Chapter 97

By the end of the third quarter, despite Ray Allen hitting a last-second three-pointer, the Pistons still led the Celtics 78:65. In this quarter, the Celtics were completely dominated by the Pistons! At that moment, the Pistons’ fans were extremely excited, shouting the same name over and over—Zhou Yi. Although he scored only 7 points in this quarter, he delivered 5 assists! It was thanks to his outstanding performance that the Pistons were able to completely overwhelm the Celtics, leading by 13 points at the end of the third quarter!

“Ladies and gentlemen, the third quarter is now over, with the Pistons leading 78:65! Teacher Xu, what do you think of how the two teams performed in this game?”

After hearing this, Teacher Xu glanced at his laptop and said, “The Pistons played very well in this quarter! Especially Zhou Yi—it was his exceptional performance that allowed the Pistons to completely dominate the Celtics! When facing Rajon Rondo, Zhou Yi chose not to engage in a direct confrontation but focused on assisting, enabling the Pistons to rely on McGrady and Greg Monroe as their offensive cores to score relentlessly. When Rondo stopped defending Zhou Yi, Zhou Yi would go ahead and score himself, further weakening the Celtics’ defense. Then, when Rondo was forced to return to defend him, Zhou Yi would switch roles again to act as an playmaker, leaving Rondo unsure whether to defend McGrady or him, which caused Rondo to show obvious signs of fatigue in the second half of the third quarter! That’s why the Pistons were able to build such a large lead over the Celtics…”

“You all performed very well in the third quarter!” John Kuster said with a smile. “Especially you, Zhou—you did an excellent job. You didn’t try to show off by facing Rondo one-on-one. It was your selfless approach that turned the game around. So, I hope you can keep this up in the final quarter!”

“Yes!” Zhou Yi nodded firmly.

John Kuster smiled and glanced at his disciples. “Listen up, everyone. This is the decisive phase. Although we’re ahead right now, we must not be careless. Remember, we’ve just lost one game—there’s no way we can allow two losses in a row, as it would greatly affect our morale. So no matter what happens, give it your all and destroy our enemies completely, understand?”
“Understood!” The Pistons players replied in unison, their faces filled with confident smiles. They were sure they could win this game because they believed they were the strongest!
Before long, the fourth quarter began, and the players from both teams returned to the court.
It was the Celtics’ turn to possess the ball. Rajon Rondo held it, with Zhou Yi naturally defending him.
Facing Rajon Rondo again, Zhou Yi sensed a change in him—there was a clear anger in Rondo’s demeanor!
Rondo dribbled with his left hand, sending the ball bouncing behind Zhou Yi from the left, while he himself moved around Zhou Yi from the right.
Breaking through Zhou Yi’s defense, Rondo was unstoppable. He dribbled past several players and headed straight for the basket. First, he dribbled on the ground, sending the ball bouncing under Zhou Yi’s legs into the paint, then quickly moved past Zhou Yi and continued moving forward. Soon after, he used a spin move to get past Tyler Hansbrough and entered the Pistons’ penalty area, with only Greg Monroe left in front of him!
After drawing Monroe’s defense, Rondo passed the ball to Garnett, who was behind Monroe.
Garnett leaped up and dunked the ball into the basket!
“Roar…” The howl of the Wolf King echoed once again on the court!
The home crowd cheered loudly, eager to see their team launch a fierce counterattack and win the game.
Zhou Yi watched everything indifferently before taking the ball from Monroe at the baseline.
Zhou Yi drove with the ball and then passed it to McGrady.
Using Zhou Yi’s screen, McGrady rushed into the Celtics’ penalty area and attacked the basket.
Kendrick Perkins gritted his teeth and instinctively raised his hands to block McGrady. But instead of blocking the ball, he collided with McGrady’s advancing body!
“Ding~~~” The referee’s whistle sounded at that moment!

Colliding with Kendrick Perkins’ strong frame, McGrady wasn’t as lucky as before and lost his balance. But that didn’t stop him from doing what he needed to do. As he collided with Kendrick Perkins, McGrady pushed the basketball forward with his right hand, and after hitting the backboard, it bounced straight into the basket without deviation.
“Shh~~~” As the referee made the call, the home crowd erupted in unified boos, because no matter how you looked at it, it was McGrady who deliberately crashed into Kendrick Perkins—he should have been called for an offensive foul!
McGrady and Kendrick Perkins on the court began arguing with the referee, but would the referee change his decision over such a minor issue? Of course not, so the crowd’s boos and their arguments were ineffective.
The call remained unchanged.
“Swish!” McGrady’s free throw also went in!
81:67—McGrady helped the Pistons widen the lead to 14 points.
The Celtics attacked, with Rajon Rondo making a brilliant pass to Ray Allen, but Ray Allen’s three-pointer missed, and Greg Monroe grabbed the defensive rebound.
The Pistons attacked, with Zhou Yi in control of the ball!
After halftime, Zhou Yi immediately passed the ball to Greg Monroe inside, but as soon as Greg Monroe received it, the ball flew back to Zhou Yi on the outside, as two players were surrounding him!
When Zhou Yi got the ball, there was no one in front of him, so he quickly adjusted his stance and bent down to attempt a three-pointer. But this seemingly certain three-pointer didn’t go in—it didn’t even leave his hands, as a black arm appeared like a ghost and blocked the ball as he jumped.
Ray Allen, who was supposed to be guarding McGrady, moved up from the right side before Zhou Yi jumped and blocked the ball from his hands!
With the block successful, Rajon Rondo immediately grabbed the ball, accelerated to his top speed, and drove toward the Pistons’ half-court—with only Zhou Yi in front of him!
Zhou Yi showed determination, determined to stop Rajon Rondo’s fast break.
Rajon Rondo glanced at Zhou Yi after halftime, then shifted his gaze to the basket. Unexpectedly, he stopped abruptly outside the three-point line, then held the ball with both hands, preparing to shoot a three-pointer!

Zhou Yi was shocked and rushed frantically toward LaJanero Londo, raising his hands high in front of him as he jumped to try and stop him. But it was only as he jumped that he realized he had made a huge mistake—LaJanero Londo had intended for him to jump in the first place!

LaJanero Londo didn’t shoot a three-point shot right away; instead, he waited until Zhou Yi jumped before slowly rising to his feet and moving forward. He pushed himself toward Zhou Yi, and when they collided in mid-air, the referee’s whistle blew again—simultaneously, LaJanero Londo shot the ball!

The ball traced a large arc through the air before sinking cleanly through the basket!

3+1!?

As the referee called a foul on Zhou Yi, the Celtics’ morale soared instantly, while the Pistons’ morale dipped. The Pistons’ fans on site could only express their dissatisfaction with boos.

“Swish!” Another free throw made it 81:71—the Pistons were now only up by 10 points!

Danger!

Everyone understood that the Pistons were in trouble!

The Pistons gained possession of the ball. Zhou Yi took it from his teammate and drove toward the Celtics’ half of the court. After crossing half-court, he successfully passed the ball to Greg Monroe in the paint. Greg Monroe caught the ball, stepped back, and shot smoothly, scoring 2 points to help stabilize the Pistons’ situation.

John Kuester, who had been about to call a timeout, breathed a sigh of relief and sat back down on the coaching bench, his face once again showing a confident smile. He believed that as long as his players performed normally, the Pistons wouldn’t lose!

LaJanero Londo received a pass from a teammate at the 45-degree corner on the right side of the three-point line. Using Paul Pierce’s screen, he easily broke through to the Pistons’ basket and jumped in front of Greg Monroe once more.

“Ding~” The referee’s whistle blew again—this time it was a foul by the Pistons.

This time, LaJanero Londo didn’t have Maddie’s luck to get the ball through the basket, but he wasn’t upset at all, because he had accomplished what he set out to do.

LaJanero Londo made both free throws, narrowing the score gap between the two teams. Yet the Pistons didn’t panic, knowing that victory in this game would surely belong to them!

After controlling the ball and crossing half-court, McGrady immediately passed it to Zhou Yi. Upon receiving the ball, Zhou Yi ignored Paul Pierce in front of him, jumped abruptly from a distance of one meter from the three-point line, and shot the ball. Unprepared for Zhou Yi’s sudden move, Paul Pierce could only helplessly watch the ball soar toward the basket, praying in his heart that it wouldn’t make it in. But it seemed God was on the Pistons’ side that day—so the shot went through cleanly!
“Swish!” The crisp, familiar sound of the ball hitting the net rang out.
86:75—Zhou Yi had once again helped the Pistons widen the score gap!
“Heh, feels good!” Zhou Yi casually shook his hand and turned to return to the backcourt with his teammates.
“Damn it!” Paul Pierce cursed under his breath, picked up the ball, ran to the sideline, and handed it to Rajon Rondo.
After Rondo received the ball, the referee blew the whistle, and the Celtics called a timeout.
Chapter 274: Two Consecutive Losses
86:75—the Pistons led by 11 points. With eight minutes left in the game, the Pistons firmly controlled the situation on the court.
After the timeout, the Pistons substituted McGrady out for Ben Gordon, while the Celtics replaced Kevin Garnett with Glen Davis and Kendrick Perkins with Shaquille O’Neal.
The game resumed, with the Celtics in possession.
Rajon Rondo passed the ball to Shaquille O’Neal in the paint. After catching it, Shaquille pushed past Samuel Dalembert, turned, and scored a hook shot, bringing the Celtics within 2 points.
With the ball changing hands, Zhou Yi crossed half-court and passed it to Ben Gordon. Ben Gordon drove to the baseline, stopped abruptly, and attempted a jump shot—but missed. The “Shark” grabbed the defensive rebound.
Rajon Rondo took the ball from the “Shark” and passed it long to Paul Pierce, who was already moving toward the basket. Pierce coordinated with Ray Allen, who scored from outside the three-point line at the bottom corner.
86:80—the Celtics had closed the gap to 6 points in an instant. Pistons head coach John Kuesterho stood up, fists clenched, watching the game anxiously.
Zhou Yi drove across half-court and stopped at the top of the Celtics’ key. Seeing Rajon Rondo’s focused expression, Zhou Yi smiled slightly and said, “Rajon, why be so nervous?”

“Nervous? Not really. I’m just focused,” replied LaJan Rondo, but his eyes remained fixed on Zhou Yi and the ball in his hands.
LaJan Rondo now regarded Zhou Yi as a peer, so he didn’t dare be careless. He stayed close to Zhou Yi, preventing him from easily taking a shot and tightly guarding him.
Zhou Yi protected the ball, his back to LaJan Rondo. Glancing at the position of his teammates with the corner of his eye, he suddenly moved as well.
Lowering his center of gravity, he turned around and dribbled past LaJan Rondo’s outstretched right arm, breaking into the Celtics’ paint. Having broken through Rondo’s defense, Zhou Yi accelerated to his peak speed in the shortest time possible, approaching the Celtics’ penalty area from the right side. At this moment, only the Celtics’ center, Shaquille O’Neal, could stop him!
In the past, in such situations, Zhou Yi would lure Shaquille O’Neal away before making a clever pass to Greg Monroe or another teammate.
But now, there wasn’t a single teammate inside the Celtics’ penalty area. So, Zhou Yi ruled out passing as an option—this time, he had to carry out the attack himself.
Zhou Yi soared into the air, holding the basketball high. Shaquille O’Neal followed closely, jumping up with his hands raised. At that moment, Shaquille O’Neal had completely blocked Zhou Yi’s path—whether shooting or dunking, Zhou Yi’s only outcome was being blocked.
In that critical moment, Zhou Yi let out a loud shout, suddenly shrinking his body and bringing the ball back to his side. At the same time, he passed by Shaquille O’Neal and ended up behind him.
As he began to fall, Zhou Yi stretched his body again, raised the basketball, and with a smooth motion, gently threw it toward the basket.
“Swish!” A soft sound echoed throughout the court. Everyone heard that familiar and pleasant sound.
“Aerial dodge and layup—Zhou’s attack is absolutely brilliant,” said the commentator on site excitedly.
Instantly, the few Pistons fans in the North Shore Arena erupted in loud cheers again. The bench players in the Pistons’ locker room also stood up, waving their fists excitedly.

Although Zhou Yi had performed many such pull-up layups before, in this deadlock situation, this brilliant pull-up layup was the perfect way to boost morale, demoralize the opponent, and lift team spirit!
88:80—the teams were still 8 points apart, with less than 6 minutes left in the game.
The Celtics launched a counterattack, but this time they failed to convert their offense into points, allowing the Pistons to regain possession.
Zhou Yi dribbled across half-court before passing the ball to his teammate Tyler Hansbrough. After passing, Zhou Yi quickly moved toward the baseline. LaMarcus Aldridge followed closely behind.
“Zhou, I’m not letting you score that easily again!” Aldridge said, staying close to Zhou Yi with his long arms ready for defense.
Zhou Yi received the pass from Tyler Hansbrough at the baseline, flipped the ball, and it ended up in Teyshawn Prince’s hands. Teyshawn Prince took a mid-range jump shot, but unfortunately, the ball bounced off the rim, and Glenn Davis secured the rebound.
Aldridge wanted to launch a fast break, but after glancing around, he saw that three Pistons players had retreated, leaving only Ray Allen and himself on their side of the court, so he abandoned the idea.
Aldridge dribbled with his back to Zhou Yi, then raised his hand and passed the ball to Ray Allen. Without hesitation, Ray Allen shot a three-pointer.
With a swish, the ball went in!
“Whoa~~~” The home crowd erupted in enthusiastic cheers, while the away fans were upset—some of them booed, but those boos paled in comparison to the cheers.
88:83—the Celtics were still 5 points behind. John Kuester wanted to call a timeout, but after seeing Zhou Yi, he gave up on the idea.
Zhou Yi took control of the offense, and Aldridge didn’t dare slack off. He closely followed Zhou Yi, preventing any chance for him to break through or shoot, while also ready to steal the ball at the slightest opening.
Zhou Yi stopped just outside the three-point line, facing the basket, then glanced at Ben Gordon on the left before stopping dribbling and standing still with the ball, clearly signaling his intention to pass to Ben Gordon!
So, Aldridge moved in close, blocking all of Zhou Yi’s passing routes.

Yet even so, Zhou Yi managed to pass the ball successfully. However, he didn’t pass it to Ben Gordon but instead to Teyshawn Prince. Teyshawn Prince cut to the basket from the right, while Zhou Yi deceived LaJuan Randolph by using his right hand to time the pass toward the backboard. Teyshawn Prince didn’t waste Zhou Yi’s clever pass—he rushed up, caught the ball in mid-air, and slammed it hard into the basket with his powerful hands! “Bang!” The basket let out a pained groan that echoed throughout the entire court! The hearts of the Pistons’ fans pounded wildly with excitement at that sound. “Teyshawn… Prince…” “Zhou… Yi…” Their names kept echoing from the fans’ mouths across the court. Although there were few Pistons fans present, it didn’t stop people from hearing those voices. “That was awesome!” Zhou Yi ran up to Teyshawn Prince, bumped into his chest, with an excited smile on his face. Teyshawn Prince patted Zhou Yi on the back and said with a smile, “You too! Thanks for the assist!” “Hehe!” Zhou Yi laughed and quickly stepped back to defend. The whistle blew again, and the Celtics called a long timeout. The score gap was back to 7 points! With 5 minutes left in the game, it wasn’t difficult for the Celtics to close the gap, but they first needed to stabilize their defense and boost their own morale. After the timeout, Greg Monroe replaced Taylor Hansbrough, and McGrady replaced Ben Gordon; on the Celtics’ side, Kevin Garnett replaced Glen Davis. The game resumed, with the Celtics in possession. Kevin Garnett, the Celtics’ star power forward and former “Wolf King,” came back onto the court and immediately dominated, scoring two 2+1 sequences in a row, forcing Greg Monroe to commit five fouls and leading to his replacement by Taylor Hansbrough. The score was now 90:89, with the Pistons only leading by 1 point. The entire Pistons team realized immediately that danger was approaching. Fortunately, under the leadership of Zhou Yi and McGrady, the Pistons launched an 8:4 scoring run, instantly widening the gap to 5 points again! Then, LaJuan Randolph led the Celtics in a comeback attempt.

With 2 minutes and 11 seconds left in the game, the Celtics brought the score to 101:99, only 2 points behind the Pistons. With Ray Allen hitting two consecutive three-pointers, the Celtics’ morale was boosted. At that moment, the Pistons called a timeout. After the timeout, Greg Monroe, who had already committed five fouls, returned to the court. However, he left the court shortly after returning due to a sixth foul and was ejected. Rajon Rondo smirked, then took free throws, making both to tie the score at 101:101! It was a tie after all this time—the Pistons had led by as much as 14 points earlier but had been steadily cut down by the Celtics. The Pistons’ fans were disappointed, but they weren’t desperate, believing their team would ultimately win. Zhou Yi orchestrated the offense, making a clever pass to Charlie Villanueva, who replaced Greg Monroe. Villanueva tried to drive to the basket, but strangely, it seemed as though the hoop was covered—his drive didn’t go in, and Kevin Garnett grabbed the defensive rebound. Rajon Rondo took the ball, with Zhou Yi closely guarding him. Rondo paused briefly while dribbling, and Zhou Yi quickly seized the opportunity to steal the ball, but Rondo smirked again, pulled the ball to his left hand. Zhou Yi’s hand hit Rondo’s arm, a scene that certainly didn’t go unnoticed by the referee—especially since it was the Celtics’ home court. So, the referee promptly called a foul on Zhou Yi for handball. Since the Pistons had already reached their five-foul limit for the quarter, even though it wasn’t a shooting foul, Rondo still got a free throw. “Don’t make it, don’t make it…” the Pistons’ fans kept muttering, but it seemed fate was fair today—neither side would be favored, and the Pistons wouldn’t stay lucky forever. Rondo made the first free throw somewhat reluctantly, but the second was smooth. 101:103—the Celtics took the lead. For the first time in the game, the Celtics were ahead, and the home crowd was excited enough to want to dance. They cheered loudly to support their team.

Madison received the ball at the top of the key, then drove with the ball, drawing double-team defense before making a clever pass to the open Teyshawn Prince. However, Teyshawn Prince’s shot from an open position also missed. To the Pistons’ dismay, Tyler Hansbrough grabbed the offensive rebound, only to be called for a rebound foul by the referee, leaving the entire Pistons team extremely upset. Tyler Hansbrough rushed to the referee to explain, but the referee simply shook his head without changing the call. Tyler Hansbrough remained calm and did not argue with the referee. Nevertheless, everyone on the Pistons team, including their fans, believed the call was unfair and biased in favor of the home team. But there was nothing they could do—after all, it was their opponent’s home court! Kevin Garnett was given two free throws and made both. John Kuester angrily called a timeout to devise a final strategy. However, Kuester’s timeout didn’t bring much change to the Pistons; the Celtics, relying on Kevin Garnett’s performance in the final quarter, gradually widened the score gap. With the home-court advantage and the support of their fans, the Celtics played smoothly in the last two minutes, maintaining a high shooting percentage, while the Pistons played passively. The issues that John Kuester and the Pistons’ management were worried about emerged in the final quarter. When Zhou Yi and Madison lost their shooting touch, no one else on the Pistons team dared to take shots. Greg Monroe was still too immature. In the end, when the final buzzer sounded, the score stood at 105:109. The Pistons lost to the Celtics by 4 points, suffered a comeback loss, and suffered their second consecutive defeat. Cheers, applause, and shouts echoed throughout the arena. The home team’s fans were filled with joy from the victory; they forgot about time, place, themselves, and everything else—all they remembered was the joy of winning this game! After the final buzzer, the players from both teams shook hands. LaJuan Randolph approached Zhou Yi on his own, hugged him silently, then turned to celebrate the victory with his teammates. Zhou Yi and his teammates looked resigned before walking together toward the bench. Chapter 275: The Trade Is Finally Here! Looking at the entire game, the Pistons performed quite well, with five players scoring in double figures.

Madison scored the highest points for both his team and the entire game, with 21 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals; James Posey contributed 18 points and 5 rebounds. Zhou Yi hit 6 out of 14 shots, scoring 16 points, 8 assists, and 4 rebounds, along with 3 turnovers. Tashaun Prince scored 13 points but grabbed an impressive 13 rebounds, highlighting his strong rebounding ability. The last Pistons player to score in double figures was Ben Gordon, who scored 12 points.

Greg Monroe, regarded as the Pistons’ interior pillar, performed well in the first half but was far from impressive in the second half, especially in the final quarter. Over the whole game, Monroe scored only 9 points, grabbed 6 rebounds, and was ejected after committing 6 fouls.

On the Celtics’ side, Rajon Rondo was average in the first half but delivered an outstanding performance in the second half. He racked up nearly a triple-double with 18 points, 13 assists, and 8 rebounds, earning him the title of game’s best player. Kevin Garnett showed great determination in the final quarter, scoring 11 points in that period and 17 points overall, along with 12 rebounds. Ray Allen hit three three-pointers for 16 points, while Paul Pierce also hit three three-pointers for 15 points and 7 rebounds. Shaquille O’Neal had another stellar performance, scoring only 11 points but grabbing 14 rebounds, becoming the game’s top rebounder. “Big Baby” Glen Davis also scored 11 points, along with 7 rebounds and 2 blocks.

In summary, although the Celtics didn’t have any players scoring extremely high, their scoring was well-distributed, with each player able to step up and score at critical moments. The Pistons, on the other hand, relied too much on Zhou Yi and Madison; whenever they struggled, the Pistons were in trouble. The Pistons urgently need a third player who can step up and score or organize the team’s offense.

In the eyes of Pistons head coach John Kuester and the management, Andre Iguodala is the best fit for the team’s development. Iguodala is skilled at scoring and defending, and he can also coordinate the team’s offense. His playing style is well-suited to the Pistons.

Of course, this is just the Pistons’ management’s wishful thinking. Whether the 76ers will agree to a trade with them remains uncertain! It depends on whether the Pistons have enough compelling offers.
After this defeat, the Pistons’ management is even more eager to make a trade to strengthen the team and turn it into a true championship contender.
Immediately after the game against the Celtics, the Pistons boarded a private jet and flew back to Detroit overnight. Early the next morning, a shocking news story appeared on the NBA’s official website:
“According to reliable sources, the Detroit Pistons are prepared to trade Tyshawn Prince and DeJuan Samos along with a 2011 first-round draft pick (protected from picks 1–5) in exchange for Andre Iguodala and Jody Meeks from the Philadelphia 76ers. The two teams have basically finalized the deal, with only a few details left to discuss. It is believed the trade will be completed soon.”
Another article indirectly suggested that the trade between the Pistons and 76ers was almost finalized.
“When Allen Iverson left Philadelphia, the city hoped their new hero would lead the 76ers forward. But clearly, Andrew Iguodala failed to meet those expectations. Although the team has brought in players like Elton Brand, their record has been inconsistent. With half of the season already behind, there are growing calls for change. Many believe Iguodala lacks the ability to lead the team on his own, and it might be better for him to leave rather than continue struggling.
Due to the 76ers’ mediocre record, they currently only hold a 16th-round draft pick. It’s difficult to select a truly talented rookie at that position unless one has a keen eye. If they want to rebuild, they need to secure a higher draft pick.
At present, the 76ers’ biggest bargaining chip is their star player, Iguodala. With only a month left before the trade deadline, Philadelphia’s management must make a decision about the team’s future this week.
76ers president Thorn said in a previous interview, ‘We must make a decision by this Thursday, but I haven’t decided yet. It involves the team’s future. However, we are in talks with some teams, and some of them have offered prices that satisfy us. But who knows what the future holds, right?’

In the first half of this season, Andre Iguodala was plagued by injuries, averaging only 13.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 6.6 assists—his lowest scoring and shooting percentages in nearly five years. His knees had always been a concern for him, but now they have recovered, which is one of the key reasons why so many teams are interested in him.

Although Iguodala is tied to a six-year, $80 million contract, many teams are still interested in him due to his skills. Teams such as the Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers, Golden State Warriors, and Detroit Pistons have all sought to trade for him. However, the Detroit Pistons are currently in the most advanced talks with the 76ers, and the two teams have basically reached an agreement.

According to reliable sources, Iguodala is likely to be traded for Pistons player Teyon Prince. Prince not only has excellent defensive skills but also solid offensive capabilities. What attracts the 76ers is Prince’s expiring contract—should he fail to meet the team’s expectations in the remaining half of the season, the 76ers can choose not to renew his contract in the summer. This is why the 76ers are willing to engage in prolonged talks with the Pistons.

Another rumor suggests that the 76ers might use Iguodala to trade for Golden State Warriors player Monta Ellis. Ellis can score as well as Iguodala and bring the 76ers the ability to score on their own, which they urgently need. Moreover, Iguodala would likely adapt easily to the Warriors’ fast-paced style of play.

However, we won’t know what will happen until it actually happens.

From these reports, it’s clear that the Pistons are indeed planning a trade. After two consecutive losses, the Pistons’ management has realized that they must make a trade if they want to win the championship this season.

Although Zhou Yi stayed at home, he was still aware of these developments. Even without checking the internet, he got a general idea just by listening to Will Bynum’s rambling.

…

The day after the game against the Celtics, everyone on the Pistons team knew that a trade was coming. Teyon Prince and DeJuan Samos both failed to show up at practice, and head coach John Kuester didn’t provide any clear explanation.

Therefore, Zhou Yi and the others knew that Taishan Prince was going to be traded. They all felt somewhat regretful, but there was nothing they could do—after all, the NBA is also a business, and many trades occur every season. As expected, the next morning, an explosive trade was announced on the NBA’s official website, as well as the Pistons’ and 76ers’ official websites. “On January 20th, local time in the U.S., the Pistons traded Taishan Prince (5 years, $47.5 million,contract extension on 10/31/2005, contract expires in summer 2011, salary this season: $11.15 million), Chris Wilcox (2 years, $6 million, signed on 7/18/2009, contract expires in summer 2011, salary this season: $3 million), DeJuan Samos (2 years, base salary, signed on 8/7/2009, contract expires in summer 2011, salary this season: $760,000), and a 2011 first-round draft pick (protected from picks 1–5)) in exchange for the 76ers’ Andre Iguodala (6 years, $80 million, signed on 8/18/2008, contract expires in summer 2014, option to end contract early in summer 2013, salary this season: $12.35 million), Jody Meeks (3 years, $2.3 million, signed on 7/8/2009, contract expires in summer 2012, salary this season: $760,000), and Spencer Hawes (4 years, $9.52 million, signed on 7/5/2007, contract expires in summer 2011, salary this season: $2.97 million), completing this six-player trade (excluding the draft pick). The Pistons originally didn’t want to give up a first-round draft pick and instead wanted to pay the 76ers $1.5 million directly, but since the 76ers were focused on rebuilding, they insisted on getting that draft pick. As a result, the Pistons made the difficult decision to accept the 76ers’ terms and complete the trade. The contracts of the three players acquired by the 76ers all expire in the summer, allowing them to go all out with their rebuilding efforts during that time.

The three players acquired by the Pistons were exactly what the team needed. Andre Iguodala could score in critical moments, organize the team’s offense, and was also solid defensively; Jody Meeks, a promising second-year rookie with decent scoring ability and solid defense, could play either shooting guard or point guard; Spencer Hawes, a 7-foot center—the position the Pistons needed most—was not the strongest but had a tough playing style and could be developed into a solid frontline player. In short, the trade was beneficial for both sides. Additionally, the trade had been approved by the league.

Chapter 276: The First Game After the Trade

On the day of the trade, when the Pistons traveled to face the New Jersey Nets, Taishan Prince and the other two players appeared at the Palace of Auburn Hills. They came to pack their belongings in the locker room and say goodbye to their former teammates. Zhou Yi and the others hugged Taishan Prince and the others one by one, offering their sincerest wishes. Taishan Prince and the others did the same. After seeing off their former teammates, Zhou Yi and the others welcomed their new teammates. Andre Iguodala and the others appeared before Zhou Yi and the others under the guidance of John Kuester. The three of them introduced themselves and then had a friendly conversation with Zhou Yi and the others. Clearly, they were quite satisfied with the trade. After the conversation, Andre Iguodala and the others joined Zhou Yi and the others for team training, and they would also play in tonight’s game against the Nets, with Iguodala likely to start. At 4 p.m., the Pistons boarded a private plane and flew to New Jersey for their first game after the trade!

…

At 7 p.m., this special game for the Pistons began. Andre Iguodala did not start; the Pistons’ starting lineup was center Ben Wallace, power forward Greg Monroe, small forward James Posey, shooting guard Tracy McGrady, and point guard Zhou Yi. The Nets’ starting lineup was center Devin Harris, power forward Anthony Morrow, small forward Stephen Graham, forward Derrick Favors, and guard Brook Lopez. Brook Lopez and Ben Wallace jumped for the ball, marking the official start of the game!

Brook Lopez had a clear height advantage; he jumped high and passed the ball to his teammate. Anthony Morrow caught the ball and then passed it to Devin Harris. After receiving the ball, Devin Harris quickly moved toward the Pistons’ half of the court. Just as he reached a step beyond the three-point line, Zhou Yi closed in on him. Devin Harris forced his way past Zhou Yi, then stopped abruptly and attempted a jump shot. Ben Wallace grabbed the defensive rebound and passed it to Zhou Yi. With the ball in hand, Zhou Yi organized the Pistons’ offense. He performed several crossovers before passing the ball to James Posey. James Posey rushed down and passed the ball to Ben Wallace, who went one-on-one with Brook Lopez at the low post. He tried a hook shot but missed, and Greg Monroe put the ball in the basket over Brook Lopez’s head. “Good shot,” Zhou Yi murmured excitedly. Devin Harris dribbled extremely fast and soon reached the front court. Faced with Zhou Yi’s close defense, he didn’t dare be careless. He made several crossovers, then changed direction to get away from Zhou Yi’s defense, and attempted a jump shot again, but still missed. James Posey grabbed the offensive rebound and passed it to Zhou Yi to organize the offense. Zhou Yi adjusted his pace and played steadily. His speed was about the same as Devin Harris’s, maybe slightly slower, as Devin Harris was a pure speed-based point guard. Just past the halfway mark, Zhou Yi passed the ball to McGrady. McGrady drove to the basket and passed to James Posey at the baseline. James Posey took a jump shot from a high position and scored—4:0. Devin Harris glared at Zhou Yi, then made a feint, but Zhou Yi wasn’t fooled. Instead, he seized the opportunity to steal the ball. Seeing this, James Posey rushed to the opponent’s half at lightning speed. Zhou Yi understood what was needed and passed the ball long to James Posey, who immediately attacked the basket and scored a layup. At the start of the game, the home team, the Nets, took a 6:0 lead over their opponent. The Nets’ head coach, “General” Avery Johnson, watched the game coldly without taking any action. Devin Harris drove with the ball and made a brilliant pass. Brook Lopez caught the ball and scored a one-handed dunk, finally breaking the Nets’ scoring drought.

James Posey’s three-point shot from beyond the arc missed. Derek Favors grabbed the rebound and passed it to Devin Harris, who rushed toward the Pistons’ paint. Seeing that James Posey was off-balance, he quickly passed the ball to Anthony Morrow at the three-point line. Morrow adjusted slightly before shooting a three-point jump shot, which clanged off the rim and bounced back out, with James Posey securing the rebound.

After halftime, Zhou Yi took a quick stop and shot a jump shot against Devin Harris’s defense, hitting it. Zhou Yi returned to defend with a smile of excitement.

Brook Lopez moved to the high post to set a screen for Devin Harris, who moved to the other side beyond the three-point line and shot immediately. This time, the Nets’ offense finally scored again.

Zhou Yi contributed once more by driving to the basket, forcing a defensive foul on Brook Lopez and earning two free throws. Zhou Yi took a deep breath and didn’t waste either shot, adding 2 more points for the Pistons.

In just over five minutes, John Kuester called a timeout while McGrady drew a foul on the opponent’s defender to make lineup adjustments. At that moment, the score was 14:9, with the Pistons leading by 5 points.

Soon after, the timeout ended. John Kuester substituted Samuel Dalembert for Ben Wallace and Andre Iguodala for James Posey. The Nets also made changes, with Chris Humphries replacing Derek Favors and Sasha Vujacic replacing Stephen Graham.

Andre Iguodala entered the game, and it was time for the Pistons’ management to test him!

The game continued, with McGrady taking two free throws. He made the first but missed the second, with Chris Humphries grabbing the rebound.

Devin Harris rushed like lightning toward the Pistons’ half-court. Zhou Yi stuck closely to Harris, denying him any chance.

Devin Harris used a screen from his teammate and shot a jump shot from beyond the three-point line. But it seemed as though the Nets’ basket was guarding against him today, as this shot also missed.

Zhou Yi received the defensive rebound from Samuel Dalembert and rushed like thunder toward the Nets’ paint. With no one inside the basket at that moment, Zhou Yi easily scored by driving to the basket.

It was still Devin Harris controlling the ball, but right after halftime he passed it to Brook Lopez, who was looking for the ball inside. Devin Harris knew he wasn’t in form that day and didn’t dare shoot anymore.
Brook Lopez took on Samuel Dalembert one-on-one, tried a turnaround jump shot but missed, and Greg Monroe secured the rebound.
Zhou Yi received the ball and immediately passed it to McGrady, then started moving around to look for an offensive opportunity. Although Devin Harris was fast, Zhou Yi’s speed was comparable to Harris’s.
So, Zhou Yi quickly found an open spot. McGrady acted swiftly, passed the ball to Zhou Yi, who took a jump shot—thud—Zhou Yi’s shot also missed, and Chris Humphries grabbed the rebound.
The Pistons made a substitution, with Ben Gordon coming in for McGrady.
Devin Harris broke through against Zhou Yi at the baseline, then stopped abruptly and took a jump shot. Zhou Yi didn’t follow up, so he could only watch as the ball went through the net.
After receiving a pass from Tyler Hansbrough at the baseline, Zhou Yi organized the team’s offense.
Andre Iguodala stepped up to set a pick-and-roll for Zhou Yi, then rushed to the Nets’ basket and scored after catching a perfect pass from Zhou Yi.
John Kuester immediately smiled upon seeing this.
Devin Harris passed the ball, but Zhou Yi stole it. However, the fast break didn’t work because the opposing center, Brook Lopez, and power forward, Chris Humphries, were still in the Nets’ half!
After catching a great pass from Zhou Yi, Samuel Dalembert took on Brook Lopez one-on-one at the low post, turned, and scored off the backboard.
John Kuester was very satisfied with Andre Iguodala’s performance on the court and discussed the game with several assistant coaches on the bench.
After passing the ball inside, Devin Harris cut from the middle, received a pass back from Brook Lopez, and scored with a smooth shot.
“He’s really fast!” Zhou Yi said helplessly.
Zhou Yi used a change of direction to break through, leaving Devin Harris behind, but Terrence Williams quickly came over to help defend. Zhou Yi remained calm, passed the ball to Andre Iguodala, who was in an open spot, and Iguodala shot a three-pointer—Zhou Yi got another assist.

Seeing that Brook Lopez was running low on energy, “Little General” Johnson quickly made a substitution, taking Brook Lopez off the court to rest. Johhan Petro replaced Brook Lopez, while Devin Harris was also taken off by Jordan Farmar to rest.

The Pistons also made changes: Greg Monroe was replaced by Taylor Hansbrough, and Zhou Yi was substituted out by Will Bynum.

The game resumed, with the Nets in possession. After several feints, Jordan Farmar took advantage of Will Bynum’s lack of attention and drove to the paint, passing the ball to Chris Humphries, who easily scored by dunking.

Will Bynum organized the offense and, after half a court pass, handed the ball to Andre Iguodala. Upon receiving the ball, Iguodala immediately took a jump shot, and the ball went in with a swish.

Jordan Farmar provided another assist. Sasha Vujacic, from 45 degrees outside the three-point line on the right wing, received a pass from Jordan Farmar and scored a three-pointer with a jump shot.

Will Bynum drove and passed to Andre Iguodala, who then passed to Ben Gordon. Ben Gordon took a jump shot just inside the three-point line, and the ball also went in.

The Pistons’ shooting accuracy was extremely high, and in no time they turned the score to 27:17, leading the Nets by 10 points.

Seeing this, “Little General” Johnson quickly called a timeout to stabilize the situation. At that moment, there were still a little over two minutes left in the first quarter.

Chapter 277: Perfect Chemical Reaction

After the timeout, the game resumed. Jordan Farmar caught a ball from the sideline from Chris Humphries and then threw it high to Johhan Petro in the paint. Petro faced off against Taylor Hansbrough, turned, and dunked to score.

Ben Gordon received a pass from Will Bynum and took a mid-range jump shot, but it missed. Samuel Dalembert grabbed the offensive rebound and passed the ball back to Ben Gordon on the outside. Ben Gordon and Andre Iguodala coordinated perfectly; after Iguodala set up a pick-and-roll for Ben Gordon, Ben Gordon moved to a high position and took a jump shot.

However, Ben Gordon’s shot still missed. The ball hit the back of the rim and bounced back up. But the next moment, everyone in the arena witnessed something incredible.

Andre Iguodala rushed into the paint, jumped earlier, and forcefully dunked the bouncing ball back into the basket.

All the fans in the arena gasped and watched in silence as the scene unfolded on the court. Unexpectedly, Andre Iguodala had delivered such an outstanding performance just after joining the Detroit Pistons, and John Kuester’s face was beaming with joy.

The Nets failed to score on their offense, and Andre Iguodala grabbed a defensive rebound. Andre Iguodala drove with the ball; Ben Gordon moved to the high post, received a pass from Andre Iguodala, and hit a jump shot.

Jordan Farmar passed the ball to Terrence Williams, who was lurking outside the three-point line. Terrence Williams shot a three-pointer, also making it. Andre Iguodala moved without the ball, received a pass from Ben Gordon, and hit a jump shot as well.

Sasha Vujacic set a pick-and-roll for Terrence Williams, then quickly moved back to the paint. Seeing Terrence Williams’ elevated pass, he leaped high and scored with an alley-oop.

Ben Gordon drove with the ball, dodged Sasha Vujacic’s defense, and tried to lay up, but missed. At that moment, two players reached for the rebound—Andre Iguodala and Chris Humphries. Chris Humphries had a clear advantage in upper body strength and height, and he secured the rebound.

Chris Humphries quickly passed the ball to Jordan Farmar, but Andre Iguodala was quick-witted, snatching the ball away in an instant. Then, before the Nets could react, he jumped up and scored with a thunderous dunk.

With 28 seconds left in the first quarter, Jordan Farmar slowly dribbled toward the Pistons’ half of the court. After crossing half-court, he passed the ball to Terrence Williams.

Terrence Williams used his teammate’s screen to cut inside from the left and scored with a one-handed dunk.

Terrence Williams’ early shot gave the Pistons 15 seconds left, giving them one last chance to score.

Will Bynum orchestrated the offense, slowly wasting time from the top of the key. When 8 seconds remained, Will Bynum drove with the ball and passed it to Andre Iguodala.

Andre Iguodala then passed the ball to Tyler Hansbrough, who tried to shoot a jump shot but missed. Samuel Dalembert grabbed an offensive rebound and scored a free throw.

Just as Samuel Dalembert completed the free throw, the buzzer sounded, marking the end of the first quarter.

At the end of the first quarter, Andre Iguodala and the others headed to the bench to rest briefly before the start of the second quarter. In the first quarter, the Pistons led the Nets 39-26 by 13 points, taking control of the game. Andre Iguodala, who had recently joined the Pistons, performed exceptionally well, scoring 13 points, providing 3 assists, 2 rebounds, and 1 steal in just six minutes. More importantly, all six of his shots were successful, giving him a 100% shooting percentage, with no mistakes or fouls. “Hey, Andre, you did an amazing job! Oh, God, it seems our trade was a great decision,” said John Kuester, walking over and patting Iguodala on the back with a smile. “Hehe, it’s the coach’s tactical arrangements and the cooperation of my teammates that have allowed me to perform so well,” said Iguodala modestly. “Hehe…” John Kuester smiled.