At 7:30 PM, the official starting lineups were released.
Timberwolves: Kevin Garnett, Dean Garrett, Joe Smith, Anthony Peeler, Stephon Marbury
Knicks: Ben Wallace, Wang Zhizhi, Zhao Dong, Latrell Sprewell, Chauncey Billups
Tonight's game was broadcast live across the United States on NBC and in China on CCTV.
Back at the commentary tables, both sets of announcers were visibly surprised by the starting five.
"Haha!" Zhang Heli couldn't help but laugh out loud.
"Starting lineup? Didn't Zhao Dong usually come off the bench at the beginning of the season?"
Sun Zhenping leaned over the table, squinting hard at the screen. When he spotted Dazhi's name among the starters, his jaw practically hit the floor.
"Don't get too excited," Zhang Heli chuckled. "Old Nelson isn't like Van Gundy. His tactics are bold, and he experiments a lot with the rotation. This is probably just a trial to see how the new lineup plays out."
"Hey, that's still better than sitting on the bench for the Bulls!" Sun Zhenping said with a grin.
---
Over on the NBC broadcast, Marv Albert and Matt Goukas had some thoughts of their own.
Marv laughed, "Some folks in the media are saying the Knicks are turning into a half-Chinese squad."
Matt chimed in, "Zhao Dong, Hu Weidong, and Wang Zhizhi were all key pieces of the Chinese national team that shocked the world by beating Team USA twice in the '98 World Championship. That same team went on to win it all."
Marv nodded, "Say what you want about their nationality, but don't question their skills. Zhao Dong's already a star, Hu's a reliable piece in the Knicks rotation, and Wang—while still adjusting—was the guy who stuffed David Robinson in the '96 Atlanta Olympics. That ain't nothing."
Matt added, "And don't forget about the other big Chinese name—Yao Ming, the 7'5" center over at Duke. Kid's having a monster year. They fell short last year, but this season they're looking like real contenders."
"March Madness is just around the corner," Marv said. "And every NBA scout has their eyes locked on Yao. The general consensus? If he enters the draft, he's a lock for the top three."
Matt grinned, "If you ask me, he might even go No. 1. The dude's got cornerstone potential."
---
Meanwhile, on the sideline, Yang Yi walked up to Hu Weidong, wide-eyed and stunned.
"Brother Hu, wait—Dazhi's starting tonight?" he asked in disbelief.
Hu smiled. "Yeah. Coach Nelson's testing a new lineup. He moved Fordson to the bench to beef up their second unit's defense and rebounding. Dazhi just happened to slide into the starting five."
"That's awesome!" Yang Yi said excitedly. "He crushed the CBA last season. No one could stop him. I'm sure he'll shine here too."
---
In the tunnel, both teams ran into each other before heading out to the court.
Zhao Dong glanced at the Timberwolves' starters and smirked. "Y'all think you're walking out with a win tonight?"
The five Timberwolves looked at each other—confused. Was that a serious question?
Garnett raised an eyebrow. "Zhao Dong, you might be good at throwing punches, but this is basketball. Don't start any drama."
Zhao Dong grinned. "Relax. I play cleaner ball than you."
Garnett scoffed. "Cleaner? You literally smashed PJ Brown's family jewels last year. I got flagged for trash talk, and you're calling me dirty?"
"Yeah, your trash talk is dirty," Zhao Dong replied with a shrug.
That nearly sent Garnett over the edge.
Trash talk? Nobody in the league runs their mouth like you, Garnett thought. You made Payton go silent. Jordan rolled his eyes at you. Only Larry Bird could go toe-to-toe with that mouth.
But Garnett didn't dare say it out loud—didn't want to risk triggering Zhao Dong into throwing hands pregame.
Zhao Dong turned to Marbury next.
"Yo, Marbury."
"What up?"
"You're from New York, right? Come to the Knicks next season—I'll take you to the Finals."
Billups, standing next to them, clenched his jaw. Again? What was the boss doing? Was he trying to trade him—again? Why was he always the one on the chopping block?
"Hey, Zhao! Chill out, man!" Garnett barked.
But Marbury's eyes lit up. That hit home. Deep down, he'd always dreamed of playing in Madison Square Garden. He hated Minnesota's ice and snow. Even if he couldn't get to the Knicks, just playing somewhere close—like Jersey with the Nets—was a dream.
The problem? Garnett had just signed a monster extension. If Marbury stayed, there was no way he'd get max money. He'd have to settle for a mid-level deal. And he wasn't about that.
As he walked toward the court, Marbury glanced back at Zhao Dong.
He wanted in.
He knew Billups was shaky at point guard. If Zhao Dong gave the green light, he'd have a legit shot to run the floor at MSG.
After the Timberwolves walked away, Zhao Dong turned to Wang Zhizhi.
"Dazhi, you're matched up with Garnett tonight. I need you to lock in on both ends. Not just offense. Defense too."
"I got you, Brother Dong," Dazhi said with a serious nod.
After sitting on the Bulls bench for two weeks, he'd finally realized—defense is the key to surviving in the NBA. Pure offense might win you games in the CBA, but here? That gets you benched.
Back in China, he was a 35-point, 15-rebound monster. Didn't matter if his defense was shaky. But here? If you can't guard, you don't play.
Only now did he really understand why Zhao Dong made him grind defensive drills for the past two years. And it hit him—he'd wasted that time not taking it seriously.
---
The game was about to begin.
As the starters took the floor, Dazhi felt his heartbeat pounding. This was his first time—his real debut on an NBA court.
"Dazhi, you're jumping center," Zhao Dong called out.
"Oh—right!" Dazhi snapped out of it and jogged to the circle.
Across from him stood Kevin Garnett, eyes locked in.
Garnett stood tall and fierce, his iron-like frame exuding raw strength. Even though he didn't look overwhelmingly muscular, Dazhi could sense the terrifying power packed into that body.
This is what real talent looks like.
He had been through nearly two years of intense NBA-style training, yet his muscle mass and explosiveness still couldn't match up to Garnett's. The gap in strength, explosiveness, and physicality was clear as day.
Tonight's matchup is going to be hell.
On CCTV's live broadcast, Zhang Heli spoke with a mix of excitement and concern.
"Kevin Garnett averaged 20 and 10 last season. He's a beast."
Sun Zhenping nodded, chiming in, "Zhao Dong gave him trouble during his rookie year though."
Zhang Heli smiled. "Yeah, and because of the pressure Zhao Dong's been putting on these young stars, a lot of them have been grinding harder these past couple seasons. Media reports said Garnett's been working nonstop through two offseasons. The Timberwolves just handed him a massive contract—that says a lot about his value and potential."
First NBA game, and I'm already matched up with a monster like Garnett... Gotta lock in.
On the court, Garnett stared Dazhi down with a crooked grin.
"Rookie, I'm about to make your night real long," he said, jaw tight, the trash talk flying.
Dazhi opened his mouth to reply but ended up saying nothing. That just wasn't his thing.
The jump ball was tossed in the air. Garnett sprang up, slapped the rock away, and the Timberwolves took first possession.
"The Knicks are playing man-to-man!" Marv Albert shouted.
"Even though zone defense is legal now, most teams are still running man-to-man. They're just more comfortable with it," added Matt Goukas.
Garnett moved to the left low post and started backing Dazhi down hard. His footwork was tight, and the pressure he exerted was overwhelming. He shoved his way deep into the paint.
Marbury saw the opportunity and zipped a pass in.
As Garnett caught it, Ben Wallace rotated from under the basket to help—but Garnett was one step ahead. With a quick side hook, he got the shot off clean. Wallace's recovery jump was fast, but not fast enough. The ball dropped in.
"Rookie," Garnett smirked, showing his pearly whites, "welcome to the NBA."
Zhao Dong laughed out loud nearby, and Garnett, startled, immediately jogged off.
Knicks possession.
"The Timberwolves are also sticking to man-to-man," Matt Goukas noted.
Chauncey Billups brought the ball up, raising his hand to signal a play.
Zhao Dong stood near the left wing beyond the arc, guarded by Joe Smith, the No. 1 pick. The moment he saw Billups' signal, he gave Smith a hard shove and slashed toward the paint.
The Knicks offense flowed perfectly. As Zhao Dong made his move inside, the lane opened up, and the ball was reversed out through the perimeter.
Garnett hesitated for a moment, considering switching onto Zhao Dong. But with Joe Smith trailing, he stayed glued to Dazhi instead.
That one moment of hesitation cost him two steps.
Billups dished it to Dazhi, who squared up and released his first NBA shot.
"Wide open!" Zhang Heli leaned in with anticipation. The next moment, he shouted, "It's good! Dazhi drains the mid-range jumper. First shot in the NBA and it's money!"
"Let's go!" Dazhi clenched his fist in excitement.
"Dazhi! Get back on D!" Zhao Dong's voice roared across the court.
"Crap!" Dazhi turned and saw Garnett already crossing half-court, sprinting like a freight train.
Marbury drove into the paint, drawing attention from Billups. Then, with a slick spin, he fired a pass to the right wing where Garnett was cutting in.
No one was there to stop him.
Garnett caught the ball in stride, took one long step, rose up, and slammed home a violent tomahawk jam. The rim shook from the impact.
"Man, that dunk had no mercy."
Landing, Garnett turned to Dazhi, who was just arriving, and threw another round of trash talk in his face.
Dazhi froze, unsure how to respond. His eyes drifted toward Zhao Dong.
But Zhao Dong didn't even look back—he was already jogging up the court.
Dazhi ain't a kid. He's a pro. He's played three years of professional ball. You can't spoon-feed him anymore.
Zhao Dong knew Dazhi could've rotated in time to stop that dunk, but he didn't. So he left Garnett out there as Dazhi's personal test. The best way to speed up his growth was to throw him into the fire.
"Strange," Matt Goukas muttered. "Zhao Dong was already back in the paint—he could've rotated over. But he didn't. Just let Garnett dunk it."
On the bench, Van Gundy turned to Old Nelson and asked quietly, "Coach, do you think Zhao Dong is deliberately letting Wang handle his own defense?"
Old Nelson chuckled, "Zhao's got his reasons."
"You think he's using Garnett to sharpen Wang like a blade?" Van asked.
"Why not?" Old Nelson replied calmly.
And for the rest of that first stretch, Garnett went off.
By the time he was subbed out at the eight-minute mark, he had torched Dazhi for 10 points—shooting 4-for-6, including an and-one play. He also went 2-for-3 from the free throw line and drew two fouls.
Dazhi? After hitting that first mid-range, he missed two more and made one more. Overall: 2-of-4, all jumpers. Four points.
Defensively, he got cooked.
As Dazhi headed to the bench, Zhang Heli offered his thoughts:
"Not a bad debut overall. All his shots came from mid-range, and he hit half of them. For a rookie, that's solid."
"But as a center, just shooting from mid-range isn't enough," he added. "You gotta get inside, use your body, play with force. That's how you boost your efficiency."
"Maybe he just hasn't found his rhythm yet," Sun Zhenping offered. "This is his first real game."
Zhang Heli nodded. "It's hard to adjust that quickly. The NBA's defensive pressure is nothing like the CBA."
"One more thing—those four shots were all part of the team's system. He got the ball on the wing each time. The set plays didn't put him in the post. But still, he needs to be more proactive, look for chances to post up and attack. That's what'll take his game to the next level."
In the second quarter, Dazhi didn't get a single minute on the court. But six minutes into the third, Coach finally waved him in again.
The Knicks had the possession. Zhao Dong caught the ball at the left wing, right outside the arc. He raised his hand, signaling a low-post set.
It was a simple tactic: Zhao Dong would drive toward the paint, draw the bigs out, open up space inside, and then dish it to one of his teammates cutting to the rim.
But Dazhi had just arrived in New York. He wasn't familiar with the Knicks' playbook yet. He looked confused, not recognizing the gesture.
Zhao Dong called out in Mandarin, "Dazhi?"
Dazhi looked over.
Zhao Dong quickly threw out a couple more hand signs.
That meant: Pull out to the short corner first—then cut in when I drive.
Dazhi nodded, backing away from the basket and sliding to the low post on the right wing, just outside the paint.
Zhao Dong made his move.
He gave a jab step—quick hesitation to the right—then exploded left.
Joe Smith bit hard on the fake, completely thrown off rhythm.
Zhao Dong drove hard into the paint. As he got to the middle, Dean Garrett stepped up to challenge, leaving Kevin Garnett to rotate and protect the rim.
But just as Garnett slid over, Dazhi cut inside perfectly behind him.
Zhao Dong threw a one-handed laser—clean, precise—zipping right over Dean Garrett's head, threading the ball past Kevin Garnett under the rim, hitting Dazhi in stride.
"Late!"
Garnett spun around, realizing too late.
Dazhi caught it, rose up, and hammered down a two-handed dunk over Garnett, who was still turning.
"BANG!"
The rim shook. Garnett hit the hardwood.
"YEAH!"
The Garden erupted. Knicks fans were on their feet, roaring for the Chinese rookie.
"Damn!"
Getting yammed on by a first-year big? That stung. Garnett popped up quickly, fire in his eyes, glaring at Dazhi like he was ready to throw hands.
Zhao Dong stepped in, grinning like a wolf.
"Yo, I heard you're calling yourself the Wolf King up in Minnesota now?" he asked coolly.
Garnett flinched, taken aback.
That name—Wolf King—wasn't just some nickname. It was Zhao Dong's title back when he was leading the Stony Brook Seawolves in college.
"That wasn't me, man. The media, the fans... they just started saying that," Garnett explained quickly.
Zhao Dong's smile didn't reach his eyes.
"You wanna call yourself the Wolf King? You gotta beat the real one first. Got it?"
Garnett's face twitched. Inside, he was screaming:
Damn you, Zhao Dong! You trying to come for me? I ain't fallin' for that trap. Screw that 'Wolf King' title—I ain't biting.
He thought about the Jazz—Zhao Dong's sworn enemy. Even with Stockton and Malone, they couldn't get past him. Now, both of them were traded, and Utah was rebuilding with draft picks. No stars wanted to go there anymore.
Garnett didn't want the Timberwolves turning into the next Jazz.
Back in China, on CCTV's live broadcast, commentators Zhang Heli and Sun Zhenping were buzzing with excitement.
"That dunk! Dazhi just put Garnett on a poster!" Zhang Heli shouted.
Sun Zhenping laughed. "Yes! Amazing play from the two Chinese teammates!"
Meanwhile, on the NBC broadcast, Marv Albert and Matt Goukas were calling it live.
"Wow! Perfect execution on that play," Goukas praised. "Wang and Zhao—two teammates from the Chinese national team—are showing real chemistry tonight."
Three minutes later, Zhao Dong was on the left wing again, drawing the double. He passed out of the pressure and quickly relocated to the right corner.
Suddenly, he zipped a cross-court pass to Dazhi.
Garnett, who had started backpedaling toward the paint, saw the ball flying and immediately reversed course.
Dazhi caught it, rose up for a jumper.
But Garnett closed in hard, eyes locked, jaw clenched.
Seeing him flying in full speed, Dazhi hesitated—then ducked.
Bad move.
Garnett completely missed the block and slammed into Dazhi's shoulder mid-air before crashing headfirst onto the court.
"Ouch!" Zhang Heli yelled on the CCTV broadcast.
"That's a hard fall," said Sun Zhenping. "Hopefully no major injury."
"Yeah, let's hope he's alright," Zhang Heli added.
The refs blew the whistle immediately. Garnett was bleeding from a head gash. He needed stitches and wouldn't return for the rest of the game.
Minnesota subbed him out.
On the Knicks' side, Coach Don Nelson also pulled Dazhi to avoid any more risk. He wouldn't return either.
By the end of the fourth quarter, the Knicks secured a comfortable win, 102–84, their seventh straight victory.
Zhao Dong went off for 42 points, notched his first triple-double of the season, and once again proved why he was the heart of the team.
Dazhi, in his Knicks debut, played 10 minutes, shooting 3 of 5 for 6 points, and left a strong impression with that dunk.
In the post-game interview, a reporter asked Zhao Dong, "Are you satisfied with Wang's performance tonight?"
Zhao Dong chuckled. "Offensively? Yeah, he's got a nice touch. But on defense—he's gotta grind harder."
Another reporter followed up: "Wang started tonight. Do you think he's going to stay in the lineup? Can he really help this Knicks squad?"
Zhao Dong replied, "That's up to the coaching staff. But I'll say this—he brings something different. Another big body inside, and he gives us more looks on offense. That's always good."
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