Chapter 136

After the start of the third quarter, John Kuester opted for a smaller lineup, with Zhou Yi, Dwyane Wade, Tracy McGrady, LeBron James, and Dwight Howard on the court. A 20-point deficit left no room for fun for the Western All-Stars, especially for those aiming for MVP honors, who clearly stepped up from the beginning of the second half. Yao Ming first pressured Dwight Howard inside and scored with a dunk; their confrontation was one of the highlights of the game, with both scoring almost entirely through dunks. Zhou Yi quickly drove the ball across half-court and, seeing Dwight Howard constantly blocking his path inside, smiled to himself—these two were really giving it their all. He was quite interested in their rivalry and passed the ball swiftly to Dwight Howard with a high bounce pass. The pass was masterful, arriving just as Dwight Howard turned to brace himself, allowing him to use his shoulders to push Yao Ming aside and gain some space to jump under the basket. Dwight Howard, like a tiger descending from the mountains, roared under the basket, his massive frame leaping into the air. Tim Duncan, who was trying to defend him, couldn’t stop him and was instead called for a blocking foul. With such a large deficit, the Western All-Stars appeared anxious, the game was chaotic, with little coherent offense, and their defense was virtually non-existent. After all, they were facing an enhanced version of the Pistons—a team with even more aggressive offense and significantly improved defense. Their continuous fast breaks left the Western All-Stars struggling to keep up. “Swish”—Zhou Yi hit a three-pointer from the baseline. It was his 23rd point of the game, and he was the only player so far to reach a double-double. More importantly, he was just one rebound away from becoming the second player in All-Star history to achieve a triple-double. Meanwhile, the Eastern All-Stars led by 25 points.

John Kuster was already very satisfied with this score. Watching the players warming up on the sidelines, Zhou Yi knew John Kuster was preparing to make changes to the lineup. He had already played for 24 minutes that day, so he would definitely be substituted this time, with little chance of coming back in. After all, although previous All-Star games were highly entertaining, when it came to the critical final quarter and the honor of winning, the players would invariably give their all. But with the East having such a large lead, there probably wouldn’t be any suspense left in the fourth quarter.

This time, the offensive possession was in the hands of the West All-Star team, with “Little Flying Man” Kobe responsible for controlling the ball. Kobe quickly broke through the interior from the left, and the East All-Stars couldn’t react in time. By this point in the game, they didn’t need to play as hard as their opponents. However, Dwight Howard clearly didn’t want to let the opponents get away with it. He had already anticipated their attack route and positioned himself early, preventing Kobe, who was jumping from the mid-court, from dodging and causing him to fall to the ground. Yet in the last moment, he still managed to shoot the ball. This was the style of All-Star games—taking control from start to finish. In a real game, passing would be the first and only commendable choice under such circumstances. But in All-Star matchups, this kind of situation was common. And don’t forget that Kobe’s position on the court was point guard; if even he was reluctant to pass, how much more so would others?

After the ball hit the front of the backboard, it bounced back toward the middle court at even greater speed. Zhou Yi, who was at the top of the key, watched helplessly as the ball landed in his hands. He never expected his triple-double to come this way. The moment the rebound was in Zhou Yi’s hands, the entire arena became lively, and even more so was the speed of its spread online. Tens of millions of fans in China were watching this game.

Starting from the second half, the CCTV studio displayed Zhou Yi’s statistics in a prominent position on the broadcast screen. Every time Zhou Yi took a three-point shot and hit it, all the fans’ hearts tightened in anticipation. A historic moment could happen at any second, and they didn’t want to miss that wonderful instant. For that rebound, Zhou Yi was already positioned quite far out. Even though Kobe’s shot hit the front of the backboard, few people optimistically thought Zhou Yi could grab it. But dramatic changes often occur in moments when most people aren’t paying attention. In the blink of an eye, the ball appeared in Zhou Yi’s hands.

“Triple-double!” The broadcast screen of the CCTV channel immediately displayed Zhou Yi’s stats: “23 points, 13 assists, 10 rebounds, 4 steals.” These impressive figures affected the live broadcast, but none of the domestic fans complained, as it was a historic moment for Chinese fans.

The game was paused, and when it resumed, the Eastern All-Stars made adjustments to their lineup. Zhou Yi was eventually taken off the court. Domestic fans were secretly relieved—had it not been for that unexpected rebound, Zhou Yi’s all-star triple-double might have been ruined.

The Eastern All-Stars dominated the game, with Ray Allen’s three-point shots thwarting the Western team’s repeated attempts to fight back. By the end of this quarter, the Eastern All-Stars led by 31 points, having made 48 shots and recorded 37 assists.

With the outcome already decided, the fourth quarter became a showcase. With the MVP almost certain, scoring continued to be the main focus. Kobe scored several points at the start of the fourth quarter, surpassing Zhou Yi and LeBron James in points.

With 3:49 left in the game, Kobe hit a three-pointer, bringing his total to 33 points. After LeBron James scored with a powerful dunk, he tied Kobe at 33 points. But Kobe soon surpassed him again with another dunk.

In the final quarter, Zhou Yi played only four minutes, scoring no points or rebounds, but he had a strong performance in assists and rebounds. He raised his assist total to 17, especially after driving to the paint, throwing the ball high to help LeBron James jump and score with a double dunk, earning loud applause. His rebound total also rose to 13.

The Eastern All-Stars ultimately defeated the Western All-Stars 156:142. Throughout the game, the Eastern All-Stars launched 53 attacks, far outnumbering the Western team’s 36.

Fortunately, all 24 star players who participated scored at least one point.

Kobe scored 38 points, the highest in the game, and had a good chance of winning the MVP award at this All-Star Game. However, since the Western Stars lost the match, he had to give up his MVP title to Zhou Yi. At just 19 years old, Zhou Yi became the youngest All-Star Game MVP in league history.

The three-day All-Star Weekend has come to an end. The All-Stars who showed their best on the court will now embark on new challenges, facing even tougher matches and more intense competition ahead.

Chapter 338: Meeting Yao Ming Again, Another Derby

The All-Star Weekend is over. On February 23rd, Beijing time, the Detroit Pistons hosted the Houston Rockets, and the TV station arranged a live broadcast of this game.

They had already met during the All-Star games—Zhou Yi and Yao Ming were opponents back then, and they remain opponents today. The two teams faced each other once last December, with the Pistons emerging as the winners.

Now, with the Rockets coming to town, they are determined to avenge that loss.

The commentators appearing for domestic fans were Yu Jia and Zhang Weiping.

“Good morning, friends watching at home. Welcome to this game. Today, my colleague Zhang and I will bring you an exciting NBA match between two of the most popular teams in China right now—the Pistons and the Rockets. Zhang, what’s your opinion on this game?” Yu Jia got straight to the point.

“Ladies and gentlemen, both teams are in great form. The Rockets have had an excellent record in the second half of the season, while the Pistons, needless to say, are on a 15-game winning streak. It’s worth mentioning that during the All-Star games a few days ago, Zhou Yi delivered an amazing triple-double, becoming the second player in NBA history to do so at an All-Star game. The first was the basketball god Michael Jordan. But Jordan wasn’t as lucky as Zhou Yi, as he didn’t win the All-Star Game MVP. In addition to Zhou Yi and Yao Ming facing off, McGrady and Yao Ming, those brothers, will also meet again. I believe today’s game will be a fierce competition,” Zhang said, clearly excited.

During the pre-game warm-up, Zhou Yi simply shot a few three-pointers.

Ever since he stepped onto the court, the media’s attention has been focused on him. It wasn’t his first time playing under such scrutiny, but it was the first time he received such attention even before the game started.

Since the All-Star Game ended, Zhou Yi has had no free time at all. The news about him on the internet has exploded, and the calls from relatives and friends have left him exhausted.
“The game is about to start, and both teams’ starting five are already on the court,” Yu Jia said excitedly. Suddenly, her tone changed, becoming highly enthusiastic: “Zhou Yi and Yao Ming have joined hands. These two Chinese players, with their outstanding performances, have helped their teams achieve good results this season. The two teams are now ranked first in the East and sixth in the West.”
The Rockets’ starting five are: center Yao Ming, power forward Luis Scola, small forward Shawn Battier, shooting guard Kevin Martin, and point guard Kyle Lowry.
The Pistons’ starting lineup is: 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 ball to Zhou Yi. Domestic fans watching on TV couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. Yao Ming’s lack of jumping ability had severely affected his performance in rebounding. As the tallest player in the league, Yao Ming’s rebound success rate was barely around 50%, which was by no means ideal.
Fortunately, domestic fans had gotten used to it, and over time, they could overlook his shortcomings in rebounding.
Zhou Yi quickly stabilized the ball and signaled everyone to quickly penetrate into the Rockets’ half-court. He himself made it across half-court despite interference from Kyle Lowry.
Once across half-court, Zhou Yi swiftly passed the ball to McGrady. His amazing performance this season had made McGrady the focus of the Rockets’ defense. Rick Adelman even assigned Shawn Battier to guard McGrady in a one-on-one matchup.
Shawn Battier is best known for his individual defensive skills. Four years at Duke University taught him how to defend opponents effectively and how personal defense and team defense complement each other. His excellent footwork allows him to keep up with forwards who switch positions, his good basketball IQ helps him judge when the opponent will shoot, and his decent strength enables him to defend power forwards who rely on outside shooting. Moreover, Shawn Battier’s ability to help defend is first-class—he is truly a rare talent on defense.
McGrady didn’t hold onto the ball too long and gave the first offensive opportunity to the interior players.

Greg Monroe held the ball in his right hand and gave a tentative push from behind him; it was the Rockets’ Luis Scola standing behind him. With average physical strength and an aging body, he was relatively vulnerable in physical confrontations. Monroe’s tentative maneuvering actually revealed a slight wobble in Scola’s steps. Delighted, Monroe unleashed a fierce burst of strength. Scola was good at using his extensive experience and sharp mind to compensate for his physical shortcomings to some extent. Yet Monroe’s sudden force still pushed him back involuntarily. Monroe then turned halfway and hooked the ball in, helping his team score first.

Kyle Lowry dominated the first half, easily dodging Zhou Yi’s several attempts at steals. Using his teammates’ screens, Lowry simply moved slightly and changed direction to get past Zhou Yi. Before McGrady could cover him, he passed the ball to Kevin Martin at the top of the key. By the time the ball reached Kevin Martin, Zhou Yi had already rushed over quickly. At the moment Lowry broke through, Zhou Yi noticed Kevin Martin’s reverse movement, broke free from the Pistons’ defense, and promptly closed in.

Kevin Martin remained calm, showing no signs of frustration. Taking advantage of Zhou Yi’s forward lunge, he gently shook his wrist, and the ball quickly flew from Zhou Yi’s right side to Yao Ming in the paint. After several tentative attacks, Dabben’s defensive skills were exceptionally strong. No matter how Yao Ming moved, he tightly controlled the area just outside the three-point line. Yao Ming didn’t force a shot and immediately passed the ball out. At the left wing baseline, Kevin Martin caught the ball and, taking advantage of the Pistons’ delayed defense, leaped high. With a gentle shake of his wrist, the basketball shot out from his fingertips, spinning rapidly in the air.

“Bang,” the ball hit the front of the rim and bounced back above it. The players at the basket were already focused on the ball in the air, bending slightly with their bodies taut like drawn bows, ready to shoot as soon as the ball landed. Leveraging his height advantage, Yao Ming secured the offensive rebound and followed up with a putback, sending the ball into the basket.

Today, the Pistons played patiently with their passing, showing no recklessness in the face of the Rockets’ meticulous defense. Greg Monroe’s inside possession drew two Rockets defenders, and with a pass from a tight angle under the basket, he passed the ball to Big Ben. Kyle Lowry didn’t dare slack off and immediately rushed in to provide extra defense.

Seeing Kyle Lowry drawn in, Big Ben didn’t rush to shoot but waited until he was close before launching a high pass. The ball traced a beautiful parabolic path through the air and landed in Zhou Yi’s hands at the right wing baseline. With no defenders around, Zhou Yi slowly jumped up beyond the three-point line, gently shook his wrist, and the orange basketball shot out swiftly from his fingertips. “Swish!” The ball went through the net! “Great job, Zhou!” Big Ben excitedly gave Zhou Yi a thumbs up. Zhou Yi smiled slightly before running back to defend with his teammates.

The Rockets continued to rely on set plays in their offense. Once Yao Ming was in position inside, Kyle Lowry threw a high pass into the paint. As soon as Yao Ming caught the ball, Greg Monroe and Ben Wallace immediately surrounded him for defense. Unable to find an opportunity to score, Yao Ming passed the ball to Luis Scola, who was near the free-throw line. After receiving the pass, Scola immediately attempted a mid-range shot. “Swish!” The ball went in, and Yao Ming earned an assist as well.

On the Pistons’ offense, Andre Iguodala drove with the ball and passed it out of bounds, giving the Rockets possession. However, Luis Scola seemed to understand Chinese etiquette well and knew to return the favor. Scola faced off one-on-one with Greg Monroe under the basket. Naturally, his strength wasn’t comparable to Monroe’s, so he had to rely on his Argentine-style footwork. After several feints, Greg Monroe was indeed confused by him. Ironically, Monroe got confused himself, and the referee immediately called a traveling violation against him. The home crowd couldn’t help but laugh at this scene.

Zhou Yi also had some understanding of Scola’s footwork. But seeing Scola return the ball to their side, Zhou Yi couldn’t help but smile. This time, the Pistons seized the opportunity and didn’t waste the Rockets’ kindness. Zhou Yi made a clever pass to Greg Monroe, helping his teammate score with a alley-oop dunk.

On the Rockets’ side, Kevin Martin tried to draw a foul from Zhou Yi from beyond the three-point line, but Zhou Yi wasn’t fooled. After passing the ball inside, Kevin Martin moved to the side to receive a pass from the interior and then shot from beyond the three-point line. Unfortunately, Zhou Yi’s defensive response was timely, and Kevin Martin’s shot missed. McGrady fought hard to secure the defensive rebound. …
With Kevin Martin’s long shot going awry, the Pistons took a 29–21 lead, eight points ahead of the Rockets, at the end of the first quarter. During this quarter, the Pistons’ defense had a clear goal: to strictly control the coordination between Yao Ming and Kevin Martin. They used double-team tactics against Yao Ming and limited Kevin Martin’s shooting attempts, forcing him to shoot from beyond the three-point line. No one can deny Kevin Martin’s outstanding performance from beyond the three-point line, but his shooting percentage there was only about 34–35%. Coupled with Zhou Yi’s constant pressure, his performance in the first quarter was average—he attempted four three-point shots and made only one. The Rockets as a whole struggled from outside, hitting just two of seven three-point attempts, compared to the Pistons’ four of six, resulting in lower offensive efficiency.
Chapter 339: Adelman’s Frustration
The CCTV broadcast room promptly displayed the stats of the two Chinese players. Although they played different positions and didn’t even have a direct matchup once in the first quarter, domestic fans still wanted to see a comparison between them. Yao Ming was taken off the court early after playing six minutes in the first quarter, while Zhou Yi played for just over seven minutes. Yao Ming made three out of five shots in the first quarter, along with three free throws, scoring the team’s highest score of 9 points. However, he didn’t do much in terms of rebounds, with only three. Zhou Yi’s performance wasn’t great either—he made two out of three shots, scoring 5 points, and added three assists. But since he focused more on defense, his stats appeared average. For domestic fans, the first quarter was unsatisfying, as neither of the two Chinese players had particularly outstanding performances.

Kyle Lowry quickly drove the ball across half-court, but the opportunity he hoped for never came. Zhou Yi appeared in front of him right away. Faced with Zhou Yi’s meticulous defense, Kyle Lowry couldn’t afford to slack off in the slightest. In their first encounter, he was clearly at a disadvantage. Zhou Yi’s excellence wasn’t just evident in passing and scoring; his defensive performance was equally outstanding. So far this season, he leads the league with 3.1 steals, holding a significant advantage. Mike Conley, in second place, has only 2.8 steals, while his 1.3 blocks also ranks him among the top 24 in the league.

Seeing Kyle Lowry fail several times to break through, Yao Ming quickly pulled him back and set up a simple pick-and-roll with him.

Although Zhou Yi had anticipated this move, when facing Yao Ming, he was completely blocked, watching helplessly as Kyle Lowry passed the ball to the interior. Luis Scola successfully retrieved the ball after cutting back from the baseline and passed it to Kevin Martin on the outside, who scored with a mid-range jump shot.

Watching his opponent’s smooth offense, Zhou Yi’s fighting spirit grew even stronger. However, he didn’t expect Greg Monroe to be equally furious at that moment. The more intense their determination, the calmer their expressions became. They exchanged a slight smile: The game had just begun—time to show the opponent who truly ruled this court. At the Pistons’ home court, no matter who the opponent was, even the fiercest warriors had to stay subdued. The league’s top home-court advantage wouldn’t tolerate any recklessness, not even from Yao Ming’s Rockets.

With the ball in the Pistons’ possession, Zhou Yi quickly drove it across half-court. Compared to the Rockets’ defense, their offensive capabilities were slightly weaker, especially in terms of overall team speed. The Pistons had a slight edge, as the Rockets’ two guards were rather slow. Their success relied more on teamwork and the excellent tactics of veteran coach Adelman.

Zhou Yi didn’t seem eager to break through and lingered slightly at the top of the arc. Though it was only for a brief moment, it was enough for the Rockets’ players to react. Kyle Lowry spread his arms, bent his upper body, and fixed his dark eyes on Zhou Yi, especially his shoulder movements—any player’s action could be detected from the movement of their shoulders. Some players who were good at breaking through kept their shoulder movements more concealed, and combined with prior feints, it gave them an unpredictable appearance. Being able to accurately judge an attacking player’s next move is a basic skill every defender should possess.

“Right side, no, left side.” Zhou Yi’s shoulders moved frequently, and worse, his movements were very smooth, making it impossible for Kyle Lowry to make an accurate judgment.

“Scritch.” The sound of sneakers rubbing against the floor allowed Kyle Lowry to accurately determine Zhou Yi’s direction of breakthrough—it was definitely the right wing.

“Hmph.” Two bodies collided, and both of them let out a low groan.

Zhou Yi didn’t expect his opponent’s body to be so tough. But while Zhou Yi smiled faintly, Kyle Lowry’s expression darkened instantly. By now, Zhou Yi’s hands were empty—the ball had disappeared without a trace.

“Swish.” McGrady easily hit a three-pointer from a 45-degree angle on the left wing.

Watching Zhou Yi quickly defend, Kyle Lowry felt deeply moved. He had always been envious of Zhou Yi’s outstanding performance this season, but he didn’t think he was inferior to him—just that he hadn’t had good opportunities, and the team had been plagued by injuries. After intense training over the summer, his confidence grew even stronger.

With the switch between offense and defense, the Rockets quickly drove the ball past the half-court line.

Kyle Lowry stared at Zhou Yi, who was ready at the three-point line, his gaze slightly tense. In their first round of confrontation, both had scored, but he had scored indirectly with the help of his teammate’s pick-and-roll. Compared to Zhou Yi’s precise passing, he was clearly at a disadvantage. For the confident Kyle Lowry, the face he had lost needed to be regained through the game.

The Rockets’ offensive pace wasn’t fast, and Kyle Lowry’s several attempts to break through wasted time. By the time the ball reached Shawn Battier, only six seconds remained in the offensive clock.

Seeing that the Rockets had little time left, Shawn Battier took the ball and decisively drove inward. Andre Iguodala immediately stepped up to guard him closely, using his longer upper arms to block Shawn Battier’s path.

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

With a thud, Luis Scola caught the ball and immediately shot after turning around, having only two seconds left for an attack. Unfortunately, Greg Monroe’s extremely long arms almost completely blocked his view, preventing him from seeing the location of the basket clearly. He could only shoot by feel, sending the ball to bounce high off the front of the backboard.

Two Rockets big men were competing for the rebound at the same time, with Greg Monroe trapped in between. He barely managed to get space to jump, but it was obvious that with three players surrounding him, his chances of successfully grabbing the rebound were slim.

Rick Adelman stood by the side with his arms crossed, watching the game calmly. He was confident about the team’s offensive rebounds, as the Rockets had consistently ranked among the top in the league this season. With Yao Ming leading the team’s interior players in rebounding efforts, few teams in the league could match them.

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

The moment Greg Monroe’s fingers touched the ball, he realized that even if he grabbed the rebound, he would likely be trapped between the opposing players, making it difficult to pass the ball. So he simply pushed it away in mid-air, trusting that his teammate Zhou Yi could easily catch it.

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

John Kuester sighed inwardly. Greg Monroe’s decision earlier had been wise, but bad luck played a role—the force used was too much. Otherwise, it would have been a perfect fast-break opportunity. By now, McGrady had already entered the Rockets’ half of the court, while the opposing half was empty.

Giving up easily is definitely not Zhou Yi’s personality. As he himself said, his parents didn’t give him any basketball talent; the only thing they passed on to him was an indomitable will.

Seeing the ball about to fly over the baseline, Zhou Yi leaped up, almost hovering in the air. At the exact moment the ball crossed the line, he caught it and, with a swift throw, sent it across half the court to McGrady, completing a brilliant defensive counterattack.

Seeing the Pistons launching such a strong attack right at the start of the second quarter, Rick Adelman called a timeout.

When play resumed, the Rockets’ lineup remained unchanged, but they focused more on strong interior play, passing the ball more often to Yao Ming.

Kyle Lowry quickly passed the ball once he reached the halfway line. Zhou Yi’s watchful gaze made him nervous—during several of his previous attempts to break through, Zhou Yi nearly snatched the ball from him, but fortunately, his reaction was fast enough.

Sean Battier passed the ball as soon as he got it, handing it to Louis Scola in the paint. Yao Ming and Kevin Martin rushed back down the baseline. Yao Ming gently blocked Greg Monroe’s path, then flicked his wrist, sending the ball swiftly to Kevin Martin’s hands. Using his body as cover, Kevin Martin threw the ball high to the left wing. Greg Monroe watched helplessly as the ball flew over his head; trapped by Yao Ming, he could only watch as the ball went through the net.

Pistons head coach John Kuester shook his head in frustration. The Rockets truly were a team play. Kuester also noticed Greg Monroe’s predicament and kept shouting from the sidelines, urging the Pistons to shift their attack outward and draw out the Rockets’ interior players.

Zhou Yi quickly passed the ball. McGrady caught it and immediately shot. His hasty attempt surprised Kevin Martin, who stepped forward to defend. Thanks to his long reach, he managed to block McGrady’s shooting position just in time.

Seeing Kevin Martin’s anxious expression, McGrady smiled slightly. His hands, ready to shoot, suddenly dropped, he reversed his wrist, and passed the ball—his movements were seamless.

Rick Adelman stood up in surprise from the bench. In the direction McGrady passed the ball, a Pistons player moved quickly—it was Zhou Yi, who had been his biggest concern.

“Swish”—catching the ball, stepping back, jumping, shooting—Zhou Yi’s entire shooting motion was fluid and effortless, a true visual delight. The fans at the Auburn Hills Palace surely didn’t hesitate to cheer and applaud.

“Swish” — another quick pass inside by the Rockets, a pick-and-roll setup, though this time it was Yao Ming who executed the attack. Zhou Yi drove to the basket and passed the ball, with McGrady hitting a three-pointer from the right wing. In the following minutes, the Pistons shifted all their offensive efforts to the outside, but Rick Adelman didn’t pay much attention to this. The Rockets stuck to their own playing style; his idea was simple — three-pointers require opportunities to shoot. The Rockets’ two guards did their best to create trouble for the opponents, but the Pistons’ outside shooters were struggling, though this was only temporary. As the game progressed, their shooting would surely improve. Another key factor for hitting many three-pointers was securing rebounds inside. Right now, the Rockets’ three interior players, including Yao Ming, had taken care of most of the rebounds. John Kuester was also very worried — the team was focusing almost all of its offense on the outside. Once the players’ shooting form dipped, the team would undoubtedly fall into a disadvantageous position. And the experienced Rick Adelman, watching the Pistons’ barrage of three-pointers from the sidelines, showed no intention of pulling back his defense. “Swish” — with Zhou Yi hitting another three-pointer, Rick Adelman finally couldn’t hold back and called another timeout. Sitting on the bench, Zhou Yi took a deep breath. That three-pointer was a fluke — he completely lost his balance, and the feel of the shot wasn’t great either, but thankfully it still went in. The previous playing style put unprecedented pressure on Zhou Yi. Constantly forcing attacks from the outside was a huge psychological test for the players. Throughout the game, Zhou Yi had been holding his breath. The Rockets made some lineup changes, with Aaron Brooks replacing Kyle Lowry and Chuck Hayes replacing Luis Scola. For the Rockets’ offense, Yao Ming caught the ball inside and completed the attack with a hook shot. Andre Iguodala’s mid-range jump shot missed, and “thud” — Greg Monroe pushed his way past the Rockets’ interior players and easily grabbed an offensive rebound. As the Rockets shifted their defensive focus outward, Greg Monroe had more room to operate. Whether in offense or defense, he felt liberated. After landing, Greg Monroe suddenly used his back strength to push Yao Ming out of the paint. With his strong physique, he leaped high. Faced with Chuck Hayes, who acted like a mini-center, he hesitated not at all — arms raised high, muscles tensed, eyes fierce.

“Thud,” the ball was slammed hard into the basket. The tremendous force shook the entire basket, and in that instant, everyone could clearly see the rim severely deformed as it hung there. Greg Monroe enjoyed the cheers of his home crowd.
“Beep,” the referee’s whistle sounded. He believed Greg Monroe had hung on the rim for too long, and a technical foul was issued to him.
Greg Monroe glanced briefly at the referee, showing no sign of annoyance over the technical foul. Even John Kuester didn’t appear displeased.
Having been suppressed by his opponent throughout the first quarter, Greg Monroe had regained his strength with his powerful dunk just now. Such a Greg Monroe was fearless and enough to intimidate any opponent.
Seemingly inspired by Greg Monroe’s performance, Kevin Martin, who usually took his free throws very accurately, missed this technical free throw.
“Swish,” Greg Monroe’s follow-through shot went in—this was his second consecutive offensive rebound. Chuck Hayes and Yao Ming couldn’t stop Greg Monroe, who was in top form.
Watching Greg Monroe dominate under the basket, Sean Battier shifted his position a bit closer to the paint. But the Pistons’ continuous passes from the outside ended with McGrady hitting a mid-range shot.
56:46, 4.5 seconds left before the end of the first half, and the Pistons finally widened the score gap to double digits.
With Sean Battier’s three-point attempt missing, the first half came to an end, with the score standing at 56:46.
It seemed the Rockets’ defensive rhythm was always a step slow today.
In the third quarter, Rick Adelman adjusted the team’s defensive strategy to a 3-2 zone defense. This defense is typically used against opponents’ outside shooters because it can effectively defend shots from both the top of the key and at 45 degrees. Its expanded coverage also helps in launching fast breaks after steals. However, it has weaknesses in defending three-point shots from the sides and baseline, as well as areas just above the free-throw line.

In the first half, the biggest threat to the Rockets came from the Pistons’ outside shooting. Their terrifying 9-of-14 three-point attempts nearly drove Rick Adelman crazy. Kyle Lowry’s strong physique was very useful in offense, but not so much in defense. Especially Zhou Yi’s playing style involved avoiding direct confrontation, making it impossible for the Rockets’ outside shooters to get a grip on him.

Adopting a 3-2 defense was a last resort. In the first half, the Rockets used a 1-2-2 defense, which is currently the most popular and reliable defense in the league. It evolved from the 3-2 defense, reducing coverage of the blind spot below the free-throw line and above the key, but it offered less pressure on the ball-handler compared to the 3-2 defense.

As soon as Zhou Yi brought the ball past the midcourt, he saw three key Rockets players inside the three-point line, waiting eagerly for him. Zhou Yi remained calm. The 3-2 defense indeed imposed significant restrictions on him, but its drawbacks were also obvious, especially in terms of inside scoring and rebounding, which gave Greg Monroe more room to operate.

Chapter 340: Crush the Rockets, Win the Derby

The ball was thrown high into the paint, easily reaching Greg Monroe’s hands. Now, only Yao Ming was left under the basket. Greg Monroe pressed his back tightly against Yao Ming to gauge the opponent’s strength. Sensing the resistance from Yao Ming’s back and buttocks, he bent his left arm and used his elbow to push forward, making a smooth lateral move and scoring easily with a layup.

Greg Monroe actively sought the ball at the low post, further separating the Rockets’ inside players, creating a one-on-one situation between him and Yao Ming. Zhou Yi hesitated for no moment. But the defender ahead of him was Sean Battier—a giant with an excellent frame and extremely long arms, like a spider. Zhou Yi didn’t dare to pass from a high position. With Sean Battier’s fierce defensive awareness, if the ball wasn’t thrown high enough, it could easily be snatched from the air.

However, the opportunity inside was fleeting. But thanks to Sean Battier’s meticulous defensive stance, Zhou Yi spotted a good passing route. He shook his upper body several times and suddenly stepped sideways with his right foot. Sean Battier immediately became highly alert. He had already seen Zhou Yi’s quick start speed—often capable of completing the whole movement in an instant.

As he moved his body, Zhou Yi shifted the ball to his left hand. When guiding the ball again, his left hand suddenly stretched forward, and the ball bounced right under Sean Battier’s legs. Sensing the ball pass over his legs, Sean Battier quickly turned to react, but Zhou Yi’s shot had enough force to quickly reach Greg Monroe, who firmly caught the ball bouncing in front of his knees. He then suddenly turned, using his strength to push Yao Ming out of the paint, rose quickly, and dunked the ball hard into the basket. Rick Adelman was driven crazy—the Pistons’ two core players had completely outmaneuvered the Rockets. With the team’s defense focused on the paint, Zhou Yi and McGrady kept shooting threes from outside. Once the defense shifted to the outside, no one could stop Greg Monroe’s power plays inside. The Rockets’ offense failed, and after grabbing the rebound, Zhou Yi brought the ball to the Rockets’ half-court. He threw the ball into the paint, where Greg Monroe feinted to trick Yao Ming into falling, then scored with a backboard pass. With Greg Monroe’s help defending, Yao Ming struggled inside, finding it hard to grab rebounds and missing several shots. Unable to break through inside, the Rockets shifted their offense to the outside, where Kevin Martin stepped in promptly. Aaron Brooks quickly passed the ball to Kevin Martin, who moved around the arc, looking for an opportunity to break through. The Rockets’ players strictly followed Rick Adelman’s tactics, constantly moving and cutting through defenses. Kevin Martin feinted with his left foot several times, keeping Ben Gordon on edge. With a step back, Kevin Martin raised his center of gravity, causing Ben Gordon to jump instinctively to block. But to his dismay, even as he was in the air, Kevin Martin’s feet remained firmly on the ground. With a smile, he jumped decisively as Ben Gordon descended, quickly switching the ball to his left hand and shooting before losing balance. Two sounds—“swish” and “thud”—came at the same time. Kevin Martin was indeed a master at drawing fouls. Although his three-point shot missed, he didn’t show any disappointment. Instead, he shrugged and easily made all three free throws.

Greg Monroe took the initiative to get the ball inside. Jordan Hill, who was guarding him, though physically exceptional, had rough skills and could exert little pressure on Greg Monroe. Greg Monroe suddenly exerted force, pushing Jordan Hill aside, and then hit a beautiful turnaround jump shot that went through the net. In the rest of the game, the Pistons continued to perform excellently, combining their efforts inside and attacking from multiple angles.