Chapter 112

Down 12 points at the end of the first quarter, and leading his own team, LeBron James was naturally not in a good mood. The Pistons’ bench was relaxed, with John Kuester wearing a smile at all times. After the timeout, the Heat finally stabilized and became more patient in their attacks. Carlos Arroyo quickly drove the ball past the half-court line; just as he did, Zhou Yi suddenly sprang into action, moving at lightning speed and appearing on Arroyo’s right side. It wasn’t the first time Arroyo had faced Zhou Yi, but he was still surprised by his speed. Zhou Yi immediately took advantage of Arroyo’s brief shock and swiftly took the ball away. Caught off guard, Arroyo couldn’t react in time, and the ball fell into the opponent’s hands. With a swift move, Zhou Yi completed an impressive three-step layup against no defense. 48:30—Pistons extended their lead to 18 points. Watching the opponent’s score keep rising, LeBron James’ tightly closed lips trembled slightly. As the team’s undisputed leader, it was time to prove his value. Near the free-throw line, LeBron sought the ball, aiming to turn the game around—scoring was the only solution. LeBron pressed his left shoulder firmly against Andre Iguodala, pushing him step by step toward the basket. Holding back his pain, Iguodala tried to resist, but his once-prideful physique offered no advantage against LeBron. With each push against his chest, he felt himself being forced backward. A thunderous roar caught Iguodala off guard; the force knocked him off his feet as he stumbled backward, seeing darkness ahead. With a loud slam, LeBron’s dunk made Heat head coach Eric Spoelstra clench his fists. After landing, LeBron didn’t immediately defend but instead stared at Zhou Yi defiantly, his eyes filled with disdain, his head held high like a natural conqueror. Ignoring him, Zhou Yi took the inbound pass from Greg Monroe and slowly moved toward the Heat’s half-court.

After halftime, facing Carlos Arroyo’s defense, Zhou Yi made a lightning-fast turn—his movements still as agile, yet undiminished in intensity—as he swiftly broke through the Heat’s first line of defense. Zhou Yi didn’t take the chance to push further and stopped just beyond the three-point line. The basketball in his hands and the determination in his calm eyes left no doubt about his intentions. But LeBron James saw something else in his gaze—a response to his own provocation. Faced with this challenge, LeBron James didn’t back down at all; he rushed forward to engage in a one-on-one duel with Zhou Yi. It was a clash of top players, a confrontation between champions, and the atmosphere in the arena instantly reached its peak. All fans watching on TV widened their eyes, waiting quietly for this epic showdown. With his center of gravity slightly lowered and eyes blazing with intensity, LeBron James was more focused than ever. Perhaps it was fate that had made them natural rivals—In his mind, Zhou Yi had gradually become the strongest opponent of his career. Kobe and Allen Iverson were no longer his main rivals, as they had already passed their peak. LeBron James’s defensive skills were above average, but they had many flaws—poor defensive footwork and overly risky tactics. He preferred to use his agility to steal balls, which gave him solid steals, relying more on his physical prowess to compensate for these weaknesses. “Lightning!” That was LeBron James’s first thought. Just the first move made him feel powerless. Fortunately, his excellent physical condition and instinctive reactions allowed him to quickly step back. His long reach enabled him to stop Zhou Yi’s advance in time. With the tip of his left foot touching the floor, Zhou Yi’s forward-leaning body snapped back, his right hand quickly pulling the ball back, allowing it to slip under his legs and into his left hand. Before LeBron James could adjust his balance, Zhou Yi swiftly crossed his right foot diagonally, using his right elbow to gently push against LeBron James’s waist. With a helpless groan in his heart, LeBron realized Zhou Yi’s movements were so fast—the interval between two consecutive moves was incredibly short. It was the “Butterfly Step,” Allen Iverson’s famous move, and LeBron James had no choice but to adapt.

“Thud” — the crisp sound of the ball hitting the ground made LeBron James close his eyes in pain. Two consecutive defensive moves had exhausted him completely; trying to change direction at this point would only result in embarrassment. He swiftly moved past LeBron James, no Heat players in sight now. Outside the three-second zone, his body tensed like a coiled spring as he instantly leaped into the air. All the fans watched intently, while the home team’s supporters showed expressions of disappointment. With his eyes fixed on the nearby basket, he passed the ball from his back to his left hand, holding it in front of his chest. His right hand quickly rose, gently gripping the bottom of the ball as he drove it down with force. “Boom” — the explosive sound of the dunk echoed throughout American Airlines Arena. LeBron’s aggressive driving sent McGrady flying far away. He took big steps toward the basket, but Andre Iguodala appeared right in front of him, his dark face showing a serious expression. “Don’t pick the wrong opponent. I’m your opponent,” Andre Iguodala whispered to LeBron. The hasty shot, naturally, was hard to make. LeBron James shook his head helplessly; there was nothing he could do about it. Too much time had been spent battling for position, leaving no time for a proper shot. “LeBron James needs to change. He’s having issues with his mindset right now. Actually, there’s nothing wrong with his playing style. As the only player in the league capable of averaging 25+7+7, his passing is also a formidable skill. But when the team is trailing by a large margin, his mindset suffers — his eagerness to succeed gets him trapped in the Pistons’ defense. Against the current Pistons, if he doesn’t want to get thoroughly beaten at home, he must make changes,” the commentator said incisively. Clearly, LeBron James didn’t listen to him. His excessive reliance on one-on-one plays wasted scoring opportunities over and over again, while the Pistons gradually widened the score gap through steady play. 55:32 — the Pistons led by 23 points. Eric Spoelstra had no choice but to call a timeout; he needed time to reflect, and LeBron James needed time to calm down. Sitting on the bench with his head lowered, LeBron had completely regained his composure by the time the head coach announced he would be taken off the court to rest.

After LeBron James left the court, the Pistons’ key players like Zhou Yi also stepped off to rest. At that moment, only three minutes remained before the end of the first half. Soon, the first half came to an end. The Pistons still led the Heat by 24 points, 65-41. On the Heat’s bench, the three stars and their head coach looked frustrated. Chapter 300: Easy Victory Over the Heat. During the halftime break, Zhou Yi gave an interview to Xiang Yun. However, Xiang Yun seemed a bit off form, but thanks to Zhou Yi’s cooperation, an awkward situation was avoided. Soon, the second half began. The experience of veterans Eddie House and Mike Miller brought stability to the Heat’s outside shooting, and their overall offense improved significantly. With the Pistons’ starters still resting, the Heat scored a 11-4 run at the start of the third quarter. Will Bynum accelerated without any fancy moves, simply using his speed to bypass Carlos Arroyo in one step. After passing Arroyo, Bynum wasn’t pleased, as James Jones was already ahead of him. Bynum pretended to drive but actually passed the ball to Ben Gordon behind Jones. After catching the ball, Gordon rushed to the basket, pushing Joel Anthony aside to score, and also drew a foul on Anthony. Gordon and Bynum’s seamless coordination right from the start earned cheers from many fans, including those who had previously supported the Heat’s three stars. “Heh, I didn’t expect Will and Ben to work so well together! Having such coordination among the bench players will boost the team’s overall strength!” said one of John Kuester’s assistant coaches. “Yeah, these two are getting more in sync—almost like a weaker version of Zhou and Tracy!” Kuester said with a smile as he watched Bynum and Gordon celebrate. The assistant coach nodded in agreement. While Ben Gordon was taking free throws, the Pistons’ head coach, John Kuester, quickly substituted Taylor Hansbrough out with Samuel Dalembert. In his nearly 7 minutes on the court, Hansbrough scored 4 points, grabbed 3 rebounds, and had 1 block, fulfilling his role well.

The Heat also took advantage of Ben Gordon’s free throws to replace Joel Anthony with Big Z. Ben Gordon made his free throws, including the extra shot. The Heat launched an attack. Jwan Howard caught a pass from LeBron James near the free-throw line and attempted a jump shot, but it missed. Ben Gordon outmuscleled the big man inside to grab the rebound. Just as Ben Gordon was about to secure it, Will Bynum charged wildly toward the Heat’s half-court. Ben Gordon dribbled twice, saw that Will Bynum had entered the Heat’s half-court, and threw the ball forcefully forward. After catching the ball, Will Bynum got past Carlos Arroyo’s defense and attempted a jump shot. “Swish” — the ball went in! LeBron James, back in the game, showed a significant improvement in form; he didn’t cling to the ball during attacks but used sharp drives and precise passes to energize the Heat’s offense. As the Heat narrowed the score to within 20 points, John Kuester finally sent in all his starters. Zhou Yi drove quickly, just past the half-court line, slightly sidestepping as he moved past Mario Chalmers’ defense with a smooth crossover. LeBron James accurately predicted Zhou Yi’s driving route and stepped ahead two steps. Zhou Yi remained calm, especially in critical moments. As he drove, he gently shook his right hand backward, causing the ball to hit the floor and bounce into McGrady’s hands. The Heat’s defense was already in disarray due to Zhou Yi, and McGrady, almost unguarded, easily jumped from beyond the three-point line. The ball flew out from his fingertips, tracing a beautiful arc through the air before going into the basket. Midway through the third quarter, the entry of key players like Zhou Yi suppressed the Heat’s counterattacks, and the Pistons regained a lead of over 20 points. In the second half of the third quarter, Zhou Yi and the other starters were taken off the court again by head coach John Kuester. At the end of the third quarter, the Pistons led the Heat 91–75, by 16 points. In the final moments of the third quarter, LeBron James hit two consecutive three-pointers, helping the Heat narrow the score. Soon after, the fourth quarter began.