Chapter 151

After the collapse in the second half of the second quarter, John Kuester wasn’t angry; instead, it calmed his mind completely. The smooth start to the season had made him overly optimistic about the team’s future. But now it seems he was indeed too optimistic. A truly strong team isn’t the Pistons’ current style of play. The team’s current core is indeed impressive, and their record is good for now, but as the season progresses, this success is unlikely to last, especially in the playoffs, where depth on the bench often determines how far a team can go. However, he also knows that making a successful trade isn’t as simple as a one-for-one swap. A successful trade requires both effort and luck. Even if a talented player is acquired, whether they fit the team’s tactical approach is another matter. One of the most classic teams in recent years has been the New York Knicks. After Isiah Thomas took over, they made several big trades, bringing in many talented players, yet their record kept declining year after year—proof of reckless trading without considering the team’s actual situation. In a team, a leader is naturally essential; at critical moments, the leader is the most reliable asset. But what a team can’t do without are players who are hard workers—whose value goes beyond stats, as they appear in key moments of the game. Just like their current opponent, whose starting lineup includes hardworking players like Bruce Rinnes and Khris Krepšas. By stats alone, he’s a player between second and third tier, but even if you’re a top-tier player, the Raptors’ head coach wouldn’t bat an eye at trading for Rinnes or Krepšas. For the current Raptors, their role is irreplaceable. After the start of the second half, John Kuester simply took him off the court to rest. If he doesn’t value the opportunity, why give it to him? After all, there are plenty of others on the bench eager for a chance. Austin Daye got another opportunity.

Although Austin Daye is not a genius player, John Kuester is quite satisfied with his performance on the court. As the new head coach of the Pistons, he is not very pleased with the team’s current lineup, and making any trades in the short term seems unlikely. Identifying talent among rookies is undoubtedly something he is eager to do. Zhou Yi’s outstanding performance has made him persistent in focusing on rookies, so this year all three of the Pistons’ rookies have received considerable playing time.

In the second half, the Raptors still played with their starting lineup and barely managed to gain a scoring advantage. The Raptors’ head coach certainly wouldn’t give up this advantage easily; no matter how good their backups are, starting players are more reliable in critical moments.

Taking advantage of the chaos at the start of the game, Linas Krezia once again executed his tricky three-step layup, scoring easily. Austin Daye, who was defending him, was a step slow; with his speed, he could only watch helplessly as Linas Krezia scored. Since Austin Daye doesn’t get much playing time, he values every opportunity and often gives his all in games. He is well aware that his weakness in offense makes the coach cautious when deciding to use him.

As the team’s spiritual leader, McGrady naturally keeps an eye on the players’ conditions on the court. He didn’t miss Austin Daye’s distracted expression and stepped forward to gently pat his shoulder and comfort him. In fact, McGrady really didn’t take the opponent’s sudden attack seriously. With Linas Krezia’s skills, there are very few players in the league who can truly defend him. Relatively speaking, it was already quite impressive that Austin Daye was able to push him to that extent in the first half.

After resting for most of the first half, Zhou Yi was now full of energy. After catching the ball, he steadily carried it across half-court. From the few encounters earlier, Jose Calderon realized how difficult it would be to steal the ball from Zhou Yi. Moreover, his own fast pace, which he usually relied on, seemed to offer no advantage against him. Just as the Raptors’ head coach had advised him, it was unrealistic to completely shut down a player like Zhou Yi—at least not against him. Instead of worrying about that, it was better to focus on disrupting his passing routes. This year, the Pistons’ strong offensive performance was largely due to Zhou Yi’s playmaking, which kept the otherwise disorganized team together.

As footsteps grew louder, Jose Calderon became highly focused. The first half’s confrontation between the two was evenly matched. Although Zhou Yi tightly defended him, he didn’t make things easy for Zhou Yi either. After hitting two three-point shots, he didn’t ease up on Zhou Yi’s defense at all. Both were among the fastest players in the league. With both sides knowing each other’s strengths, the game naturally favored the Raptors, given their overall team strength. Even without Jose Calderon, they still had several reliable players. On the Pistons’ side, if Zhou Yi was contained, their outside offense would almost come to a standstill, leaving them dependent on Greg Monroe’s inside play.

John Kuester obviously understood the Raptors’ head coach’s strategy. Since Zhou Yi wasn’t very effective on the court, he decided to replace him halfway through the second half. This substitution seemed like a complete abandonment of the outside offense, but its effects became apparent in the second half. With his energy advantage, Zhou Yi gradually took the upper hand in the head-to-head battle with Jose Calderon.

This time, Zhou Yi didn’t pass the ball. Nearly a meter from the three-point line, he stopped moving and assumed a shooting stance. Such a sudden attempt at a shot would likely leave other players as mere onlookers, but he was facing Jose Calderon. Even before Zhou Yi stopped moving, Jose Calderon had become alert due to his body language. The moment Zhou Yi raised the basketball, his lightning-fast speed was once again on display before the Pistons’ fans.

For this shot, Zhou Yi chose the right timing and position. Judging from the smile on his lips, it was definitely the right decision. The only thing that could be criticized was his shooting speed. Zhou Yi’s fast shooting speed has gradually been accepted by everyone in the league. During the last match against the Raptors, Leandro Barbosa suffered a setback as Zhou Yi used his speed to shoot several strong shots at him in a row.

However, with such little time left, Jose Calderon naturally wouldn’t think too much. His mind was simple: he must prevent Zhou Yi from making this shot at all costs. When Jose Calderon jumped up trying to block the ball in Zhou Yi’s hands, the smile on Zhou Yi’s face grew even brighter. As his upper body rose higher, it suddenly stopped ascending, with his feet firmly planted on the floor.

Looking up at Zhou Yi, Jose Calderon felt frustrated. He knew he had been outmaneuvered, especially when he saw Zhou Yi jump again. “Ding” — the referee’s whistle sounded just in time. Before his body fell, Zhou Yi gently swung his left hand, and the orange basketball traced a beautiful arc through the air. Although the shot was taken from a difficult position, judging from its trajectory, it was undoubtedly a good shot.

“Thud” — Jose Calderon’s anxious heart finally settled. If Zhou Yi had managed a 3+1, the Pistons’ momentum might have changed. For Zhou Yi, three free throws meant an increase of three points to his score.

Zhou Yi dodged Jose Calderon with two quick changes of direction. This was already his third successful breakthrough of the quarter, each one becoming easier than the last. This time, just two changes of direction gave him the opportunity. The Raptors responded quickly, with Linas Kleiza and Ed Davis both coming forward to double-team Zhou Yi.

Faced with the double-team, Zhou Yi wasn’t nervous at all and didn’t pass the ball. Instead, he continued charging straight toward the paint. The player he encountered first was DeMar DeRozan. Zhou Yi suddenly sent his right hand behind his back. He had done this many times before, using a clever behind-the-back pass after breaking through. DeMar DeRozan quickly shifted his focus to this move, hesitating slightly. That was exactly the opportunity Zhou Yi needed. With a simple motion, he sent the ball back and retrieved it, tricking Linas Kleiza. Now, the only player standing in Zhou Yi’s way was the Raptors’ leader, Andrea Bagnani.

His trust in DeMar DeRozan’s defensive abilities caused Andrea Bagnani to react slowly to the counterattack. Yet this delay turned out to be advantageous—had he rushed in alongside DeMar DeRozan, Zhou Yi’s skill at exploiting chaos would likely have tricked him with a backpass. But by delaying his response, Bagnani was able to keep a clear view of Zhou Yi’s movements.

Zhou Yi also regretted it inwardly. After breaking past Jose Calderon, he noticed the Raptors players rushing to cover him. Of the two defenders, Bagnani seemed a bit quicker. He hadn’t expected Bagnani’s trust in his teammates to put himself at a disadvantage.

Instead of attacking decisively, Bagnani stood firm under the basket. At their current distance, Zhou Yi didn’t dare to stop abruptly and shoot—Bagnani could easily block him with a block. With full speed, Zhou Yi seemed unable to slow down, and the tightly guarded basket left no room for him to maneuver. His path seemed to lead straight to the baseline.

Just two steps later, Zhou Yi reached the baseline with no angle left. As his right foot neared crossing the line, the Raptors’ bench erupted in cheers. Zhou Yi’s earlier tactic of drawing fouls had frustrated them for a long time, so seeing him make a mistake brought them great relief.

At the moment he was about to cross the line, Zhou Yi pushed off the floor with his right foot and soared into the air.

Andrea Bagnani was pleased with his successful defense, but Zhou Yi’s move completely surprised him. From Zhou Yi’s position, flying over the baseline was inevitable—unless he could fly backward, which was impossible. Thus, Zhou Yi’s action truly seemed incredible.

With a roar, Zhou Yi unleashed the strength he had built up, and his body suddenly stopped mid-air. Tilting slightly to the right, he extended his right hand holding the ball from behind the basket and threw it lightly.

“Swish”—the ball went through the net!

The entire crowd was stunned. Many people instinctively opened their mouths wide. Even the DJ on site seemed to forget his duties. The Toronto arena fell silent.

No one knew who started clapping first, but soon the arena was filled with applause. Such a bizarre goal thrilled the fans. Although it wasn’t a real match, the fans were there to watch a good game, and they would applaud. Moreover, Toronto’s fans have always been very courteous, unlike some fans at other home venues who can be extremely vicious. The cheering grew louder, with the morale of both teams fluctuating, and the balance of victory gradually tilting in favor of the Pistons. The Raptors’ head coach sighed helplessly and called a timeout—it seemed he had truly underestimated Zhou Yi, who turned out to be a master at creating atmosphere. Thinking of his own team, which also had a player like DeMar DeRozan who excelled at that, he was used to DeRozan disrupting the opponent’s interior play, and he enjoyed the advantages that came from his outstanding performances. Zhou Yi slowly controlled the ball through the first half. Although John Kuester had planned for a fast break, it was Zhou Yi who was the team’s pivot, with the playing style largely determined by his intentions. With a clever spin, he dodged Jose Calderon, who was trying to interfere, and passed the ball to Andre Iguodala on the right wing just before the opposing player could recover, resulting in a three-point shot. Due to Calderon’s faulty pass, Zhou Yi made a long pass that helped Greg Monroe score with a dunk. The Raptors quickly called a timeout—Calderon’s poor performance had almost paralyzed the team’s offensive system, allowing the Pistons to gain momentum. “Everyone did an excellent job in those two minutes; the defense was good too. The opponent will definitely make adjustments after this timeout. We still need to stick to our playing style. It’s up to you guys on the court to handle the situation—not only to maintain our own rhythm but also to strictly control the opponent’s offensive power,” insisted John Kuester. Sure enough, the Raptors replaced Calderon with Leandro Barbosa, who had always been his primary backup. A completely different type of player from Calderon, he had played almost as many minutes as Calderon despite being a substitute. Leandro Barbosa was fast and had excellent ball-handling skills. Even with Zhou Yi’s speed, no one dared to act rashly. He made a behind-the-back pass to Andrea Banchini, who was unguarded, and Banchini scored with a hook shot.

In the following matches, the two teams entered a stalemate. The Pistons showed unprecedented defensive intensity; although their offense faced some setbacks, they managed to hold off the opponent’s attacks. By the end of the first half, they still led by about 10 points.

Zhou Yi firmly controlled the ball, stretched his distance from Leandro Barbosa with a crossover, accelerated past him, and scored with a half-court shot.

Leandro Barbosa passed the ball to the ground, handing it to Andrea Bagnani. Andrea Bagnani gripped the ball tightly, first observing his teammates’ positions. The Pistons’ switching was very fast, and none of his teammates had a good chance, so he decided to handle it himself. He pushed past Greg Monroe behind him, stepped back slightly, and scored with a high hook shot using his right hand.

His shooting arc was high, and although such shots are difficult, they are also hard to defend against.

Zhou Yi was outside the three-point line, throwing the ball to Greg Monroe. Greg Monroe kept tapping the ball with his right hand while using his left shoulder to push against Amir Johnson, trying to force his way to the basket. Greg Monroe wasn’t afraid of this approach at all—he was much stronger than his opponent and had never backed down in physical confrontations.

Suddenly, he took a step back, supporting himself on his right foot, pulling his left foot back, and raising both hands as if ready to shoot. Amir Johnson reacted quickly, blocking his shooting angle.

Greg Monroe suddenly flipped his wrist and passed the ball.

Zhou Yi calmly scored a three-pointer from the right wing baseline. During the earlier confrontation inside the paint, he hadn’t seen much determination in Greg Monroe’s eyes. Seizing the moment when everyone’s attention was focused on the inside players, he quickly ran to the baseline. Sure enough, Greg Monroe passed the ball quickly, and with no defender available, Zhou Yi had no reason not to score.

“Nice!” John Kuster jumped up happily. Greg Monroe’s passing awareness was quite outstanding among big players, and John Kuster was very optimistic about his future.

Andrea Bagnani held the ball in one hand, darted past Greg Monroe under his arm, and threw it high. At that moment, Greg Monroe was facing away, leaving no time for him to defend. This shot was almost guaranteed for him.

“Swish”—the ball indeed went in.

Zhou Yi delivered a high hook pass swiftly to Greg Monroe, who found himself with no one in front of him. Fueled by excitement, Greg Monroe accelerated with all his strength, rushing toward the basket. Two steps inside the free-throw line, he unleashed his accumulated power, lifting the ball high with one hand and charging toward the hoop, using his momentum to launch himself into the air. With a loud thud, Greg Monroe executed a powerful spinning dunk. Leonardo Barbosa’s timely block allowed DeMar DeRozan to hit a mid-range jump shot. Greg Monroe attracted the defense inside and quickly passed the ball out, leading to an Andray Blatche mid-range shot going in. As time passed, the Raptors’ coach finally couldn’t hold back and called a timeout. With 8 minutes left in the game and still 12 points behind, he needed to adjust his tactics. While 12 points isn’t enough to decide the game, it gave the Pistons control, putting them at a significant disadvantage. Seeing the opponent finally losing patience, John Kuester let out a long sigh. In fact, the Pistons had also faced some trouble in the earlier clashes. After the timeout, Leonardo Barbosa took advantage of the chaos to launch a fast break and score 2 points. Zhou Yi accelerated past the defenders and hit a quick stop jump shot. His shooting has become more precise—fast release combined with his excellent hanging ability has made his backspin jump shots even more lethal. These improvements have greatly enhanced his offensive capabilities, allowing him to score even under intense defense. With possession in the Raptors’ hands, Leonardo Barbosa rushed full speed, and even Zhou Yi wasn’t to be underestimated; he tried his best to block his path, aiming to disrupt the team’s flow of play. With his teammates providing screens, Linas Kleiza received a pass inside and quickly scored. So far in the game, under Austin Daye’s defense, Linas Kleiza hadn’t performed well, hitting only 6 out of 15 attempts, including 3 out of 4 in the first quarter. In the following moments, Zhou Yi and Tracy McGrady combined to score 9 points in a row for the Raptors, stabilizing the game situation.

Seeing this, the Raptors’ head coach quickly called a timeout. The Pistons’ bench players stepped forward to shake hands with Zhou Yi one by one. Zhou Yi’s performance in those two minutes was absolutely outstanding—he not only helped his team tie the score but also delivered two brilliant individual performances that dealt a heavy blow to the Raptors’ morale. The Raptors’ timeout didn’t bring much change to their team, as the Pistons gradually widened the score gap by relying on their outside shooting. In just the third quarter, the Pistons hit eight three-pointers, ultimately winning 109–93. In this game, every player on the Pistons’ team contributed; six out of the ten players scored in double figures. Greg Monroe scored 28 points, the highest in the game, and also grabbed 15 rebounds. In his matchup against Ed Davis, he outperformed his opponent in every statistic, while Zhou Yi scored 23 points and provided 7 assists. At the post-game press conference, the Raptors’ head coach was quite composed about the loss. After summarizing his team’s performance, he highly praised the Pistons’ performance. Zhou Yi and Greg Monroe were among the players he commended, especially Zhou Yi’s two brilliant performances in the third quarter, which he called turning points of the game. He also spoke positively about Austin Daye, saying that as a rookie, his fighting spirit on the court was admirable. After defeating the Raptors, the Pistons will next face the Knicks at home on the 18th. The Pistons have already played against the Knicks twice this season, winning both games. With the momentum from their big win over the Raptors, they are sure to defeat the Knicks at home as well. Chapter 357: Meeting the Knicks Again. “Hello, viewers watching at home. We are now broadcasting the 2010–2011 NBA regular season game between the Pistons and the Knicks. So far this season, the two teams have met twice, with the Pistons winning both games. For the Knicks, this game is a chance for revenge—they definitely don’t want to be swept by the Pistons, so they will play very aggressively. Coach Zhang, what’s your opinion on this game?”

“Teacher Yu is right; this game is bound to be intense. It’s the Knicks’ last chance this season to avenge themselves against the Pistons, so they will definitely want to beat them. Naturally, the Pistons don’t want to lose to the Knicks either, so both teams will give it their all.”
“Well, that’s indeed the case. Alright, the game has already started; let’s turn our attention to the court now…”
Amidst the cheers of the fans, the starting players from both teams stepped onto the court, while the jump ball players, Greg Monroe and Amare Stoudemire, went to the center to prepare for the jump ball.
The referee walked to the center with the basketball. After looking at the players from both teams, he blew the whistle, and the ball was thrown up at the same time. Greg Monroe and Amare Stoudemire immediately leaped after the flying ball, reaching for it.
With a soft thud, Greg Monroe’s fingertips touched the ball before Amare Stoudemire’s, and he gently passed it to his teammate Zhou Yi.
“Great catch,” Zhou Yi said, not failing to capitalize on Greg Monroe’s effort by grabbing the ball right away. Winning the ball secured the Pistons’ morale significantly with this jump ball.
The Knicks players defended and quickly took their positions, waiting for the Pistons to come.
After Zhou Yi crossed half-court, Greg Monroe and Ben Wallace started competing for position under the basket, while Andre Iguodala and Tracy McGrady kept moving around to get free from their defenders and create shooting opportunities.
With a swift motion, Zhou Yi sent the ball straight to McGrady while quickly changing positions.
Zhou Yi started running from beyond the three-point line, using Greg Monroe’s screen to get away from his opponent, then circled back to the left wing at the zero-degree angle beyond the three-point line, gaining a shooting chance. The ball reached his hands almost immediately.
After catching the ball, Zhou Yi turned, jumped, raised his arm, and shot a three-pointer as his opponent failed to recover in time for defense. The ball lived up to his and the Pistons’ expectations, going straight through the net.
3:0—Zhou Yi gave the Pistons a lead at the start of the game.
The Knicks counterattacked, using a strategy similar to that of the Pistons. Raymond Felton controlled the ball, while Landry Fields and Sean Williams moved around, and Amare Stoudemire and Jalen Jeffries competed for position inside against their opponents.

Yet even so, it seemed the Knicks were not as tactically adept in this regard as the Pistons; after some scrambling and movement, they failed to find an appropriate opportunity to shoot. So, Raymond Felton, who had the ball, suddenly took off, trying to use his physical strength to break through Zhou Yi’s defense, just as he had in previous encounters. But this tactic didn’t work today—Raymond Felton couldn’t break through Zhou Yi’s defense and was tightly guarded by him the whole time. “Damn it, this guy’s footwork…” Raymond Felton thought to himself. Gritting his teeth, he pushed the ball to Landry Fields at the perimeter. After catching it, Fields immediately tried to break through, but McGrady, who was defending him, stopped him from succeeding, so the ball was passed again. The ball returned outside the three-point line, this time caught by Sean Williams. Sean Williams wasn’t very strong offensively, and his defender was the skilled Andre Iguodala. So if he tried to attack on his own, he was likely to make a mistake or have the ball stolen. Therefore, the experienced Sean Williams promptly passed the ball to Amare Stoudemire, who had just run to the free-throw line. After catching the ball, Amare Stoudemire naturally turned and jumped, smoothly pushing the ball with his wrist to shoot a precise mid-range shot. “Swish!” The basketball hit the backboard and went in. 3:2—the Knicks regained 2 points through clever teamwork. Immediately afterward, the Pistons and Knicks engaged in two more back-and-forth attacks, but under the opponent’s tight defense, neither side managed to score, keeping the score at 3:2 until the third minute of the first quarter when a score was finally made again. Zhou Yi drove with the ball, using his unique skill of feinting left and right to dodge Landry Fields and break through, heading straight into the Knicks’ penalty area. The closest Knicks player, Jalen Jeffries, had no choice but to abandon Ben Wallace and rush to defend Zhou Yi. As Jalen Jeffries rushed toward him, Zhou Yi remained calm, smoothly pushing his right hand holding the ball, sending it onto the floor beneath Jalen Jeffries’ feet. Then, due to inertia, the ball landed steadily in Ben Wallace’s hands behind Jalen Jeffries.

After getting the ball, Ben Wallace immediately turned and jumped, aiming to finish the attack with a powerful dunk. But as he jumped, Amare Stoudemire, who was defending Greg Monroe, rushed to his side and also jumped up with his hands raised. With the offensive route blocked, Ben Wallace didn’t force a shot; instead, he retreated and used a rare, clever pass to deliver the ball to Greg Monroe. However, even after receiving the ball, Greg Monroe failed to score because Landry Fields and Sean Williams quickly surrounded him. Unable to shoot, the ball was passed again. Greg Monroe moved his hands and threw the ball to McGrady, who was unguarded beyond the three-point line. With the ball in hand, Raymond Felton, the Knicks’ only player who hadn’t yet provided help defense, couldn’t stay idle either—he rushed forward just as McGrady tried to shoot, but all he faced was the ball moving away from him again, as McGrady had already passed it to Zhou Yi, who had an open shot. When Zhou Yi received the ball, there wasn’t a single defender within three meters of him. So, he definitely wouldn’t miss this chance. He decisively jumped to shoot a three-pointer and successfully completed the attack, adding three more points for the Pistons. 6:2, the Pistons led by 4 points temporarily. Smooth, cohesive, selfless, confident—this was the essence of the Pistons’ recent attack. At first, Zhou Yi controlled the ball, then, after half a court pass, he handed it to McGrady. After a few quick passes, the ball returned to Zhou Yi’s hands, who brought this brilliant coordination to a perfect end. Such teamwork and coordination are rare throughout the league—and this is the standard approach of a team-oriented squad, with selfless understanding and cooperation. Playing like this, they can win. Although the game had just started, the Pistons’ fans believed they would definitely win—as long as they continued to display such high-level coordination, they would surely triumph in this tough battle. In the following time, both teams engaged in a back-and-forth battle using team tactics. Though the Pistons played well and coordinated well, the Knicks weren’t weak either; with “Little Tyrant” Stoudemire, they fought fiercely against the Pistons.

Whether in offense or defense, the Pistons couldn’t completely suppress the Knicks, nor could the Knicks defeat the Pistons. As a result, the score between the two teams remained close. With three seconds left, Landry Fields failed to hit a last-second three-pointer, leaving the first quarter tied at 28–27, with the Pistons temporarily ahead by one point. “Everyone played very well in the first quarter,” John Kuester praised his players. “Zhou, you did an excellent job in the first quarter—you contained Raymond Felton completely. He couldn’t get inside, and his shooting percentage was very low. It’s all thanks to you. I hope you can maintain this performance in the rest of the game.” “Yes, coach,” Zhou Yi replied. John Kuester then turned his attention to Greg Monroe and said, “Greg, take a break in the second quarter to conserve your energy so you can give your best in the rest of the game.” “Okay, I understand,” Greg Monroe nodded. After hearing that, John Kuester turned back to Zhou Yi. “Zhou, you fought hard in the first quarter. Be careful not to exhaust your energy—make sure you can give your best at critical moments!” Zhou Yi smiled and said confidently, “Coach, don’t worry. I still have plenty of energy. I think I can play the whole game. Besides, we can’t afford to slack off or be careless now, right?” “That’s perfect,” John Kuester nodded in satisfaction after hearing Zhou Yi’s reply. Then he clapped his hands and said loudly, “Alright, everyone, let’s go! Today’s victory belongs to us—because we are the stronger team.” “Yes.”

Mike D’Antoni, the Knicks’ head coach, glanced at the Pistons’ bench before turning to his players and saying, “You all did an excellent job in the first quarter. Although the Pistons are ahead now, it’s only by one point, so we’re actually tied with them at this point. Listen, Greg Monroe should be taken out of the game at the start of the second quarter. That will greatly weaken the Pistons’ interior play, and we must seize this opportunity to overwhelm them from inside, just as we did in our previous victories over them. Amare and Jared, you two need to work harder on offense. Jared, especially you—Ben Wallace will definitely not let you get away easy, so you need to focus on him, if possible. Try to get him to foul and force him to leave the game, understand?”
“Yes,” replied Amare Stoudemire and Jared Jeffries in unison.
“Randall, Raymond,” Mike D’Antoni turned his attention to the two guards, “I’m disappointed with your performance in the first quarter.”
Hearing this, Randall Fields and Raymond Felton both lowered their heads in shame. Indeed, their performance in the first quarter could only be described as poor.
Due to Zhou Yi and McGrady’s close defense, the two of them managed only 3 out of 11 shots in the first quarter, scoring just 7 points. Additionally, each of them committed one turnover—such results would disappoint anyone.
Mike D’Antoni glanced at Randall Fields before saying to Raymond Felton, “I don’t want to say much about Randall; he’s facing Tracy. But as for you, Raymond, you were held in check by a rookie. What do you have to say?”
Raymond Felton opened his mouth, glanced at Zhou Yi in the distance, and said, “He’s strong.”
“Yes, he is indeed strong,” Mike D’Antoni replied indifferently. “But no matter how strong he is, he’s still just a rookie. You’re far ahead of him in experience and skill. Why can’t you use that to take him on? Raymond, you’ve been performing very well this season. I hope you can continue like this to help the team win.”

After hearing Mike D’Antoni’s words, Raymond Felton was momentarily stunned, but soon a surge of excitement flowed through his body, filling him with enthusiasm. “Coach, I understand,” Raymond Felton said with a confident smile. “I know what to do. Don’t worry.”
Mike D’Antoni nodded in satisfaction and turned his attention back to Landry Fields. “Landry, what about you?”
“Coach, don’t worry,” Landry Fields replied with a determined expression. “Even if I can’t get rid of Tracy, I’ll give my teammates my full support. Even if I lose, I’ll still help the team win.”
“That’s good. Just having that attitude from you is enough,” Mike D’Antoni said, showing a rare smile. “Alright, everyone, get ready. In the games ahead, we need to show the Pistons what we’re really capable of.”
“Yes~~~” The Knicks players’ voices were filled with confidence.
Soon, the second quarter began.
Chapter 358: Battle Against the Knicks
After carrying the ball across half-court, Raymond Felton immediately passed it to Amare Stoudemire inside. At the same time, Raymond Felton and the other Knicks players started moving around to create space for Amare Stoudemire to thrive.
Amare Stoudemire, with his back to Taylor Hansbrough, who had replaced Greg Monroe, kept an eye on his surroundings, searching for an opportunity to attack. Zhou Yi, the closest Pistons player, remained vigilant, ready to close out on Amare Stoudemire the moment he made a move.
Zhou Yi was fully focused. Not only had to he watch out for Amare Stoudemire, but also Landry Fields on the outside. Based on his experience playing against the Knicks in two previous games, as soon as he tried to double-team Amare Stoudemire, Amare would immediately pass the ball to Landry Fields, who would then easily score a three-pointer. That’s why he couldn’t just rush in to double-team Amare as soon as he got the ball, as he had done before.
Two seconds after getting the ball, Amare Stoudemire finally took action. He dribbled at the low post, pushing his way past the inexperienced Taylor Hansbrough and quickly made his way into the paint. Zhou Yi also moved in to try and double-team Amare Stoudemire.

However, just as Zhou Yi was about to reach him, Amare Stoudemire suddenly turned around, slipped past Tyler Hansbrough, jumped with the ball in his left hand, and with a slight motion of his wrist sent the ball off the backboard and into the basket.
“Swish.”
The ball went in—28:29, the Knicks took the lead.
“Damn it,” Tyler Hansbrough muttered in frustration, turning to reset the play from the sideline. Amare Stoudemire, who had executed the attack, returned to the backcourt excitedly with his teammates.
After driving past half-court, McGrady passed the ball to Zhou Yi as usual.
This time, instead of immediately attacking after catching the ball, Zhou Yi signaled to the others to create space for him—he wanted to take on Landry Fields one-on-one.
Still trying to take me on one-on-one? Hmph, fine. I’m curious to see if your familiar dribbling tactics can still get past me.
Landry Fields lowered his center of gravity, ready to defend, while Zhou Yi slowly dribbled from a 45-degree angle outside the three-point line, neither attacking nor passing, just wasting time.
“Damn, what’s he planning to do? Pass? Dribble through? Shoot a three? Whatever, just guard him closely. That’s the only way to contain him.”
Landry Fields closed in on Zhou Yi, sticking closely to him. Zhou Yi didn’t dare be careless; he turned his back on Landry Fields and moved slowly with the ball, preventing him from stealing it. This continued until Zhou Yi reached the top of the arc outside the three-point line, when he made his next move.
Suddenly, Zhou Yi pushed the ball with his left hand, sending it from Landry Fields’ left side to behind him. At the same time, he turned right, slipping past Landry Fields from the right side—Zhou Yi had bypassed him.
Zhou Yi regained possession of the ball and charged into the Knicks’ paint.
He entered the paint, and now the only one capable of stopping him was Amare Stoudemire, who was rushing back to the basket.
“One, two, three…”
Zhou Yi used all his strength to leap, stretching his body like a sharp sword in the air, raising his right hand holding the ball as he rushed toward the basket at high speed. His eyes were now level with the basket.

“Ah~~~” With a loud roar, Amare Stoudemire, who had just arrived near the basket, also jumped up with his hands raised. However, though he had a clear height advantage, his explosive power and impact were far inferior to Zhou Yi’s. So when the two collided in mid-air, Zhou Yi’s flight path wasn’t hindered at all, while Amare Stoudemire was forced backward due to the intense force.
“Ding~~~”
“Ah~~~”
The referee’s whistle and Zhou Yi’s roar sounded simultaneously. Driven by these two distinct sounds, Zhou Yi’s right arm swung like a sharp axe, slamming the ball into the basket.
“Bang.” The basket let out a pained groan.
Amare Stoudemire couldn’t steady himself upon landing due to the strong impact and fell to the ground, while Zhou Yi grabbed the basket with one hand, looking down at Amare Stoudemire from above like a king.
The sound of the basket faded, and the court became utterly silent.
“Hiss~~~” Countless fans gasped, placing their hands on their chests to calm their racing hearts, their eyes fixed on Zhou Yi’s red-and-white figure hanging from the basket.
“Wow……” The crowd erupted in noise.
“Zhou… Yi, Zhou… Yi, Zhou… Yi……” Zhou Yi’s name was heard everywhere.
Euphoric cheers came from the Pistons’ fans, who were ecstatic, shouting, and roaring—all for Zhou Yi, who had just scored a stunning dunk.
“Ding~~~ Ding~~~” An unpleasant sound arose.
The referee pointed at Zhou Yi and waved his hands, indicating that his earlier foul made the score invalid.
Immediately, boos erupted from the fans, and even many Knicks fans joined in the criticism, showing that Zhou Yi’s perfect dunk had won over most of them.
“I fouled? Are you kidding? So frustrating……”
Zhou Yi released his grip on the basket, landed on the ground, and extended his left hand toward Amare Stoudemire.
Amare Stoudemire looked at Zhou Yi and grabbed his left hand with his own right. Then, both exerted force together, and Amare Stoudemire stood up again.

“Wow, that hurts.” Amare Stoudemire rubbed his chest and asked Zhou Yi, “You hit me pretty hard just now! Hey, are you okay?”
Zhou Yi was stunned and then felt the intense pain in his chest. He touched his chest, coughed a few times, waved his hand, and said, “I’m fine. I was trying to force a foul on you, but it ended up being me who got fouled.”
“Force a foul on me?” Amare Stoudemire paused for a moment before laughing lightly. “Ha, do you really think I’d get fouled so easily by a rookie like you? Give up that idea. After all, I’ve been playing in the NBA for years. So, just give up.” With that, Amare Stoudemire strode toward the front court.
Zhou Yi curled his lips and glanced at the scoreboard showing 28:29, his expression turning serious once again.
Damn it, that mistake cost us another scoring opportunity. Curse, it seems I still can’t grasp the NBA’s call standards.
Zhou Yi knew that regretting it was useless. All he could do now was stay fully focused and work hard with his teammates to catch up. Only by doing so could they win this game.
After halftime, Raymond Felton immediately passed the ball to Landry Fields. Then, he moved with the other teammates to create space for Landry Fields to thrive.
Zhou Yi lowered his center of gravity and stared at Landry Fields with the gaze of a lurking beast. But that dangerous look didn’t scare Landry Fields at all; instead, it made him more excited, more eager, and more frenzied.
Landry Fields gave a brief cold smirk, then, with a cold expression, attempted to break through from the right. But in the next moment, he suddenly changed direction, taking his first step to the left, dribbling with his left hand and charging toward the Pistons’ interior players at full speed.
Although Landry Fields’ feint was simple, it gave a sense of fluidity.
By his third step, Landry Fields had already entered the Pistons’ paint. In front of him were the Pistons’ two big men, Taylor Hansbrough and Ben Wallace, while Zhou Yi was chasing from behind.
Before the two Pistons’ big men could close in, Landry Fields threw up a quick shot that went through the basket.
After shooting a look at Zhou Yi to declare victory, Landry Fields turned and returned to his team’s half court with his teammates.

Zhou Yi shook his head and slowly ran toward the front court to continue the game.
Maddie caught the ball, ignored Sean Williams in front of him, and decisively shot from a 45-degree angle on the right side beyond the three-point line.
“Swish.”
The ball went in—31:31. Maddie helped the Pistons tie the score.
The Knicks counterattacked. After halftime, the ball was immediately passed to Landry Fields, with the others, just like before, skillfully moving to create space for him to thrive.
It was Landry Fields again, and Zhou Yi as well.
Could Zhou Yi stop Landry Fields this time?
This time, Zhou Yi defended more closely than before, almost in close proximity, preventing Landry Fields from accelerating and breaking through to the basket as easily as before.
After several failed attempts to break through, Landry Fields suddenly changed tactics—dribbled backward while stepping sideways, then jumped as he did so, taking off from just over half a meter from the three-point line.
“Not good.”
Zhou Yi thought to himself that things were bad—he had focused all his defensive attention on stopping the break through and completely forgotten that Landry Fields wasn’t just good at breaking through but also at shooting threes. Moreover, his most powerful and consistent scoring method was shooting threes.
It was too late for Zhou Yi to regret it. No matter how good his burst speed and jumping ability were, it was useless because by the time he jumped to block Landry Fields, the ball had already left his hands, tracing a beautiful arc through the air like a anti-aircraft shot.
“Swish.”
After flying through the air for over a second, the ball landed perfectly in the basket.
31:34. The Knicks took the lead again.
“Damn, another shot in…”
Zhou Yi cursed under his breath, filled with frustration.
Maddie took the free throw at the baseline and then passed the ball to Zhou Yi, who was waiting to receive it.
Zhou Yi carefully controlled the ball as he made his way across half court, constantly scanning the surroundings. When he reached about two meters outside the Knicks’ three-point line, he passed the ball to Maddie, then suddenly changed direction, circling around from the left, finally shedding Landry Fields and breaking into the Knicks’ paint. By then, Maddie had already released the ball, which flew toward the basket.

Zhou Yi glanced at the basketball, quickly calculating the time difference between its flight and his own. Then, as the ball passed the free-throw line, he used his remaining sprinting strength to leap into the air.
“It’s here.”
Zhou Yi and Tracy McGrady’s coordination.
Fans and everyone watching the game held their breath, waiting for what would happen next.
“Swish.” Zhou Yi caught the ball mid-air and dunked it with great skill using both hands.
“The thud” of the dunk echoed throughout the court, through the arena, and deep into people’s souls.
“Zhou… Yi, T-MAC…” The fans went wild again, shouting the names of Zhou Yi and McGrady in excitement, frenzy, and enthusiasm.
McGrady and Zhou Yi were considered the perfect duo in the hearts of Pistons fans.
“Great pass.” “Great dunk.” McGrady and Zhou Yi slapped each other’s hands before jogging back to the backcourt.
33:34…
Raymond Felton assisted Amare Stoudemire, who confidently hit a hook shot after catching the ball…
35:38…
Ben Wallace forced a foul on Jalen Jeffries by driving to the basket, making one of two free throws…
38:40…
Amare Stoudemire used a pick-and-roll, and Landry Fields drove, stopped abruptly, and hit a jump shot…
41:45…
In the first half of the second quarter, the Pistons were always behind the Knicks, though by only 2 or 3 points. They couldn’t catch up in score. Moreover, both teams had shooting percentages over 60%, leading to continuous scoring and many exciting goals, greatly enhancing the game’s excitement.
However, this style of play wasn’t beneficial for either team. Neither the Knicks nor the Pistons were known for their high shooting percentages or fast breaks. If they continued like this, the players might run out of energy.
When seven minutes into the second quarter, John Kuester finally called a long timeout, giving the players from both teams a chance to catch their breath.
It was the first timeout so far in the second quarter.
After a short period of adjustment, the players returned to the court, but their lineups had changed. Pistons players Ben Wallace, Andre Iguodala, and Taylor Hansbrough were substituted out, while Greg Monroe returned.

The Knicks’ Amare Stoudemire and Jalen Jeffries were taken off the court, and two larger players with stronger defensive skills were brought in.