As the legendary intro song Sirius blasted through the speakers, the arena lights dimmed, and the announcer's voice boomed:
"FOR YOUR WORLD CHAMPION CHICAGO BULLS!"
The United Center, packed with nearly 22,000 fans, erupted. Even with around 3,000 Knicks fans in the building, the home crowd was deafening—19,000 strong, all on their feet, chanting, roaring, welcoming their god.
Michael Jordan.
When he stepped onto the court, it wasn't just an entrance—it was a declaration. A guarantee that Chicago was about to collect another W.
For most visiting teams, this kind of atmosphere meant the game was already over before tip-off. The pressure, the noise—it crushed squads before they could even run their first play.
Once the Bulls' starters were announced and took their positions, the arena lights returned to full brightness.
Zhao Dong scanned his teammates. Allan Houston? Looking a little shook. Charlie Ward? Hands damn near trembling. Oakley? Solid, as always. But Patrick Ewing? The supposed leader of the squad? Man looked… uneasy.
Even though the Knicks had snagged a regular-season win in this same building, this was different. Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals. A chance to go up 3-0 and put the Bulls in a damn-near impossible hole.
If Ewing wasn't locked in, they weren't even getting out of this building alive.
Zhao Dong nudged him. "You good, big fella?"
Ewing shook his head and muttered, "I'm fine."
Oakley, ever the enforcer, knew better. He'd seen this before—Ewing's infamous habit of shrinking in big moments was creeping back.
But there was no time for doubts. The ball was about to go up.
---
Tip-Off
Zhao Dong won the jump ball clean, and the Knicks went on the attack.
Charlie Ward took possession, pushing the ball up the floor. But the second he crossed half-court, the United Center exploded with a wave of boos so intense, it damn near rattled the floorboards.
Ward's hands shook, and just like that—he fumbled the rock.
Ron Harper pounced, snatching the ball like a predator hunting weak prey. He bolted down the court, attacking the rim in transition.
"Swish!"
Harper finished the fast break with a clean layup.
The crowd erupted.
The Bulls fed off that energy, and in the next three minutes, Jordan and Harper turned up the pressure. Every single time the Knicks touched the ball, the crowd let them have it. The noise was suffocating. The turnovers? Brutal.
The Bulls rattled off an 8-0 run, and Van Gundy had seen enough.
Timeout, Knicks.
As the teams headed to the bench, Jordan smirked at Zhao Dong.
"Hey, kid. Looks like you're writing ME a check tonight."
Zhao Dong clenched his jaw. "Nah, you cutting ME a check today, MJ. Write that down."
But deep down? He was pissed. Three minutes into the game, and as the Knicks' primary option, he hadn't even touched the damn ball yet.
As he walked off the court, he heard Lindsay's voice from the sideline.
"Zhao Dong! Keep your head in it!"
He nodded but kept it moving. No time to dwell.
Van Gundy, trying to be heard over the still-booming crowd, yelled at his guys.
"LOCK IN! Cut the sloppy passes! Get the damn ball to Zhao Dong!"
The boos from the Bulls crowd didn't let up, drowning out most of his words. But the message was clear—they needed to adjust.
---
Adjustments? Too Late.
Coming out of the timeout, the Knicks ran a set to get Zhao Dong the rock.
Charlie Ward and Houston set a screen to break the press. Zhao Dong popped out to the left wing, caught the pass, and made his move—quick crossover, burst toward the baseline.
He shook off Pippen, got some space, and was ready to go to work.
But then—BOOM.
Before he could even blink, four Bulls defenders collapsed on him.
Jordan. Pippen. Harper. Rodman.
The Jordan Rules?!
On the NBC broadcast, Matt Goukas and Marv Albert were stunned.
"Are you seeing this?! The Bulls are using the Jordan Rules—on a ROOKIE?!"
Marv chimed in, voice filled with disbelief.
"Incredible! The Knicks haven't even used this defense on Jordan yet, and they're already throwing it at Zhao Dong!"
Back on the court, Zhao Dong was trapped. Eight hands swiped at him, suffocating his space. He tried to find an opening—nothing.
Strip. Turnover. Fast break.
The United Center exploded.
It was official—Chicago wasn't letting Zhao Dong breathe.
---
Total Domination
For the rest of the night, the Bulls stuck to their game plan.
The moment Zhao Dong touched the ball inside the three-point line, it was instant double-teams. If he dared to drive? Triple-teams.
If he got into the paint? Quadruple-teams.
The Knicks coaching staff had no answers. Van Gundy looked helpless. The only move he had left? Throw the same defense at Jordan.
But the problem?
Jordan was Jordan.
The same quadruple-teams that choked Zhao Dong barely slowed down His Airness. MJ still got buckets.
Meanwhile, Zhao Dong? Trapped. Frustrated. Stuck.
By the time the final buzzer sounded, it was a disaster.
Final Score: Bulls 93, Knicks 71.
Chicago had dominated Game 3, saving themselves from a 3-0 deficit.
Zhao Dong? He had one of the worst nights of his career.
5-14 FG
1-4 3PT
8-11 FT
19 points, 14 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 3 blocks
7 turnovers (career-high)
4 fouls
Brutal.
---
Post-Game Trash Talk
As the players shook hands, Jordan grinned.
"Aye, kid. Remember our bet? I need my check."
Zhao Dong, still salty, shot back:
"You only got me for a million. You still owe me six hundred thousand."
Jordan laughed, shaking his head. "Then go ahead and write me a fresh check. Don't tell me you forgot your checkbook."
Zhao Dong rolled his eyes. "Man, get outta here."
As he walked toward the tunnel, Jordan's voice rang out behind him.
"Hope you got enough checks for the rest of the series!"
Zhao Dong clenched his jaw, fists tightening.
Next game? He was coming for blood.
Jordan's laughter echoed through the arena.
The battle wasn't over.
It was just getting started.
At the scene, Jordan, who dropped 30+, was getting interviewed.
"Michael, what's your biggest takeaway from this blowout win over the Knicks?" a local reporter asked.
"This game shows the real gap between us and them. We finally got back to playing our game, and we found that winning rhythm again," Jordan said seriously.
A New York Times reporter jumped in, "What's your take on Zhao Dong?"
"That cocky kid ain't on our level yet. This game exposed that. He can't stop us, and he damn sure can't stop me. We're eliminating the Knicks, no doubt about it. The only team in the East making the Finals is the Bulls—my team," Jordan said with a smug grin.
Meanwhile, in the Knicks' locker room, Van Gundy was breaking down the loss.
"Our defense just wasn't good enough. Even our extreme pressure couldn't completely shut Jordan down, and we kept losing track of their guys... On offense, Zhao Dong didn't have his best night..."
Zhao Dong half-listened before tuning out. Van Gundy wasn't coaching at the same level he had back in Houston. The game was over, and he still didn't have a real solution.
Zhao Dong replayed his own performance in his head.
Offensively, his perimeter game still wasn't versatile enough. Getting triple and even quadruple-teamed killed his scoring output. He could still pass out of those traps, but his teammates just weren't hitting shots. He dished out a ton of good looks but ended up with only three assists because no one could knock them down.
The difference in shooting was brutal. Thanks to home-court advantage, the Bulls shot 43%, while the Knicks barely scraped 31%.
Defensively, he was part of the extreme coverage on Jordan, but even then, Jordan was just unstoppable. The man had a counter for everything—fadeaways, footwork, handles, finishing—just an absolute offensive machine.
Zhao Dong realized Jordan's skill set was polished to the highest level. He wasn't there yet, not even close.
How could he level up?
He had no immediate answer, but he knew two things:
First, his chemistry with Ewing was off. Their inside-out game wasn't clicking within the system.
Second, he needed to use his passing better to punish double-teams.
"Zhao Dong, go hit the showers. Press conference is about to start," Van Gundy called out.
"Oh, got it," Zhao Dong responded.
The Knicks' press conference started shortly after.
"Coach Van Gundy, what was the biggest reason for tonight's loss?" asked Thomas, the team reporter.
"Winning and losing is part of the game. We all know the Bulls' strength. There were a lot of factors in this one. We'll adjust and come back stronger in Game 4..." Van Gundy dodged the question, rambling without a straight answer.
Thomas turned to Zhao Dong, his tone sharp. "Zhao Dong, do you think you played up to standard tonight?"
New York media never held back when it came to their own team. Either they hyped you up or tore you down—no in-between.
"My performance wasn't up to par for winning, but this is just a temporary setback. The team, the coaching staff, and I will adjust and make sure we bring it in Game 4," Zhao Dong said confidently.
The New York Times reporter followed up. "Do you still believe you can take down Jordan and the Bulls?"
Zhao Dong scoffed. "We beat them 3-1 in the regular season, and we're still up 2-1 in the East Finals. That's 5-2 overall. You really lost confidence over one game? That's just sad, man."
He continued, "The Bulls ain't better than us. Their only play is to throw the Jordan Rules at me. That's all they got left. But once we crack that defense, they're done."
Despite the loss, the New York media didn't completely bury the Knicks. They still had the series lead. Instead, they blasted the Bulls for relying on the Jordan Rules to contain Zhao Dong.
New York Sports Daily: "Our chance to win is right in front of us. If we adjust our tactics, the Bulls are finished. They have no other way to stop Zhao Dong. The Jordan Rule is their final, desperate move. Once it's broken, they collapse."
New York Times: "The moment the Bulls turned to the Jordan Rules, it marked the beginning of their downfall. The Knicks just took a short nap. Once they wake up, it's over."
NBA Legends Weigh In
Plenty of NBA stars gave their takes on the series.
Magic Johnson, speaking to the media, said:
"When Zhao Dong improves his passing game and Pippen can't lock him down one-on-one, the Bulls are gonna be in trouble. Right now, they're relying on heavy double-teams to slow him down.
But let's be real—Zhao Dong isn't at Jordan's level offensively yet. Breaking the Jordan Rule ain't easy. The Knicks have a shot, but it's an uphill battle.
Honestly, I was more optimistic about the Knicks before this game. Now? I'm leaning toward the Bulls.
That being said, the Knicks still have a path to victory. If Zhao Dong becomes a true playmaker and makes them pay for doubling him, they can take this series.
But let's not forget—this is Chicago's home court. The Bulls are different animals in the United Center, especially in the Conference Finals. I wouldn't be surprised if the Knicks drop Game 4, and once the Bulls tie the series, their momentum could be unstoppable. If that happens, I don't know if the Knicks can hold them off."
Magic's take got more fans on board, and with the media hyping it up, the general consensus was that the Bulls were gonna take control and win the series.
The next afternoon, the Knicks had a strategy meeting.
At first, it was all over the place—everyone was talking, but no one had a solid plan. Van Gundy was struggling to come up with something convincing.
"Zhao Dong, you're our main playmaker and the Bulls' number-one target for double teams. What do you think?"
Everyone had given their opinion, but Zhao Dong had stayed quiet. Van Gundy decided to ask him directly.
Zhao Dong nodded, took a second to gather his thoughts, and said, "What if we speed up our transition game? Push the pace more, go for fast breaks?"
Van Gundy immediately perked up. "That's solid. A fast-break offense paired with strong defense could break their double-team strategy against you..."
After going back and forth, the coaching staff locked in their game plan: focus on defense and counterattacks, then push the tempo in transition to avoid Zhao Dong getting locked up in half-court double-teams.
This fit right into Van Gundy's coaching style—he wasn't much of an offensive mastermind anyway. His offense right now was even rougher than what fans would later see in the Rockets' championship years.
That night, the Rockets took down the Jazz in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals, tying their series at 2-2.
May 26th – Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals
Chicago Bulls Starting 5:
Luc Longley
Dennis Rodman
Scottie Pippen
Michael Jordan
Ron Harper
New York Knicks Starting 5:
Patrick Ewing
Charles Oakley
Zhao Dong
Allan Houston
Charlie Ward
"The Bulls' home court is insane!"
Watching the screen, Sun Zhenping saw the United Center packed with thousands of screaming Bulls fans and couldn't help but be amazed.
"Even though the Knicks are up 2-1, they're under more pressure right now than the Bulls," Zhang Heli said. "They gotta hold their ground! If they drop this game, they'll lose momentum, and it'll be a nightmare trying to bounce back when they get home."
Right after warm-ups, Zhao Dong was heading back to the bench when Oakley pulled him aside toward the Knicks' section of the crowd.
"Yo, Zhao Dong, I wanna introduce you to someone—a friend from my school days."
As they walked over, thousands of Knicks fans in the away section started cheering for them.
Among them, a big dude in the seventh row stood up. He had a calm but tough presence.
"Wait... this guy looks familiar."
Oakley smirked. "This is Ben Wallace, another rookie like you. Went undrafted, same as you, but while you're making moves with the Knicks, he ain't getting minutes with the Bullets."
Ben Wallace walked down, and Oakley clapped him on the shoulder. "Ben, say what's up. You know Zhao Dong, right?"
"Yo, Zhao Dong," Ben said in a deep, quiet voice.
"What's up, Ben?"
Zhao Dong sized him up. Future Pistons leader, defensive monster, and an elite barber off the court. Tough as hell on the hardwood, chill as hell off it.
"If I get the chance, I'll bring you in," Oakley told Ben.
Zhao Dong nodded. "Hell yeah, sounds good."
With Ewing nearing the end of his prime, getting a guy like Ben Wallace on the roster wouldn't be a bad idea. If the opportunity popped up, he'd mention it to Van Gundy.
Tip-Off
The ball went up, and Zhao Dong was a split-second late on his jump—Bulls' possession.
On the first play, the Knicks sent Charlie Ward and Allan Houston to double-team Jordan near the three-point line. But Jordan didn't even think about passing—sidestep, fadeaway, cash. Three-pointer.
The Knicks tried to push the pace, but Charlie Ward got caught in a trap with Jordan and Harper pressing in the backcourt. Turnover. Fast break. Luc Longley threw down an easy dunk.
"5-0, Bulls," Marv Albert called out. "Jordan drilling a three on his first shot? Looks like he's got the hot hand tonight. And let's not forget—21 turnovers for the Knicks in Game 3, 11 more than the Bulls. If they can't clean that up, this game could get ugly."
On the next possession, Zhao Dong took the ball up and switched up his usual approach. Instead of just overpowering his defender, he used a slick Paul-style ball-handling move to shake Pippen and drive into the left wing.
Harper immediately abandoned Charlie Ward to double him. Rodman left Ewing in the post to help.
A triple-team was forming—if Zhao Dong hesitated even a second longer, he'd be completely trapped.
The Bulls' defense shifted. Longley stuck with Ewing, Jordan locked onto Allan Houston, leaving Oakley and Ward wide open.
Zhao Dong kicked it out to Charlie Ward at the top of the arc. Wide open. Three-point attempt. Brick.
Longley grabbed the rebound.
"Dammit!"
Charlie Ward shook his hands in frustration, looking at the Bulls' fans who were letting him have it.
"See, that's the strategy," Matt Goukas analyzed. "Let Oakley and Charlie Ward shoot all day if they want. They ain't beating the Bulls. As long as they shut down Ewing and Zhao Dong, Chicago's got this in the bag."
Marv Albert nodded. "The Knicks still don't look comfortable in this kind of hostile atmosphere. You can see it in their shooting—they're stiff, hesitant."
On the Chinese broadcast, Zhang Heli sighed. "Every time a Knicks player touches the ball, the crowd erupts in boos. This is wild. It's a real test of their mental toughness. If they don't lock in and shake off the pressure, their shooting is gonna stay ice cold."
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