Chapter 141

Section 4: The Pistons’ First Opportunity – Zhou Yi Takes Charge of the Attack
When Zhou Yi dribbled into the Jazz’s half-court, Deron Williams rushed over. His focus was entirely on the basketball in Zhou Yi’s hands, and his excellent ability to steal balls made him prioritize interceptions during defense. However, given Zhou Yi’s skill level, it was rare for anyone to steal the ball from him unless he made a mistake, and his defensive style made it difficult to put pressure on him.
“Thump, thump”—two quick dribbles made Deron Williams tense. Zhou Yi’s mastery of controlling the ball while moving left him stunned; several attempts at interception failed. A sudden acceleration in the dribbling rhythm signaled an attack, and Deron immediately tensed up, constantly adjusting his defensive stance as Zhou Yi moved. A cool breeze blew across his forehead, sending chills through Deron Williams’ body. As Zhou Yi broke to the right, he spun 180 degrees in place, turning around Deron. Deron’s center of gravity had already shifted to the left, leaving him no time to react as he watched his opponent score from mid-range.
“Swish”—hearing the ball go through the net, Zhou Yi excitedly threw his fist in the air.
“Swish”—another coordinated play by the Pistons. The ball passed through Zhou Yi’s and Ben Gordon’s hands before landing in Andre Iguodala’s hands. Almost in the same spot, Iguodala replicated the previous shot. Faced with the Pistons’ relentless attack, Jerry Sloan had no choice but to call another timeout and adjust the lineup. Rafer Alston was brought back in; his ability to contain Zhou Yi was evident, allowing Deron Williams to focus on guarding Ben Gordon and reducing pressure on the Jazz’s interior players.
Unfortunately, Alston’s return couldn’t save the Jazz. When Zhou Yi scored another three-pointer, widening the lead to 27 points, the Jazz lost all hope of turning the game around. In the end, the Pistons defeated the Jazz 121:94 at home, ending their six-game winning streak and extending their own streak to 19 wins—without losing a single game in February.
Chapter 344: Crushing the Bucks

On March 1st, the NBA announced its February awards for Best Player in the East and West, Best Rookie, and Best Coach. Zhou Yi once again outshone superstars like LeBron James to be named Best Player in the East, and he naturally also won the Best Rookie award in the East. The Best Player in the West was Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks, while the Best Rookie was undoubtedly Blake Griffin. Surprisingly, the Best Coach in the East was not John Kuester of the Pistons, who had a perfect record in February, but Scott Skiles of the Milwaukee Bucks. The Bucks did not have as good a record as the Pistons in February—losing two games and finishing one game behind them—but they showed significant improvement, which is why the league awarded Skiles the title of Best Coach in the East for February. The Best Coach in the West was Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs, whose team lost only one game in February, tying the Pistons in wins. On March 1st, Zhou Yi received not only these good news items but also another happy news: Mo Keer had come to the United States. However, she did not go to Detroit right away but first headed to Los Angeles, where she had relatives and needed to stay there for a while before returning to Detroit. Although this was the case, Zhou Yi was not dissatisfied at all, as Mo Keer was getting closer to him. But as Mo Keer got closer, so did Zhou Yi’s worries. “How can I take care of Xiang Yun?” was the question troubling Zhou Yi. He had yet to figure out how to deal with this issue. Xiang Yun had taken such meticulous care of him lately; it would be unreasonable to just send her away. But if he didn’t send her away, how could he spend time alone with Mo Keer? With this concern, Zhou Yi and his teammates went to Milwaukee, where they would face the Bucks. At 8 p.m. local time on March 1st, the game officially began! “Ding,” as the referee’s whistle sounded, two tall players suddenly jumped up, and the orange basketball shone brightly under the lights. This game was also a highly anticipated matchup, especially since Skiles had taken away John Kuester’s title as Best Coach in the East for February. “Thwack,” under Andrew Bogut’s astonished gaze, Greg Monroe reached for the basketball first.

“Thwack!” Facing the basketball coming toward him, Zhou Yi gently dragged it from below with his right hand; the ball flew over his head and into McGrady’s hands behind him, while he himself shot forward like an arrow released from a bow.

After catching the ball, McGrady lost his balance and lifted it high with both hands, then gave it a light push with his right hand. The ball flew at a 45-degree angle toward the basket on the right wing. Seeing Zhou Yi’s solitary figure breaking through rapidly across the court, John Salmons grew anxious and hurried after him.

He stepped heavily on the floor with his right foot, propelling himself into the air. The immense inertia caused Zhou Yi’s right foot to take an extra step forward. With the basket right in front of him, McGrady’s pass arrived just above Zhou Yi’s head, who quickly grabbed the ball. With a quick spin, he brought the ball to his waist and curled his body in mid-air to avoid the basket above him.

“Ah…” With a roar, Zhou Yi’s body expanded in the air as he straightened his waist forcefully, stopping mid-air entirely. He then drove the ball downward toward the basket above his back of head.

“Clang!” The loud sound of the dunk echoed throughout the Bradley Center. Nearly 20,000 fans in the arena fell silent—was this a mid-air alley-oop dunk?

Zhou Yi’s catch and dunk in mid-air were flawless. Under the astonished gazes of over 10,000 fans, he raised his right hand high and let out a triumphant shout.

Just six seconds into the game, Zhou Yi dealt a heavy blow to the Bucks. This dunk was far more than just two points; its value was evident from the stunned expressions of the fans.

Morale—the Pistons’ morale had risen!

After facing Zhou Yi several times, Brandon Jennings gradually adapted to his man-to-man defense and handled it effortlessly, quickly driving the ball across the court.

Kory McGee caught the ball on the right wing and tried several times to break through, but Andre Iguodala remained unfazed. Kory McGee had no choice but to pass the ball away.

John Salmons accelerated instantly after catching the ball, breaking free from McGrady’s defense. Before Andre Iguodala could close in, he stepped heavily with his right foot, narrowly avoiding Iguodala’s defense. With his third step, he leaped into the air.

Ben Wallace was already in position inside the paint, raising his hands to block the opponent’s shot. John Salmons twisted and turned in mid-air, gently pushing the ball away.

Brandon Jennings catches the ball beyond the three-point line. A pass is made, and John Salmons takes a quick step forward, shooting a hook shot from a tight angle under the basket; the ball goes through the backboard and into the hoop, tying the score.

Zhou Yi drives the ball across half-court himself, quickly moving to the right wing beyond the three-point line. John Salmons doesn’t dare slack off—after several games of guarding Zhou Yi directly, he no longer feels any discomfort; in fact, he’s grateful for the coach’s decision. Without his own limitations, the Bucks probably wouldn’t be in their current position. The Pistons’ “golden duo” shines brightly, but it also overshadows the rest of the players.

Zhou Yi quickly drives to the midcourt line. By then, Andre Iguodala has already moved in to set up a pick-and-roll. John Salmons panics and quickly steps back to get around it. But when he tries to block Zhou Yi again, the orange basketball has already flown past his head—Zhou Yi has completed his shot, which lands firmly on the floor.

The pick-and-roll tactic is both easy and difficult to counter. The Bucks have always used double-team tactics to break through the Pistons’ pick-and-rolls, but this time Brandon Jennings was slow to cover, allowing Zhou Yi to successfully force a shot.

“Swish”—Zhou Yi’s three-point shot goes in, giving the Pistons a 5-2 lead, three points ahead of their opponent.

Ten seconds later, Andrew Bogut scores a turnaround layup under the basket, bringing the score back to within two points.

With just two simple passes, the ball quickly crosses half-court. As soon as Zhou Yi reaches the other side, he receives a pass back.

“Thwack”—the sharp sound of the basketball. Zhou Yi moves like a gust of wind. Brandon Jennings’ right hand is still raised in front of his chest, but his defender has disappeared. Though this isn’t the first time he’s encountered this situation, a sense of frustration still arises in him.

John Salmons hasn’t yet arrived to help defend, and Zhou Yi has already leaped up beyond the three-point line. In that split second, thanks to his excellent reflexes, John Salmons jumps up as hard as he can, raising his right hand high. But the faint smile on Zhou Yi’s lips makes him uneasy—after all, Zhou Yi is already in the air.

With a slight twist of his body and a downward motion of his wrist, the ball crosses most of the court and lands in McGrady’s hands at the baseline.

Andrew Bogut had already noticed McGrady’s movement. Facing the aggressive Andrew Bogut, McGrady doesn’t hesitate at all when shooting—but the force behind the shot seems a bit too strong, causing the ball to fly over the top of the rim.

Andrew Bogut felt a sense of relief. But soon, heavy footsteps—“thud, thud, thud”—shattered his dream. A figure rushed out from beyond the three-second line and snatched the ball right above Eisen Iliasova’s head.

Andre Iguodala slid down to the other side of the basket, pushed hard with his waist, and drove down with a powerful right-handed dunk. “Ding!” Eisen Iliasova instinctively dodged, stepping into the three-second line with his right foot and slamming his hands against Iguodala’s body. Iguodala’s free throw sank smoothly into the net, allowing the Pistons to widen their lead further.

The Bucks’ offense remained as monotonous as ever. Andrew Bogut set up a pick-and-roll in the high post, while John Salmons broke inside, drawing the Pistons’ defenders away before promptly passing to the outside. Through this triangle passing pattern, the Bucks could easily break through their opponents’ defenses. But today, it seemed the Bucks’ “iron triangle” was missing one corner—Zhou Yi’s man-to-man defense made it extremely difficult for Corey Maggette to get a pass, let alone find an opening for a shot.

Brandon Jennings scored with a dunk under the basket, aided by Bogut’s screen. Ben Wallace waved his fist in frustration. Though he had been the team’s starting center for some time, his performance left even him dissatisfied—4.8 points and 5.4 rebounds, far worse than last season.

Amidst the crowd’s gasps, McGrady easily completed a three-step layup. The moment Jennings scored with his dunk, McGrady quickly returned to his own half. Zhou Yi’s pass crossed half the court and landed in McGrady’s hands, and his smooth driving layup was incredibly graceful.

Taking advantage of the opponent’s unsteady footing, they scored on a fast break—this was McGrady’s instinct. Whenever an opportunity arose, he was always at the forefront. This had been common in the first half of the season. From the pass to the final layup, the whole process took less than four seconds. In the first half of that season, by this time the ball probably hadn’t even crossed half the court yet.

The scores of both teams rose and fell alternately. Both teams played patiently, with surprisingly high shooting percentages, both over 50%. Despite the support of their home crowd, the Bucks failed to narrow the gap. The Pistons’ offense was straightforward—quick passes and drives that took advantage of the Bucks’ unsteady positioning, with a very fast pace.

Corey Maggetti struggled to make an impact under Zhou Yi’s defense, and Brandon Jennings already lacked scoring ability from beyond the arc. The Bucks’ outside game posed little threat to the Pistons, who focused their defense on the interior, even allowing Brandon Jennings to operate freely outside the three-point line. Scott Skiles was well aware that the Pistons were deliberately letting their outside players roam free. Brandon Jennings’ weak shooting skills were the Pistons’ biggest advantage; even if he managed to score one or two threes by luck, it wouldn’t make much of a difference overall. On the contrary, the Pistons combined strength both inside and outside, with four of their five players scoring points. The Bucks called their first timeout of the game. John Kuester was thrilled—he never expected the once-unstoppable Bucks to be so vulnerable when facing his own team. Kuester’s tactics left Zhou Yi uneasy, and instinctively he said, “Be careful with Corey Maggetti.” Indeed, under Zhou Yi’s defense, Corey Maggetti had struggled not only in this game but also in previous encounters. Yet in the few minutes earlier, Zhou Yi sensed signs of Corey Maggetti’s potential to explode—after all, given his skill level, his lack of impact in recent games spoke volumes about his mood. But John Kuester seemed to ignore Zhou Yi’s advice. The Bucks indeed adjusted their lineup, with Carlos Delphino replacing Ersan Ilyasova and Earl Boogie replacing Brandon Jennings. Among the Bucks’ new lineup, Carlos Delphino stood out for his excellent shooting skills, with a 36.4% three-point shooting percentage this season, though he rarely got playing time. Especially after John Salmons joined the Bucks, Carlos Delphino often stayed near the free-throw line. When the two were on the court at the same time, the Bucks’ interior was almost defenseless. After the Bucks’ timeout, they indeed diversified their offensive tactics, focusing on mid-to-long-range shots, with almost everyone able to score. Corey Maggetti suddenly launched a three-point shot from just above Zhou Yi’s head and hit it.

“Ah,” Corey Maggetti roared in frustration. It startled Zhou Yi, who had only briefly distracted himself to watch the movements of the other Bucks players, delaying his reaction just enough for Maggetti to score right over him. Was there really reason to get so excited?
John Salmones shook his fist in annoyance. Zhou Yi’s fancy dribbling moves were becoming fewer and fewer. After a few games, both offense and defense had learned each other’s tactics well, making their movements simpler and more effective. They also improved at timing their breakthroughs, relying more on speed. When John Salmones tried to defend, he could only watch helplessly as Zhou Yi sped away.
Andrew Bogut simply made sure his feet were indeed outside the three-second line. Facing the aggressive Zhou Yi, he didn’t rush to defend. His understanding of Zhou Yi made him realize that defending while in motion had little effect on restraining him. Zhou Yi’s speed was among the best in the league, and he was one of the few who could perfectly combine ball control with speed.
Clinging to Andrew Bogut’s solid frame, Zhou Yi tapped his left foot on the ground and shot straight past the baseline, his right hand reaching toward the basket.
Andrew Bogut felt pleased—this angle was highly advantageous for a defender. It avoided physical contact inside the three-second line, and with the attacker stretched beyond the baseline, there was very little room to shoot.
A smile even appeared on Andrew Bogut’s lips, but he was cautious in his move. While blocking required momentum, given Zhou Yi’s current state, he didn’t want to recklessly knock the ball out of bounds.
He could even sense the ball’s unique presence, but the moment it made contact, Zhou Yi suddenly lowered his wrist, flipping it so the ball hit the floor and bounced high. As Andrew Bogut was stunned, he felt a huge dark shadow envelop him.
Following a thunderous dunk sound, a round object slammed into the back of his head.
Zhou Yi moved his wrists around—Andrew Bogut’s block had been forceful, leaving several red marks on his wrists.
Ben Wallace excitedly pulled Zhou Yi up. The dunk had thrilled him greatly. Zhou Yi had completely drawn the Bucks’ defense away, and with a well-timed pass, he only needed to jump slightly to send the ball into the basket.
“Swish”—Earl Boogie’s turnaround jumper from the right wing hit the rim.

The Bucks gradually narrowed the score gap in those few short minutes. The Bucks’ bench players performed admirably, with consecutive successful shots throwing the Pistons’ defense into disarray. John Kuester called a timeout, and the Bucks slowly regained their momentum. It was merely a tactical timeout meant to cool down the opponent and disrupt their strong offensive push. Zhou Yi slowly drove the ball across half-court; it took seven seconds just to complete that half-court drive, which was quite unusual for someone as slow as him. Faced with John Salmons’ defensive pressure, Zhou Yi stepped under the defender and skillfully passed the ball to McGrady, then swiftly slipped past Salmons. Of course, Salmons wouldn’t let him get away easily, but Zhou Yi’s speed was beyond his reach, leaving him to watch as the distance between them grew. The ball didn’t pause in McGrady’s hands at all; with a gentle push from his right hand, it slowly arced from the left wing toward the basket. Just before Corey Maggette could steal it, a pale hand touched the ball in a flash—before he could grab it, he stepped forward, placed the ball lightly at his waist, bent slightly, and nimbly slipped past Andrew Bogut. The Bucks’ defenders couldn’t even catch a glimpse of him as he leaped lightly, formed a half-circle with his right hand in front of his chest, shook his wrist slightly, and sent the ball through the backboard into the net. The arena’s lights flashed again as Zhou Yi’s layup captured countless frames—his agile feet and rapid speed made him like a sharp sword cutting through the Bucks’ defense. He effortlessly dodged the defenders with his clever layup, bringing this offensive sequence to a perfect end. Scores rose and fell alternately, with both teams focusing their scoring efforts from beyond the arc, taking frequent three-point attempts. By the end of the first quarter, the score had climbed to 27–28, with the Pistons holding only a one-point lead.

Both teams seemed to heat up with three-point shots; in the final four minutes, they combined for eight three-pointers. However, it’s difficult to win such a game that relies on shooting form. For either team to succeed, they must handle defense properly. On the surface, the game looked exciting, but in the eyes of experts, focusing solely on offense while neglecting defense is unwise—especially for the Pistons. With the home crowd’s advantage, continuing in this manner would be even more disadvantageous for them.

John Kuester’s grim expression made the Pistons’ players lower their heads in shame. They had lost control of their emotions during the game, failing to widen the score gap instead allowing the opponent to gradually close it. If not for Zhou Yi’s last-minute intervention to stop Earl Bogues’ layup, the opponent would likely have taken the lead.

At the start of the second quarter, the Pistons adopted a zone defense to strengthen protection against outside shots and long-range attempts, creating opportunities for counterattacks—this was their strongest defensive tactic.

The Bucks adjusted their lineup, with Earl Bogues replacing Corey Maggetti. Zhou Yi’s aggressive defense made it difficult for Corey Maggetti to perform well in the first quarter. Eventually, he managed to score two three-pointers amidst the chaos, but he was so exhausted that he was sent to the bench to rest.

Near the free-throw line, Andrew Bogut twisted and turned to get free from Taylor Hansbrough’s grasp. John Salmons quickly passed the ball toward the paint. Before the ball was even thrown, a tall figure leaped into the air and effortlessly snatched it from Salmons’ fingers. With strong arm swings, he sent the ball forward, where McGrady was already racing ahead. With light steps, he jumped inside the three-second area and let out an excited shout when his right hand touched the cold basket.

“Bang”—Salmons’ outside shot hit the back of the rim. Along with the fans’ sighs, the ball bounced high as Bradley Center rejected the home team’s shot for the fourth time in a row.

Ben Wallace easily grabbed the rebound. Zhou Yi made an exaggerated jump in the air to pass the ball, which quickly flew past Bogues’ corner. McGrady and Andre Iguodala rushed toward the Bucks’ half, leaving only Brandon Jennings there.

Facing Brandon Jennings, McGrady and Andre Iguodala passed the ball back and forth in mid-air, their feet quickly crossing the free-throw line as they passed it to each other. McGrady gently dribbled the ball upward; Brandon Jennings leaped desperately, but the height of the ball was still out of reach for him. Andre Iguodala, already waiting under the basket, sprang up like a spring and dunked the ball straight into the hoop. However, this aerial pass didn’t cause much of a sensation—all attention was drawn to the two players battling in the backcourt. After completing the pass, Zhou Yi relaxed slightly and didn’t pay attention to where his feet were landing, only to step directly on John Salmons’ left toe. Feeling the softness beneath his foot, Zhou Yi quickly realized he must have stepped on another player. His first reaction was to shift his weight and quickly step back. John Salmons had been ineffective offensively in this game and had been repeatedly outmaneuvered defensively by Zhou Yi, with passes right above his head further fueling his anger. Zhou Yi’s unintentional mistake completely ignited his fury. Losing control of his emotions, John Salmons pushed Zhou Yi hard in the chest. With his center of gravity already shifting backward and unprepared for the push, Zhou Yi’s entire body tipped backward quickly. Fortunately, he reacted swiftly, grabbing John Salmons’ right arm and apologizing urgently, “I’m sorry, it was an accident.” In his panic, he spoke pure Mandarin. How could John Salmons understand Chinese? Furious, he assumed Zhou Yi must have said something harmful and grew even angrier, swinging his free left fist at Zhou Yi’s forehead. At that moment, Zhou Yi couldn’t block the incoming punch and, with no other choice, pulled hard. As a result, both he and John Salmons tumbled to the floor. Before the conflict escalated further, Andrew Bogut arrived in time to stand between them. By then, the other teammates had also recovered and quickly pulled the two apart. The referee also noticed the commotion and shuddered upon seeing the two troublemakers—wow, these two were really big troublemakers. From the referee’s perspective, he kept his distance from these star players, knowing that any dissatisfaction could bring him serious trouble.

John Salmons exaggeratedly complained to the referee about Zhou Yi’s malicious behavior. Hearing this, Zhou Yi was furious—if the referee really ruled based on his words, he might be immediately sent off. He quickly stepped forward to argue, saying he had stepped on the other player unintentionally, and such collisions were completely normal in sports. Moreover, he had apologized to John Salmons right away after the incident, not as John Salmons claimed with abusive words. John Salmons, unwilling to yield power, insisted that Zhou Yi had deliberately tried to hurt him and then insulted him, even mimicking Zhou Yi’s facial expressions and gestures while cursing, his acting so realistic that the referee immediately sided with him. By then, the officials on the sidelines had already retrieved the footage from earlier, and the two assistant referees carefully studied it. With the help of two people who spoke Chinese, they finally understood Zhou Yi’s two words of apology. The main referee, somewhat annoyed and embarrassed, simply awarded each party one technical foul, giving the Pistons a free throw. Although he was a bit dissatisfied, seeing John Salmons limping to the free-throw line reduced Zhou Yi’s anger significantly. With a crisp rebound sound, the last trace of Zhou Yi’s anger vanished. As Zhou Yi made his free throw into the basket, Doc Scott Skiles called a timeout—the earlier chaos had greatly affected the players, and John Salmons’ left foot seemed to be in trouble too; even taking two steps was difficult for him. Seeing his teammates gather around him, Zhou Yi felt deeply moved. The accident earlier hadn’t really affected him, but true friendship was shown in times of trouble, and seeing his teammates so united warmed his heart. Yet as they approached, Zhou Yi immediately drove them away with his jacket. Sure enough, John Salmons didn’t rejoin the game. Although his defense against Zhou Yi wasn’t very effective, without his strong defense, Zhou Yi felt much more relaxed. With consecutive successful shots, the Pistons quickly widened the score gap, leading by eight points with two minutes left in the game.

John Salmons’ departure was of great significance to the entire game. Zhou Yi dominated the second quarter, and before halftime, the Bucks had to deal with him; otherwise, if their opponent widened the score gap to double digits, the Bucks would be in a very difficult position, as they could no longer rely on John Salmons. His movements after returning to the court were clearly less agile than before. The “Magician” summarized the first half of the game.

Andrew Bogut secured a strong position in the paint and signaled for the ball. Greg Monroe used his left hand to press against Andrew Bogut’s waist, firmly blocking his back.

Twisting his hips, pushing his waist, and relaxing his shoulders, Andrew Bogut acted like a lively kangaroo, constantly pushing against Greg Monroe behind him.

“Hmph,” Greg Monroe grunted, finally unable to withstand Andrew Bogut’s immense strength.

Andrew Bogut suddenly exerted force, turned, stepped back, and launched a jump shot that landed neatly in the basket.

Zhou Yi easily dodged Earl Boogins and jumped high near the free-throw line.

Ben Wallace stepped forward to steal the ball, but just as he tried to turn and attack, Eisen Iliasova had already taken his position. In the Bucks’ current system, he was gradually adapting to his role as a “blue-collar” player, holding his own against opponents in the paint.

Ben Wallace moved toward the basket step by step. Taking advantage of the opponent’s struggle to regain balance, he suddenly exerted force to create distance, gently pushing with his left elbow against Eisen Iliasova’s chest, lifting his right foot, lightly pushing off with his left foot, and raising the ball high with his right hand. With a slight wrist shake, he sent the ball in a perfect parabolic arc over the two players’ heads.

“Bang!” Eisen Iliasova rushed over in time to disrupt Ben Wallace’s shooting rhythm, causing the ball’s trajectory to be slightly off.

As the ball bounced to its peak, the Pistons’ paint area turned into a melee, with players fighting fiercely for position, resorting to various underhanded tactics.

Despite so many players vying for the ball, Andrew Bogut had the best position. He trapped Greg Monroe under the basket while the other players were tangled together.

With a roar, under more than ten thousand eyes, Andrew Bogut soared like an eagle, his long arms covering almost the entire three-second area. His rebound wasn’t a random move; it was almost a straight upward motion above the backboard. His jumping position was precisely the ideal spot for the rebound.

As the rapidly spinning basketball grew larger in Andrew Bogut’s sight, his enthusiasm seemed to bloom even more, and his right hand, veins bulging, swung with force. The cold sensation from his five fingers only heightened his excitement; Andrew Bogut was always full of passion in games. Over ten thousand Bucks fans couldn’t help but stand up, shouting loudly and clapping enthusiastically, boosting the team’s morale even further. Veterans like Earl Boykins seemed to transcend their age limits, running at full speed and even matching McGrady in speed for a moment. A pale hand appeared in Andrew Bogut’s field of vision, and what chilled him even more was that the hand moved toward the basketball in the air like a venomous snake striking. Andrew Bogut quickly bent his right wrist slightly, moving it a few centimeters horizontally in the air. “Snap!” A tremendous force came from beneath the basketball, delivered from a tricky angle targeting his weaker side—there was no way for him to stop the ball from slipping through his hands. Shaking violently, trying hard to suppress the urge to sneeze, Andrew Bogut had no choice but to let himself fall freely, though his proud head remained raised. Even in defeat, he wouldn’t avoid it. The calm surface of the lake suddenly turned into turbulent waves, and thunderous roars echoed in the night sky, as if the awe-inspiring momentum had frozen in the air. “Ah…” With a low growl, Zhou Yi pushed hard with his waist, miraculously stopping mid-air as if rooted to the ground. He gently removed the basketball from above his head, curling his body into a ball with the ball resting at his waist. The Bucks fans watched in horror as Zhou Yi hovered in the air, his time seemingly standing still. Like a fully drawn bow whose string was suddenly cut, his body arched dramatically backward, his arms stretched back forcefully. “Crash!” The loud dunk echoed throughout the Bradley Center. “Thud,” Zhou Yi landed steadily on the floor. That soft sound resonated like a heavy drum in everyone’s hearts. Fans still immersed in Zhou Yi’s amazing performance started clapping frantically, as if waking from a dream. The continuous applause gradually subsided only after several attempts by the referee to calm them down, but the atmosphere in the arena had already changed completely.

In the remaining time of the second quarter, every touch of the ball by Zhou Yi was met with cheers from the home crowd. The Pistons eventually widened their lead to double digits thanks to Ben Wallace’s free throw, taking a temporary 54-41 lead over their opponents.

Zhou Yi’s outstanding performance stunned everyone and earned applause from the Bucks fans. In the last two minutes, he received treatment better than what he would get at home—a treat usually reserved only for Jordan. Indeed, Zhou Yi’s performance in those two minutes still can’t compare to Jordan’s.

Zhou Yi also had a stellar first-half stat line: 8 of 11 attempts, 21 points from shots and free throws, along with 4 assists, 6 rebounds, 3 steals, and 1 block. Even without that amazing play, he was still the most prominent player in the first half.

The reporters were naturally most interested in that incident. Faced with such enthusiastic reporters, Zhou Yi’s resolute face turned slightly red as he carefully stepped back before smiling and saying, “Actually, any performance is determined by one’s mindset at the time. Once emotions are adjusted to a certain level, certain actions come naturally. Moreover, the situation just now was quite special—there were already three Bucks players gathered under the basket. Once I landed, I wouldn’t have had another chance to shoot, and it would have been impossible to pass the ball under those circumstances. I shot that ball out of necessity.”

Before ending the interview, Zhou Yi suddenly said with a sly smile, “Today I learned that those amazing goals in the league actually happen out of necessity.”

Zhou Yi’s final words left the reporters stunned. They never expected the seemingly gentle Zhou Yi to have such a mischievous side, and his conclusion was truly amusing.

The long halftime break gave the Bucks fans time to calm down, so when the second half started, Zhou Yi was still welcomed by the away crowd—though obviously not as warmly as in the previous few minutes.

As a result of his strong first-half performance, the Bucks stepped up their defense against Zhou Yi. Especially John Salmons, who had been on the bench for a long time, joined the starting lineup in the second half. His agile movements showed no signs of being affected by the first half.

John Salmons wasn’t as aggressive as expected; his dark face appeared even calmer as he executed his defense against Zhou Yi with meticulous precision.

Another attempted breakthrough was thwarted, and Zhou Yi’s expression turned somewhat grim. As time passed, his anxiety grew, yet reason told him that passing was the best course of action under the current circumstances. “Swish” — the crisp sound of the basketball as John Salmons’ right hand shot out like a viper, gently nudging the ball under Zhou Yi’s control. Startled, Zhou Yi was lucky enough that the ball flew behind him; with a quick turn, he blocked John Salmons and regained control of the ball. Leveraging the momentum from his turn, he swiftly passed the ball away. McGrady adjusted slightly at the right baseline before shooting a three-point shot. Perhaps due to the halftime break, McGrady’s shooting form seemed to have cooled down. “Swish” — the Bucks’ basket finally recognized its home team, preventing the Pistons from widening the score gap as Andrew Bogut easily grabbed the rebound. The moment the ball was released, Andrew Bogut quickly pulled it back; unexpectedly, the Bucks players were focused only on fast breaks. Andrew Bogut’s skills were indeed well-rounded, but ball control was definitely not his strength, especially under the interference of opposing players, leaving him feeling helpless. By the time Andrew Bogut brought the ball across half-court, the Bucks had already missed their best opportunity to attack, with the Pistons’ defense fully prepared. John Salmons forced his way through, pushing McGrady aside, and before Andre Iguodala could cover him, he threw the ball high into the air. Andrew Bogut accurately judged the passing target and quickly moved to the right side of the basket. As he leaped, a figure swiftly appeared in front of him, pressing tightly against his chest. The person blocking his path had decent physical strength, but it was still far from enough against Andrew Bogut, especially since the opponent was moving; a slight push was enough to create space. Yet, even with this brief delay, the ball already flew over the rim and past the baseline. Zhou Yi was indeed one of the best players in the league at playing with strategy; he always knew when to do what. Just moments earlier, Andrew Bogut had held a clear advantage, but Zhou Yi cleverly avoided his strengths.

John Kuster also applauded in approval, his admiration for Zhou Yi evident. There are no lack of talented players in the league, but few who truly play with intelligence.
“Ding,” the referee’s whistle sounded as Zhou Yi broke through like lightning toward the basket. Faced with a double team, he dived into the three-second zone and attempted a low-angle shot. However, Andrew Bogut’s foul seemed a bit excessive—right at the moment of release, Zhou Yi’s wrist lost its position, and the ball skimmed just above the rim.
Andrew Bogut raised his right hand in frustration. In just three minutes, the referee had already blown the whistle twice for him. Adding the two fouls from the first half, he now had four fouls on his record.
Scott Skiles anxiously stared at the play sheet in his hands. The tactics painstakingly devised during halftime seemed to have encountered a major setback in just three minutes.
This was the perfect time to replace Andrew Bogut, otherwise he would become a threat for the Pistons. But if he were taken off, the Bucks’ already weak interior defense would be even more vulnerable.
“Ding,” the Bucks’ interior became Zhou Yi’s playground. John Salmons tried his best to defend, but through the seamless coordination between Zhou Yi and McGrady, clever passes easily left John Salmons behind.
The moment Zhou Yi broke through the defense, Andrew Bogut nervously stepped aside, allowing Zhou Yi to easily enter the three-second zone.
As he prepared to shoot from close range, he caught sight of something else out of the corner of his eye. Instantly, he twisted his wrist and delivered a low-angle pass that bypassed Andrew Bogut’s right leg.
Andrew Bogut quickly turned to chase the ball but felt a sharp pain in his back as a figure leaped in front of him.
“Bang,” a thunderous dunk sound—Andrew Bogut felt intense pain in his back.
“Ding,” the referee’s whistle sounded like the call of death to Andrew Bogut.
Scott Skiles sighed in frustration, running his fingers through his hair in disarray. A slight hesitation on his part had led to this situation. Andrew Bogut now had no choice but to sit on the bench, likely for most of the fourth quarter as well.

“Scott Skiles’ mistakes put the Bucks in a complete disadvantage. Zhou Yi attacked the paint aggressively and finally received his biggest reward. As the Pistons’ captain and the backbone of the Bucks’ interior game, Andrew Bogut’s fifth foul was essentially a death sentence for the Bucks.”
Throughout the third quarter, the Pistons played better and better, while the Bucks seemed to have no choice but to defend. Their already weak interior defense became even more vulnerable.
Under these circumstances, the Pistons’ most reliable way to win was to attack the paint. As the Pistons’ head coach, John Kuester was skilled enough to take advantage of a dead ball situation and bring in their star center, Ben Wallace.
Nearly 80% of the Pistons’ attacks came from the paint. When the buzzer sounded at the end of the third quarter, the scoreboard read 86:62—the Pistons had scored 32 points in that quarter alone.
“Ding!” Zhou Yi’s breakthrough led to a defensive foul by a Bucks player. When Andrew Bogut helplessly raised his right arm, many Bucks fans sighed.
After Bogut’s sixth foul, the game lost all suspense. McGrady controlled the ball and used up the last few seconds, helping the Pistons defeat the Bucks 106:89.
Chapter 345: Another Battle with the Wizards
The day after the game against the Bucks, the Pistons returned to home court to face the Minnesota Timberwolves. After four quarters of play, the Pistons defeated the Timberwolves 122:89.
After that game, the Pistons had a long break. Four days later, they faced a special match—another derby.
On March 6, 2011, at 8 p.m. local time, the Pistons hosted the Washington Wizards at home.
At 7:20 p.m., the Palace of Auburn Hills was already packed. When the lights dimmed and the noisy crowd quieted down, a spotlight illuminated the entrance of the home team’s players. The Wizards, led by their head coach Philip Sanders, were already on the court waiting for their teammates to appear.

For the Wizards, playing away from home, there was bad news for this game, as their starting power forward, Andre Iguodala, had been absent from two games recently due to injury. And in this game as well, he would be unable to play. In the previous two games, it was Chinese player Yi Jianlian who started in place of Andre Iguodala, and he performed quite well in those two starts, so it’s possible that Yi Jianlian will start again in this game.

Soon after, the Pistons players appeared on the court introduced by the on-site DJ.

“Now, let’s give a warm round of applause and cheers to our defensive core, our old friend with strong defensive skills—6’9” and 240 pounds, Ben Wallace!” As the host shouted, Ben Wallace stepped forward, waving his arms continuously, with arm guards marked with “no-fly zone” symbols on them. With the host’s call and Ben Wallace’s appearance, the atmosphere in the arena immediately became lively, with continuous cheers.

“Next, let’s welcome with applause our rookie from Georgetown University—6’11” and 250 pounds, Greg Monroe!” With another shout from the host, Greg Monroe ran out second. Although he was still a rookie, he had performed very well since the start of the season, so the home team’s fans liked this rugged-looking rookie quite a bit. After he appeared on the court, another wave of loud cheers erupted.

“Next is our ‘Little Prince’—6’9” and 215 pounds, Andre Iguodala!” As the host finished speaking, Andre Iguodala also ran out from the tunnel, but he was more reserved—after high-fiving his teammates, he went to one side.

“The fourth player to appear is our T-MAC, Trae… Mc… Greg… Reddy!” Hearing the host’s shout, most of the fans in the arena repeated McGrady’s name. Then, with his signature smile, McGrady slowly walked out from the player’s tunnel; it was clear he was in a good mood today. He high-fived Andre Iguodala and the others enthusiastically.

“The last to take the court is our new favorite idol from Detroit—6’2” and 155 pounds, Zhou… Yi from China!” Hearing the announcer’s introduction, Zhou Yi felt both excited and reluctant. He was excited because he had finally earned a good spot through his performance, as it was usually the team leaders who appeared last. But he didn’t want to draw attention, so he was still placed as the last player to start, which made him feel a bit overwhelmed. Despite his strong previous performances, he was still just a rookie.

Nervously, Zhou Yi ran out through the player’s tunnel and shook hands with his teammates one by one. When he finally appeared on the court, the crowd erupted in unprecedented cheers as fans shouted his name loudly. Seeing the enthusiastic fans, Zhou Yi became excited and waved his arms vigorously at them.

“Hi everyone, I’m Kenny Smith, and I’ll be covering today’s live broadcast of the game between the Detroit Pistons and the Washington Wizards. Sitting next to me is Sir Charles, someone I really hate having to work with, but I have to. Of course, there’s also Mr. Clyde Drexler, known as the ‘glider.’ What you’re watching right now is a live broadcast brought to you by us!” Kenny Smith introduced himself to the camera from the commentary booth.

For the Detroit Pistons, this game was their second live broadcast this season. The first was against the Lakers. Although they lost that game, the Pistons still attracted the attention of countless fans and earned praise from many industry insiders.

Due to their poor performance in the past two years, the Detroit Pistons have had very few opportunities for national broadcast, with none at all last season. People assumed the Pistons wouldn’t do well this year as well. Yet, things took an unexpected turn—so far this season, the Pistons have a record of 9 wins and 3 losses, suddenly becoming the focus of conversation. They even rose to first place in the East with a strong 9 wins and 2 losses record before facing the Western Conference leaders, the Lakers. Although they fell to the Lakers and were overtaken by the Boston Celtics to take second place, everyone’s attention remains on the Pistons. Now, they are seen as dark horses, a rising team, and it’s not veterans like Ben Wallace or Tracy McGrady’s arrival this summer that has driven their success, but rather a rookie—a relatively unknown rookie from China.

That rookie is Zhou Yi. With impressive performances including 48 points in last week’s game against the Kings, averaging 25.3 points, 6.3 assists, and 3 rebounds over three games, helping the team achieve a 2-1 record, Zhou Yi was once again named the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Week. This is the third time he has received this honor since the start of the season, even though only four weeks have passed. Zhou Yi has now become a role model for lower-ranked rookies, as he, a player who didn’t go through the draft, has already shown the ability to compete with this year’s top pick, John Wall, and even surpass him. Among the rookies who can match Zhou Yi’s performance, only last year’s top pick, Blake Griffin, comes close. Blake Griffin has also been named Western Conference Rookie of the Week three times and even Player of the Week once.

It can be said that Zhou Yi and Blake Griffin represent the rookies in the East and West respectively. Of course, many believe Blake Griffin’s achievements are expected, as he is last year’s top pick, while Zhou Yi’s success is largely due to luck, and his performance will likely decline as the season progresses.

Such comments are not uncommon online, so Zhou Yi often sees them. However, he isn’t annoyed by them; instead, they fuel his determination. He wants more people to recognize him, to remember him and his achievements. This isn’t by chance but is inevitable, as it’s the result of his own hard work, not luck.

This match against the Washington Wizards is not only a Chinese derby but also a showdown between Zhou Yi and John Wall. He wants to use this game to prove that he is definitely qualified to compete for Rookie of the Year this season and has the strength to earn recognition.

Currently, the Detroit Pistons rank second in the East with a record of 9 wins and 3 losses, just behind the Boston Celtics. Their record also ranks fourth in the entire league, which is quite impressive. The Wizards, on the other hand, have a record of 4 wins and 7 losses, significantly worse than the Pistons. Moreover, this game is played on their worst home court, so most people believe the Pistons have a great chance of winning.

“The game is about to start. Let’s take a look at the starting lineups!” Kenny Smith said to the camera with a smile.

“You stole my line,” Charles Barkley replied, rolling his eyes at Kenny Smith before continuing, “Pistons: Center is Ben Wallace, power forward is rookie Greg Monroe. Honestly, I’m quite optimistic about Greg. Shooting forward is Andre Iguodala, point guard is Tracy McGrady, and the point guard? Well, of course, it’s our most famous player, Zhou Yi.”

Next, Clyde Drexler introduced the Washington Wizards. As expected, Chinese player Yi Jian played as the starting power forward in this game as well. For the other positions, the center is Javale McGee, the shooting forward is Al Thornton, and the backcourt is composed of “Agent Zero” Gilbert Arenas and first-round draft pick John Wall.

Soon, the starting players from both teams arrived at the center court, with Greg Monroe and Javale McGee, the players responsible for the tip-off, ready to begin.

As the referee’s whistle blew, both teams took their positions, staring intently at the basketball in the referee’s hand.

Although he had a clear advantage in physical fitness, the gap in jumping ability was undeniable. Despite Greg Monroe doing his best, the ball was easily pulled back to their own half by Xavier McKey, the “spring man,” who was right there with John Wall. But before John Wall could get to the ball, he felt a gust of wind pass by, giving him no time to react at all—the ball had already been snatched by the Pistons, leaving only the glaring number 37 in his sight. Due to several days without training, and despite orders from head coach John Kuester, Zhou Yi was worried that his status among the higher-ups might decline. Since his contract had just been changed to a guaranteed one, he needed to prove himself through his performance. So from the start of the game, he focused all his energy, making quick and decisive moves to intercept the ball Xavier McKey tried to pass to John Wall, then rushing toward the Wizards’ front court like the wind. Taking advantage of the Wizards’ players not being fully positioned, Zhou Yi scored a lightning-fast layup, giving the Pistons the first two points of the game. “Hehe, Teacher Yu, Zhou Yi’s reflexes are really fast!” In the studio across the ocean, Teacher Sun was live-broadcasting this Chinese derby with Teacher Yu. “Yes, Zhou Yi’s speed has improved even more,” Teacher Yu explained with a smile. At the game site, Sir Charles and the others also praised Zhou Yi’s performance highly. John Wall gave Zhou Yi a cold look, filled with resentment. It was just a rookie who hadn’t even participated in the draft, yet he was competing with him for the Most Improved Player award, even for Rookie of the Year. How could this not anger John Wall? But despite his anger, after facing Zhou Yi before, he understood that Zhou Yi was no ordinary player—he had to bring out his best to defeat him. So this time, John Wall wasn’t underestimating him at all and carefully matched up against him. John Wall broke through from the left wing. When he saw Zhou Yi closing in, he immediately leaned back against him and used his right hand to block, breaking through on Zhou Yi’s left side. Clearly, Zhou Yi couldn’t be easily shaken off. But just as Zhou Yi tried to step back to follow John Wall, John Wall took a quick step back and then launched a backboard jump shot.

With a swish, the basketball went through the net hollowly. It all happened in the blink of an eye, and John Wall had clearly practiced for a long time, so his series of moves were extremely skilled and flawlessly connected. Even though Zhou Yi had been guarding him very carefully, he still couldn’t stop him.
Seeing Zhou Yi’s helpless expression, John Wall felt a sense of pride. Though proud, he didn’t become complacent. Zhou Yi’s strength was well-known in the league after observing him for some time; even the league’s best player, Kobe Bryant, spoke highly of him, showing just how strong he was.
The Pistons’ next offensive attempt was carried out by Greg Monroe, but it failed, as Yi Jian grabbed the rebound.
Zhou Yi stared intently at John Wall, determined not to fall for his tricks again. John Wall wasn’t a fool—he knew he couldn’t use the same tactic repeatedly and had to use it cleverly to catch his opponent off guard. So, he didn’t plan to use the same move this time.
John Wall glanced at Javier McKey, who immediately understood his intention. Pretending to move, McKey suddenly crossed to Zhou Yi’s right side, while John Wall broke through from McKey’s right. When Zhou Yi tried to follow, he suddenly collided with a solid wall. Without caring who was blocking him, Zhou Yi stepped back quickly and chased after John Wall. But John Wall had already found an opening, and as Zhou Yi rushed at him, he threw the ball.
With a series of thuds, the basketball bounced a few times on the rim before reluctantly falling in—4:2.
“Be careful with pick-and-rolls,” Zhou Yi whispered to his teammates, who nodded in response.
McGrady controlled the ball, broke through at the baseline, and passed it to Andre Iguodala, who cut from the middle and easily scored, leaving his defender, Al Thornton, shaking his head in frustration.

Because of Gilbert Arenas’ presence, John Wall didn’t dare to hold the ball too long. So after controlling the ball for over half a court, John Wall passed it to Gilbert Arenas outside the corner three-point line. Arenas shot a three-pointer, but it missed and the ball bounced back to the floor, where Zhou Yi grabbed it for a rebound. But as soon as Zhou Yi got the ball, he lost control of it, and John Wall took it away. Zhou Yi instinctively tried to grab it back, but John Wall picked it up and aimed at the basket, getting ready to shoot. Zhou Yi was shocked and immediately rushed forward to try to block the shot. A cold smile appeared on John Wall’s lips.
“I was waiting for you to come at me.”
John Wall waited until Zhou Yi was about to reach him before shooting the ball toward him. The moment the ball was released, Zhou Yi’s body collided with John Wall’s, and his hand hit John Wall’s hand as well.
“Ding,” the referee’s whistle sounded at just the right time. Zhou Yi knew he had been fouled. Fortunately, John Wall’s shot hadn’t gone in; otherwise, he would have been given a two-plus-one penalty.
“What a shame—I got fooled. It’s my fault for not staying calm enough!” Zhou Yi blamed himself silently.
“Pistons, player number 37, committed a foul. Wizards, player number 2, two free throws,” the referee signaled to the scoreboard before going back to execute John Wall’s free throws.
“Heh, you’ve already got a foul at the start of the game—this isn’t a good sign!” John Wall whispered beside Zhou Yi.
Zhou Yi pursed his lips and smiled faintly. “Thanks for the reminder. But as you said, the game has just begun, and we don’t know what the outcome will be.”
John Wall smiled awkwardly, shrugged, then returned to the free-throw line to take his shots.
John Wall’s free throws were accurate—he made both.
While holding the ball, Zhou Yi thought about the situation on the court. The Pistons’ biggest advantage, and the only one, was the matchup between Andre Iguodala and Russell Westbrook. Although Westbrook was good at attacking, he was no match for the strong defender Andre Iguodala; stopping him wasn’t difficult at all. Westbrook already had defensive weaknesses, and with Andre Iguodala’s strong offensive skills as well, it shouldn’t be hard to gain the upper hand if they could make good use of this advantage.

For the remaining four positions, although the Pistons don’t have a huge advantage, they do have some edge.
John Wall is facing himself. Thanks to his excellent physical condition and solid defensive awareness, John Wall is a very good defender. As for his offense, it’s all-around and fast, but he also has many flaws—too much time holding the ball leads to frequent mistakes, and his ability to coordinate the team’s offense is inferior to Zhou Yi’s. On the other hand, Zhou Yi believes his defensive skills are superior to John Wall’s. Although his physical condition isn’t as good as John Wall’s, his defensive awareness is far above his. As for his offense, Zhou Yi admits he can’t match John Wall’s, in fact, he’s quite far behind. But Zhou Yi is aware that his organizational skills are definitely better, as shown in previous matches. Moreover, he had watched many of John Wall’s game videos before the match, so he’s confident about this. Therefore, in terms of overall strength (not just individual ability but also contribution to the team), Zhou Yi believes his strength is at least on par with John Wall’s, maybe even slightly better.
Greg Monroe is facing Yi Jianlian. Zhou Yi thinks Greg Monroe and Yi Jianlian are at least evenly matched. Greg Monroe is much stronger in both offense and defense than Yi Jianlian, but the reason they’re tied is simply due to experience.
At the center position, the Pistons have Ben Wallace, who is the team’s only defensive core and the last line of defense in the paint. Ben Wallace is facing the athletic Javier McGuire. Although Javier McGuire is quite strong, especially this season, with his second-highest number of blocks behind Andrew Bogut, it shows just how skilled he is. But Zhou Yi believes Ben Wallace should be able to contain Javier McGuire. However, considering Ben Wallace’s age, he’s still a bit worried. So, Zhou Yi thinks Ben Wallace can barely keep up with Javier McGuire at the center position.

At the shooting guard position, Tracy McGrady and Gilbert Arenas have many similarities: both were former superstars, both are strong offensively but weak defensively, and both have suffered serious injuries and have just recovered. Their matchup is predictable, with both likely to give their all; the only difference is that McGrady has a clear physical advantage, especially in height, being somewhat taller than Arenas. However, Arenas has speed as an advantage, though McGrady is not slow either. Since they are around the same age and have both recovered from injuries, Arenas’ advantage isn’t very significant.

Therefore, from a comprehensive perspective, McGrady has the upper hand over Arenas. Zhou Yi believes that when comparing the two, it’s at least a 50-50 split, or even 6-4 in McGrady’s favor. Of course, that means McGrady holds the six points.

If Zhou Yi can identify such an obvious advantage, then Pistons head coach John Kuester and Wizards head coach Philip Sanders surely can as well. Before the game, John Kuester didn’t seriously analyze the situation between the two teams because he thought the Pistons were stronger than the Wizards. But after the first few minutes, he realized he was wrong, so he quickly analyzed the situation and drew conclusions, planning to explain them to his players during timeouts.

Philip Sanders, on the other hand, had already analyzed the situation before the game and explained his findings to his players, hoping they would pay attention to it.

As if to prove Philip Sanders’ point, when Al Thornton was about to be beaten by Andre Iguodala, Gilbert Arenas rushed over to Iguodala but didn’t let go of McGrady. Both Thornton and Arenas were watching Iguodala and McGrady to prevent them from seizing an offensive opportunity.

But Thornton’s defense was terrible; he was easily bypassed by Iguodala, allowing Iguodala and McGrady to gain distance. With no choice, Arenas had to let go of McGrady and chase after Iguodala, leaving Thornton to guard McGrady off position.

Iguodala also knew Thornton was a weak point, so the moment he broke away from Arenas and closed in, he passed the ball to McGrady. After catching the ball, McGrady rushed from the right wing into the paint and completed a smooth layup. Thornton tried his best but couldn’t stop McGrady.

Maddie easily drove to the basket and scored, followed by a “beep” sound, as well as a foul on Al Thornton.
“Nice shot,” Charles Barkley laughed.
“Charles, can you stop being so dramatic? Being with you always makes me worry about my heart,” Kenny Smith glared at Charles Barkley before adding, “Although his physical condition isn’t what it used to be, his skills and experience are still there. Tracy is now playing purely with his head.”
Clyde Drexler nodded and smiled, “Heh, yes. Tracy is a player with great basketball talent. It’s a pleasure to watch him play.”
Philip Sanders shook his head helplessly, glanced at Nick Young, then shook his head again. He knew Nick Young was basically a liability, his defense even worse than Al Thornton’s. However, Nick Young’s offense was better than Al Thornton’s, though he was a shooting guard, which wasn’t quite right for the small forward position.
“Nick, go in and replace Al,” Philip Sanders thought for a moment before deciding to let Nick Young use his offense to gain an advantage.
Maddie took a free throw, but unfortunately missed it, while Yi Jian grabbed the defensive rebound.
John Wall attempted a mid-range jump shot, but was disturbed by Zhou Yi, causing the ball to bounce off the rim and go out of bounds. The Wizards’ defense wasn’t very strong. After receiving a pass from Zhou Yi, Andre Iguodala hit a backdoor jump shot, not even giving Nick Young a chance to defend him.
However, Nick Young’s offense was indeed good. He returned and scored 2 points against Andre Iguodala with a solo play.
Zhou Yi wandered outside the three-point line, looking for an opportunity. Suddenly, his eyes lit up—the basket was empty, and Andre Iguodala gestured upward at him. Delighted, Zhou Yi pretended to charge hard but actually threw the ball toward the upper left corner of the rim on the first step of his drive.
Andre Iguodala easily shook off Nick Young’s defense, cut straight into the paint from the left wing, jumped high, caught the ball, and scored with a dunk.
“Tai… Sha… an, Zhou…” Loud cheers erupted from the crowd, naturally directed at both Andre Iguodala and Zhou Yi.
“It seems they’re going to focus their attacks on Andre Iguodala!” Philip Sanders stood on the sidelines watching the game, his serious face furrowed.

Watching John Wall continuously driving with his dribble, Zhou Yi’s focus gradually sharpened—he wasn’t going to let John Wall slip past him so easily. Seeing John Wall’s muscular build, Zhou Yi was also somewhat impressed. Among his previous opponents, John Wall had the most exceptional physical condition, even better than Derrick Rose’s.
“How can there be such a monster on the defensive end?” Charles Barkley said helplessly, looking at the stark contrast between John Wall and Zhou Yi. Clearly, Barkley was rooting for Zhou Yi. Indeed, compared to John Wall, Zhou Yi’s physical condition was in a completely different league. Although Zhou Yi had improved significantly through intense training, it still paled in comparison to John Wall’s.
“Oh? Charles, do you still have the right to criticize someone else’s physique? Pull your butt in!” Kenny Smith joked with Barkley.
“Hmph, you always tease me. To be honest, not to mention my butt, I once made a living off it!” Barkley joked back. His big butt played a significant role in his becoming an All-Star.
Looking at Zhou Yi ahead, John Wall suddenly changed direction to the left, cutting toward Zhou Yi’s left side. Zhou Yi immediately followed closely. John Wall accelerated forward before suddenly stepping back. Zhou Yi knew John Wall was about to take a step-back jump shot and quickly jumped up to try and block it. Unbeknownst to him, this was just a feint. After stepping back, John Wall only pretended to shoot but didn’t actually take a shot. Seeing this, Zhou Yi inwardly cursed.
John Wall knew he couldn’t use that move at the start of the game again, as Zhou Yi would definitely be on guard for it. But precisely because Zhou Yi was so focused on this, he would assume John Wall would actually shoot when he stepped back. That’s why John Wall used this tactic once more—his goal was to trick Zhou Yi into committing a foul.
It had to be said that John Wall played very cleverly. Only when Zhou Yi rushed at him did he throw the ball in line with Zhou Yi’s body.
As the two collided, the referee’s whistle blew mercilessly with a “swish” sound. Even worse, John Wall’s shot went in.

Zhou Yi was extremely frustrated, blaming himself for being so careless. He had already been tricked once before, and now he fell for it again. Zhou Yi clenched his fists as he watched John Wall prepare to take a free throw.
“Will, go replace Zhou,” John Kuester said calmly from the coaching bench, arms crossed, addressing Will Bynum.
“Oh, okay.” Will Bynum quickly took off his jacket and headed toward the court.
Seeing Will Bynum approaching, Zhou Yi knew he was about to be substituted and walked toward the bench.
“Be careful with that guy,” Zhou Yi said seriously, patting Bynum’s shoulder.
“I know. I’ll avenge you, hehe,” Will Bynum replied with a smile, patting Zhou Yi’s back.
John Wall watched Zhou Yi leave the court with a cold smirk before focusing on his free throw. With a swish, the basketball went through the net, completing the two-plus-one play.
“Zhou is out. No wonder—after accumulating two fouls in less than half of the first quarter, leaving him in a foul trouble situation, it’s the best choice to take him off now. Hopefully, he can adjust his game rhythm in the rest of the match,” explained Clyde Drexler.
Bynum controlled the ball and, after half a quarter, passed it directly to McGrady. McGrady grabbed the ball with one hand, but several feints failed to deceive Ariza. With a hum, McGrady tried to drive hard, but as soon as he took the first step, he jumped high and flicked the ball, sending it flying. With another swish, the ball went in!
“T-MAC, T-MAC…” The fans enthusiastically called out McGrady’s nickname.
“Thud”—Yi Jian missed a jump shot from deep, and Big Ben secured the rebound.
Bynum broke through at the baseline, feigned a shot before passing the ball truthfully. McGrady, who was defending John Wall, easily caught the ball and completed a classic reverse layup to score!
Time flew by, and before long, the first quarter was over! After Zhou Yi left the court, the Pistons easily took the lead under McGrady’s unstoppable offense, entering the second quarter with a score of 31:23. In the first quarter, McGrady played nearly 10 minutes and scored 13 points, the highest in the team. Meanwhile, Zhou Yi, due to fouls, only played for 5 minutes and 11 seconds, scoring 2 points, with 1 steal and 1 rebound.
“Tracy, you’re in good form today, huh?” Zhou Yi said to McGrady with a smile.

“Yeah, Tracy, you just seemed to be trying to steal the show. Don’t you know this is a Chinese derby? Hehe…” Will Bynum joked as well.
Maddie shrugged and replied helplessly, “You saw that, John was also trying to steal the show, so I just wanted to show him who’s in charge. To be honest, I wanted to steal the show too, hehe…”
Hearing Maddie’s words, Zhou Yi and Will Bynum were both amused. Zhou Yi asked curiously, “Tracy, what do you mean by saying you wanted to steal the show? What were your plans? But I’m not blaming you for trying to take center stage.”
“Hehe…” Maddie smiled and replied mysteriously, “It’s precisely because this is a Chinese derby that I wanted to make a statement. Think about it—this game will surely attract a lot of fans’ attention. After getting injured, I haven’t done much and gradually faded from the public eye. I wanted to use this game to announce to the world that I, Tracy, am back. Although it’s unrealistic to return to my peak form, I believe I still have the ability to start on the team.”
After hearing Maddie’s words, Zhou Yi and the others nodded in agreement. Indeed, as Maddie said, he had lost a lot of fans’ attention during his injury period. If he could use these highly publicized games to showcase himself, he might attract everyone’s attention again, which would greatly help his basketball career. After all, with more fans’ support, players play with even more passion.
In the first few games of the season, Maddie played limited time as a substitute. However, after evaluation by head coach Kuster and several assistant coaches, Maddie’s injury had healed, and his performance in the previous dozen games showed he was strong enough to be the starting point guard. Based on his performance in those early starting games, he seemed to be about 50% of his peak form. John Kuster and the other assistant coaches believed that with more time to recover, he could reach at least 70% of his peak form. So, they were very optimistic about Maddie’s future.
“I see, haha. If that’s the case, I want to steal some spotlight too,” Bynum said, hugging Maddie and laughing.
“Great, if you all perform well, we’ll definitely win this game,” Zhou Yi said with a smile.

“Zhou, don’t worry. We won’t take too much spotlight either. After all, there are so many Chinese fans watching you. Going forward, we’ll create more opportunities for you, but you better not get into trouble with fouls again,” said Maddie cheerfully.

Zhou Yi looked at their sincere expressions, thought for a moment, and nodded with a smile.

Soon, the second quarter of the game began.

For the Pistons’ current lineup, the point guard was replaced by Will Bynum, James Posey took over as the shooting guard, Charlie Villanueva was the small forward, while Taylor Hansbrough and Samuel Dalembert formed the frontcourt duo. This was the Pistons’ second lineup. Although its offensive capabilities were slightly weaker, its defensive level was no less than that of the first lineup.

When Will Bynum moved to the frontcourt, the Wizards didn’t have much of an advantage in defense. Nick Young continued to focus on James Posey, assigning Carlisle Martin to guard Charlie Villanueva. This was also one of the Wizards’ weaknesses—their frontcourt players were too short. Nick Young was 6’6”, while Carlisle Martin was only 6’7”. This was indeed quite short, considering that James Posey was 6’8” and Charlie Villanueva was 6’7”. However, the Wizards did have an advantage: speed.

John Wall was tasked with defending Will Bynum. He had rested for almost two minutes during the first quarter and came in at the start of the second. Will Bynum found John Wall’s defense troublesome. While he sometimes had a physical advantage, it wasn’t significant, and his speed was even worse than John Wall’s. So, John Wall’s defense posed quite a challenge for Will Bynum.

With no other choice, Will Bynum signaled to his teammates in the frontcourt. Seeing his signal, Taylor Hansbrough, who was in the frontcourt, immediately rushed over. Without waiting to see if Trevor Booker followed, he stood to Will Bynum’s left, allowing Will Bynum to break through to the left.

The outcome was predictable. Without John Wall’s defense, Will Bynum easily penetrated into the Wizards’ frontcourt and scored a layup.

“Sigh, the Wizards’ overall defense is really poor!” Will Bynum thought to himself, pleased.

John Wall looked at his teammates gloomily, wondering why the team couldn’t achieve much. But then he thought that it might be better this way, as it would facilitate his own development.

Nick Young is poor defensively but quite excellent offensively, especially in the past two seasons. After catching a pass from John Wall at the baseline, Nick Young rushed into the Pistons’ paint and, despite being covered by Taylor Hansbrough, scored with a nice pull-up shot, even earning a free throw.

Nick Young excitedly rubbed his hands, took the ball from the referee, tapped it a few times, then crouched slightly to shoot. He thought the shot would go in, but the ball rotated a few times inside the hoop before bouncing out and being grabbed as a defensive rebound by Samuel Dalembert.

Both teams mainly played with their bench players, and the game proceeded like this for nearly 6 minutes. Neither side had any standout performances to excite the fans. The Pistons’ offense was slightly better than the Wizards’ because the Wizards’ defense was truly disappointing.