Chapter 82

At the start of the fourth quarter, both teams were mostly playing with their bench players. However, the Pistons’ bench players erupted in performance right from the beginning of the quarter. First was Charlie Villanueva, who used his height advantage to overpower Ronnie Brewer, who was a head shorter than him, and hit two consecutive three-pointers, instantly widening the score gap to 17 points! Soon after, CJ Watson passed to James Johnson after a screen set up by Brian Scalabrine, and Johnson immediately responded with a powerful dunk to stabilize the situation! But Taishan Prince, who had been quiet for three quarters, also stepped up. He received an assist from Will Bynum at the left baseline and easily hit a three-pointer, changing the score to 93:75 and once again widening the Pistons’ lead to 18 points! The atmosphere in the arena grew tense once more, with the shadow of defeat looming over the fans. Perhaps unable to bear such pressure or wanting to boost the Bulls, some fans began to cheer for them, encouraging them with all their might. CJ Watson drove past half-court again; he was also very anxious, as the Pistons’ sudden surge had caught them off guard. The Bulls players were filled with determination—they refused to lose this game at home and let the Pistons extend their winning streak to 25 games. With that determination, they managed to score 12:2 against the Pistons, instantly narrowing the gap to 8 points. Seeing this, Pistons head coach John Kuester quickly called a timeout. At that point, the fourth quarter had only been playing for just over four minutes. After the timeout, both teams quickly switched to their starting lineups. Yet, the Pistons still couldn’t stabilize the game and were hit with a 6:0 run by the Bulls led by Derrick Rose, leaving their lead at just 2 points. If the Pistons didn’t take action, the Bulls would soon take the lead back. “Will we really get beaten by the Bulls? Is our winning streak over?” Zhou Yi asked himself, his passion burning again.

Zhou Yi stepped outside the three-point line, right in front of the basket, and gave a glance to Samuel Dalembert inside. The latter understood the meaning of that simple glance and immediately did as Zhou Yi wanted—running outside the three-point line to set up a screen for him!
Samuel Dalembert is indeed known as the best screen-setting player in the NBA for good reason—his screen for Zhou Yi completely trapped Derrick Rose, who was defending him, preventing him from keeping up with Zhou Yi’s pace!
Seizing the opportunity with Derrick Rose blocked by Samuel Dalembert, Zhou Yi immediately moved, using Dalembert’s distraction to bypass Rose and leveraging his speed to leave Carlos Boozer, who was trying to close in, behind. Like a sharp sword, he drove into the Pistons’ paint!
There was nothing in front of Zhou Yi now—would he miss such an opportunity? Of course not!
So, as soon as he entered the paint, he grabbed the ball and took three big steps forward, soaring like the Pistons, stretching his agile body in the air with his right hand holding the ball high!
Zhou Yi was about to dunk again!
But just then, another accident happened—a player in a red jersey suddenly jumped up from Zhou Yi’s right side and stretched his arm toward the ball in his hands.
“Thwack!” Zhou Yi suddenly felt a force on his hand, and then the ball was gone; he ended up hitting the basket with an empty hand—he had been blocked!
When Zhou Yi landed, he immediately turned to look behind him, and all he saw was that player in the Bulls’ number 1 jersey—Derrick Rose—launching a fast break against the Pistons!
Zhou Yi rushed back, but as the last one to move, he couldn’t catch up with the other players and could only watch helplessly as the Bulls launched their fast break.
Derrick Rose drove into the Pistons’ interior. Facing Taylor Hansbrough ahead of him, he didn’t choose to fight head-on but passed the ball to Lorrin Coleman, who was unguarded outside the three-point line. After catching the ball, Coleman didn’t waste this chance and smoothly jumped to shoot, hitting a perfect three-pointer!
95:96—the Bulls took the lead!
At that moment, a strong sense of anxiety filled the hearts of all the Pistons players. They were nervous, they were anxious. Who else could help the Pistons now? Who?

John Kueste immediately called a timeout—he realized that if he didn’t stop the game right away to stabilize the situation, the Pistons would surely lose, and possibly by a large margin!
“Damn it…” Zhou Yi growled in frustration, his eyes filled with resentment and anger.
If that dunk had succeeded, the Pistons’ morale would have been greatly boosted! But in the last moment, it was blocked by Derek Rose, further damaging the team’s spirits. This sudden shift from excitement to despair severely hit Zhou Yi’s confidence and self-esteem.
At that moment, Xiang Yun stepped forward. Seeing Zhou Yi’s state, she felt extremely distressed. She wished she could take his pain upon herself! But what could she do? She wasn’t Zhou Yi, nor could she replace him. All she could do was stay by his side, silently helping him, praying to the gods for his success, and hoping he could lead the team to victory…
Xiang Yun carefully asked, “Zhou Yi, are you okay?”
Zhou Yi shook his head and replied, “Don’t worry! I’m fine.”
The game resumed, and the players from both teams stepped back onto the court.
However, John Kueste had already adjusted the Pistons’ lineup. He replaced McGrady with Will Bynum, assigning him the role of point guard, while Zhou Yi was moved to shooting guard.
After driving across half the court, Will Bynum immediately passed the ball to Zhou Yi. Upon receiving it, Zhou Yi held the ball close to his waist, his eyes fixed on Keith Bogans ahead of him!
Zhou Yi suddenly raised his hand, pretending to take a three-point shot!
Seeing this, Keith Bogans, already on edge, instinctively raised his arms and jumped, trying to block and disrupt Zhou Yi’s shot! But after jumping, he realized he had been tricked—Zhou Yi hadn’t actually jumped; he had used the fake shooting gesture to make Keith Bogans jump!
Zhou Yi also jumped, but this time forward, crashing into Keith Bogans!
“Swish!” As Zhou Yi’s arm touched Keith Bogans, the referee’s whistle blew.
Losing his balance, Zhou Yi didn’t let the ball and himself fall to the ground. Instead, after colliding with Keith Bogans, he pushed hard with his right hand, shooting the ball toward the basket!
“Swish!”
Zhou Yi’s shot actually went through the net cleanly.

“Yeeeeee!” Excited and frantic cheers erupted from the Pistons’ bench.
That three-point shot was absolutely stunning! Not only was it scored in a highly difficult manner, but it also forced a foul from the opponent, resulting in a 3+1! Such skill isn’t something everyone can achieve!
Zhou Yi took the free throw and made it!
Raul Dunas suddenly seemed to gain confidence; he drove the ball across half-court and then stopped abruptly in front of Teyshawn Prince to shoot a jump shot, which went in.
Will Bynum orchestrated the offense, moving back and forth outside the three-point line, with Derrick Rose guarding him. Under Derrick Rose’s defense, Will Bynum found it hard to do much, so he couldn’t seize any opportunities for a while.
A bounce pass sent the ball to Samuel Dalembert at the basket. Samuel Dalembert moved a bit, then spun around and took a backshot, but it clanged off the rim.
However, Tyler Hansbrough jumped up quickly, tapped the ball, and pushed it back into the basket.
It was the Bulls’ turn to possess the ball. Carlos Boozer passed it to Derrick Rose. After driving across half-court, Derrick Rose drove to the paint and passed the ball to Carlos Boozer.
Carlos Boozer moved slightly but missed his layup, and the Pistons secured the defensive rebound.
At that moment, the referee’s whistle blew.
It wasn’t because of a foul, but because someone got injured.
Carlos Boozer had just missed his layup and stepped on Tyler Hansbrough’s foot, spraining it.
Immediately, Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau called a timeout and substituted Carlos Boozer out.
After Carlos Boozer left, Kurt Thomas took his place.
Zhou Yi penetrated into the Bulls’ paint, with Raul Dunas coming to defend him. Zhou Yi passed the ball to Teyshawn Prince behind him.
Teyshawn Prince caught the ball and shot right away—a three-point shot that went in!
As time passed, the Pistons continued to control the game. The Bulls couldn’t narrow the score gap to within 5 points, usually keeping it around 7 or 8 points.
Derrick Rose drove to the basket, with Will Bynum trying to steal the ball, but he failed and even committed a personal foul.
The Bulls reorganized their offense. After receiving the ball from the sideline, Derrick Rose drove past Will Bynum and scored a layup.

On the Pistons’ side, Will Bynum’s layup missed, and after the Bulls grabbed the rebound, they launched another fast break driven by Derrick Rose. Seeing this, John Kuester glanced at the clock and called a timeout. At that moment, only four minutes remained until the end of the game.

Chapter 258: Defeating the Bulls Again, 25 Consecutive Wins (Part 2)

The Bulls have really been unlucky in their encounters with the Pistons. In their last matchup, Derrick Rose got injured in the third quarter and didn’t return until the end of the game; he even missed another game after that. This time, Carlos Boozer sprained his ankle in the crucial fourth quarter, leaving the entire Bulls team frustrated. Without Carlos Boozer, the Bulls’ interior strength was significantly weakened, so during the timeout, John Kuester instructed his players to focus more on playing inside.

After the timeout, the game resumed. The Pistons replaced Will Bynum with Tracy McGrady, while the Bulls substituted Keith Bogans for Ronnie Brewer. As soon as the game restarted, the Pistons implemented the tactics discussed by John Kuester during the timeout. Led by the strong interior player Samuel Dalembert, the Pistons launched a counterattack. Dalembert made two of his two shots, scoring 4 points, and Tyshawn Prince added another three-pointer, helping the Pistons take a 7-0 run. Soon, the Pistons turned the score around to 103-90, taking a 13-point lead.

However, the Bulls soon counterattacked. After several breakthrough attempts, they finally broke through the Pistons’ defense. Ron Artest received an assist from Derrick Rose and scored a layup, helping the Bulls cut the lead to 2 points. Will Bynum’s shot from the baseline missed, and Joakim Noah grabbed the defensive rebound. The Bulls’ offense remained organized, with Derrick Rose quickly driving the ball across half-court. After crossing half-court, he passed the ball to Ron Artest. Artest tried to beat Tyshawn Prince one-on-one but saw no chance and decided to pass instead. Zhou Yi, who was focused, noticed a flaw in Artest’s pass at that moment, stretched out his arm, and intercepted the ball. With quick awareness, he realized that Will Bynum had already reached the Bulls’ half-court, so he quickly passed the ball back.

The ball landed right in front of Will Bynum, who immediately drove to the basket, sending the ball smoothly through the hoop. As the Bulls sent the ball out from the baseline, the Pistons’ players had already retreated to their own half. Derrick Rose frowned slightly—Zhou Yi had already come out to defend him before he even reached midcourt. The intense defense gave Derrick Rose a lot of trouble. Seeing Derrick Rose in that situation, Ronnie Brewer quickly stepped in, took the pass from him, and swiftly passed it to someone inside the paint. Raoul Dunleavy caught the ball near the free-throw line, dipped with his right hand, with Teyshawn Prince guarding him. After failing to find an opening, Raoul Dunleavy gently shook his wrist, passing the ball to Kurt Thomas behind him. Kurt Thomas used his body as a shield and scored from mid-range. Ronnie Brewer is a typical tough defender, an expert at defending from medium to long distances. His defense relies not only on his excellent physical condition but also on his intelligence—he’s a smart defender who adjusts his defensive tactics on his own without needing coaching once the opponent changes their approach. After Zhou Yi managed to break free from Derrick Rose’s defense, Ronnie Brewer immediately closed in, applying tight, relentless close defense. Any player would need enough space to move, but Ronnie Brewer’s entire body was practically pressed against Zhou Yi, requiring exceptional explosiveness, reflexes, and physical strength. In close defense, if you’re easily pushed away by the opponent, you won’t achieve the desired effect. Yet the results of this kind of defense are obvious—the offensive player has little choice, and due to the limited space, mistakes are likely to occur. Feeling the oppressive pressure from Ronnie Brewer’s body, Zhou Yi was secretly surprised. He hadn’t expected that despite Ronnie Brewer’s seemingly average build, he possessed astonishing strength. If it were a player with weaker physical capabilities, they would have been pushed aside after just a few attempts at contact. The ball was quickly passed to McGrady. Given Zhou Yi’s position at that moment, even if he managed to force his way through, the other Bulls players would have enough time to come and help defend.

After the pass, Zhou Yi quickly moved around, but to his frustration, Ronnie Brewer seemed determined to pursue him—still chasing him closely even though he no longer had the ball. Seeing that Zhou Yi couldn’t shake off Ronnie Brewer, McGrady had no choice but to loft the ball inside, where Taylor Hansbrough caught it near the free-throw line. Kurt Thomas immediately stepped in to defend, but he overlooked Zhou Yi. Since he couldn’t get rid of Ronnie Brewer, Zhou Yi kept moving around inside the three-point line. When McGrady lofted the ball inside, Zhou Yi saw his chance—he rushed straight at Taylor Hansbrough, flashing past him and blocking Kurt Thomas’ help defense. Seeing Zhou Yi provide cover, Taylor Hansbrough shot a mid-range jump shot, which hit the rim with a swish. Derrick Rose used the momentum of the dribble to slide quickly to the right, stepping forward with his left foot just before Zhou Yi could react, completing his move in an instant. The figure in front of him flashed by, and Derrick Rose broke free from Zhou Yi’s defense. Just as he thought he had succeeded in breaking through, Zhou Yi reappeared in his path. As time passed, Derrick Rose hesitated none—taking advantage of Zhou Yi’s unsteady defense, he flicked his right wrist, and the ball flew like an arrow into Joakim Noah’s hands. At that moment, Samuel Dalembert was pulled to the perimeter, leaving only Taylor Hansbrough inside. Joakim Noah faced Taylor Hansbrough one-on-one, his massive frame constantly pressing against Taylor’s chest; the repeated muscle clashes made it tough for Taylor. Sensing that Taylor Hansbrough’s momentum had waned, Joakim Noah intensified his attacks. After several collisions, Taylor Hansbrough was pushed all the way to the baseline. With his back free, Joakim Noah was overjoyed and prepared to dunk with both hands. But just as he raised the ball, a large yellow hand slapped it to the floor. After stealing the ball, Zhou Yi immediately passed it long, sending it straight toward the Bulls’ half-court. McGrady was already waiting there; after catching Zhou Yi’s pass, he executed a stunning dunk.

At this point, the Pistons had widened the score to 114:98, leading the Bulls by 16 points. With almost two minutes left in the game, Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau wasn’t willing to give up and called a timeout to reorganize his tactics. The home crowd looked tense, with many showing disappointment and some even leaving early. It seemed highly unlikely to close a 16-point gap in just two minutes.

After the timeout and the game resumed, Derrick Rose drove to the basket, drew double coverage, and passed perfectly to Raul Dunleavy at the baseline, who hit a three-pointer. Without Carlos Boozer, the Bulls’ interior defense became weaker. Tyler Hansbrough used a convincing fake to draw out Kurt Thomas, then made a smooth pass inside to help Samuel Dalembert score. This time, Raul Dunleavy passed to Derrick Rose, who also hit a three-pointer.

Ronnie Brewer’s defensive effort put Zhou Yi in a tough spot, especially as he kept trying to retrieve the ball and showed relentless determination in defense, which was truly admirable. Zhou Yi accelerated his pace, catching Ronnie Brewer off guard as he quickly shifted right with Zhou Yi’s movements. As a defensive expert for the Bulls, Ronnie Brewer was usually the best choice to guard the opponent’s top shooter.

Zhou Yi suddenly stopped, and as he prepared to shoot, Ronnie Brewer, unable to adjust his balance, instinctively reached out with his right hand. “Thwack”—Zhou Yi raised his hands slightly forward, and Ronnie Brewer’s hand hit his right wrist. Immediately afterward, another “swish” sound was heard.

Zhou Yi didn’t stop despite the referee’s whistle; by then, he had already passed the ball to his left hand, using his right hand only to assist with the shot. “Swish”—despite losing his balance and shooting from a slightly high position, the ball still entered the basket, tracing a graceful arc through the air.

Watching Zhou Yi confidently walk to the free-throw line, the Bulls’ fans began to boo loudly. “Swish”—the free throw went straight into the basket. Raul Dunleavy also hit a turnaround jump shot from the free-throw line. With such consistent mid-range shooting, he could almost always deliver accurate shots into the opponent’s basket whenever he got the chance.

Receiving the pass from Teyshawn Prince, the annoying Ronnie Brewer still stood in front of him, focusing entirely on guarding him rather than the ball. No matter how much space opened up for the Pistons’ other players, he refused to help defend, following Zhou Yi wherever he went. His defense was even more aggressive than in the first quarter, with physical collisions occurring almost constantly, and he didn’t slack off in his defense even when Zhou Yi wasn’t in possession.

Zhou Yi didn’t understand why Ronnie Brewer was now focusing solely on guarding him—it must be an arrangement by the Bulls’ head coach, Tom Thibodeau.

Zhou Yi lofted the ball into the paint, but Tyler Hansbrough’s turnaround jump shot missed. The Bulls’ Joakim Noah tried a layup but failed, giving the Pistons the defensive rebound.

Madison received a pass from Zhou Yi at the baseline and hit a three-pointer. Derek Rose couldn’t find an opportunity outside, so he rushed into the Pistons’ paint and scored with a pull-up layup. With Madison as a reliable scoring option, the Bulls’ defensive strategy had to change; double-teaming Zhou Yi already put a lot of pressure on them.

The Bulls clearly didn’t want to give up on double-teaming Zhou Yi, but to contain Madison, they brought in Rolando Blackman. Madison wasn’t only good at attacking but also excelled at playmaking, and he was utterly selfless on the court. When Rolando Blackman came to guard him, he immediately passed the ball to Teyshawn Prince.

“Swish”—the ball went through the net.

124:108, the Pistons still led by 16 points, with less than a minute left in the game.

The Bulls’ head coach, John Kuester, sighed and called a timeout, pulling all his starters off the court. The Pistons did the same.

The home crowd, knowing their team had lost, was disheartened, with many leaving the arena early. The Bulls lost all hope of turning the game around. In the end, the Pistons defeated the Bulls 124:113 away from home, ending their opponent’s six-game winning streak and extending their own streak to 25 games.

In this game, the Pistons had strong performance across the board—six of their nine players scored in double figures.

Tyler Hansbrough scored a season-high 27 points, the most he has ever scored in his career, along with 11 rebounds. John Kuester was very pleased with Tyler Hansbrough’s performance; if not for Greg Monroe’s presence, he would have wanted to keep Hansbrough in the starting lineup. Zhou Yi continued to shine with 25 points, 13 assists, 6 rebounds, and 3 steals; McGrady scored 17 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists; Teyshawn Prince scored 14 points and 8 rebounds; Samuel Dalembert scored 12 points and 6 rebounds; Ben Gordon scored 10 points.

At the post-game press conference, Tom Thibodeau remained calm about the loss. After reviewing the team’s performance, he praised the Pistons highly, with the young players Zhou Yi and Tyler Hansbrough being among those he commended. In particular, he was impressed by Zhou Yi’s outstanding performance in the fourth quarter, calling it the turning point of the game.

After defeating the Bulls, the Pistons will face the Memphis Grizzlies at home on the 12th, the day after tomorrow. The Grizzlies have been performing well recently, achieving solid results in the West.

This period has been very happy for Zhou Yi. With the team’s good record, he has won the Western Conference Rookie of the Month award for two consecutive months, and it’s almost certain he will win it again in January.

In the rookie rankings, the second-place player is Blake Griffin of the Clippers. So far, his average stats are 21.3 points and 11.8 rebounds—top-tier numbers for a center. His strong performance has made him a leader on the Clippers, but the team’s poor record gives him a disadvantage when compared to Zhou Yi.

Chapter 259: The Dark Horse – Grizzlies

At 7:30 p.m. on the 12th, the game between the Pistons and Bulls officially kicked off at the Auburn Hills Palace of Auburn Hills!

Greg Monroe, who had been out due to the flu, returned for this game, so the Pistons’ starting lineup remained the same: center Ben Wallace, power forward Greg Monroe, small forward Teyshawn Prince, shooting guard Tracy McGrady, and point guard Zhou Yi.

On the Grizzlies’ side, the lineup was Mark Gasol at five, Zach Randolph at four, Rudy Gay at three, Tony Allen at two, and Mike Conley at one.

Greg Monroe’s bounce allowed him to get to the ball first, and McGrady quickly grabbed it. By this time, Zhou Yi had already rushed down the sideline toward the opponent’s half, with no one around him. Seeing this, McGrady was delighted and quickly passed the ball diagonally. Unfortunately, he only paid attention to Zhou Yi and didn’t notice what was happening around him. At the moment the ball was passed, a dark figure flashed past him like a whirlwind. Tony Allen touched the ball with his fingertips, changing its trajectory, but with his speed, he naturally couldn’t keep up with the fast-moving ball and could only watch it fly over the sideline. Still, it disrupted the Pistons’ fast break attempt. As time passed, McGrady still managed to pass the ball to Greg Monroe. Behind Zhou Yi, there was someone following him—the very Mike Conley, who had been chasing him the whole time. When attempting a layup from the sideline, McGrady tried several times to pass the ball to him, but Mike Conley kept interfering. Zhou Yi darted straight into the paint from the baseline. In the narrow space at the baseline, Mike Conley had no choice but to stop, as his bulky frame couldn’t fit through there. Fortunately, he didn’t have the ball. As Zhou Yi entered the paint, Greg Monroe used his body as a shield to pass the ball to him, then quickly turned around to block Zach Randolph’s path. Without hesitation, Zhou Yi leaped lightly against Zach Randolph’s back, tilting his upper body slightly and shaking his wrist gently as the ball went through the hoop. With a crisp swish, Zach Randolph turned around in confusion—he hadn’t noticed when the ball ended up in Zhou Yi’s hands. “So fast!” Zhou Yi felt a shadow flash before his eyes; Mike Conley, holding the ball, had already appeared on his right side. He hadn’t realized his momentary carelessness had allowed him to be passed so easily. Zhou Yi glared back in annoyance—he would never let him break through so easily. Mike Conley made a lightning-fast breakthrough, getting ahead of Greg Monroe and rushing into the paint to force a layup against Samuel Dalembert. The ball bounced lightly a few times on the rim before reluctantly falling through. The referee’s whistle blew immediately—Samuel Dalembert’s foul gave the opponent a 2+1 chance. Mike Conley made both free throws. 3:2! After catching the ball, Zhou Yi didn’t rush to break through to the other half but let his teammates flood into the opponent’s defense.

Zhou Yi’s pass flew promptly to McGrady at the baseline with no angle left. Tony Allen turned to try and intercept the ball but failed. Zhou Yi was known for his fast, accurate, and steady passes, always getting the ball to his teammates just in time when they were open. His excellent awareness and game sense allowed him to find weaknesses in the opponent’s defense, while his reliable passing was what enabled him to thrive. As long as his teammates didn’t make any extraordinary moves, it was hard for Zhou Yi to make mistakes with his passes. McGrady took a mid-range jump shot and hit it with a swish. Zach Randolph fought hard against Greg Monroe at the basket, pushing him aside before scoring a layup. From a high position, Teyon Prince caught a brilliant pass from Zhou Yi and hit a jump shot with another swish. The Grizzlies’ offense failed, and Zhou Yi secured a defensive rebound. With another swish, Greg Monroe hit a step-back jump shot at the basket. With 6 minutes and 4 seconds left in the first quarter, the Pistons led 16–10, holding a 6-point advantage. The Grizzlies’ head coach reluctantly called a timeout. To contain Zhou Yi’s scoring, he sent the team’s best one-on-one defender, Tony Allen, to help guard him from the start. But Zhou Yi avoided the strong defenses and used his passing to create scoring opportunities for his teammates, especially McGrady, who hit two three-pointers in just half a quarter. Just three minutes after the Grizzlies’ timeout, the Pistons faced a counterattack from them. Rudy Gay used his strong physical presence to keep attacking from outside, hitting all three of his attempts, including one three-pointer. He scored 7 points in a row, helping the Grizzlies narrow the score to 18–17, only 1 point behind the Pistons. Teyon Prince fought hard to contain Rudy Gay’s onslaught. By the end of the first quarter, the score was 27–25 in favor of the Pistons, who led by 2 points thanks to their overall strength. The Grizzlies’ star, Rudy Gay, played the entire first quarter, hitting 5 out of 7 shots for 12 points, nearly half of the Grizzlies’ total score. Teyon Prince sat on the bench, pale, having endured immense psychological and physical pressure under Rudy Gay’s constant attention, leaving him feeling extremely tired. At the start of the second quarter, the Pistons made adjustments to their lineup, with Ben Gordon replacing McGrady and Tyler Hansbrough replacing Samuel Dalembert.

“Swish” — Zach Randolph’s mid-range shot went in. Zhou Yi quickly drove the ball past half-court, with Mike Conley guarding him. Despite his repeated changes of direction, Conley managed to disrupt them. Yet, as Zhou Yi kept moving fast, he managed to spot his opponent’s position out of the corner of his eye. With a quick spin, he sent the ball to the 45-degree angle on the right wing. Ben Gordon quickly caught the ball and jumped, but it was snatched from his hands mid-air before he could shoot. Gordon had handled the ball poorly — instead of stepping forward to catch it when Zhou Yi passed it, he waited for it to come to him. This gave OJ Mayo, who was several steps away, enough time to close in. Yet, when shooting, Gordon failed to notice another player beside him, and his lack of proper ball protection led to a disappointing moment for the Pistons fans. Mike Conley received a long pass from OJ Mayo and scored a layup. After the start of the second quarter, the Pistons’ offense suddenly stalled — five consecutive shots missed, including Zhou Yi’s free throw attempt that also bounced off the rim. Meanwhile, the Grizzlies gradually widened the score gap through their relentless attacks. 36:28 — looking at the scoreboard, Zhou Yi remained extremely calm. A figure flashed past Mike Conley’s eyes. By the time Conley turned to look, Zhou Yi had already escaped and quickly penetrated toward the Grizzlies’ interior. Ben Gordon seemed to understand Zhou Yi’s intention; he didn’t hold the ball for more than two seconds before passing it to Zhou Yi. Seeing the direction the ball was going, Conley also realized what was happening. But as Zhou Yi neared the free-throw line, he knew he had made a serious mistake by allowing Zhou Yi to escape his defense so easily. “Swish” — through Xavier Henry’s body, Zhou Yi threw the ball straight into the basket. On the Grizzlies’ side, OJ Mayo’s mid-range shot missed, and Zhou Yi secured the defensive rebound. McGrady caught the ball and quickly moved, drawing Rudy Gay, his defender, into the free-throw line. The ball was quickly passed to him from the side, and at that moment, Zhou Yi appeared at the three-point line on the right wing. He took a light step forward, jumped high, and gently threw the ball with outstretched arms. “Swish” — the ball went through the net cleanly.

With his ability to switch between offense and defense, along with a strong overall vision and judgment when handling the ball, Rudy Gay also possesses remarkable talent in organizing attacks. He quickly moved the ball across half-court, yet he still tried hard to control the pace of the game. He was well aware that if things turned into a fast-paced attack, even the Grizzlies, playing with their full starting lineup, might not be a match for the Pistons in a strict sense.

Passing, pick-and-rolls, passing, pick-and-rolls—the Grizzlies played patiently, passing the ball back and forth among several players, constantly trying to find weaknesses in the Pistons’ defense. But facing the Pistons’ aggressive man-to-man defense, it was difficult for them to find an opportunity to shoot.

As the 24-second shot clock approached, Rudy Gay, holding the ball, began to sweat. His teammates on the bench kept reminding him to pass. Though well-intentioned, these reminders became an invisible pressure on him.

With no hope of passing, Rudy Gay had to rely on breaking through. A quick step back caught James Posey off guard, and his movements from side to side made it hard for Posey to determine his direction of attack. With a light tap of his right toe on the ground, he accelerated instantly, a white streak rushing toward Posey’s left shoulder.

A tremendous force passed through Posey’s shoulder, leaving him unable to react in any way.

Zhou Yi appeared at the free-throw line in time, but his movements seemed a bit slow, and Rudy Gay scored by putting the ball in the basket.

“Swish”—Greg Monroe’s turnaround jump shot hit. The Grizzlies’ lineup adjustment benefited most the players inside the paint. Greg Monroe’s performance was nearly on par with Zach Randolph’s. Although Zach Randolph had strong offensive skills, his defense was far from satisfactory, which allowed Monroe to keep a close battle with him. But with Randolph’s departure, Monroe regained his desire to attack, and Xavier Henry clearly couldn’t stop his onslaught.

The Grizzlies’ head coach reluctantly called a timeout. Earlier, fearing that their key players might be affected by Zhou Yi, he had substituted in players with better mental resilience. But unexpectedly, the Pistons deviated from their usual playoff tactics and aggressively used a fast-paced attack strategy, repeatedly targeting the Grizzlies’ basket. Especially with Monroe’s emergence, the Pistons attacked both inside and outside, scoring a 11-2 run to take a 1-point lead. At that point, 5:53 remained in the second quarter.

Zhou Yi was taken off the court to rest. John Kuester thought carefully before making the decision to replace him. From the start of the game, Zhou Yi had been guarded in turn by Tony Allen, Mike Conley, and Rudy Gay, bearing significant responsibility on both offense and defense, which undoubtedly increased his physical strain. To cope with the more intense second half, John Kuester decided to have him sit on the bench.

Faced against the Grizzlies’ starting five, the Pistons’ players showed no sign of backing down. The Pistons were no longer the same team they were at the beginning of the season—Greg Monroe’s growth and the addition of Tracy McGrady had raised the team’s overall strength.

However, Zhou Yi’s absence clearly affected the Pistons. The pace of the game gradually returned to the Grizzlies’ control, and both teams became involved in positional battles. Fortunately, Greg Monroe found his form inside the paint, hitting two shots over Zach Randolph to help stabilize the score, with McGrady’s crucial three-point shot adding even more momentum.

The whistle signaling half-time finally blew. Rudy Gay’s last-second layup missed, and the Pistons still led 48–45, holding a 3-point advantage.

In the second half, both teams struggled offensively, while the Pistons showed unprecedented determination defensively.

Half-time ended quickly, and the second half began.

For the Grizzlies’ offense, Mike Conley quickly drove the ball beyond the three-point line. For a point guard like Conley, controlling the ball was almost an instinctive reaction. Unless it was absolutely necessary, trying to pressure them all over the court would only waste energy.

Seizing a great opportunity, Rudy Gay quickly set up a pick-and-roll. As the two players moved apart, the ball ended up in Rudy Gay’s hands. Without hesitation, he darted past McGrady’s defense with a fierce breakthrough—something McGrady couldn’t defend. This also gave the defenders time to recover. As Rudy Gay approached the free-throw line, he realized he was trapped between the Pistons’ double team: Greg Monroe under the basket, TaShawn Prince behind him, and Zhou Yi closing in fast. He knew he didn’t have much time left. Once Zhou Yi caught up, with three such skilled defenders surrounding him, it would be difficult for any player in the league to do much.

Rudy Gay’s pace of holding the ball naturally slowed down, and Teyshawn Prince didn’t hesitate—he grabbed the ball from behind. Yet Rudy Gay was quick to react; as soon as the ball slipped from his hands, he reached back and knocked it away from Teyshawn Prince’s grasp. Before he could pick it up, a white figure flashed by—Zhou Yi, who had already rushed over and grabbed the ball. “Tracy!” Zhou Yi shouted. The basketball flew out of the Grizzlies’ half-court, crossed most of the court, and landed precisely in McGrady’s hands. His slender figure darted like lightning toward the basket, lifted slightly on tiptoes, and skillfully threw the ball through the hoop. Control of the ball returned to the Grizzlies. Mike Conley’s fake move was seen through, but the ball flew out of his hands, and this time the offense went to the interior. Zach Randolph had great strength and flexibility. Although his jumping ability wasn’t extraordinary, he used it effectively. He had strong combat skills, combining strength with agility, an advantage in height for a power forward, and rare ball-handling skills for an interior player. Zach Randolph held the ball while pushing inward. In terms of physical confrontation, Greg Monroe had a slight disadvantage, but his long reach made it difficult for Zach Randolph to advance. As the two gradually moved toward the basket, the Pistons’ other players naturally wouldn’t sit idly by and let them fight one-on-one. The basketball traced a diagonal white arc. Its speed wasn’t fast, but it landed perfectly in Rudy Gay’s hands. After catching the ball, Rudy Gay immediately jumped to shoot. A crisp swish from the net indicated a clean shot. 50:48—the score gap narrowed to two points again. With the teams switching sides, the Pistons made two quick long passes to get the ball across the half-court. Zhou Yi quickly moved from the top of the key to the right, drawing the Grizzlies’ defense there as well. Zhou Yi leaned forward rapidly and shot like an arrow toward the interior. His astonishing explosive power and sudden start left Mike Conley, who was defending him, completely unprepared. The Grizzlies’ players rushed over quickly—they knew the consequences of letting a player like Zhou Yi enter the interior. Avoiding Rudy Gay’s sudden right-hand attack, Zhou Yi found himself surrounded by two of the Grizzlies’ fastest players. Under pressure from both sides, Zhou Yi seemed determined to fight to the end and jumped despite being trapped.

Without giving Rudy Gay time to think, he immediately leaped high, waving his hands in front of Zhou Yi’s eyes nonstop. The basketball was held high in his hands, and just as it seemed about to be shot, Zhou Yi gently rotated his right wrist, sending the ball flying out in a streak of white light. Maddie, outside the three-point line, caught the ball and lightly jumped up, adjusting it in his hands before it shot out swiftly, tracing a beautiful parabolic path through the air. “Swish” — another shot that went through the net cleanly. The Grizzlies were always patient in their attacks, with several clever passes and pick-and-rolls, eventually getting the ball back to their big men. Zach Randolph’s continuous feints finally disrupted Greg Monroe’s balance, and taking advantage of the moment the opponent was repositioning, he drove to the basket at a 45-degree angle on the right side. Zhou Yi drove with the ball, made a brilliant pass to Taishan Prince at the baseline, helping him drive to the hoop for a successful layup. The Grizzlies’ attack failed, and Zhou Yi grabbed another defensive rebound. With a grunt, Zhou Yi staggered, but thanks to his quick reflexes, he managed to stop himself after taking a few quick steps. Tony Allen suddenly appeared and pushed Zhou Yi aside from the side; just having passed Mike Conley, Zhou Yi hadn’t yet regained his balance, and after such a strong impact, he was already far from the basket. The referee called a defensive foul on the Grizzlies, but Tony Allen clearly disagreed, chasing after the referee, gesturing continuously to explain his actions and talking nonstop. “Ding” — another technical foul. In recent seasons, the relationship between referees and players has been tense. The “zero-tolerance policy” and a series of referee-related issues in recent seasons have made things very strained between them. When Zhou Yi stepped to the free-throw line, the entire arena fell silent. This was home court, and the fans knew exactly what to do at what time. “Swish” — the ball went through the net, causing the net to ripple, and the cheers reached their peak instantly. Free throws were like extra points for Zhou Yi, and with three chances, he naturally wouldn’t miss them. The Grizzlies significantly strengthened their defense against Zhou Yi; whenever the ball reached him, at least two players would close in to double-team him. But Zhou Yi wasn’t too concerned about this. The more defenders he attracted, the easier it was for his teammates to play. It was just that as the Grizzlies’ defense intensified, their aggressive moves also increased. First there was Tony Allen’s reckless push, followed by Mike Conley and the others adopting more brutal defensive tactics.

John Kueste saw what was happening and immediately asked the other players to step forward to help. The fans’ boos and protests were noted by the referee, but he couldn’t do much about it. In his view, although the Grizzlies’ defense was a bit rough, it didn’t violate any rules of the game. As long as they didn’t cross the line, he was powerless—after all, he couldn’t call a defensive foul just because the opponent’s style was aggressive.
With a thud, McGrady’s three-point shot missed. The brief break hadn’t helped him regain his form, and the Grizzlies’ aggressive defense disrupted his shooting rhythm. Two consecutive misses left him looking frustrated.
Mark Gasol easily grabbed the defensive rebound and quickly passed the ball to Mike Conley. By then, the Grizzlies’ players had already rushed down quickly. The passes weren’t perfect, but they were timely. It was now a two-on-two situation under the basket. Mike Conley sprang up near the free-throw line, but Teyshawn Prince, thanks to his excellent defensive awareness, blocked his shooting position.
His wrist suddenly dropped, and the ball hit the floor before bouncing quickly toward the paint. By then, OJ Mayo had already slipped inside. With a feint, OJ Mayo created space to shoot. After moving around, he lifted his left foot slightly and leaped up in the tight space under the basket. With a gentle wrist motion, the ball traced an arc as it rose.
The Pistons maintained a high level of defense throughout. This attack forced the Grizzlies to shoot at the last moment. Their switching defense was smooth and well-coordinated. It was thanks to this that, despite the Grizzlies’ fierce third-quarter offense, the Pistons not only held their ground but also widened the lead to 74–65—a 9-point gap, the largest of the game.
Apart from Rudy Gay’s impressive performance in the first quarter after entering the game, the Pistons’ defense against the Grizzlies was very successful. Zach Randolph was 4 of 11 shots, Mike Conley was 2 of 8, and Rudy Gay was 6 of 11, including 5 of his first 7 shots. It was their successful defense that allowed the Pistons to stay ahead throughout the game.
Chapter 260: Defeating the Grizzlies, Stepping Closer to 26 Consecutive Wins
Zhou Yi drove with the ball, but Mike Conley failed to steal it. However, things didn’t end there. Disappointed by the missed attempt, Mike Conley tapped his left foot on the ground and quickly stepped back two steps to block Zhou Yi again.

Such excellent reaction skills left Zhou Yi in awe. Yet he also felt sorry for his opponent—given Mike Conley’s physical condition, he could have become an outstanding perimeter defender, but his impulsive nature lacked patience in defense, leading to regrettable mistakes. Zhou Yi didn’t dwell on it too long and quickly passed the ball to Teyshawn Prince, setting up a pick-and-roll before racing toward the right baseline. If there was one major flaw in the Pistons’ current lineup, it was their passing organization. The chemistry developed over time between Zhou Yi and McGrady was irreplaceable, especially their coordination in fast breaks—often, just a glance between them was enough to understand each other’s next move. Teyshawn Prince suddenly stepped forward with his left foot, using a convincing fake move to deceive his opponent, then threw up a high shot as the ball flew over Tony Allen’s head. “Thwack!” A huge hand appeared between Greg Monroe and the basketball as Marc Gasol suddenly rushed to the basket, blocking Monroe’s path and easily grabbing the ball. John Kuester sighed helplessly. In terms of reading the game, Teyshawn Prince certainly couldn’t compare to McGrady. That pass should have been to Zhou Yi at the baseline, not to Greg Monroe under the basket. With two Grizzlies big men pressing him, Monroe’s mobility was already limited, making such an obvious pass a foolish decision. “Defend!” Zhou Yi shouted, and the Pistons immediately shifted from offense to defense. Seeing the ball in Marc Gasol’s hands, Zhou Yi was secretly relieved—thankfully, his passing wasn’t great, otherwise it would have been another fast-break opportunity. But just then, a rather comical scene unfolded: several Grizzlies players rushed forward, leaving Marc Gasol alone in their half. As time passed and no teammates came to catch the ball, he was left holding it helplessly. With Marc Gasol’s large frame, holding the ball on the court looked awkward, and many home fans couldn’t help but laugh. In the end, Rudy Gay stepped in to relieve his embarrassment. The Grizzlies’ head coach sighed helplessly. It had been a good opportunity for a fast break, but with such dramatic changes happening one after another, the Pistons’ players had already switched to defense.

Mike Conley’s hasty three-point shot slammed into the top of the backboard, sending the ball soaring high—five or six meters up. Dozens of eyes on the court watched the ball in the air, trying to predict where it would land. In the end, the ball went in favor of the Grizzlies, landing right on the floor between Rudy Gay and Mike Conley, with less than a meter of space between them. With no other Pistons players nearby, several Grizzlies players quickly moved into position, while Marc Gasol stood near the free-throw line, ready to coordinate. Suddenly, a white figure rushed over, zipping past them in an instant before they could react, even taking the ball off the floor along the way. Mike Conley quickly realized what was happening and chased after the white figure, but this time he didn’t seem to have even a slight advantage in speed. The distance between them grew wider, and by the time he reached the three-point line, he had no choice but to stop, watching his opponent easily score under the basket. After scoring, Zhou Yi punched the air fiercely, with the home crowd cheering loudly for his performance. Mike Conley controlled the ball, slowly moving through the first half. With skilled control in his right hand and his excellent physical abilities, he managed to push past Teyshawn Prince and take a quick stop-and-shoot. Just as he released the ball, the referee blew the whistle. With a smooth motion, Mike Conley’s shot still found its way into the basket, and only then did he have time to pay attention to the previous call. He stared in disbelief at the referee’s waving hands—the shot had been ruled invalid, and he was blamed for bumping into the opponent first. Such a decision was clearly unacceptable to him. If not for his teammates pulling him back, he would have rushed to argue with the referee. Zhou Yi secretly gave Teyshawn Prince a thumbs up—the referee’s call had been correct; it was just that Teyshawn had handled his defense well. Mike Conley’s defensive attitude was admirable, but he was too hasty in his defense. In each of his desperate attempts to defend, Zhou Yi remained calm, while Rudy Gay, who was helping out on defense, posed the greatest threat to him. His help defense always appeared at the weakest point in Zhou Yi’s possession. Without Zhou Yi’s excellent reaction skills, mistakes might have occurred.

Rudy Gay helplessly raised his hands. He never expected that even under such pressure, Zhou Yi could still deliver such a clever attack. After drawing the Grizzlies’ defense away, he executed a masterful move, sending the ball across half the court to Teyshawn Prince, who was unguarded on the other side.

Teyshawn Prince performed excellently both offensively and defensively, especially from three-point range. With a swish, his three-pointer went in. Mark Gasol’s passing skills had improved significantly this season, which was the most satisfying aspect for the Grizzlies’ head coach. In his tactics, the center was no longer the traditional center—he needed to possess Divac-like passing ability and game reading skills. However, to accommodate Mark Gasol’s speed, he often played higher up. With Mark Gasol setting screens from high positions, Rudy Gay and Mike Conley could quickly cut to the basket for points.

The Grizzlies called a long timeout, allowing their head coach to make timely adjustments based on the issues observed on the court. The effect of the timeout was evident—Mike Conley, who had been slightly clingy to the ball earlier, changed the most. He avoided getting entangled with Zhou Yi too much, crossed half the court, and quickly passed the ball to Mark Gasol near the free-throw line. Then, along with Rudy Gay, he set a screen and swiftly cut toward the opposite corner. With these two sharpshooters cutting in, the Pistons’ defense had to react.

The ball quickly left Mark Gasol’s hands. Under Tony Allen’s screen, Mark Gasol drove to the basket immediately. The Grizzlies’ pace wasn’t very fast, but their passing was smooth—the ball was constantly in motion. As the players kept setting screens and creating screens, the ball kept switching between the inside and outside. By then, Mark Gasol had a one-on-one opportunity at the basket. Greg Monroe grew anxious and quickly retreated toward the basket.

Before the Pistons could double-team him, Mark Gasol delivered a quick hook shot. The ball flew over Greg Monroe’s head, and Tony Allen quickly cut in, caught the ball, and sank a steady mid-range shot. The ball went through the net.

Zhou Yi feinted to the left and right, drifting past Mike Conley like a wisp of smoke, leaving Mike Conley with a helpless expression—only he himself knew the bitterness in his heart. Almost replicating the previous pass, after drawing the attention of the Grizzlies’ defenders, he made a brilliant pass that landed in the hands of Greg Monroe, who was unguarded. Monroe easily leaped under the basket and dunked the ball.

The Grizzlies’ players watched Zhou Yi’s slender figure with complex expressions. They didn’t know what kind of player he was—how astonishing energy could hide within his seemingly frail frame. His unpredictable passing and steady shooting always gave his defenders a hard time, with opportunities slipping away quietly between gains and losses.

Mike Conley and Zhou Yi rushed toward the right wing again. Seeing their fierce expressions, Marc Gasol stepped in to create a pick-and-roll for him. The moment he cut through, the ball was already in Gasol’s hands. He reversed direction and rushed straight to the Pistons’ left side, perfectly blocking Greg Monroe, who had stepped out. In the Pistons’ current lineup, Samuel Dalembert’s athletic ability was their biggest weakness; he usually stayed in the paint, using his extensive experience to guard the team’s last line of defense. The burden of pick-and-roll defense mostly fell on Greg Monroe.

Gasol didn’t hold onto the ball too long—after all, he was still a relatively conventional player, and ball control had always been his weakness. He quickly passed the ball to Rudy Gay, taking advantage of the space Mike Conley had created for him to dash straight to the basket.

With both man and ball in position, Rudy Gay’s pass found its way under the Pistons’ basket. With a feint, he deceived Samuel Dalembert out of the paint, then lightly tapped the floor, leaping into the air to easily throw the ball through the hoop.

At that moment, the score was 84:75, with the Pistons still holding a 9-point lead.

With less than seven minutes left in the game, the Pistons’ head coach, John Kuester, called a timeout.

After the timeout, the Pistons returned to their original starting lineup.

Zhou Yi drove with the ball, accelerating to break free from Mike Conley’s defense, then scored with a mid-range jump shot.

Marc Gasol once again positioned himself at the top of the key to set up plays, but this time the ball wasn’t in his hands. The moment he and Mike Conley cut through, a yellow-skinned hand appeared between them, effortlessly taking the ball away.

“A swish” – the crisp sound of the ball hitting the net – was when the Grizzlies’ players finally reacted. On the Grizzlies’ side, Rudy Gay’s three-pointer relieved some of the pressure. Zhou Yi didn’t seem eager to break through; he hesitated slightly at the top of the key. Though it was only for a brief moment, it was enough for the Grizzlies’ players to react. Mike Conley spread his arms, bent his upper body, and stared intently at Zhou Yi, especially at his shoulder movements. Any player’s intentions could be discerned from the movement of their shoulders. Some players who were good at breaking through kept their shoulder movements more concealed, and combined with prior feints, it made them seem hard to defend against. Being able to accurately predict an attacking player’s next move is a basic skill every defender should possess. Zhou Yi’s shoulder movements were frequent, and worse, they were very smooth, making it impossible for Mike Conley to make an accurate judgment. Suddenly, Mike Conley accurately guessed Zhou Yi’s direction of breakthrough – it would definitely be the right wing. The two bodies collided, and both of them let out a grunt involuntarily; they hadn’t expected their opponent’s body to be so tough. However, while Zhou Yi had a slight smile, Mike Conley’s expression darkened instantly. By then, Zhou Yi’s hands were empty; the ball had disappeared without a trace. “Swish” – McGrady easily hit a three-pointer from a 45-degree angle on the left wing. Watching Zhou Yi quickly defend, Mike Conley felt deeply moved. With the switch of offense and defense, the Grizzlies quickly drove the ball past the half-court line. Mike Conley watched Zhou Yi, who was ready at the three-point line, with a slightly tense gaze. Several attempts to break through were all deflected by Zhou Yi, who immediately passed the ball instead of forcing things. The Grizzlies’ offensive pace wasn’t fast, and with Mike Conley’s several attempts to break through wasting time, only six seconds remained for the offense when the ball reached Rudy Gay. Seeing that the Grizzlies had little time left, Rudy Gay took the ball and decisively drove inward. Teyshawn Prince immediately stepped up to guard him closely, using his longer upper arms to block Rudy Gay’s path.

Rudy Gay has solid fundamentals, is a threat from beyond the three-point line, and shows great consistency with his mid-range shots. However, he is definitely a player who plays as part of a team unit, holding the ball for only short periods and immediately passing it to teammates if no scoring opportunity arises. Teyshawn Prince knows that as long as he doesn’t create an opportunity for him, by passing the ball to a teammate he has fulfilled his task. With the 24-second clock approaching, it’s difficult for any player holding the ball to stay calm and shoot within that short time—even if a good opportunity arises, they might not pay attention. The accuracy of such shots is thus predictable.

Mark Gasol turned around and shot right after receiving the ball, with only two seconds left for an attack. Unfortunately, Greg Monroe’s extremely long arms almost completely blocked his view, preventing him from seeing the exact position of the basket. He could only shoot by feel, sending the ball to bounce high off the front of the backboard.

Two big players for the Grizzlies, Mark Gasol and Zach Randolph, were both competing for the rebound at the same time, with Greg Monroe trapped in between. He barely managed to get space to jump, but it was clear that his chances of successfully grabbing the rebound under their double team were slim.

Yet they seemed to underestimate Greg Monroe’s explosive power. With gritted teeth and bulging veins on his face, he managed to get to the rebound first. Even more surprisingly, instead of gripping the rebound tightly, he used his fingers to push the ball away mid-air.

The moment Greg Monroe’s fingers touched the ball, he realized that even if he grabbed the rebound, he would likely be surrounded by at least two opponents, making it difficult to pass the ball. So he simply pushed it away in mid-air, trusting that his teammate could catch it easily.

The position and direction were correct, but unfortunately, Greg Monroe’s force seemed a bit too strong, causing the ball to land a bit far away.

John Kuster sighed inwardly. Greg Monroe’s decision earlier had been wise, but bad luck played a role—the force used was too much. Otherwise, it would have been a perfect fast-break opportunity. By now, McGrady had already entered the Grizzlies’ half of the court, with no one else there.

Giving up easily wasn’t Zhou Yi’s style. Seeing the ball about to cross the baseline, Zhou Yi leaped into the air, almost parallel to the ground. At the exact moment the ball crossed the line, he caught it and, with a flick of his hand, sent it across half the court to McGrady, completing an excellent counterattack.

By the midpoint of the half, Mike Conley quickly passed the ball away. Zhou Yi’s watchful gaze made him feel uneasy; during several of his previous breaks through, Zhou Yi almost snatched the ball from his hands, luckily he reacted fast enough. Rudy Gay passed the ball as soon as he got it and sent it to the interior. Zach Randolph and Mark Gasol moved back down the court; Mark Gasol blocked Greg Monroe’s path, gently shook his wrist, and the ball quickly bounced back into Zach Randolph’s hands. Using his body as cover, Zach Randolph threw the ball high to the left wing. Greg Monroe watched as the ball flew over his head; trapped by Mark Gasol, he could only watch helplessly as the ball went through the net. Zhou Yi quickly passed the ball, and McGrady caught it before shooting immediately. His hasty shot surprised Rudy Gay, who stepped in to defend. Thanks to his long reach, he managed to block McGrady’s shooting position in time. Seeing Rudy Gay’s anxious expression, McGrady smiled slightly, then suddenly lowered his hands preparing to shoot, reversed his wrist, and passed the ball—his movements were seamless. In the direction McGrady passed the ball, a Pistons player moved swiftly—it was Zhou Yi. After catching the ball, Zhou Yi immediately took a jump shot, completing the whole action in one smooth motion. With a “swish,” the ball firmly landed in the hoop. The fans at the Auburn Hills Palace surely didn’t hold back their cheers. Another “swish” came from the Bears’ inside pass and pick-and-roll, but this time it was Rudy Gay who executed the attack. Zhou Yi’s breakthrough pass led to McGrady hitting a three-pointer from the right wing. In the final minutes, the Pistons shifted their offensive focus entirely to the outside, as their outside shooters were performing well. The Pistons’ offensive pace became extremely fast; Zhou Yi almost stopped organizing passes, leaving the burden of ball control on McGrady. With his aggressive movement and perfect pick-and-rolls, he tore holes through the Bears’ defense single-handedly. With a “thud,” Greg Monroe completed a one-handed dunk. Zhou Yi’s breakthrough down the court left the Bears’ interior empty, and a bounce pass gave Greg Monroe an easy chance for a one-on-one situation. The Bears’ head coach covered his face in pain—he simply couldn’t believe what he saw. In just 100 seconds of timeout, the Bears had completely lost control of the game. As the referee’s whistle blew, the Pistons defeated the Bears 94:83 at home, extending their winning streak to 26 games. Chapter 261: Facing the Raptors Again

After a day off, the Pistons boarded a private jet and flew to the cold city of Toronto. The two teams had already met once before, with the Pistons easily defeating the Raptors. This time, the Pistons were determined to win the game and extend their winning streak to 27, while the Raptors aimed to take revenge.

The Raptors have been in good form lately, winning three consecutive games and five at home, so they were confident in their ability to avenge themselves on the Pistons and end their 26-game winning streak.

The game started at 7 p.m. There were some changes in the Pistons’ starting lineup today—Ben Wallace was out, with Samuel Dalembert starting in his place, while the other starting positions remained unchanged. On the Raptors’ side, the lineup was Andrea Banchani at five, Ed Davis at four, Linas Kleiza at three, DeMar DeRozan at two, and Jose Calderon at one.

At the start of the game, Samuel Dalembert and Andrea Banchani jumped for the ball, and the Pistons easily gained possession, getting their first chance to attack. Zhou Yi quickly moved across the court, stepped forward with his left foot, adjusted his stance, and charged toward the Raptors’ interior. All he saw ahead was Jose Calderon. Naturally, Zhou Yi wouldn’t take his first shot lightly—he wanted to make a good start.

Jose Calderon was known for his speed. Even after Zhou Yi took off, he managed to catch up. While in mid-air, Zhou Yi hit a turnaround shot. The referee promptly called a foul on Jose Calderon, giving Zhou Yi a 2+1 after his first attempt, which excited John Kueste, who punched the air vigorously.

Zhou Yi successfully made the free throw. He had always been confident in his free-throw shooting. To date, he had made 114 consecutive free throws, with a free-throw percentage of 94.4%, the highest among all players in the league.

Jose Calderon was upset about the foul and said to Zhou Yi, “Zhou, next time I won’t let you get away so easily.”

Jose Calderon’s talent was undeniable, but bad luck and a series of injuries had forced him to miss a lot of time. People weren’t very optimistic about his future. Yet, as a player, he overcame his injuries and returned to the court. He desperately needed a chance to prove himself.

Jose Calderon dribbled his way toward Zhou Yi, getting up right where he fell, determined to prove to everyone that what had just happened was just a momentary mistake on his part. Such an obvious provocation was evident to all the fans, and it was precisely this intense confrontation that they loved to see. This wasn’t a proper game, and most of the fans present weren’t die-hard supporters of either team; they weren’t too concerned about the outcome—they just wanted to see a fierce battle. Faced with this provocation, Zhou Yi never backed down. He bent slightly, his eyes sharp as he watched every move of Jose Calderon. After several feints, Jose Calderon suddenly increased his pace, his lightning-fast movements bringing him to Zhou Yi’s right side. With such a fierce breakthrough, if it weren’t for Zhou Yi’s excellent reflexes, he would have really been broken through. Zhou Yi stepped hard with his left foot, pushing himself backward quickly to block Jose Calderon’s advance. Yet, despite successfully covering the counterattack, Zhou Yi looked displeased because Jose Calderon already no longer had the ball in his hands—a dark shadow flashed past his head. With DeMar DeRozan’s three-pointer successful, John Kuester was only slightly disappointed. He was still satisfied with Zhou Yi’s defense earlier—whether it was his defensive intensity, timing, or reaction to counterattacks, all showed qualities beyond ordinary people. As for DeMar DeRozan’s three-pointer, it was simply due to a lack of coordination among the players and delayed counterattacks, which wasn’t a big issue. With more games played, these aspects would naturally improve greatly. The Pistons’ offense wasn’t very smooth, and Zhou Yi’s several clever passes went to waste. In half a quarter, Zhou Yi only provided two assists, and the team was trailing the weaker Raptors by 4 points, 10:14. John Kuester called a timeout. The team’s continuous attacks failed, and there were also problems in defense. He was still quite satisfied with Zhou Yi’s performance in those few minutes—his strong impact posed a serious challenge to the Raptors’ defense, and his passing after breaking through was also timely.

“With the game going like this, there’s no need for me to say more. Everyone should understand that although the Raptors aren’t very strong, as a professional player, one must give their all in any match—that’s what a professional should possess,” said John Kuster seriously. The performance in the previous game was so poor due not only to a lack of coordination among the team members but also to the players’ individual attitudes. Their lack of focus led to laziness on the court, and that’s the biggest problem the team faces right now.

Perhaps John Kuster’s criticism had an effect, as the players’ attitude changed significantly once the game resumed. Especially during switch defenses, the pace accelerated a lot. This sudden change caught the Raptors off guard, with their three consecutive attacks ending in failure, while the Pistons took advantage to score a 9-2 run.

Although Jose Calderon had already delivered four assists in the first quarter, he still felt dissatisfied. He hadn’t gained an advantage in several clashes with Zhou Yi, which undoubtedly hit his pride hard.

Zhou Yi was puzzled by Jose Calderon’s hostile gaze, as if he was quite hostile toward him, even though there seemed to be no conflict between them.

Ignoring the provocation, Zhou Yi focused entirely on his opponent’s shoulders. At his current level, he could roughly guess the opponent’s next move by observing their shoulder movements. Coupled with his explosiveness and speed, this allowed him to dominate in one-on-one defense effortlessly.

The pace of dribbling suddenly accelerated. Jose Calderon, like a taut bowstring, stepped back to create some space before bursting forward at lightning speed—this was his true speed.

Amazed, Zhou Yi quickly regained his composure and stepped back. Though the opponent’s speed surprised him, he was confident enough to block it. His outstretched arms moved continuously, constantly changing to block Jose Calderon’s path forward.

Their bodies touched instantly, and the tremendous force emanating from Jose Calderon nearly knocked Zhou Yi off his feet.

With a grunt, Zhou Yi felt a sharp pain in his ribs. Jose Calderon had quickly used his right elbow to jab at Zhou Yi’s ribs while dribbling—a subtle move that not only went unnoticed by the fans but also deceived the referee standing nearby.

After getting past Zhou Yi, Jose Calderon scored two points with a beautiful three-step layup. Taking a deep breath, Zhou Yi’s ribs recovered quickly. McGrady seemed to have noticed what had just happened; as he passed by Zhou Yi, he asked concerningly, “Zhou, are you okay? Be careful in close battles.” Zhou Yi waved at him. He had experienced such things before, but his opponents hadn’t used tactics as clever and subtle as Jose Calderon’s.