Chapter 122

In the second quarter, Zhou Yi returned to the court, greeted by enthusiastic cheers and applause from the entire crowd. During the rest of the game, Zhou Yi became even more focused. “This guy is really cunning; he’s even taking advantage of my lack of experience,” he thought to himself. While defending Devin Harris, Zhou Yi was much more cautious than before. Although Devin Harris performed well individually, the Nets were still under pressure from the Pistons. Zhou Yi didn’t rush to attack; instead, he slowly drove the ball across half-court, lingering near the top of the key. The Nets’ defense was relatively fast compared to some teams, but their defensive quality wasn’t high. One of Zhou Yi’s passes found Greg Monroe, who dunked the ball through Chris Humphries. Chris Humphries was a hardworking player who did the dirty jobs for the team. His defense was quite good among the Nets, especially when it came to rebounding—he was very aggressive. But with Derek Favors, the third overall pick from 10 years ago, playing in front of him, he didn’t get much playing time. Devin Harris made two consecutive dribble drives, breaking into the Pistons’ paint, and scored after Greg Monroe rushed over to help defend. Zhou Yi’s backpass assisted Andre Iguodala, who hit a three-pointer at the baseline. The Nets’ coach, “Little General” Johnson, couldn’t help but marvel at this. He hadn’t expected the Pistons to be so lucky to have such an outstanding point guard whose passes always came at the perfect time and to the perfect place. Although the Nets had Devin Harris, he was clearly a pseudo-point guard—holding the ball and acting like a shooting guard, unable to effectively organize the team’s offense. In the next three minutes, the Nets relied on aggressive movement and quick passes to score an 8-3 run. The Pistons’ players’ lowered guard was key to turning the tide. The opponent, who had been sluggish earlier, changed their approach in the second half, speeding up the pace of the game. The Pistons called a short timeout, but John Kuester wasn’t worried about the sudden shift in pace. The Pistons could handle both fast breaks and half-court plays right now. Compared to that, they were better at fast-paced games. Zhou Yi’s astonishing speed allowed him to complete an attack before the opponents could react.

After the timeout, the Pistons tightened up their defense and no longer showed signs of weakness. The Nets’ starting shooting guard, Anthony Morrow, missed his three-point attempt from beyond the arc, but it led to a defensive foul on Jody Meeks, who made two of three free throws. Ben Gordon’s three-point shot missed, and Greg Monroe grabbed the rebound, passing it to Zhou Yi at the baseline. With no defender in front of him, Zhou Yi took a deep breath and drove the ball smoothly into the basket. Devin Harris tried to drive to the basket but was blocked by Big Ben, who also grabbed the rebound and passed it accurately to Zhou Yi, who scored easily. In the next offensive series, the Nets still failed to score, while the Pistons seized another opportunity to launch a fast break. At the end of the first half, the score was 58-42 in favor of the Pistons, who led by 16 points. Throughout the first half, all the Pistons players performed very well. Greg Monroe had already scored 14 points, grabbed 7 rebounds, and recorded 2 blocks, while Andre Iguodala added 13 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists. McGrady was less successful, hitting just 2 out of 7 shots for 6 points, but he also provided 4 assists. Zhou Yi contributed 11 points, 8 assists, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals. On the Nets’ side, Devin Harris scored 16 points, provided 6 assists, and had 2 steals, while Brook Lopez scored 11 points, grabbed 7 rebounds, and recorded 1 block. Scoring 16 points, 6 assists, and 2 steals in just half a game is already quite impressive for a player. Yet, it didn’t bring any joy to Devin Harris, as the Nets remained behind, and no good stats could compensate for a lack of victory. In the second half, Devin Harris truly exploded, trying to carry his team to victory on his own. With the help of his teammates’ screens and distractions, he kept pouring points into the Pistons’ basket. He also tried several times to provoke Zhou Yi into a one-on-one confrontation, but Zhou Yi remained unfazed by his provocations and continued to organize the team’s offense methodically. The other Pistons players were equally patient, never shooting recklessly, and strictly following the coach’s tactics.

Additionally, Greg Monroe’s power inside was something the Nets’ players simply couldn’t stop. Devin Harris’s efforts kept turning into nothing, with the Pistons maintaining a lead the whole time—the Nets never managed to catch up. Devin Harris drove to the basket, used his teammates’ screens to break through, and scored with an overhand layup. Zhou Yi hit a turnaround jump shot and also drew a foul on Devin Harris, converting the free throw. Devin Harris attacked the basket again but missed this time, though the Nets grabbed an offensive rebound. The ball went back to Devin Harris, who carefully searched for an opportunity to score. “Beep,” the referee called for a three-second violation on the Nets; Derek Favors raised his right hand in frustration. Greg Monroe made a clever pass inside, allowing Andre Iguodala to easily shoot from beyond the three-point line and score. The Auburn Hills Palace erupted in cheers as fans throughout the arena rejoiced. Brook Lopez’s backspin jump shot rotated twice around the rim but still didn’t go in. “Damn it!” Brook Lopez cursed in annoyance—no wonder he was so frustrated when such shots missed. Spencer Hawes snatched the rebound first and passed it quickly; on the Nets’ half of the court, only Andre Iguodala was left running alone, with Hawes passing the ball to him just as he reached the free-throw line. Truly a forceful dunker, he leaped right after taking two steps into the free-throw area. “Thud”—Andre Iguodala’s dunk completely ignited the atmosphere in the Auburn Hills Palace. The Pistons’ players seemed to wake up too, their movements becoming much smoother. As one team rose and the other fell, the Pistons’ morale soared, putting even more pressure on the Nets. Eventually, when the final buzzer sounded, the score read 101:85. The Pistons easily defeated the Nets, extending their winning streak to nine games. Throughout the game, Greg Monroe posted a double-double of 28 points and 15 rebounds. Meanwhile, his average stats rose to 15.1 points and 10.1 rebounds, finally reaching the level expected of a top-tier interior player. Andre Iguodala also had a double-double of 20 points and 10 rebounds; McGrady performed poorly, with a dismal shooting percentage of just 25%, but he provided 8 assists.

Zhou Yi, the key player in this match, also delivered an outstanding performance with 23 points, 14 assists, 7 rebounds, and 3 steals. On the other hand, for the Nets, “Pluto” Devin Harris scored 33 points, 8 assists, and 3 steals on his own. However, these numbers lost their significance since the team failed to win the game. Fans were thrilled by Zhou Yi’s exceptional leadership skills and the Pistons’ overall performance. What made them even happier was that the team won the match. At the end, the players from both teams shook hands in peace. Although the Nets lost the game, they maintained their dignity.

Chapter 311: The Unreliable Jennings After easily defeating the Nets, the Pistons faced the Bucks on back-to-back games on February 6th, Beijing time. After a great start to the season, the Bucks have been struggling recently. In their last ten games, they have only won two, and Milwaukee’s critical media have scrutinized almost every player on the team. The head coach has also openly expressed dissatisfaction with Brandon Jennings, who urgently needs a win to stabilize the increasingly restless team morale. Zhou Yi knows something about Brandon Jennings’ situation. Last year, he was the player who scored 50 points and was among the top three rookies, but he missed out on being named Rookie of the Year due to his inconsistent performance in the second half of last season. Actually, Brandon Jennings has performed well this year, but his poor shooting form has often been criticized. At the start of the season, the Pistons played against the Bucks once, and the Bucks lost that game. After the match, Brandon Jennings even approached Zhou Yi and gave him his phone number. Zhou Yi gave his number as well, and the two occasionally kept in touch, but they weren’t close friends. The biggest problem for the Bucks right now is defense; their offense isn’t really an issue. Last season, they ranked eighth in the league in average points per game, and this season they rose to seventh. Their biggest weakness is defense, as they rank sixth in average points allowed per game. In many games, they collapse at the last moment. It seems that Milwaukee’s media focuses all the blame on the players, ignoring the role of the head coach.

The team’s poor record and numerous issues have arisen, with the Bucks’ starting center, Andrew Bogut, expressing dissatisfaction in public recently. Although his playing time has increased significantly this season and his stats have risen, the team’s performance is what concerns him the most. Over the past few years, he needs to prove he can lead the team to the playoffs and even go further, so as not to be seen as just another mediocre first-round draft pick like Kwame Brown.

For this game, all the Pistons players were in a relaxed state. The Bucks’ current lineup is problematic; the chemistry between Brandon Jennings and Andrew Bogut is far from what people expected, and the Bucks seem to be in big trouble, unable to win either on the road or at home.

Before this game, the Bucks played the Spurs away yesterday, and Brandon Jennings’ outstanding performance did not bring them a victory. In that game, Jennings could have been the team’s savior—5.2 seconds left when he grabbed a rebound and drew a foul, scoring 3 points from free throws, allowing the Bucks to take back the lead. But Bogut’s foul at a critical moment gave Tim Duncan two free throws. Of course, Duncan didn’t miss them, making both.

The Bucks ultimately lost to the Spurs by one point. The Milwaukee Bucks, who were shining at the start of the season, now have a record of 21 wins and 29 losses after most of the season. However, they still have a chance to make the playoffs. They are currently in 10th place in the East, two and a half games behind the 8th-place Bobcats. If they perform well in the remaining games, making the playoffs won’t be difficult.

After arriving in Milwaukee, Zhou Yi also spoke on the phone with Brandon Jennings. Unfortunately, Jennings was in a bad mood and hung up after just a few words of conversation. Zhou Yi understands his mood well—aside from the team’s continuous losses, the team’s attitude toward him has also changed drastically.

After the previous season ended, the team had some complaints about Brandon Jennings, mainly due to his poor shooting form. At the start of this season, the team’s strong performance silenced doubts about them, but this honeymoon period didn’t last long. As the team’s record declined, conflicts between them resurfaced. Before facing the Spurs, Brandon Jennings was fined for missing training and team activities.

Bradley Center no longer has its once-packed attendance. The team’s poor performance has also made fans lose patience with them.

Bradley Center, the Bucks’ home arena, was filled with flowers and banners. Dozens of TV stations, including FOX and ESPN, broadcast the game live.

The Bucks’ starting lineup was: center Andrew Bogut, power forward Ersan Ilyasova, small forward Carlos Delphino, shooting guard Corey Maggetti, and point guard Brandon Jennings.

Andrew Bogut has an excellent center’s build, with outstanding rebounding ability and speed. He is a talent the team is focusing on developing— a rare gem, the No. 1 draft pick in 2006.

The Pistons’ starting five were: center Ben Wallace, power forward Greg Monroe, small forward Andre Iguodala, shooting guard Tracy McGrady, and point guard Zhou Yi.

Greg Monroe easily passed the rebound to Zhou Yi. The moment the ball reached him, a shadow flashed by—a dark hand snatched the ball from his arms in an instant. Zhou Yi was slightly startled but quickly raised the ball high, avoiding the desperate steal.

Without even looking, Zhou Yi knew it had to be Brandon Jennings, the only player on the Bucks with such speed and effective stealing skills.

Fortunately, it was him who lost the ball. If it had been someone slower, the ball might have changed hands.

Taking advantage of the situation, he easily bypassed Brandon Jennings. Jennings’ height limited his defensive performance.

His lightning-fast speed and sudden steals were his most common and powerful defensive weapons. However, relying too much on steals meant he could be easily outmaneuvered if he missed, especially against a skilled playmaker like Zhou Yi.

Facing Corey Maggetti’s help defense, Zhou Yi wore a relaxed smile. Among the Bucks’ players, the only one who truly posed a threat to him was Brandon Jennings.

Zhou Yi passed the ball from behind, skillfully delivering it to McGrady on the right wing, who easily threw it into the basket.
With the Pistons, McGrady was playing more and more comfortably. Back with the Rockets, he often had to step up and force shots, but his declining physical condition meant he no longer had the same advantage in one-on-one matchups as before.
Now with the Pistons, players like Zhou Yi, Andre Iguodala, and even Greg Monroe were those who needed to be tightly guarded. He just needed to go to his strong side, and Zhou Yi’s passes would always break through obstacles to reach him. He was well aware of the praise from the media; he knew his own strength best, and the Pistons’ tactical system maximized his abilities.
Brandon Jennings was the type of player who needed to adjust his shooting rhythm while holding the ball, so he always needed relative possession on the court.
Using his teammates’ screens, Brandon Jennings quickly moved to the side and shot from beyond the three-point line. The ball traced a beautiful arc through the air before swishing through the net.
“This guy’s touch is really good today!!” Zhou Yi couldn’t help but exclaim.
Quickly bringing the ball across half-court, Zhou Yi saw that Brandon Jennings was still guarding him, and a hint of seriousness appeared in his eyes.
Zhou Yi accelerated his breakthrough, feigned a shot before actually passing the ball to Greg Monroe inside. After catching it, Monroe pushed aside Eisen Iliasova and dunked with one hand.
“Bang, bang, bang”—Brandon Jennings suddenly sped up his ball-handling rhythm. He knew well that once they were face to face, with Zhou Yi’s excellent defensive skills, quick reflexes, and natural explosiveness, it wouldn’t be easy for him to get past Zhou Yi’s defense. Only when there was still some distance between them, creating a timing advantage, did Brandon Jennings have confidence in his initial speed.
With skilled crossover moves, his lean shoulders constantly making feints before breaking through, Zhou Yi remained highly focused, not daring to be careless for even a moment.
Suddenly, Brandon Jennings took a jump shot from beyond the three-point line. Zhou Yi wasn’t quick enough to react; by the time he reached out to block it, Brandon Jennings had already shot.
“Swish”—another jarring sound for Zhou Yi.
After hitting another three-pointer, the home crowd erupted into deafening cheers.
6:4—the Bucks led by 2 points temporarily.

Zhou Yi stood frozen in place, staring at Brandon Jennings, who still had his hand raised, his face filled with surprise.
“Did this guy take Viagra today?” Greg Monroe said to Zhou Yi as he passed by him.
Zhou Yi nodded as well. Though he didn’t say it out loud, he had similar thoughts.
Receiving the serve from Ben Wallace at the baseline, Zhou Yi slowly drove the ball toward the Bucks’ half-court. He broke through with the ball and decisively passed it to McGrady, who was cutting toward the basket from the middle, but McGrady’s layup missed, and Andrew Bogut secured the defensive rebound.
After receiving the pass from Andrew Bogut, Brandon Jennings rushed quickly toward the Pistons’ half-court. Outside the Pistons’ three-point line, Brandon Jennings tried a shot, but Zhou Yi remained unmoved. So Brandon Jennings jumped up and shot another three-pointer.
“Swish!”
Even with his good temper, Zhou Yi couldn’t help but exclaim a word.
“Damn!”
Chapter 312: Finally, No More Meltdowns
Seeing Brandon Jennings score repeatedly in front of him, even Zhou Yi, with his good temper, couldn’t help but curse.
Three three-pointers—9 points in total. In the blink of an eye, this guy had scored 9 points right in front of him. Was this still the same Brandon Jennings who was criticized for his shooting?
Zhou Yi shook his head vigorously, then took a deep breath. He received the serve from Greg Monroe at the baseline. As he moved toward the Bucks’ half-court, his gaze met John Kuester’s.
Seeing John Kuester nod at him, Zhou Yi knew he had to respond—otherwise, it would be too unfair to his coach, teammates, and fans who trusted him.
“Damn, if I don’t show you some strength, do you really think I’m Hello Kitty?” Zhou Yi muttered to himself.
He changed direction, then again—using an Iverson-style move known as the “Butterfly Step.” Brandon Jennings was certainly familiar with this move. Knowing well what it was, he understood that stopping this guy completely wasn’t easy—no, it was extremely difficult.
The best way to deal with Zhou Yi was to restrict his breakthroughs and cut off his connection with the other players.

Before the game against the Pistons, Brandon Jennings had done thorough research. In their last encounter, he was completely outmatched by Zhou Yi. So this time, he wasn’t willing to let that tragedy repeat. Thanks to his extensive preparation, he managed to score repeatedly against Zhou Yi in the first few minutes of the game.

With his slightly crouched stance, Brandon Jennings felt as though every move he made was under his control.

Zhou Yi was the type of player who grew stronger when faced with challenges. When he first met Kobe, he performed well but still lost the game. In his own eyes, he seemed extremely fragile and weak. This fueled his determination, and when he met Kobe again, he not only recorded nearly a quadruple-double but also led his team to a decisive victory over the Lakers.

Zhou Yi accelerated instantly—so fast that it was like a flash of lightning before Brandon Jennings could react. He saw Zhou Yi’s ghostly figure zip past him. Zhou Yi executed a quick stop-and-jump shot; the ball hit the backboard and then fell through the net.

Brandon Jennings gave Zhou Yi a deep glance before taking the ball to organize an attack.

Faced with Zhou Yi’s defense, Brandon Jennings responded with speed as well. A crossover move allowed him to get half a step ahead of Zhou Yi. A surge of joy filled him—each successful breakthrough felt like creating a masterpiece, bringing him immense satisfaction, especially when facing a player like Zhou Yi who combined defense and speed.

Brandon Jennings’ breakthroughs made John Kuester stand up anxiously. On the current Bucks team, the only player he really worried about was Brandon Jennings—his relentless breakthroughs were something no one could afford to underestimate. On the Pistons’ team, the only one who could keep up with him was Zhou Yi. But unexpectedly, in their first encounter, Zhou Yi was easily outmaneuvered.

Looking at the basket right in front of him, Brandon Jennings took a quick stop-and-jump shot, but the ball slipped from his fingers quickly.

Suddenly, a tall figure leaped up from behind Brandon Jennings. The moment the ball left his hands, a dark shadow enveloped him in mid-air.

“Thwack”—the ball, struck, flew out of bounds even faster.

Brandon Jennings gave Zhou Yi another deep glance before turning and heading toward the top of the key. His mood was extremely uneasy—he had always been wary of Zhou Yi’s speed, but he hadn’t expected Zhou Yi’s explosive power and jumping ability to exceed his assumptions. He had already been half a body length ahead earlier, yet Zhou Yi still managed to catch up and deliver a solid block from behind. The Bucks quickly issued a sideline pass; since the previous attack had taken up a lot of time, there was little time left for an offensive play after that. After catching the ball, Brandon Jennings attempted a three-point shot. However, Zhou Yi was prepared—although he couldn’t block the shot, it was enough to prevent Brandon Jennings from making it. Sure enough, there was a loud “clang” as Brandon Jennings’s shot missed the rim. Greg Monroe pushed aside Ersan Ilyasova to grab the rebound, but just as he did, the referee’s whistle blew. The referee signaled to the stats board—Ersan Ilyasova had pushed Greg Monroe while trying to grab the rebound, resulting in a foul. “Bitch, you can’t get a rebound even when you foul!” Greg Monroe muttered under his breath. Fortunately, his voice was low; otherwise, if Ersan Ilyasova had heard it, it might have escalated into a fight. The Pistons now had possession. Zhou Yi drove to the basket, passed the ball skillfully to Andre Iguodala, who then hit a jump shot from the baseline. 9:8—the Pistons were still one point behind. “Nice… Brandon Jennings drives… gets past, and despite Greg Monroe’s block, he manages to score with a throw from mid-air!” the Bucks’ on-court DJ exclaimed excitedly. Zhou Yi ignored Brandon Jennings’s provocative gaze and, with a simple screen from James Posey, easily passed the ball to McGrady, helping him hit a long-range shot. Zhou Yi stepped back, blocking Brandon Jennings’s path. Brandon Jennings couldn’t stop—he had tried to change direction to get past Zhou Yi but failed. He only managed to get a chance to drive after Carlos Delphino set a screen, but Zhou Yi wisely stepped back, anticipating his route and once again preventing him from breaking through.

As time passed by, Brandon Jennings reluctantly passed the ball. Sometimes he really had to admire Zhou Yi—he always knew his role in the game and never tried to show off. Yet he was the most crucial element in defense, a task many players were unwilling to undertake. It’s hard to have outstanding performances in defense, and a defender’s ability isn’t solely reflected in stats like steals and blocks. Take Bruce Bowen from the former San Antonio Spurs, for example; throughout his career, his average per-game blocks and steals never exceeded one, yet no one could deny his defensive skills. Even superstars like Kobe and McGrady, at the peak of their careers, didn’t perform as well against Bowen—indeed, they were far from their usual brilliance.

Zhou Yi’s defensive abilities had already been recognized by most people by the first half of the season. Although stats like steals and blocks don’t fully reflect a player’s defensive strength, they can still give a clear picture of one’s capabilities. With an average of 2.9 steals and 1.2 blocks per game, could you say Zhou Yi’s numbers were artificially inflated?

With no offensive opportunities inside, the ball was passed to the outside. Brandon Jennings felt frustrated. If you guys don’t have a chance, I don’t either—that kid keeps following me. As time continued to run out and his teammates still hadn’t created any open shots, Brandon Jennings made up his mind and took a quick stop-and-shoot attempt. His release speed was still very fast, so Zhou Yi failed to block the shot. However, due to Zhou Yi’s interference, Brandon Jennings’s shot missed again.

Andre Iguodala jumped high to grab the defensive rebound and passed the ball to Zhou Yi. Brandon Jennings tried to rush over to steal the ball, but Zhou Yi turned his back on him. As a result, Brandon Jennings hit Zhou Yi’s back, and of course, the referee saw this. Yet the referee didn’t call a foul. Seeing that the referee wasn’t about to call a penalty, Zhou Yi frowned slightly. But he didn’t show any reaction—after all, this was the Bucks’ home court.

The referee’s whistle blew, and Zhou Yi’s fierce breakthrough disrupted the Bucks’ defense significantly. Even Brandon Jennings’ close marking couldn’t fully contain him, and with help from other Pistons players, Zhou Yi quickly broke through to the paint, forcing Andrew Bogut into a defensive foul. Taking a deep breath, Zhou Yi calmly made both free throws. His streak of successful free throws had already broken the historical record—97 times—while now it stood at 223; adding the two just made it 225. Such a record left other players in awe. At the start of the season, Zhou Yi hadn’t adapted well to NBA play, so his free-throw shooting wasn’t great. But later, his performance improved, and his free-throw percentage now led the league at 95.6%. With a score of 10:9, the Pistons took a 1-point lead. Seeing the Pistons gaining control of the game, the Bucks’ head coach Scott Skiles quickly called a timeout. “Damn, that guy finally stopped being erratic!” Will Bynum said to Zhou Yi and the others as they returned to the bench. Hearing Will Bynum’s words, everyone smiled—they knew exactly who he was referring to. Zhou Yi took a drink from Xiang Yun’s hand, took a big gulp, then sat down to enjoy some rest. Chapter 313: Half-Time Lead. After the timeout, the Pistons replaced James Posey with Tracy McGrady, Andre Iguodala with Ben Gordon, and Greg Monroe with Charlie Villanueva. On the Bucks’ side, Carlos Delphino was replaced by Chris Douglas-Roberts, and Corey Maggetti by John Salmons. Once play resumed, the Bucks failed to change the situation and even performed worse than before. Although their defense hadn’t been good earlier, their offense had been decent. But after the timeout, they not only struggled defensively but also lost their offensive edge, allowing the Pistons to widen the gap quickly. With 5.3 seconds left in the first quarter, the Pistons’ Charlie Villanueva hit a last-second three-pointer from just two steps from the three-point line. Then, as the clock ran out, the Pistons ended the first quarter leading the Bucks 29:21 by 8 points.

John Kuster clapped his hands lightly and said, “Everyone did an excellent job just now, successfully containing the Bucks’ counterattacks. Although their star point guard, Brandon Jennings, hit three three-pointers in a row at the start of the game, giving them the upper hand, that’s not a problem. All we need is a victory.” Of the Bucks’ 21 points in the first quarter, Brandon Jennings scored 12 by himself, but his assist count was a dismal 1.
Zhou Yi kept wiping the sweat from his face. He truly admired Brandon Jennings’ incredible stamina. From the start of the game, Brandon Jennings was almost constantly running around the court, with frequent sudden bursts of speed, yet his energy remained high. It’s hard to imagine what kind of amazing energy lies within his slender frame.