The timeout ends and the Knicks take it up.
After Zhao Dong cooked a few plays earlier, he started swinging the rock more, but the Jazz were playing mad physical tonight, and his teammates just weren't hitting like he was down low. Now that it's tight on the scoreboard, he figured — forget it — might as well take over, especially since Coach gave him the green light all night.
He posted up on the left block, and right away, Utah's defense collapsed on him. As soon as the ball touched his hands, the double came fast.
Didn't matter — Zhao Dong still called for it.
The ball came from the top of the arc, and right on cue, the Jazz swarmed. Russell, Jeff Hornacek, and Karl Malone closed in for a triple-team.
The help came from up top and the weak side, but no one sealed the baseline.
The moment Zhao Dong snagged the ball, he spun and slid down low.
Russell, who came over from the weak side, tried to cut him off alongside backup center Howard Eisley returning to the rim. Malone turned to rotate, forming another triple.
But Zhao Dong wasn't sweating it. Quick stop — pull-up jumper.
Even Malone trailing behind couldn't react fast enough.
Swish!
Straight money, a soft two off the glass.
Zhao Dong's pull-up might not hit like his bank shot, but it's still a gold badge move — giving him +30% shooting stability and +30% shake-off against defenders. It's this badge magic that lets him stay ice cold under pressure. Hell, even in the Eastern Finals, his efficiency is topping MJ — the GOAT himself — who's playing some of the best ball of his career.
"Beautiful! That's cold-blooded!" Marv Albert shouted. "Zhao Dong just don't care about the double-team! His playoff run has been straight-up unreal, and the crazier the game gets, the stronger he shows up."
Jazz ball.
Zhao Dong sagged way off Malone, giving him a good 10 feet of space — just outside the paint.
But with his guard-like speed, if Utah thought Malone was wide open, they'd be dead wrong. Zhao Dong could recover in a flash.
So that space? A setup. A trap.
Stockton faked a pass to the right wing, then snapped it to Malone.
Soon as it left Stockton's hand, Zhao Dong was already backpedaling.
One step, and Malone had it.
But as strong as Malone was, he ain't the quickest shooter. He forced the release when he saw Zhao Dong charging.
Zhao Dong took off — swatted at it.
Didn't get the block this time.
But with Malone rushing the shot, it clanked hard off the rim.
Zhao Dong landed, spun around, and saw Oakley rip down the board. He broke out fast, but Malone grabbed a fistful of jersey. Zhao Dong fought through it.
Bang!
Stockton got back just in time, but all he could do was watch Zhao Dong kiss it off the glass.
"John?" Jazz head coach Jerry Sloan sighed.
Stockton nodded, knowing he got baited.
After that, Utah shifted away from feeding Malone and let Stockton and Jeff Hornacek carry more of the offense.
End of the first, Knicks up by three, 26–23.
Zhao Dong's stat line? 5-for-7, 2-of-3 at the line, 12 points, 3 boards, 2 dimes, 1 steal, and a block.
Utah's shooters were hot. Hornacek splashed 3-of-6 from deep and dropped 9. Stockton added another triple, helping the Jazz hit 5-of-10 from downtown in the first.
"Even without their starting center, Utah is hanging in there with their sniping," Matt Goukas analyzed. "But if they want to win, they need these shooters to keep knocking them down all game long."
Second quarter, Mailman Malone checked right back in, which forced Zhao Dong to stay on the floor.
Malone barely worked in the first, just chasing Zhao Dong on defense, while Zhao Dong had to hustle both ends, burning more stamina.
So in the second, Zhao Dong chilled on offense, focusing on locking down and playmaking.
Utah's snipers kept cooking. Stockton — never known for buckets — went 3-for-5, including a three-ball, for 7 points. Hornacek stayed hot too, dropping another 11 with a couple of clean jumpers and free throws.
The Knicks, even with the Garden behind them, couldn't match the Jazz from deep, going just 1-for-5 from three — ice cold.
If Zhao Dong didn't beast on the boards — grabbing 6, including 3 offensive — New York would've been down big.
Halftime score: 48–46, Jazz up by two.
Zhao Dong dished 3 assists in the second but had to make 15 passes to get them — not the most efficient.
"Defense! Lock up the shooters! I wanna see defense out there!" Van Gundy was losing it in the locker room.
Zhao Dong didn't even flinch — just sipped water and kept fueling up.
His energy wasn't too drained in the second, which was gonna be big for the second half.
First-half numbers? 7-for-10 from the field, 4-of-5 at the stripe, 18 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, 3 blocks. Straight up stuffing the stat sheet. But the Knicks' squad? Rough night.
Still, Zhao Dong wasn't gonna complain. His teammates did what they could. As for the Jazz shooting lights out? Happens. Sometimes teams go dumb hot — like holiday dumplings. The key? Hold steady when it counts.
In the third, he planned to take over — full throttle — try to run it up before the fourth.
Fifteen minutes later, second half, Jazz ball.
Swish!
Brian Russell splashed a three from the right wing.
"Oh, is it Russell's turn to heat up now? Utah really lighting it up!" Matt Goukas called.
"The Tyrant's about to cook, and the Jazz won't keep up!" Marv Albert added.
When the possession flipped, Zhao Dong was already in position. The second the ball changed hands, he exploded into motion.
Only Stockton had the foot speed to even try keeping up. Jeff Hornacek? He was lagging behind, no shot at cutting off the drive from the wing. Russell? Too slow. If he was coming back from the center, maybe he could make it, but from the perimeter? No chance.
Stockton tried to draw the charge, but Zhao Dong was too quick. He didn't get set in time and got forced out of bounds.
"BANG!"
Zhao Dong took flight, hammering down a vicious tomahawk slam.
"YEAH! UNDER THE LIGHTNING-FAST BREAK OF THE KNICKS' GOLDEN TYRANT AND THAT BRUTAL JAM, THE JAZZ'S DEFENSE LOOKED USELESS!" Matt Goukas roared into the mic.
"Zhao Dong's fast break is unstoppable!" Zhang Heli shouted in excitement.
Stockton stumbled past the baseline, panting, his eyes locked onto Zhao Dong, who was still hanging on the rim, staring him down.
For a split second, Stockton hesitated. If he had committed earlier, he would've either gotten trucked or eaten another nut shot like last time.
Zhao Dong flashed a grin—but there was nothing friendly about it. His cold, ruthless presence tore through Stockton's confidence like a blade.
"Run faster, old man, or you'll never beat me in this lifetime."
He turned and jogged back, barking at Karl Malone as he passed.
"Damn bastard..." Malone clenched his fists, seething, but held back.
51-48, Jazz still up by three.
Utah came down the floor, but they bricked the shot. Zhao Dong immediately took off in transition—there was no stopping him.
51-50, Knicks cut it to one.
Jerry Sloan's eyes twitched as he watched Zhao Dong tear through his defense. This dude was a damn tank with a turbo boost. Defenders on the perimeter got bodied. Defenders inside got left in the dust.
"Karl! Slow him down! I don't care how—just do it!" Sloan yelled, pure frustration in his voice.
Malone had zero offensive duties today, yet he still wasn't stopping Zhao Dong. Right now, he looked like nothing more than a role player.
"Bryon, rotate early! Don't let him build momentum!" Sloan shouted at Russell.
Jazz possession.
Russell got the rock, took a dribble inside the arc, and splashed a deep two.
Zhao Dong had been dragged to the left wing by Malone on defense. The second the ball left Russell's hands, he turned and sprinted.
Malone was two steps behind, pinned to the sideline. No way he was catching up unless he grew wings.
Russell, meanwhile, was cutting toward the middle. If he hustled, maybe he could meet Zhao Dong at the rim.
Zhao Dong caught the pass just past halfcourt. One dribble, then another—he was across the three-point line, gliding toward the basket.
Russell came from the opposite side, ready to contest—then hesitated.
In the next instant, he bailed, sliding under the hoop and out of bounds.
BOOM!
The Jazz's rim took another violent beating.
53-52, Knicks down one.
"Bryon, switch!"
Sloan was out of options. The only thing he could do now was put Russell on Zhao Dong and pray.
The move had its pros and cons. Russell had a better angle to slow Zhao Dong's transition attack, but on the flip side, Zhao Dong's defensive mobility meant he'd be right in Russell's grill on the other end.
Jazz possession.
Russell had drained two jumpers in the third, so they fed him again.
Malone stepped up to set a screen. Zhao Dong read it instantly, switching onto Russell and timing his contest perfectly.
SWAT!
Russell's shot got obliterated, the ball flying past halfcourt. Zhao Dong, Malone, Russell, and Allan Houston all took off in a dead sprint.
Houston was fast, but Malone grabbed him at the start, slowing him down.
Zhao Dong? Different story. He left Russell in the dust.
Russell tried grabbing at his jersey, but it was useless.
After two strides past halfcourt, Zhao Dong secured the ball, hit a nasty crossover, and charged toward the basket.
Stockton was already back—but he didn't even try to take the charge.
That last game had humbled him real quick.
SWISH!
This time, Zhao Dong slowed it down and went for a smooth layup.
Utah's shooting was scorching hot tonight. The game was tight, so he needed to conserve energy for the fourth.
53-54, Knicks take the lead!
Madison Square Garden erupted.
Zhang Heli was hyped. "That was insane! Zhao Dong went full transition takeover in the third. Utah couldn't keep up at all. He's 4-for-4 this quarter, 8 points, 1 block, and he's already got 3 steals and 4 blocks total. A 5x5 might be incoming!"
Sun Zhenping chimed in. "If he pulls it off, this would be his third career 5x5—and his second in the playoffs!"
Zhang Heli grinned. "Yeah, and let's not forget—he's the only guy to ever get a 5x5 in the postseason!"
Zhao Dong slowed down on fast breaks, conserving energy unless a clear opportunity presented itself. If he was already positioned outside, he'd take off, but otherwise, he focused on half-court play, maximizing his efficiency with elite footwork and fundamentals.
The Jazz, however, were still on fire. Their perimeter guys kept hitting shots, and by the end of the third quarter, the game was tied at 78-78.
From the broadcast booth, Matt Goukas broke it down:
"Zhao Dong was surgical in that third quarter—9-for-11 from the field, a perfect 4-for-4 on fast breaks, and 5-for-7 in half-court sets. That's an absurd 80% shooting clip. Plus, he knocked down both of his free throws and dropped 20 points in the quarter."
Marv Albert followed up:
"That puts him at 38 points, 13 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 steals, 4 blocks, 2 turnovers, and 3 fouls through three quarters. Just a monster stat line!"
Matt chuckled. "And despite all that, Utah is still in this. Their shooting tonight is ridiculous—this hot streak just won't cool off."
"That won't last forever," Marv replied. "It's the fourth quarter now. Everyone's gassed. The legs get heavy, the shots stop falling. The question is, does Zhao Dong have enough left in the tank to put this game away?"
On the bench, Zhao Dong sat back, catching his breath as he peeled open a banana. He knew the Jazz were in one of those once-in-a-lifetime shooting zones, and it was likely going to last till the final buzzer.
As the fourth quarter started, Zhao Dong played it smart. He saved his energy, let the game come to him. Meanwhile, Utah's shooters finally started missing—just like Matt and Marv predicted.
"If they're cooling off, we got this," Zhao Dong thought, deciding to extend his minutes.
The game remained deadlocked, both teams trading buckets. With three minutes left, the score was tied again at 94-94, and the Knicks called for time.
The tension inside Madison Square Garden was thick.
Some fans were nervous—Wall Street types, new to the basketball scene. The rest? The diehards. They knew what was coming.
This was Zhao Dong time.
Marv Albert laid it out:
"The Jazz have been lights-out from deep—14 made threes. And yet, they still haven't pulled away. Now, the moment of truth: the Jazz are fading, and Zhao Dong is about to take over."
Matt Goukas agreed but had a concern:
"Zhao Dong has done everything this series—scoring, defending Karl Malone, carrying the offense. The low-post battles alone take an insane toll on the body. The way I see it, we don't know if he still has that late-game burst."
Marv nodded. "That's a fair point, Matt. But, let me ask you—do you consider Zhao Dong a historic superstar?"
Matt laughed. "If he wins tonight, he's right up there with Magic Johnson."
Marv smirked. "Then don't bet against him. History's biggest stars always deliver in the biggest moments."
Timeout over. Game on. Knicks possession.
Zhao Dong took the inbound and brought the ball up himself.
Charles Oakley looked gassed after getting picked clean by Stockton earlier, so Zhao Dong waved him off. "I got this."
The Jazz didn't press. They didn't have the legs for it, and pressing Zhao Dong was a risk anyway—if they messed up, he'd torch them in transition.
Steadying his dribble, Zhao Dong called out a play, motioning for his teammates to clear out. "Get low, pack the paint."
Russell stepped up, his job clear: don't let Zhao Dong score.
Zhao Dong grinned, "Yo, I'm about to pull a three right in your face. No fakes, no drives. Just straight up. You got one job—stop me."
Russell bristled. "Hell no, not on me!"
Zhao Dong drove right at him, his shoulder drilling into Russell's chest. Too easy.
Russell stumbled—blown by, again.
Karl Malone rotated over for the contest, but Zhao Dong stopped on a dime at the top of the arc. Neither Malone nor Russell could react in time.
Pull-up jumper.
Splash.
Nothing but net.
97-94, Knicks lead.
Zhao Dong clapped his hands and smirked at Russell.
"I TOLD YOU how I was gonna score, and you STILL couldn't stop me. You're a damn waste of space. But hey, don't trip—I'll tell you how to guard me next time too."
Russell was livid. Malone? Fuming.
Jazz ball. Two minutes left.
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