Chapter 111

The fourth quarter began, with both teams still playing with their reserve squads. With 7 minutes left in the game, both teams took advantage of official timeouts to bring in their starting players. At this point, the Pistons still maintained an 8-point lead. Zhou Yi passed the ball to Greg Monroe in the paint, who stepped back and scored with a low hook shot. At this stage of the game, the Pistons changed their defensive strategy, using double teams to guard Denver’s engine, Cassius Billups. Whenever the ball was in Billups’ hands, at least two Pistons players would be around him, sometimes even more. Four more minutes passed, and although Cameron Anthony scored 6 points through shooting and free throws, the poor performance of the other Denver players quickly left them 10 points behind the Pistons. In the last two minutes, it was wise for the other Denver players to relax, as they no longer had time to adjust their form, especially at a moment when every shot mattered, and psychological pressure was also a significant factor. On the right wing, where JR Smith was most skilled, his undefended three-point attempt missed, with just over a minute left in the game. Worse still, the rebound fell into Zhou Yi’s hands. He flicked the ball, which traveled across half the court and landed in Andre Iguodala’s hands. At that point, only Iguodala was left racing on the Denver side. With his powerful moves, Iguodala slammed the ball into the basket. With less than a minute left and a 12-point gap, Denver’s chances of winning became even slimmer. Billups caught the ball outside the three-point line, didn’t even pause, and immediately jumped to shoot, but sadly, the ball hit the rim and bounced out of bounds. The Pistons retained possession and still led by 12 points. Denver’s hopes of turning the game around were now purely theoretical; they were doomed to leave empty-handed. As the referee’s whistle blew, the Auburn Hills Palace was filled with roaring cheers, bringing smiles to the faces of the home team’s players. The Pistons extended their winning streak to four games, while Denver’s six-game streak came to an abrupt end. With 32 points, 8 rebounds, 13 assists, and 3 steals, Zhou Yi’s stats were flawless—his performance was a key factor in the Pistons’ victory.

Besides Zhou Yi, Greg Monroe also posted a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds; McGrady scored 18 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists; Andre Iguodala added 15 points as well.

Chapter 296: Xiang Yun’s Story

After the game, all the Pistons players attended the post-game press conference. At the conference, Zhou Yi naturally became the target of intense questions from the media.

After finally dealing with the reporters, Zhou Yi said goodbye to his teammates and drove home.

Upon returning home, Zhou Yi greeted Xiang Yun before heading straight to his bedroom. He lay down on the bed, enjoying the comfort of the moment.

Just as he was relaxing, Xiang Yun’s voice came from outside the bedroom.

“Zhou Yi, are you asleep?”

Zhou Yi frowned slightly, got up, and answered while opening the door, “Not yet!”

The door opened, and Xiang Yun stood there wearing a pink nightgown. Zhou Yi glanced at her, his gaze accidentally falling on the two faintly visible points on her chest.

Xiang Yun was momentarily stunned upon seeing Zhou Yi’s reaction, then followed his gaze and realized he was staring at her breasts.

“What are you looking at?” she asked, annoyed and a little flustered, her face turning red.

“Uh…” Zhou Yi looked embarrassed, stammering, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to.”

“Hmph, if you didn’t mean to, do you want me to take off my clothes so you can see better?” After saying that, Xiang Yun realized her words were inappropriate, and her blush deepened.

Zhou Yi scratched his head and said with a wry smile, “I really didn’t mean to. I…”

“It’s okay, I didn’t say anything,” Xiang Yun interrupted, trying to change the subject.

“By the way, it’s so late. What brings you here?” Zhou Yi, being smart, also wanted to shift the topic.

“Oh, do you know the final results of the All-Star voting?” Xiang Yun asked quickly.

“The final results? It’s still two days before they’re announced. How could I possibly know? I’m not a prophet,” Zhou Yi replied with a wry smile.

“Uh, I just got a call with news that you seem to have made it to the All-Star starting lineup and even became the top voter for the All-Star game,” Xiang Yun said hurriedly.

Hearing this, Zhou Yi’s forehead furrowed.

“Make it to the All-Star starting lineup? Become the top vote-getter?” Zhou Yi murmured to himself.
“Mm, yes. I heard from a friend of mine that although the final results aren’t out yet, it’s almost certain you’ll be in the starting lineup and win the top vote count. Do you know who’s in second place in the voting?” Xiang Yun asked.
“Oh? Who is it?” Zhou Yi asked curiously.
Actually, Zhou Yi’s question was unnecessary; given his intelligence, he could easily guess who the top two candidates were—Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Dwight Howard, and Yao Ming.
“It’s Kobe. But he’s almost 150,000 votes behind you. With only three days left before the voting ends, it’s basically impossible to close that gap, even for Kobe. Besides, your momentum is strong—by the time voting ends, you might even widen the gap further!” Xiang Yun said with a smile.
“Oh.” Zhou Yi simply replied and fell silent.
Seeing this, Xiang Yun was puzzled. Why didn’t Zhou Yi show any joy upon hearing the news?
“What’s wrong, Zhou Yi? Why don’t you seem very happy to hear this?” Xiang Yun asked curiously.
“Oh, nothing. I’m just wondering how many of these voters chose me based on my skills, and whether most of them are my countrymen,” Zhou Yi said calmly.
“Oh, so that’s what’s on your mind? Hehe, don’t worry about it. I heard that although 65% of your votes came from our compatriots this time, 35% came from foreign fans. Be satisfied. Do you know how many votes Yao Ming got from his countrymen when he became the top vote-getter?” Xiang Yun asked with a smile.
“How many?” Zhou Yi asked.
“90%,” Xiang Yun replied.
Hearing this, Zhou Yi smiled and said, “If what you say is true, I should be satisfied. But I really hope that most people choose me because of my skills.”
“Well, don’t overthink it. I think they choose you mainly because of your performance. Think about it—if you made it to the All-Stars with the help of your countrymen, then why wouldn’t they choose Yi Jianlian instead?” Xiang Yun pointed out sharply.
Upon hearing this, Zhou Yi paused for a moment before smiling and saying to Xiang Yun, “Xiang Yun, you’re right. Thank you for helping me resolve this confusion.”

“Hehe, then how are you going to thank me?” Xiang Yun asked cleverly.
“Uh, well, I’ll treat you to dinner!” Zhou Yi really couldn’t think of another way to thank Xiang Yun, so he suggested dining out.
“Sigh, you’ve already treated me to meals before. Besides, we eat together every day, and it’s usually you who pays. How about you take me to an amusement park instead?” Xiang Yun said, looking at Zhou Yi with an eager expression.
“Hehe, okay!” Zhou Yi agreed readily.
“Then let’s do it tomorrow! I don’t have any work tomorrow. I think you only have training in the morning and are free in the afternoon, right?” Xiang Yun asked tentatively.
“Mm, fine, you decide!” Zhou Yi said with a smile.
Hearing Zhou Yi’s words, Xiang Yun smiled contentedly, her cheeks turning even redder.
Zhou Yi seemed to think of something and quickly asked Xiang Yun, “Xiang Yun, in a few days it’s Chinese New Year. Will you go back to your country to celebrate, or stay in the U.S. with your family?”
After hearing Zhou Yi’s question, Xiang Yun was momentarily stunned, then fell silent, her smile gradually replaced by a gloomy expression.
Noticing Xiang Yun’s change, Zhou Yi wondered if he had said something wrong. Concerned, he asked, “Xiang Yun, what’s wrong? Did I say something wrong?”
Xiang Yun didn’t answer, only lowering her head even further.
Worried, Zhou Yi stepped closer, placed his hand on her shoulder, and patted it gently. “Xiang Yun, what’s really going on? Tell me if there’s something bothering you!”
As soon as Zhou Yi spoke, Xiang Yun leaned against him, and he could faintly hear her sobbing.
Zhou Yi wasn’t upset by her behavior and continued to ask what was wrong. Gradually, her sobbing turned into quiet sobs.
A pained expression appeared on Zhou Yi’s face. Not knowing what to do, he simply stayed silent and continued to pat her shoulder.
After a while, Xiang Yun stopped sobbing. She stepped away from him, wiped her tears, and said apologetically, “I’m sorry, Zhou Yi. I just thought of some sad memories, that’s why I reacted like this. Please don’t be angry!”
“How could I be angry? It’s you—what’s really going on? I’ve never seen you like this since I met you,” Zhou Yi said.
“Hehe, it’s nothing. So, what do I always seem like to you?” Xiang Yun asked with a smile.

Zhou Yi thought for a moment before answering, “In my eyes, you’ve always been someone very sunny and cheerful, smart, and a bit mischievous. Anyway, you’re just too smart—you take everything seriously.”
“Oh? You know me that well? Did you deliberately investigate me? Be honest,” Xiang Yun asked playfully.
“Hehe, seeing you like this, I guess there’s nothing wrong. I’m relieved now,” Zhou Yi said after giving Xiang Yun a glance.
“Who said there’s nothing wrong? I have a lot on my mind. I’m in a really bad mood right now,” Xiang Yun said with a pout.
“Uh, okay. Then what’s wrong?” Zhou Yi asked with a smile.
“Do you want to hear my story?” Xiang Yun countered.
Hearing this, Zhou Yi pondered for a while before saying, “Since we’re friends, I should know some things about you. If you’re willing to tell me, I’ll listen.”
“Mm,” Xiang Yun nodded and then went into Zhou Yi’s bedroom, sitting down on the chair in front of the bed.
Zhou Yi also sat down in front of the bed.
“My hometown is in the capital—hehe, the same city as yours. When I was very young, I moved to the United States with my parents. My parents had some business there, so we were quite well-off. We could have lived a good life, but everything changed completely when I was thirteen.”
At this point, Xiang Yun’s voice choked up again. Zhou Yi handed her a tissue, which she accepted with a thank you.
“When I was thirteen, my parents were in a car accident. They both passed away in that accident.”
“Xiang Yun, I’m sorry,” Zhou Yi said apologetically.
“Hehe, it’s okay. So much time has passed; I’ve gotten used to it alone. After my parents left, they left me a large sum of money, so my life hasn’t been too hard. But what’s the use of that money? My parents are no longer here,” Xiang Yun sighed.
“Xiang Yun, don’t be too sad. You…”
“It’s been so long. I’ve long moved on from that incident. It’s just that when you ask where I spend New Year’s with my family, I think of all these years spent alone, and I can’t help but feel a bit melancholic,” Xiang Yun said slowly.
“Xiang Yun, if you want, from now on I’ll be your family. You can consider me your brother, and my family is also your family,” Zhou Yi said in one breath.

“Hehe, okay, go rest early. There’s no need to worry about me.” After saying that, Xiang Yun stood up straight and headed outside.
“Xiang Yun…” Zhou Yi called out softly, but Xiang Yun only paused briefly before leaving the room without looking back.
Zhou Yi sat on the bed in a daze, his mind filled with Xiang Yun’s words.
Chapter 297: Forced Kiss Again
Zhou Yi lay on the bed in a stupor. Two hours passed, yet his mind was still occupied by Xiang Yun’s words. He never expected that Xiang Yun, who usually seemed so cheerful, lively, and mischievous, actually hid such sad past experiences.
Sighing helplessly, Zhou Yi closed his eyes, deciding not to think about these things anymore. He told himself that he must spend the day with Xiang Yun properly the next day to make her feel less lonely.
Early the next morning, Zhou Yi got up early. After washing up, he rushed downstairs and went into the kitchen to prepare something to eat.
But when he entered the kitchen, he saw that Xiang Yun was already making breakfast.
Xiang Yun noticed Zhou Yi and wore a triumphant smile as she said, “I knew you’d definitely get up this early.”
“Huh? How did you know?” Zhou Yi asked curiously.
“Of course! You used to train every morning and afternoon. If you had something to do in the afternoon, you’d definitely get up early in the morning to train. If you had something to do in the morning, you’d go train earlier in the afternoon, or even at noon. Hehe, since you have to accompany me to the amusement park this afternoon, you’ll definitely get up early to train. Hehe, it’s been so long now; of course I know you well.” Xiang Yun said with a giggle.
Hearing Xiang Yun’s words, Zhou Yi felt warmth in his heart. She cared so much about him, paying such close attention to his daily routine. If he had met such a girl earlier, would he have accepted her? Zhou Yi wondered to himself.
“What’s wrong? Do you think I’m too good, knowing you so well and treating you so well?” Xiang Yun asked playfully.
“Uh…” Zhou Yi gave her a glance and then said, “By the way, don’t you have nothing to do today? Why not sleep a little longer?”
As soon as he asked, he regretted it. She gave up the chance to sleep in just to make breakfast for him. Why did he even ask why she got up so early? It was like throwing stones at his own feet.

Sure enough, Xiang Yun frowned and snorted, saying, “Aren’t I doing all this for you?”
“Uh…” Zhou Yi also felt a bit embarrassed, so he turned and went to the dining room to wait for Xiang Yun’s breakfast.
“Breakfast will be ready soon!” Xiang Yun’s voice came from the dining room.
After a while, Xiang Yun brought the breakfast to the dining table.
“Eat!” Xiang Yun placed the breakfast in front of Zhou Yi with a smile.
“Oh, huh? Aren’t you eating?” Zhou Yi asked curiously, noticing that there was no breakfast in front of Xiang Yun.
“Hehe, mine will be ready soon. You eat first! Oh, I forgot.” Xiang Yun stood up, went to the kitchen, poured a glass of milk for Zhou Yi, and brought it to him.
Zhou Yi felt even warmer at seeing this.
“What are you looking at? Hurry up and eat! After eating, go train right away. If you delay our time together this afternoon, just wait and see how I deal with you,” Xiang Yun said seriously.
Hearing this, Zhou Yi chuckled twice and then started eating eagerly.
After breakfast, Zhou Yi said goodbye to Xiang Yun and drove to the gym.
Upon arriving at the gym, Zhou Yi checked his phone and saw it was only 7:30. It was deep winter, and the sky over Detroit had just begun to brighten.
The gym staff were slightly surprised to see Zhou Yi arriving so early for training, but then smiled. Since Zhou Yi joined the Pistons, he had always been the first player to train each day. Everyone on the Pistons team knew this, as did players and management from other teams. Of course, many fans knew as well.
Many people compared Zhou Yi to the notoriously hardworking Kobe, seeing who trained harder. After a long time of comparison, most people still thought Zhou Yi was more diligent.
Entering the gym, Zhou Yi went straight to the locker room. After changing, he headed to the training court to start his routine of exercises.
After nearly an hour and a half of training, the other players gradually arrived. It wasn’t until 9:30 in the morning that everyone was there (except McGrady, who was sick with the flu). Only after all the players arrived did head coach John Kuester show up.
……
It wasn’t until 12:30 at noon that the morning training finally ended. After taking a shower and packing up at the gym, it was already 1 p.m.
Zhou Yi left the gym and drove home to pick up Xiang Yun to spend the afternoon together. This afternoon belonged to Xiang Yun.

Upon arriving home, Zhou Yi found that Xiang Yun was already waiting for him. Xiang Yun’s outfit was different from usual—instead of her usual neat bun, she had her hair flowing down her shoulders like three thousand strands of silk. She wore a pink dress that gave her a very innocent appearance, with a hint of playfulness.

“Xiang Yun, you…”

“How do I look today? Not bad, right?” Xiang Yun stuck out her tongue at Zhou Yi and said playfully.

“Mm, you look great, really great. Completely different from before,” Zhou Yi said honestly.

“Hehe…” Xiang Yun laughed, then walked over to Zhou Yi, slung her arm around his, and led him outside.

Zhou Yi only frowned slightly at her actions but let her do as she wanted.

Xiang Yun sat in the passenger seat. After glancing at her, Zhou Yi started the engine.

He drove her to the amusement park, where they enjoyed themselves to the fullest. After that, he accompanied her shopping at the mall without showing any signs of impatience.

As night fell, Zhou Yi took her to the best Chinese restaurant in the area. They feasted there, looking like a perfect couple in the eyes of others—both handsome and beautiful.

After dinner, they strolled around the neighborhood. Finally, guided by Xiang Yun, they entered a café. There, they sipped coffee slowly, chatting and laughing, appearing very sweet.

At 9 p.m., Zhou Yi drove them back home.

“Zhou Yi, thank you for spending time with me today,” Xiang Yun said sincerely, looking at him from the passenger seat.

“Hehe, we’re friends. Do we really need to say such things? Besides, I had a great time today too. I should thank you for spending time with me!” Zhou Yi replied with a smile.

“Hehe…” Hearing his words, Xiang Yun laughed as well.

Once home, they went upstairs to the bedroom together. As they reached upstairs, Xiang Yun suddenly kissed him on the lips, then leaned on his shoulder and whispered in his ear, “Zhou Yi, I really thank you. I like you, I love you. This is a promise that will never change in my life. Since losing my parents, today is the happiest day of my life. Thank you!”

After saying that, Xiang Yun rushed off to her bedroom, leaving Zhou Yi standing there in shock.

Zhou Yi stood there in a daze, reached out, touched his lips, then looked in the direction of Xiang Yun’s bedroom. After sighing, he headed back to his own bedroom. Entering his room, he closed the door and lay down on the bed, smiling bitterly. “Heh, another emotional debt!” For Xiang Yun, that night was undoubtedly very happy; for Zhou Yi, it would surely be another sleepless night. The next day, Zhou Yi woke up late—mainly because he went to bed too late the previous night and got up too early in the morning—so he slept a bit longer. When he went downstairs, he found that Xiang Yun wasn’t there, likely already at work. Going into the kitchen, he saw that breakfast was already prepared and warming up in the microwave. After breakfast, Zhou Yi went to the gym to train again. … At 5 p.m., the Pistons boarded a private plane for Miami to face the Big Three once more. But this time, they were only challenging one of the giants. Dwyane Wade was injured and would miss the game, while the Heat’s starting power forward, Chris Bosh, was also out due to injury. So for the Pistons, it was like facing a Heat team with only LeBron James—such a Heat team was even weaker than the Cavaliers with LeBron James back then. At 6:30 p.m., the Pistons arrived at AmericanAirlines Arena, the Heat’s home court. Zhou Yi and the others entered the locker room, resting while listening to head coach John Kuester’s speech. About ten minutes later, after changing into their game uniforms, they all left the locker room and headed to the court. As they passed through the player’s tunnel, Zhou Yi encountered Xiang Yun. Seeing Zhou Yi, Xiang Yun blushed and ran away. Zhou Yi could only smile bitterly before joining his teammates on the court. The Pistons practiced shooting on the court for about ten minutes before the Heat players showed up late. The DJ at the venue introduced the home team’s players, especially the Big Three. Although the other two giants couldn’t play, they still attended the game, sitting in the bench to cheer for their teammates. The two teams did about twenty minutes of warm-up drills on the court before retreating to their respective benches. Then, the DJ announced the starting lineups for both teams.

The Heat’s starting five players are: center Zaydrunas Ilgauskas, power forward Chris Bosh, small forward LeBron James, shooting guard James Jones, and point guard Mario Chalmers.
The Pistons’ starting five are: center Zhou Yi, guard Tracy McGrady, forward Andre Iguodala, forward Greg Monroe, and forward Samuel Dalembert.
Chapter 298: A Heat team of one is nothing but trash.
With Dwyane Wade healthy, the Heat’s perimeter lineup is undoubtedly among the strongest ever. Yet their interior is weak, and with Chris Bosh now out due to injury, their interior defense is their biggest weakness. Moreover, without Dwyane Wade, the Heat’s perimeter advantage is greatly reduced; now they can only rely on LeBron James to lead them to home victories.
John Kuester’s tactical plan for the Heat is simple: restrict the perimeter and attack the interior. By leveraging Greg Monroe and Samuel Dalembert’s excellent interior scoring skills, he aims to completely break the opponent’s morale.
Greg Monroe secured the first possession for the Pistons. Zhou Yi quickly drove the ball across half-court—undoubtedly, Mario Chalmers was guarding him.
Mario Chalmers isn’t very good offensively, but he does have some defensive skills.
However, it shouldn’t be too difficult for Zhou Yi to overwhelm him. Additionally, Zhou Yi has an advantage: Mario Chalmers recently injured his knee, and since his last injury, his form hasn’t returned to its best.
Even at his best, Mario Chalmers probably can’t match Zhou Yi. Especially with his current physical condition, he’s even less capable, particularly when it comes to defending against Zhou Yi’s sudden changes in direction.
The ball kept moving as Zhou Yi changed hands, with Mario Chalmers waiting just two steps ahead, his body slightly bent like a drawn bowstring, his right hand constantly changing direction.
Although the opponent wasn’t very strong, Zhou Yi didn’t dare slack off. His slightly bent knees trembled constantly, and every change in direction was actually a preparation to move forward.

As Mario Chalmers quietly observed his teammates’ positions, Zhou Yi suddenly moved—his lean body making instant contact with Chalmers. As his left arm swung backward, his elbow gently hit Chalmers’ ribs, causing a brief pain that made Chalmers pause in his attempt to defend. With a swift motion, Zhou Yi shot a mid-range jump shot after passing Chalmers; the ball flew out of his fingers and landed firmly in the Heat’s basket. Chalmers frowned slightly—Zhou Yi’s starting speed was too fast. Even without that subtle move, he probably wouldn’t have had time to defend. No wonder Dwyane Wade praised his speed so highly; only by experiencing it firsthand could one truly understand the sense of powerlessness it brought to defenders at the moment of his movement. This time, their positions were almost identical, except Zhou Yi was on defense. Chalmers didn’t choose to force a breakthrough; after crossing half-court, he passed the ball to LeBron James. LeBron and Chalmers executed a simple pick-and-roll and quickly found an opportunity to shoot from the right wing. Andre Iguodala was briefly blocked by Chalmers but quickly tried to defend, though it was too late—LeBron was already lifting the ball high in the air. At the moment of shooting, LeBron suddenly lowered his wrist and flipped it quickly, causing the ball to hit the floor and bounce back into Chalmers’ hands. Zhou Yi, whose attention was focused on LeBron, could only watch as Chalmers easily took a shot from beyond the three-point line. With a swish, the ball went through the basket. After the ball crossed half-court, Zhou Yi passed it to Greg Monroe, who caught it and easily scored a dunk. LeBron drove with the ball and passed it to Jwan Howard, but he missed the shot; Zhou Yi grabbed the defensive rebound. The Pistons attacked, with Tracy McGrady setting up a pick-and-roll for Zhou Yi, who then drove toward the Heat’s weak interior. With a thud, his layup bounced off the basket, and Jwan Howard secured the rebound. The Heat tried to attack again but were stopped by the Pistons. Without Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, the Pistons could confidently use double-team tactics against LeBron James.

The Pistons players played very aggressively, whether in rebounding or offense, performing well and effectively limiting the Heat’s weak scoring. However, despite restricting the Heat’s points, they didn’t allow the Pistons to launch a fierce offensive attack. The Heat’s defense was poor, but the Pistons weren’t in great form either. Although Zhou Yi and McGrady coordinated the Pistons’ offense well, their teammates lacked consistency, making their efforts futile. John Kuester watched as Andre Iguodala failed to score on a drive after receiving a perfect pass from Zhou Yi, shaking his head in frustration. Zaidrus Ilgauskas grabbed a defensive rebound and passed it to Mario Chalmers. After catching the ball, he dodged Zhou Yi’s attempt to steal it and moved toward the Pistons’ half-court. Mario Chalmers stopped at the top of the key, raised the ball with both hands, ready to pass. At that moment, Zaidrus Ilgauskas tightly held down Samuel Dalembert and reached for the ball from Mario Chalmers. Seeing this, Mario Chalmers threw the ball high into the paint. After catching it, Dalembert drove a few times at a low angle before turning and shooting a hook shot—swish! Zhou Yi frowned slightly before taking the inbound pass from Greg Monroe and slowly advancing toward the Heat’s half-court. After a while, Zhou Yi made a brilliant pass, assisting McGrady to score on a drive. Mario Chalmers controlled the ball, moved across half-court, and passed it to James Jones. James Jones, seemingly willing to take a risk, took a tentative step forward before suddenly accelerating and breaking toward McGrady’s left side. McGrady stayed close to James Jones, blocking his path. James Jones pushed McGrady hard before suddenly stepping back for a jump shot, which went in. McGrady frowned, clearly annoyed. Zhou Yi controlled the ball, steadily advancing to the front court, then passed it to Greg Monroe in the paint. The defender of Greg Monroe was naturally “Uncle Huo” Jwan Howard. Greg Monroe and Jwan Howard faced each other, with Greg Monroe leaning against Jwan Howard and pushing back hard before suddenly turning to fake a backdoor jump shot. But just as Jwan Howard closed in, he flipped his wrist and passed the ball.

It was Zhou Yi who caught the ball. Zhou Yi cut toward the basket from the middle, tricking Jwan Howard into jumping, while Zaidrus Ilgauskas was also drawn aside by Samuel Dalembert. So, for Zhou Yi, the area under the basket was practically empty. But behind Zhou Yi was Mario Chalmers. Thus, it wasn’t easy for Zhou Yi to attack under the basket either.

After rushing to the basket, Zhou Yi didn’t attempt a dunk or a slam dunk as expected, not even taking a shot. Meanwhile, Mario Chalmers chased after him, keeping a close eye on Zhou Yi to prevent him from attacking under the basket.

At that moment, Greg Monroe, who had tricked Jwan Howard into jumping earlier, rushed ahead of Jwan Howard, and Zhou Yi naturally passed the ball to him.

“Damn…” Jwan Howard muttered in dismay upon seeing this, then turned and charged toward Greg Monroe.

But Greg Monroe didn’t hesitate at all and immediately jumped up for a one-handed dunk.

Jwan Howard and Mario Chalmers were completely left in the background.

Although this whole sequence took some time to unfold, it happened in an instant. All the fans in the arena were deeply shocked by this play, and they couldn’t help but praise Zhou Yi’s ability to control the game.

If Zhou Yi had attacked on his own earlier, although the chances of success were high, the risk of failure was also significant due to Mario Chalmers’ interference. But by connecting with Greg Monroe and having him break through Jwan Howard’s defense to attack, Zhou Yi greatly increased the chances of success. His calmness and strategic thinking were truly amazing.

LeBron James drove across half-court without passing, choosing to attack on his own. After signaling Jwan Howard to set up a pick-and-roll, LeBron James suddenly accelerated, shedding Andre Iguodala like a tigress breaking free from its cage, and headed straight for the basket.

Seeing Andre Iguodala being left behind by LeBron James, Greg Monroe quickly released Jwan Howard to help defend against LeBron James.

But to his disappointment, he was still a step too late. Before Greg Monroe could catch up, LeBron James ended the play with a fierce dunk.

After completing that dunk, LeBron James landed on the ground with his arms raised, listening to the cheers from the fans in the arena.

That dunk really ignited the atmosphere at American Airlines Center. The noise created by the fans was almost enough to blow off the roof of the arena.

Greg Monroe shook his head helplessly, but then gritted his teeth and stepped to the line to serve. Due to the disparity in strength, the Pistons built a double-digit lead just before the halfway point of the first quarter. Zhou Yi received a pass from McGrady from outside the paint, drove to the basket, and Eddie House, who had replaced Mario Chalmers, suddenly tried to steal the ball from Zhou Yi but hit his hand instead. The referee immediately called a defensive foul on Eddie House. But just as the referee was about to serve, John Kuester called a timeout. At that moment, the score was 21:10, with the Pistons leading by 11 points, and only 6 minutes and 21 seconds had passed in the first quarter. “Be careful with Eddie House—he’s a veteran with plenty of experience and excellent outside shooting skills,” McGrady said, placing his hand on Zhou Yi’s shoulder as a reminder. “Oh, got it,” Zhou Yi nodded and went to the bench with McGrady. John Kuester was satisfied with Zhou Yi’s performance; the other three starters were not in good form, but Zhou Yi was doing well, stepping up at critical moments. Although he didn’t help his teammates score, his passes were indeed impressive. Mario Chalmers, who was matched up against Zhou Yi, was substituted after just over 4 minutes in the first quarter—thanks to Zhou Yi. In those over 4 minutes, Zhou Yi forced him to commit two fouls. Still, this Heat point guard performed well during that time, delivering 2 assists and scoring 5 points himself. Soon, the timeout ended. After the timeout, Zhou Yi and the other starters were substituted out. In this game, John Kuester didn’t plan to have Zhou Yi and the others play for too long, given the Heat’s strength. Although the Heat still had LeBron James, to be honest, such a team was not as good as the original Cavaliers. If the Pistons really couldn’t even beat a team like the Heat, it would clearly indicate that their strength still needed to improve significantly. The game resumed, with the Pistons sending in a purely bench lineup: Spencer Hawes, Taylor Hansbrough, James Posey, Charlie Villanueva, and Will Bynum. On the other hand, the Heat used an almost full starting lineup: Eddie House, Mike Miller, LeBron James, Jwan Howard, and ZaydruNaseer·Ilgauskas.

Taking advantage of the Pistons’ key players being absent, the Heat scored a 7-0 run to narrow the score to 3 points. However, John Kuester didn’t call a timeout. Will Bynum caught the ball and rushed forward quickly; the Pistons weren’t expecting them to move so fast. After half a minute, Bynum passed the ball to James Posey. Posey shot from his most comfortable spot, and the ball traced a beautiful arc before sinking through the net. “Yes!” Seeing the shot go in, Bynum excitedly pumped his fist, adding another assist. The Heat’s shooting accuracy was terrible today—they seemed to be in an ice cave, with a frighteningly cold touch. “Clang!” Eddie House shot from an open position but still missed. Bynum grabbed a rebound and dashed to the Heat’s half-court. Seeing no one under the basket, he easily scored a layup. Although Eddie House was strong offensively thanks to his experience and played well, his age meant he struggled against Bynum, who was like a human tank. In the second half of the first quarter, the Heat showed solid teamwork, with all five starters scoring, especially Mike Miller, who hit all three of his shots to score 7 points. On the Pistons’ side, after Bynum entered the game, he connected with James Posey and Taylor Hansbrough, leading the Pistons’ bench to keep attacking. But the Pistons’ greatest strength was their defense, one that no one could easily withstand. Thanks to their second unit’s defense, the Pistons led the Heat 31-19 at the end of the first quarter. Chapter 299: Uncomposed James. Since they took a break early in the first quarter, the Pistons substituted their starters one by one just three minutes into the second quarter. As for the Heat, LeBron James only rested for the last minute of the first quarter and the first two minutes of the second quarter, staying on the court the rest of the time. When Zhou Yi entered the court, LeBron James was standing right next to him. James looked at Zhou Yi and said, “Kid, I’m not going to let you take the victory on my turf.” “Let’s see then!” Zhou Yi replied calmly.

Regarding LeBron James, Zhou Yi admires his skills but doesn’t have a good impression of him, feeling that he exudes arrogance everywhere, which is uncomfortable. He didn’t notice this in Kobe. As two of the most prominent players in the league today, LeBron James and Zhou Yi’s every move attracts fans’ attention. For such a game, despite the absence of Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, it still drew countless fans to watch. As soon as Zhou Yi took the court, he launched a fierce offensive barrage at the opponent. LeBron James became the core of the team’s attacks, executing several consecutive assaults. The Pistons stuck to their playing style, taking advantage of the Heat’s impatience and patiently breaking through their defense. Just 6 minutes and 11 seconds into the second quarter, the Pistons led the Heat 45-27 by 18 points. Seeing this, Heat coach Eric Spoelstra quickly called a timeout. In fact, even without Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, the Heat’s performance didn’t decline; instead, they were in normal form, but they had issues with their mindset. Their overly aggressive attitude led to mistakes in their attacks. Moreover, the Heat’s playing style was too monotonous, and LeBron James’ seemingly powerful attacks fell into the Pistons’ defensive traps. With his exceptional individual skills, once trapped in double coverage, his forced shots only resulted in wasted opportunities. Eric Spoelstra was certainly aware of his players’ eagerness to succeed, especially LeBron James’ impulsive behavior at that time.