Chapter 50

The fourth quarter was essentially dead time. The Pistons’ starters played just one or two minutes symbolically before being replaced by backups, who went ahead to celebrate the victory. Zhou Yi played only 1 minute in the fourth quarter before being substituted by Will Bynum for a break. In that 1 minute, Zhou Yi scored 2 more points, bringing his total to 53. Soon, the game ended without any suspense. In the end, the Pistons defeated the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers 132–92, winning by a full 40 points.

Chapter 200: Good News
It wasn’t very surprising that the Pistons won. But Zhou Yi scoring over 50 points in just three quarters would have shocked many people. By the next morning, Zhou Yi’s name would likely be in the headlines of various media outlets. Without LeBron James, could the Cavaliers still compete with those top teams? Competitors? Or just food? Without the “Little Emperor” LeBron James, the Cavaliers’ players were thoroughly crushed by the Pistons, resulting in a devastating loss. The Cavaliers’ players sighed helplessly—another defeat that night. After the game, they didn’t even hold a press conference and headed straight back to Cleveland by private jet.

Throughout the game, 6 Pistons players scored double digits. Zhou Yi astonishingly scored 53 points, along with 11 assists and 6 rebounds; Greg Monroe scored 20 points, the second-highest on the team, along with 13 rebounds; Tracy McGrady scored 16 points, plus 5 rebounds and 5 assists; Will Bynum scored 11 points and 6 assists; Teyshawn Prince scored 12 points and 8 rebounds; and Samuel Dalembert scored 11 points and 7 rebounds.

On the other hand, for the Cleveland Cavaliers, only Antwan Jamison and JJ Hickson scored in double figures. Antwan Jamison contributed 28 points and 8 rebounds, while JJ Hickson scored 21 points and 6 rebounds. Mo Williams, who faced Zhou Yi, played 38 minutes—quite a long time—yet managed only 9 points and 5 assists. Compared to Zhou Yi, there’s a huge difference between them. Apart from playing more minutes, the only aspect where Mo Williams outperformed Zhou Yi was in terms of fouls; he committed 5 fouls in total, 4 of which were against Zhou Yi, which is truly astonishing.

After the game against the Cavaliers, the Pistons players celebrated their victory in the arena before heading home. With this game over, they had another day off, though they would still train with the team. The next match is significant for the Pistons, or more precisely, for their players Zhou Yi and Tracy McGrady, as their opponent will be the Houston Rockets.

The significance of this game for Zhou Yi goes without saying—it’s another Chinese derby. For McGrady, it’s even more meaningful, as he’ll return to the Houston Toyota Center to face his former teammate Yao Ming. It will be his first encounter with Yao Ming since leaving Houston. How will Houston fans treat McGrady when he returns to their home court? And what kind of performance will he deliver? These will be the main highlights of the game. Fans on forums had mixed opinions before the game; some said they would stand and applaud McGrady, others said they would politely clap in his honor, while some extreme fans even wanted to throw insects at him. It’s likely that from the moment McGrady steps into the Toyota Center, he’ll become the focus of the game.

Beyond McGrady as a highlight, Yao Ming said he’s happy to stand in the Toyota Center alongside McGrady, even though they’re opponents. Of course, such pre-game news is just a gimmick to attract fans’ attention. Before this game, Yao Ming also shared his views on Zhou Yi. He said he admires Zhou Yi greatly, noting his talent, and welcomed him to Houston. He even said he would invite Zhou Yi and McGrady to his restaurant.

Of course, Yao Ming also spoke to the media about questions regarding the Pistons’ roster and their recent performance. He said he was envious of McGrady for being on such a strong team and wished him well, but he believed the Rockets were not an easy opponent either—they were a strong team, and he said he would give it his all in the games.

Although many people thought the league’s up-and-coming Detroit Pistons had a better chance of winning this game long before it took place, there were also many who pointed out the Pistons’ weaknesses. Ben Wallace was getting older and lacked much interior attacking power; Greg Monroe and Taylor Hansbrough were too young, and Samuel Dalembert was not in good form. The Rockets had Yao Ming and Luis Scola, giving them a significant advantage inside. Although the Rockets had Zhou Yi, McGrady, and Tashawn Prince as their outside shooters, the outcome was still highly uncertain.

The next morning after the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, the front pages of all the media newspapers were dominated by stories about Zhou Yi—he was the absolute focus of the news that day. Headlines included “A 50-Point Kid Emerges!”—Washington Sports Report, “The Best Rookie of This Draft—Zhou Yi”—Phoenix Sports Report, “First Triple-Double, Then 50 Points—The Amazing Kid Keeps Delivering Surprises”—Detroit News, and so on.

The Pistons players weren’t surprised by any of this; they still gathered at the gym at noon to train. During training, John Kuester announced some very good news for the team.

“Guys, I have some good news for you,” John Kuester said with a smile, sitting on the training court with his players.

“What good news? Are we getting raises or new contracts?” Will Bynum asked with a mischievous grin.

“Will, I wouldn’t mind if you shot ten thousand times,” John Kuester replied, frowning and pretending to be angry.

“But I would! Coach, just tell us what the good news is,” Will Bynum pleaded.

“Heh, you guy,” John Kuester said, pointing at Will Bynum, then turning to the others with a smile: “The good news is that Ben Gordon is about to return to the team.”

“What? Coach, what did you say? Ben Gordon is coming back?” Will Bynum asked in shock.

Not only Will Bynum was surprised, but Zhou Yi and the others were equally astonished. They knew that Ben Gordon had been injured in the preseason game against the Dallas Mavericks, and it was diagnosed that he would need at least four months to fully recover. Everyone on the Pistons team, especially Zhou Yi, felt sorry for Ben Gordon. Now, with almost just two months having passed, how could they not be surprised to hear John Kuster say that Ben Gordon was about to return to the team?

“Coach, am I hearing this right? Didn’t you say he needed at least four months of rest? How can he return now?” Zhou Yi asked curiously.

“Hehe, you’re not hearing wrong. I’m saying Ben Gordon, your teammate, is about to return. The initial diagnosis by the team doctor was a bit exaggerated—it was just a preliminary assessment. After further examinations, the doctors agreed that Ben Gordon should be able to recover in about three months. If he’s lucky, there’s a chance he can fully recover in two and a half months. Hehe, maybe Ben Gordon saw us doing so well without him and couldn’t stand staying in the recovery room—he wants to get back on the court as soon as possible, or maybe he just had some good luck! His recovery has far exceeded expectations and even the doctors’ predictions—he’s recovered a month ahead of schedule. Haha, do you think he had some good luck?” John Kuster joked at the end.

“Hehe, yeah, this guy really did have some good luck,” Will Bynum agreed agreeably.

“Then, coach, when exactly will he be able to return?” Zhou Yi asked.

John Kuster smiled and replied, “Tomorrow. He’ll start training with us tomorrow, and I think he’ll return in about a week for the game against the Toronto Raptors. But I’m not entirely sure about the exact timing—it depends entirely on his recovery and training progress.”

Zhou Yi and the others nodded after hearing John Kuster’s words.

If Ben Gordon can return as soon as possible, the Pistons’ strength will surely rise to a new level. It’s well known that the Pistons have been struggling at the point guard position. John Kuester has had no choice but to use the experienced veteran James Posey, who usually plays as a small forward, to fill in at point guard. But everyone knows this isn’t a sustainable solution. So, if Ben Gordon can return, the Pistons will gain a much stronger player for that position.

Ben Gordon will also enhance the Pistons’ bench strength. With a bench lineup featuring Will Bynum, Ben Gordon, James Posey, Taylor Hansbrough, and Samuel Dalembert, they could easily overwhelm the Cleveland Cavaliers in any matchup. Such a lineup is truly a force to be reckoned with on the bench.

“Alright, guys, you’ve had enough rest—get back to training!” John Kuester stood up, patted his own buttocks, and spoke loudly to the Pistons.

Hearing John Kuester’s words, Zhou Yi and the others promptly stood up and resumed their intense training.

“Zhou, train with Samuel. He’ll teach you some offensive skills for the paint, like post-ups and backdoor cuts,” John Kuester said as he walked over to Zhou Yi.

“Okay,” Zhou Yi replied before running over to Samuel Dalembert. Samuel Dalembert had already been informed by John Kuester about this, so he wasn’t surprised by Zhou Yi’s request. On the contrary, he was very happy, knowing that Zhou Yi was the core player of the team and the cornerstone of the Pistons’ rebuild. He was eager to get along well with Zhou Yi. Plus, Zhou Yi had a great personality and got along well with all his teammates, without any star-player arrogance, so Samuel Dalembert was very committed to teaching him.

Chapter 201: A Visit to Toyota Center

On December 7th, local time in the United States, this day held great significance for both the Detroit Pistons and the Houston Rockets.

The China Derby!

“Derby” is a word originating from the small English town of Derbyshire. It usually refers to a match between teams based in the same city or nearby areas.

Since Chinese media learned this foreign term, they have begun to endlessly replicate various meanings of it—city derbies, national derbies, and all sorts of derbies, fully exploring every possible meaning of the word. From the day Yao Ming and Wang Zhizhi met in the NBA, a new kind of “war” emerged there: the “Chinese Derby.” Chinese media love this term; they describe every encounter between Chinese players in great detail, down to each person’s sweat drops. Not to mention when one player makes a block or a precise shot—if there’s a dunk, every writer seems eager to depict that moment as if a deity has descended from heaven. This is an almost pathological form of propaganda. Even if the two sides are not on equal footing, these media outlets still label the match a “Chinese Derby.” If one side performs well, it’s as if they’ve dominated the league. Ultimately, it’s because there are so few Chinese players in the world’s highest-level basketball league that whenever two Chinese players appear together, it draws intense attention from basketball enthusiasts in China. Whether the game is good or not, they hope it’s a good start—fans’ wishes are always simple. Everyone focuses intensely on these individuals, not only caring about their performance in the game but also paying attention to every off-court news, almost wishing to describe even their dressing, bathing, sleeping, snoring, and chewing habits in their articles. Now, with Zhou Yi’s emergence, there’s another target for coverage. This upcoming clash has once again raised everyone’s excitement to a peak. Coupled with the Pistons’ impressive record, Zhou Yi’s stunning performance, and Yao Ming’s return, this game has become even more noteworthy. Although Zhou Yi and his Pistons already had a Chinese Derby against Yi Jianlian’s Wizards, this one is far more significant. …… In the morning, Zhou Yi got up early, habitually turned on his computer, checked his email, replied to a few messages, then went to wash up and have breakfast in the dining room. “Xiao Yi, you’re up so early?” Blake said smiling to Zhou Yi from the living room, holding a few newspapers. “Yeah, once I woke up, I didn’t want to sleep anymore, so I got up early so I can go to the gym earlier and train a bit longer,” Zhou Yi replied.

“Hehe, don’t overwork yourself either. Make sure to get some rest!” Blake reminded him concernfully.
Zhou Yi smiled and replied, “I know, uncle. By the way, are you coming with us to today’s game?”
“Oh? You mean the China Derby against the Houston Rockets? Hehe, of course I’ll go. Why?” Blake laughed.
“Hehe, nothing much. Just asking casually,” Zhou Yi replied, smiling as he ran toward the dining room.
Just as Zhou Yi was about to drink his milk, his phone suddenly rang. He glanced at the caller ID and immediately broke into a bright smile.
“Keer, what’s up?” Zhou Yi asked with a smile after taking a sip of milk.
“Oh, nothing much. I just… I miss you a bit,” Mo Keer replied hesitantly.
“Uh… hehe, I miss you too,” Zhou Yi said with a smile.
Mo Keer glanced around and blushed slightly before whispering, “Lin Qixiao and the others are here with me!”
“They? How are they here with you? By the way, it must be around 8 or 9 o’clock there now. Why aren’t you home with them? Why is it so noisy over there?” Zhou Yi asked curiously, frowning.
“We’re at a KTV!” Hong Ming’s lewd voice came through the phone.
Zhou Yi rolled his eyes and said into the phone, “Keer, how did you end up at a KTV with them?”
“They said it’s been a long time since we’ve gotten together, so they arranged to meet up. Are you angry? Should I go back now?” Mo Keer replied.
Hearing Mo Keer’s words, Zhou Yi felt a bit guilty for being too harsh earlier, so he said gently, “No need. I’m relieved knowing you’re with them. But pass the phone to Lin Qixiao. I need to talk to him.”
“Oh, just a moment.”
“What’s up, Zhou Yi?” Lin Qixiao’s voice came through.
“Qixiao, when you’re done having fun, take Keer home early. Make sure she’s safe,” Zhou Yi said seriously.
“Don’t worry,” Lin Qixiao replied briefly.
“Hmm, I’m relieved hearing that. Pass the phone back to Keer.”
“Hehe, okay. By the way, good luck at tomorrow’s China Derby. We’ll be watching you on TV,” Lin Qixiao suddenly said.
“Tomorrow? Oh, hehe, I know.” Zhou Yi thought for a moment before answering with a smile.
“Zhou Yi, it’s me,” Mo Keer’s voice came through.
“Hmm, I know. How have you been?” Zhou Yi asked, taking a bite of bread and another sip of milk.

“I’m fine! You’re fine too, right? I watched all your matches; they were amazing, hehe,” Mo Keer said playfully.
“Is that so? That’s great! I’m fine, don’t worry about me. But you must take care of yourself!”
“Mm, I know. I’ll definitely take good care of myself,” Mo Keer said, biting her lip.
“Hehe, then I’m relieved. Well, I’m having breakfast now and will head to the gym soon. I’ll talk to you later,” Zhou Yi said.
Hearing Zhou Yi’s words, Mo Keer let out a slightly disappointed “Oh,” then added, “I’ll watch tomorrow’s China Derby too. Good luck!”
“Mm, I will.”
“Then, goodbye! Zhou Yi, I love you!” Mo Keer said shyly.
“Hehe, Keer, I love you too. Bye!” Zhou Yi said, giving a kiss sound over the phone.
After waiting for Mo Keer to hang up, Zhou Yi quickly finished his breakfast, said goodbye to Blake, and drove his BMW 745i toward the Auburn Hills Palace Gym.
The BMW 745i was bought for Zhou Yi by Blake, ordered a month ago, but delays due to license plate and other issues meant Zhou Yi didn’t receive the car keys until a week earlier. Initially, Blake wanted to buy Zhou Yi a more luxurious car, but at Zhou Yi’s insistence, he decided to go with the BMW 745i. The reason for choosing this model was also at Zhou Yi’s request—he wanted something more ordinary and low-key. After learning that another Chinese player, Yao Ming, drove a BMW 745i, Zhou Yi asked Blake to buy one for him.
Soon, Zhou Yi arrived at the Auburn Hills Palace Gym. As usual, he was the first player to get there; it was only just after 8 a.m., and some staff members hadn’t arrived yet.
“So early?” A voice came from behind as Zhou Yi entered the gym.
Without turning around, he could tell who it was just by the voice.
“Yes, Miss Jessica. Aren’t you here early too?” Zhou Yi turned around and said to Jessica with a smile.
“Mm, I was bored at home, so I wanted to come to the gym early to work. Hehe, I knew you’d be here early, so I wasn’t worried about getting bored,” Jessica said, walking up to Zhou Yi and placing her hand on his shoulder with a smile.

“Uh, what do you mean by that?” Zhou Yi was puzzled; he certainly didn’t want to provoke this temperamental girl.
“Nothing much. I just mean if I’m bored, I can come watch you train, hehe…” Jessica laughed, then walked straight past Zhou Yi toward her office.
Zhou Yi stood there inexplicably, gave a wry smile, and then headed to the training field.
As expected, Jessica came by a few times during Zhou Yi’s training, but she didn’t disturb him. After watching for a while, she left.
At 10 a.m., all the Pistons players gathered at the training field, including Ben Gordon, who John Kuster had mentioned the previous day. After training for an hour each, John Kuster organized an internal match among the players. From this match, it was clear that Ben Gordon’s recovery was going well—he could handle even moderate intensity games now.
At 1:30 p.m., the Pistons boarded a private plane on time and flew to Houston.
…
“Good morning, dear viewers. It’s 9 a.m. on December 8th, Beijing time. XX Channel is broadcasting the game between the Houston Rockets and the Detroit Pistons. I’m Sun Zhengping, and sitting next to me is the well-known coach Zhang. Hello, Coach Zhang.” Teacher Sun smiled at Coach Zhang beside him and continued, “Coach Zhang, I think this game will attract countless fans, right?” he asked right from the start.
“Mm, of course,” Coach Zhang replied after a pause. “This isn’t just a derby; it’s also Maddie’s first encounter with Yao Ming since returning to the Toyota Center and leaving the Rockets. So, in every sense, this game will draw a huge amount of attention from fans.”
Teacher Sun nodded and continued his commentary.
Teacher Sun and Coach Zhang talked calmly on live television, while fans watching at home waited, munching on their snacks. Meanwhile, as one of the stars of this key match, Zhou Yi was doing pre-game warm-ups at the Houston Toyota Center.
By now, the visiting team’s players were already on the court warming up. The Toyota Center was practically packed, filled with noisy crowds.

When the lights at the Toyota Center dimmed and the noisy crowd quieted down, a focused beam of light guided everyone’s gaze as the home team’s players entered the court. The Rockets’ players, led by Yao Ming, stood in the player’s tunnel, ready to go on stage. First to enter were the Rockets’ substitutes; the on-site DJ gave them a brief introduction, with the real highlight coming later. “Now, let’s give a warm welcome to our ‘Little Black Bean,’ Alon Brooks!” At the host’s call, Alon Brooks rushed out first. The fans cheered enthusiastically for him, though not extremely loudly. “Next up is our power forward, our tough offensive player, our old friend, Luis Scola!” As the host shouted, Scola stepped forward, waving his arms continuously. “Next is our ‘President,’ with his outstanding defensive skills—Sean Battier!” When the host finished speaking, Battier also rushed out of the tunnel, but he was more reserved, simply high-fiving his teammates before stepping aside. “The fourth to enter is our player with strong offensive skills—Kevin Martin. I really don’t need to introduce his stats anymore, haha!” Hearing the crowd’s cheers, many spectators shouted Kevin Martin’s name, and he rushed out quickly with a smile. “The last to enter is the king of Houston, our ‘Moving Great Wall’ from China—Yao Ming!” After hearing the host’s introduction, Yao Ming ran out smiling. It was clear he was excited that day, and he joined Scola and the others in applauding enthusiastically. When the on-site DJ announced Zhou Yi’s name, the crowd erupted in the loudest cheers and applause, which lasted for a long time. After introducing the players, the DJ also introduced the game’s commentators, Kenny Smith and Clyde Drexler. Upon entering the court, Yao Ming and his teammates first bowed to the fans, then quickly headed over to the Pistons’ side. “Tracy…” Yao Ming called out excitedly.

Seeing this, McGrady quickly smiled, stepped forward, and hugged Yao Ming tightly. These brothers who had once fought together for a championship were standing here once again, but things had changed—what was once brothers were now rivals.
“Have you been doing well lately?” Yao Ming asked with a smile.
“Very well. How about you?” McGrady replied.
“Hehe, I’m good too. Let’s go to my Yao Restaurant after the game!” Yao Ming said with a smile.
“Sure!”
After catching up with McGrady, Yao Ming walked over to Zhou Yi, smiled, extended his right hand, and said in Mandarin, “Hello, Zhou Yi.”
“Hello, Brother Yao,” Zhou Yi replied with a smile, shaking Yao Ming’s hand and affectionately calling him Brother Yao.
Yao Ming was pleased by Zhou Yi’s address and said with a laugh, “Let’s go to my Yao Restaurant after the game to have a proper chat.”
“Hehe, okay,” Zhou Yi replied with a smile.
McGrady then hugged and caught up with other former Rockets teammates before returning to his own side.
At this moment, both teams were actively doing pre-game warm-ups to prepare for the intense match ahead.
Soon, only the starting players remained on the court, signaling that this highly anticipated game was about to begin!!
Chapter 202: Unexpected Boos
The Rockets’ starting lineup: Center Yao Ming, Power Forward Luis Scola, Small Forward Shawn Battier, Shooting Guard Kevin Martin, Point Guard Aaron Brooks.
As for the Pistons’ starting lineup, it hadn’t changed in a long time: Center Ben Wallace, Power Forward Greg Monroe, Small Forward Tashawn Prince, Shooting Guard Tracy McGrady, Point Guard Zhou Yi.
John Kuester believed this lineup still had great potential and could be further developed. He wanted to refine it—building a championship team wasn’t something that could be achieved easily. So, for the Pistons to develop a championship-level starting lineup, there was still a long way to go.
With the referee’s whistle, this highly anticipated match officially started!
Rebounding had never been Yao Ming’s strength. Although he had the highest height in the league, it didn’t give him much advantage in rebounding; he lost more often than he won. And once again, he lost in the rebound battle against Ben Wallace.

The Pistons got the first chance to attack. Zhou Yi quickly drove with the ball, swiftly taking it past the half-court line. His defender was Aaron Brooks, a player with decent offensive skills but almost invisible defensively.

The Rockets were good at playing position basketball, and many teams were reluctant to face them. Each of their attacks took about twenty seconds. Such slow attacks not only limited their own shooting attempts but also those of their opponents, and the games often became very dull, even sleepy.

The Pistons had a solid defense, but John Kuester didn’t want to play position basketball against them. Since Zhou Yi joined the team, Kuester preferred a faster, more aggressive style of play.

Without getting too entangled with Brooks, Zhou Yi quickly passed the ball. McGrady’s playmaking skills were among the best among forwards and guards. Once the ball reached McGrady, Zhou Yi quickly changed directions, cutting through defenses, and rushed to the basket, while McGrady passed the ball in just in time.

Zhou Yi easily scored a layup, securing the first two points of the game.

John Kuester nodded happily from the coaching bench. Zhou Yi’s performance had been improving lately, especially in the first two games—a triple-double in one and 50+ points in the other, which was incredible. He wasn’t only excellent at organizing attacks but also showed remarkable individual scoring ability, with a shooting percentage of nearly 50%, which was astonishing for a guard.

Brooks, however, was far from his previous season’s form. Last season, he had been one of the fastest improvers and the top scorer from three-point range. But this season, at least so far, his performance had been poor.

In terms of the team’s overall coordination, he struggled to take on the responsibility of organizing attacks. Even when he was in good form, he couldn’t fully coordinate the team’s play and relied instead on his sometimes unreliable shooting skills. Although the Rockets were in good form now, it was mainly Yao Ming who was driving the team.

The ball was passed to Yao Ming inside the paint, a tactic the Rockets often used. Once Yao Ming was in position inside, the ball would be passed to the “Little Giant,” who would shoot if there was a chance, or quickly pass it to the outside players if not.

Yao Ming stepped back tentatively. Ben Gordon’s interior defense was very tight, closely surrounding Yao Ming’s body.

After recovering from his injury and adapting over this period, Yao Ming’s “dreamlike footwork” became even more refined. He attempted a turnaround jump shot, but his form seemed off—the ball bounced twice off the rim without going in. This playing style of Yao Ming had significant drawbacks: if the shot missed and he was blocked, it was difficult to grab the rebound.

Dabben easily secured the defensive rebound and quickly passed it to Zhou Yi. Rockets head coach Rick Adelman watched everything impassively, as if it had nothing to do with him. With Zhou Yi covering, Taishan Prince quickly drove the ball forward, and Sean Battier provided timely defense. Yet, undeterred by being blocked, Taishan Prince smiled slightly, shook his wrist, and quickly passed the ball back to Zhou Yi.

“Aaron, catch up quickly!” Battier shouted urgently when he saw an open space in front of Zhou Yi. Brooks’ defensive skills were already weak, like a sieve, and his recent form wasn’t good either—far from his previous level. Right now, the Rockets valued his offensive capabilities the most.

With a swish, the ball went through the net. Zhou Yi swung his arm forcefully and stepped back to defend.

This wasn’t the first time a Pistons game was broadcast in China, and many Chinese fans already knew a lot about Zhou Yi. In their eyes, he wasn’t just a point guard with excellent playmaking skills but also a deadly scorer.

“Zhou Yi’s performance today is very different from before. Right from the start of the game, he focused on scoring rather than organizing the Pistons’ offense,” explained Coach Zhang.

Seeing Zhou Yi score 4 points right at the beginning of the game, the Rockets’ players quickly adjusted their defense against him, but it didn’t seem very effective. Even when faced with no opportunities, Zhou Yi could always pass the ball in time.

Yao Ming received another pass and attempted a turnaround hook shot—the ball finally went in, giving the Rockets an early 2-point lead.

Zhou Yi made a clever pass, and McGrady, after catching the ball, quickly scored a 2-point shot near the free-throw line. After McGrady scored, the crowd immediately started booing. McGrady glanced in surprise at the spectators, his expression darkening, before stepping back to defend.

All of this was watched by Zhou Yi.

Kevin Martin’s 3-point attempt missed, while Skora scored a rebound basket. McGrady broke through at the baseline and passed the ball to Taishan Prince at the top of the key. After catching the ball, Taishan Prince made a slight adjustment before attempting a 3-point jump shot—it missed, and Yao Ming grabbed the defensive rebound.

The Rockets launched an attack; Brooks tried a stop-and-shoot but missed. Yao Ming grabbed an offensive rebound and scored with a quick hook shot, adding 2 more points. 4:6 — the Rockets took a 2-point lead! After drawing the Rockets’ defenders away, Zhou Yi passed the ball to McGrady with a backpass, who then hit a beautiful three-pointer. “Heh, it seems the boos from the home crowd haven’t affected Tracy at all — instead, they’ve only fueled his determination and fighting spirit,” Clyde Drexler said with a smile to Kenny Smith beside him. “Yeah, you’re right. Tracy’s two attacks were great, especially that three-pointer just now. Heh, this game is really going to be interesting!” Kenny Smith laughed. In the first few minutes of the game, both teams were highly efficient offensively, scoring frequently. But such a pace didn’t sit well with John Kuester. Now, he was placing more emphasis on defense, and the Rockets had been performing well lately. Yao Ming scored several times in a row, which made Kuester frown, prompting the Pistons to call a timeout first. “I’ve emphasized this many times — while we’re strengthening our offense, we must also focus on defense. As the saying goes, offense wins games, but defense wins championships. So I don’t want anyone to neglect defense,” Kuester said seriously to the Pistons. He then excitedly patted Zhou Yi on the shoulder. He had been cautious about using Zhou Yi, as time spent together had shown him that Zhou Yi not only had the potential to be a great point guard but also had the potential to become a scoring machine. Yet these were just his temporary thoughts. Many concerns left him hesitant. If he followed his plans and positioned Zhou Yi as the team’s absolute core, there would be many problems. After all, Zhou Yi was still a rookie. No matter how outstanding his performance was, he still needed to stay low-key for now. After the timeout, play resumed with the Pistons attacking. Zhou Yi threw the ball into the paint; Dabben feinted, tricking Yao Ming into jumping, then quickly passed the ball to Greg Monroe behind Yao Ming, who scored right away with a layup.

Perhaps the timeout called by John Kueste worked—under Greg Monroe’s help defense, Yao Ming had a tough time inside, struggling to grab rebounds and missing two consecutive shots. With no breakthrough inside, the Rockets shifted their offense to the outside, where Kevin Martin stepped in promptly. Brooks quickly passed the ball to Kevin Martin and let out a long sigh; Yao Ming’s compatriot was truly impressive, putting a lot of pressure on him during the earlier confrontation, almost stealing the ball several times. Kevin Martin moved around the arc, looking for an opportunity to break through, while the Rockets’ players strictly followed the coach’s tactics, constantly moving and weaving through defenses. He feinted with his left foot several times, keeping his defender McGrady on edge. With a step back, Kevin Martin raised his center of gravity quickly, prompting McGrady to jump instinctively to block. But to his surprise, even as he was in the air, Kevin Martin’s feet remained firmly on the ground, a smile on his lips. As McGrady descended, Kevin Martin jumped decisively, passing the ball to his left hand just before McGrady’s body covered his right hand, and shot before losing balance. Two sounds—“swish” and “thud”—came at the same time, and Toyota Center erupted in noise. With the team in a disadvantageous position, Kevin Martin delivered such a stunning 2+1, boosting their morale greatly. McGrady shook his head helplessly, sighing that Kevin Martin’s ability to draw fouls was indeed formidable. He couldn’t help but think of himself in his youth—hadn’t he been the same? Scoring effortlessly and excelling at drawing fouls, he had also delivered similar performances during his time with the Rockets. He had once enjoyed the cheers from the home crowd just like Kevin Martin now. But now, he had become the backdrop for someone else to earn those cheers. “Heh…” McGrady smiled self-mockingly, standing in the middle of the court, watching Kevin Martin take the free throw, looking somewhat despondent. Kevin Martin easily made the free throw, tying the score at 13:13. Greg Monroe took the initiative to get the ball inside, while his defender, Luis Scola, though excellent offensively, was poor defensively and not very physically strong, far inferior to Greg Monroe, so he couldn’t exert much pressure on him.

Greg Monroe suddenly exerted force, pushing Scara aside, and with a beautiful spin jump shot, the ball went through the net.
In the first quarter, the Pistons played exceptionally well, combining inside and outside attacks to score from multiple areas. They took a 29-point lead over the Rockets at the end of the first quarter. The Rockets’ interior offense struggled in the second half of the first quarter, but thankfully Kevin Martin stepped in to boost the team’s outside shooting. The Rockets hit five three-pointers in the first quarter, narrowing the gap to just 3 points behind the Pistons.
At the end of the first quarter, the score was 29:26, with the Pistons leading by 3 points.
Taking advantage of the break after the first quarter, the broadcast team switched back to the studio, and the two commentators resumed their chatter.
“Ladies and gentlemen, both teams have delivered an exciting quarter of play. Based on what’s happening on the court so far, the Detroit Pistons seem to be in control, while the Rockets are playing somewhat defensively. In the past half hour, many fans have shared their opinions via text message. Our staff has done some preliminary statistics, and it seems opinions are mostly concentrated in these areas. However, one thing surprised me greatly: many fans are questioning Coach Rick Adelman’s lineup decisions.” Teacher Sun read out two of the text messages.
“Although the Rockets are in a tough situation now, this is only the first quarter. Well, now let’s hand over the screen to the live broadcast ahead.” Before Coach Zhang could say much more, the second quarter began, and the two talkative commentators quickly switched the screen away. In a game like this, constant chatter would surely annoy fans, and they certainly didn’t want to get drowned in fans’ complaints.