnerable group we should all care about."
He spent another thirty minutes fielding questions before finally escaping the media frenzy and returning to the locker room.
General manager Bob Whitsitt walked alongside him, looking apologetic. "I'm sorry, Zhao Dong. This is a day worth celebrating, but I didn't prepare any champagne."
Zhao Dong chuckled. "Then we'll celebrate when we get back to Portland."
"Of course," Whitsitt replied with a grin.
But they didn't even have to wait. By the time the team returned to the hotel, Whitsitt had already arranged a private celebration, complete with mountains of champagne.
---
The World Reacts
"101 POINTS IN A SINGLE GAME—THE GOD OF BASKETBALL LOOKS DOWN ON US ALL!" — New York Times (quoting Michael Jordan).
"The True Ruler—The God of Basketball Conquers the NBA!" — Washington Post.
The next morning, Zhao Dong woke up to find his phone flooded with congratulatory messages—from the United States to China. Everyone wanted to celebrate his historic night.
By the time the team landed back in Portland, the entire city was waiting. Cars packed the streets, fans honked their horns endlessly, and banners of "ZHAO DONG 101" hung from buildings.
At the Trail Blazers' headquarters, Paul Allen personally hosted a grand celebration, inviting hundreds of long-time fans to witness the moment.
Later that evening, back home, Lindsay had her own surprise waiting—she baked Zhao Dong a chocolate cake, smiling proudly as she placed it in front of him.
The Trail Blazers' schedule rolled on, but the impact of that game only grew deeper.
In the basketball world, Zhao Dong was being deified. Media outlets worldwide now referred to him as the "God of Basketball."
On ESPN's updated championship probability rankings, the Trail Blazers shot to first place with a 75% chance of winning the title.
The Lakers, once favorites, slipped to third, behind the Nets, with only a 35% chance.
The loss—and Zhao Dong's 101-point explosion—shook the Lakers' morale. Tensions between Kobe Bryant and his teammates worsened, threatening locker-room stability.
Still, the Lakers' Big Three were too talented to collapse completely. Despite the drama, they kept winning—ordinary teams simply couldn't match their firepower.
---
December 25th—Christmas Day.
The Trail Blazers hosted the Lakers in what would be their third regular-season matchup, with one more to come.
The Lakers had lost two straight to Portland, including Zhao Dong's historic night, and now they came seeking revenge.
The atmosphere was electric, almost murderous. The Lakers' players stared at Zhao Dong with bloodshot eyes, their anger palpable.
The Lakers' management was just as tense. If they lost again, this so-called "luxury roster" might mentally collapse.
The Big Three—Kobe, Shaquille O'Neal, and David Robinson
—felt the weight the most. Under pressure, the locker room finally united for the first time in weeks.
The Trail Blazers, boasting a 27–1 record (their only loss to the Nets), weren't planning to give an inch. But this time, the Lakers came prepared.
The two super centers—Shaq and David Robinson—dominated the paint on both ends. Zhao Dong found himself swarmed, the lane clogged with bodies. His efficiency dipped, and for once, the Lakers controlled the tempo.
Kobe Bryant played smarter this time. He no longer challenged Zhao Dong one-on-one but instead used his presence to draw defensive attention, creating open lanes for Shaquille O'Neal and David Robinson.
Meanwhile, Phil Jackson implemented a strict double-team strategy on Zhao Dong, significantly lowering his shooting efficiency.
The adjustments worked. On both ends of the floor, the Lakers outplayed the Trail Blazers.
Portland's deep bench fought hard to keep the game close, but their starting unit was thoroughly outmatched. In the end, the Blazers fell, snapping their dominant run.
The Lakers exhaled as the buzzer sounded.
It wasn't just the players—the Big Three, the coaching staff, management, and even the fans all breathed a collective sigh of relief.
If the Lakers had lost to Zhao Dong's Trail Blazers for a third straight time this season, the mental collapse of this star-studded roster would've been inevitable.
Financially, the Lakers could sustain their operations, but if such a loaded lineup couldn't win, faith in the project would crumble. Someone was bound to leave.
The victory slightly restored the Lakers' media reputation, though ESPN still refused to adjust its championship projections. Their reasoning? The Trail Blazers and the Nets were still the two best-performing teams in the league, and the Lakers had more to prove.
The Blazers remained first in the league standings with a 27–2 record.
---
On December 26, the Trail Blazers flew to Salt Lake City to face the Jazz.
The Jazz, rebuilt just last year, had quickly emerged as a young and promising Western Conference team. With a 19–10 record, they were ranked sixth.
In a surprising upset, Portland fell to the Jazz.
Zhao Dong delivered another stellar performance, scoring over 40 points, pulling down 15 rebounds, and dishing out five assists. But his teammates' shooting touch stayed behind in Portland.
Eddie Jones, the Blazers' second scoring option, shot a dismal 4-for-18, finishing with just 13 points, including free throws. Shawn Marion, who had been improving this season, struggled badly, going 4-for-14 for only 9 points.
The rest of the roster fared no better. The team shot 43% from the field—buoyed mostly by Zhao Dong's efficiency. Excluding his shots, the Blazers hit only 31%, while the Jazz shot 47%.
Unless Zhao Dong scored another 100-point game, there was no way to win.
The Blazers suffered their first losing streak of the season, falling to 27–3, though their league-leading position remained secure.
---
As 2000 came to a close, rumors of tension in the Lakers locker room resurfaced.
Reports claimed that Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal had a heated argument after a game.
The reasons were plenty—Kobe's demanding personality, disagreements over ball distribution, and even his personal life. His controversial relationship and marriage issues only worsened team chemistry, and Kobe's reduced communication with his teammates added volatility.
This version of Kobe was even stronger than in his previous life, holding his teammates to higher standards. But unlike before, the Lakers had yet to win a championship, placing enormous pressure on the locker room—especially on O'Neal, who was mentally wearing down under Kobe's constant challenges.
The Lakers' situation mirrored that of the late-90s Bulls. Under immense pressure from the Knicks and Zhao Dong, Chicago failed to win another title, leading to Jordan's second retirement and a team rebuild. Now, it was the Lakers' turn to face that same storm.
Zhao Dong understood the Lakers' predicament perfectly. Their problems were even worse than Jordan's Bulls.
Jordan's dominance extended beyond the court; he ruled the locker room with absolute authority. As long as he was there, no major internal conflicts could explode.
But in Los Angeles, Shaq, the supposed leader, didn't command that same respect. Kobe, still young and volatile, had become a ticking time bomb in the Lakers' locker room.
---
Player of the Month
On January 1, 2001, the league announced the Player of the Month awards.
Rumors suggested the NBA would introduce separate Eastern and Western Conference winners next season, making this year's awards particularly prestigious.
The league wasn't thrilled to give Zhao Dong yet another honor, but his dominance left them no choice. Averaging over 40 points with multiple triple-doubles and leading the Blazers to the league's best record, he easily claimed the award.
He also maintained his top spot in the official MVP rankings.
The NBA might have preferred a fresh narrative, but Zhao Dong's performances were too overwhelming to ignore. Averaging 46.5 minutes per game without a single rest, he had become a symbol of endurance and dominance. The fans wouldn't accept any other player in that top spot.
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