NBA : Formidable Center

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In the days leading up to the game, the rookies of the 2003 draft class continued to make their mark in the league. While none of them quite matched LeBron James' stellar performances, most began to show flashes of potential as they adjusted to the NBA stage.

Among them, Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat shone particularly brightly. In his second game, he exploded with a remarkable stat line of **25 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals**, leading his team to victory. His performance sent ripples across the league, momentarily overshadowing even LeBron James in the headlines.

Miami fans couldn't help but celebrate their luck in landing such a gem with the fifth overall pick. Their praise for the Heat's management was accompanied by jabs at the teams that had passed on Wade. Meanwhile, Detroit Pistons' No. 2 pick, Darko Miličić, managed only **2 points** in his second outing, leaving him embarrassed and under scrutiny.

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### Arrival in Seattle

The Knicks, having had a slightly delayed schedule, arrived in Seattle a day after other teams had completed their second games. As they warmed up at KeyArena, discussions about league happenings buzzed around the Knicks' bench.

"Looks like that No. 2 pick isn't living up to the hype," remarked Knicks assistant coach Herb Sendek, his tone laced with disdain.

"Detroit could've had Chris Bosh or Chris Kaman, but they went with that Serbian project instead."

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At the coach's bench, Knicks head coach Don Chaney was busy setting up game strategies, but he couldn't help but feel irked by Sendek's chatter. Though Sendek's innovative training methods had positively impacted the players, his incessant talk and tendency to step into the head coach's role were sources of annoyance for Chaney.

Still, Chaney decided to let it slide for now. Winning this game against the struggling Seattle Supersonics was the top priority.

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### The Supersonics' Dilemma

On the court, Seattle's players were sizing up their opponents.

"Man, the Knicks have really turned things around," said Rashard Lewis, the Sonics' forward, his tone tinged with envy. "They used to be bottom-dwellers, and now they're playoff contenders."

"Don't worry about them," replied Ray Allen with a smirk. "I'll handle Nash. You just focus on their big guy."

Lewis glanced nervously at Wang Song, the Knicks' towering rookie, and muttered, "Why me? I'm not even a natural big man…"

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### Game Time

The starting lineups took the floor:

**Knicks**: Steve Nash, Allan Houston, Tim Thomas, Kurt Thomas, Wang Song.

**Supersonics**: Brent Barry, Ray Allen, Rashard Lewis, Vladimir Radmanović, Vitaly Potapenko.

The tip-off was a foregone conclusion. Seattle's undersized center, Potapenko, stood no chance against Wang Song's athleticism. The Knicks wasted no time asserting themselves. Wang Song caught an alley-oop pass from Nash and slammed it home, drawing cheers even from the visiting crowd.

**Score: 0–2.**

Seattle responded quickly. Ray Allen, at the peak of his powers, drained a three-pointer in transition. The crowd erupted as the Sonics took a slim lead.

**Score: 3–2.**

The Knicks countered immediately. Nash found an opening at the corner after a series of screens and knocked down a clean three-pointer.

**Score: 3–5.**

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### Dominance Unfolds

The game soon turned into a one-sided affair. While the Supersonics managed to trade blows early on, they struggled to keep up with the Knicks' relentless pace and precision. Nash orchestrated the offense masterfully, while Wang Song dominated the paint, both offensively and defensively.

On the sidelines, Seattle's head coach, Nate McMillan, could only watch in frustration as his team's big men were systematically dismantled by Wang Song. Each of the Sonics' centers had their turn, but none could contain the Knicks' rookie phenom.

By halftime, McMillan had made up his mind: he needed reinforcements for the frontcourt, and fast.

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As the Knicks continued to pull away in the second half, one thing became clear: Wang Song was rapidly establishing himself as a force to be reckoned with, and the Knicks were beginning to look like a legitimate playoff contender.

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(End of Chapter)