Chapter 156

The close-quarters fighting in the third quarter drained too much of their energy. But the Pistons were different—almost all of their players were still able to keep fighting.
In the final moments, after Zhou Yi hit two consecutive three-pointers, the Pistons took complete control and held that advantage until the end.
93:81—the Pistons secured an easy victory away from home.
However, the Pistons also paid a price: Samuel Dalembert’s injury. During the intense battle in the third quarter, he was pulled down from the air by JJ Hickson, resulting in a twisted ankle. This incident led to Taylor Hansbrough slapping Anthony Parker, nearly sparking a fight between the two teams.
After examination, the Pistons announced that Samuel Dalembert would need to rest for at least two weeks and might not return until the playoffs.
After beating the Cavaliers, the Pistons rushed back to Detroit, where they faced the Indiana Pacers back-to-back at home.
On March 26th, again at 7:30 p.m., the Pistons welcomed the Pacers, led by Danny Granger.
This season, the Pacers have performed better than last season, currently ranking eighth in the East, just one and a half games behind seventh place. If they perform well in the remaining games, they could easily rise to seventh and avoid the dominant Pistons.
The Pistons’ starting lineup remained the same: center Ben Wallace, power forward Greg Monroe, small forward Andre Iguodala, shooting guard Tracy McGrady, and point guard Zhou Yi.
The Pacers’ starting five were: center Roy Hibbert, power forward Josh McRoberts, small forward Danny Granger, shooting guard Paul George, and point guard Rodney Stuckey, who was traded from the Pistons to the Pacers.
As the referee raised the ball, the game officially began.
The moment he received the ball, Zhou Yi regained his composure. Distraction during the game was the biggest no-no.
His opponent in defense was Rodney Stuckey, who had been traded from the Pistons to the Pacers. After most of the season of training, he had firmly established himself as the Pacers’ starting point guard.
With smooth dribbling and movement around the top of the key, Rodney Stuckey maintained a defensive stance without rushing in to steal the ball.

Zhou Yi slowed down, raised the ball with his right hand, ready to shoot. Rodney Stuckey quickly stepped forward to block, and with a “thud,” the ball landed beside his right hand. Instinctively, he tried to hook it, but a dark shadow flashed by as Zhou Yi blocked his path. A force came from his right arm, pushing his hand away as if it had collided with a high-speed sports car, causing him to stumble and lose his position. With a swift motion, Zhou Yi scored easily from the free-throw line. Faced with Zhou Yi’s early advantage, Rodney Stuckey wasn’t willing to back down either. He made a beautiful bounce pass, quickly delivering the ball to Roy Hibbert inside to score with a hook shot. Then Greg Monroe chased down the opponent and dunked for a score, also drawing a defensive foul from Roy Hibbert, resulting in an additional free throw. Greg Monroe was an interior player skilled at moving around; during fast breaks, he sometimes even outran players like Andre Iguodala. Combined with his size, he was like a small tank, charging forward with little one able to stop him, and he had many offensive options under the basket. Both teams were playing smoothly, but John Kuester wasn’t happy and kept shouting from the sidelines for better defense. Seeing this, Zhou Yi also urged everyone to strengthen their defense. The Pistons suddenly intensified their defense, and the Pacers made several mistakes in a row, allowing the Pistons to score a 10-0 run. The Pacers quickly called a timeout and adjusted their lineup. Rodney Stuckey was moved to the shooting guard position. In facing Zhou Yi, he was at a clear disadvantage—not only unable to counter Zhou Yi’s play but also restricted his own offensive capabilities. The results were immediate: against McGrady’s defense, he first succeeded in a one-on-one situation and then intercepted Andre Iguodala’s pass. Zhou Yi took a step forward, cleverly evading the opponent’s defense. After drawing their attention, he passed behind his back to Andre Iguodala, who naturally didn’t miss the chance to score a three-pointer. Zhou Yi stole the ball in the middle of the court and passed it long to Andre Iguodala, who scored another three-pointer despite Greg Monroe’s attempt to block. Andre Iguodala shouted a few times at Danny Granger as a show of defiance—having been pressured by the opponent all along, he was finally able to vent his frustration, which was truly satisfying.

After receiving the ball, Rodney Stuckey raised his hand to pass it when suddenly a white blur flashed before his eyes, and the ball felt lighter in his hand. In shock, he turned around to see Player No. 37, now in control of the ball, quickly breaking through the team’s defense and scoring with a layup. John Kuester stood up excitedly, applauding Zhou Yi’s performance. Zhou Yi’s shot was perfect in both timing and execution. Rodney Stuckey looked at Player No. 37 with admiration—truly someone who managed to displace him. Rodney Stuckey didn’t confront Zhou Yi head-on; from what had just happened, he had gained an understanding of Zhou Yi’s speed and steals ability. Zhou Yi was a traditional point guard who focused on coordinating the team’s attacks, avoiding direct confrontations unless necessary. Especially against such an outstanding opponent like Zhou Yi, it would be foolish to force a confrontation when his skills weren’t up to the task. Roy Hibbert took the initiative inside, using his back strength to gradually push Greg Monroe into the three-second zone. With a sudden burst of power, he dunked with both hands, forcing a foul on Greg Monroe. John Kuester frowned—Greg Monroe was already very physically strong, and it turned out the opponent’s center was even more formidable. It seemed they really wouldn’t be an easy match. Greg Monroe’s eyes burned with anger; he was very confident in his physique, and it was rare for him to be pushed around like this. “Home team’s Player No. 10 commits a defensive foul—2 points awarded, away team’s Player No. 55 gets one free throw.” At Zhou Yi’s reminder, Greg Monroe reluctantly raised his right hand. In the early stages of the game, both teams relied onprobing attacks attacks, and the score rose quickly. When the score reached 22:14, the Pacers called a timeout. John Kuester remained uneasy about the game so far. Although his team led by 8 points, the opponent’s coordination inside and outside was smooth, creating many scoring opportunities. “Zhou, wait a moment—try to attack their interior more often. Get Roy Hibbert to commit a few fouls, and the game will become easier to control.” With the interior constantly under pressure, it also put a lot of strain on the outside players.

He took a step to increase the distance between the two, enough space for Zhou Yi to charge in. Watching Zhou Yi’s figure, Rodney Stuckey gave a bitter smile. There was too much mystery about this Chinese man—his speed was almost beyond belief. He had been overtaken by Zhou Yi several times in a row. As for defending against breakthroughs, he thought his years in the NBA had made him quite skilled at it, yet Zhou Yi’s speed kept him always a step behind.

Roy Hibbert was furious as Zhou Yi headed straight for his paint. In the earlier confrontation, he had held a clear advantage in the inside battles. He would never allow a guard to act recklessly in his paint.

Seeing Roy Hibbert’s angry expression, Zhou Yi smirked coldly, thinking he was just waiting for an opportunity to attack him, and now he had come looking for trouble so quickly.

Facing him head-on, Zhou Yi wasn’t afraid of his height. He jumped forcefully in front of him, and at the moment they were about to collide, he delivered a behind-the-back hook shot.

Three sounds—“bang,” “swish,” “drip”—came in succession. Before shooting, Zhou Yi had blocked the referee’s view, giving the offensive player an advantage.

Zhou Yi quickly got up and patted his jersey, feeling a bit regretful. He seemed a bit impulsive earlier. With his skills, he could have forced the opponent to commit a foul by luring them in, only to end up colliding uselessly. Now he realized these Black players had bodies as hard as granite.

Zhou Yi walked calmly to the free-throw line—it was already the third time he had done so in the first quarter.

What pleased him even more was that there were still over three minutes left in the first quarter, and Roy Hibbert already had two fouls. The Pacers’ head coach would surely take him off the court soon to protect him.

This meant Greg Monroe, the opponent’s backup center, who was nowhere near his level, could freely dominate in the paint.

Just three minutes after Roy Hibbert was taken off, the Pistons took advantage of Greg Monroe’s inside strength to score a 9-2 run, quickly widening the score gap.

With no other choice, the Pacers’ head coach brought Roy Hibbert back in, telling him to be careful and having someone else cover for him. As a last resort, he could commit a foul on his own.

Yet he still underestimated Zhou Yi. Several one-on-one battles in the paint ended in Zhou Yi’s favor, resulting in four fouls for the opponent.

Chapter 365: Double Kill of the Pacers

“Ding~~~” With the referee’s whistle, the third quarter officially began.
The Pacers had the ball. Rodney Stuckey dribbled across half-court, still guarded by Zhou Yi. All the cameras were focused on him and Zhou Yi, just as in the first quarter.
Rodney Stuckey’s expression darkened as he slowly dribbled outside the three-point line, searching for an opportunity to attack. But after searching for a long time, he couldn’t find any weakness in Zhou Yi.
To Rodney Stuckey, Zhou Yi now seemed like an impregnable fortress, without any flaws.
Time passed by, and Rodney Stuckey continued to move back and forth outside the three-point line, showing no intention of passing or breaking through, leaving all the fans puzzled.
Many impatient Pacers fans began calling out Rodney Stuckey’s name, hoping he would launch an attack soon and give this yellow-skinned rookie a good lesson.
The crowd’s expectations and Zhou Yi’s close attention multiplied the pressure on Rodney Stuckey.
Finally, unable to bear the pressure, he suddenly moved forward, trying to break through Zhou Yi’s defense from the right. As a result, though he managed to break through, the ball in his hands disappeared mysteriously.
When Rodney Stuckey turned around, he saw only Zhou Yi carrying the ball across half-court, heading toward the Pacers’ completely undefended basket area.
“How did the ball end up in his hands!?”
Rodney Stuckey was filled with shock and confusion, as he had no idea how his ball had gone missing.
But just because he didn’t know didn’t mean everyone else didn’t.
As Rodney Stuckey broke through, Zhou Yi swiftly reached out with his left hand, gently touching the basketball and causing it to slip from Rodney Stuckey’s control.
Before Rodney Stuckey could recover, Zhou Yi used his free right hand to quickly pick up the rolling ball and charged toward the Pacers’ half-court.
After this steal, Zhou Yi ran at full speed, leaving the other Pacers players and Pistons teammates far behind.
Entering inside the three-point line, Zhou Yi held the ball with both hands and took three big steps, focusing entirely on the basket. He raised his hands high as he slowly approached the basket.

“Thud,” the groan of the basket echoed throughout the court.
“Zhou… Yi, Zhou… Yi, Zhou… Yi!” Loud cheers filled the arena, with Zhou Yi as the clear hero of the moment.
After that dunk, the Pacers fell apart completely, struggling to score and making mistakes. By the end of the third quarter, they were trailing the Pistons 61–84 by 23 points.
Although one quarter remained, everyone knew the outcome of the game had already been decided.
As expected, in the fourth quarter, the Pistons, led by Zhou Yi, scored repeatedly, while the Pacers were held to no shots at all. For a full five minutes, the Pistons prevented the Pacers from scoring a single point. By then, the Pistons had already scored 31 points, and the game officially entered garbage time.
In the end, the Pistons easily won 107–79.
The Pistons defeated the Pacers once again at their home court, but the Pacers still had a chance to retaliate, as the Pistons would be playing at the Conseco Fieldhouse in three days. They still had a chance to win back the match, but the Pistons were no easy opponents.
On March 30, 2011, at the Pacers’ home court, Conseco Fieldhouse, the Pacers faced the Pistons, who had just beaten them three days earlier.
At 7 p.m., the game between the visiting Pistons and the home Pacers began.
This time, it was Josh McRoberts and Greg Monroe who won the tip-off, with Josh McRoberts getting it.
Rodney Stuckey calmly organized the offense, carrying the ball across half-court and handing it to the big men. Roy Hibbert took the ball, glanced around, and saw Josh McRoberts suddenly surge forward, pulling ahead of Greg Monroe, who was trying to cover him, as he stepped deep into the Pistons’ paint.
Roy Hibbert passed the ball with a thud, and it landed right in Josh McRoberts’ hands as he entered the paint.
Josh McRoberts, like a tiger descending from the mountains, let out a fierce shout, jumped up, and slammed the ball into the basket before Ben Wallace could react.
The Pistons watched the slightly trembling basket and thought to themselves: How on earth did that guy get into the paint?

Watching the calm-faced Josh McRoberts jump down from the basket, both the Pistons’ coaches and players felt as though something significant had changed with the Pacers recently. Zhou Yi slowly controlled the ball at the top of the key, looking for an opportunity to pass, while the other players kept moving around. Rodney Stuckey made several attempts to steal the ball; the moment Stuckey tried to act, Zhou Yi suddenly used his right foot to propel himself forward, passing by him like the wind, jumping up and shooting—a beautiful arc—as the Pistons scored first with a swish. Before the applause faded, the Pacers launched a fast break and took a 4-2 lead. Rodney Stuckey was tasked with defending Zhou Yi; after being broken through for the first time, he grew cautious—Zhou Yi’s speed and ability to break through were far superior to his own. Before the game, the Pacers’ head coach, Jim O’Brien, reminded himself, “Zhou Yi is a crucial piece in the Pistons’ offensive and defensive system. At his age, it’s hard to find anyone who can stop him. In the game, you just need to do your best to defend him. I don’t expect you to completely shut him down—just block his passing routes and cut him off from the other players. A strong backcourt has always been the Pistons’ strength, but without him, with our team’s defensive capabilities, we can control the pace of the game.” Zhou Yi feinted, shifting Rodney Stuckey’s focus, then quickly slipped down to the basket. The paint was already crowded with players from both teams. Forceful play wasn’t his style. Those defending McGrady in the outside also got distracted by the chaos inside, and a long pass sent the ball beyond the three-point line. After catching the ball, McGrady found no one within a few steps and easily shot—another three-pointer. Rodney Stuckey’s face turned pale. Physical exhaustion was one thing, but the mental strain was what really hit him hard. Just two minutes into the game, Zhou Yi had already beaten him three times, dominating inside their own half. Andre Iguodala started moving as soon as Zhou Yi broke through, and by the time Zhou Yi reached his preferred spot, the ball was quickly passed on. With a look of despair on Danny Granger’s face, Zhou Yi stretched out his arms; the moment he shot, he knew it would work—this was the confidence of an All-Star player. John Kuester on the bench cheered in satisfaction, very pleased with his players’ performance. The pace of the game was fast; both teams had strong performances in the first six minutes, with the Pistons leading 16-11 by five points.

The Pacers’ defense in this game was truly outstanding, especially their awareness of covering for each other. Several opportunities created by Zhou Yi were thwarted by the opponent’s quick defensive shifts. The Pistons called a timeout first; despite having the advantage, they failed to score, as Zhou Yi’s breakthroughs alone weren’t enough to deal a fatal blow to the opponent’s defense. However, the Pistons’ substitution this time was quite confusing. “John Kuester’s substitution is really puzzling. The way the game is going is closely tied to Zhou Yi’s performance. The Pacers’ defense truly lives up to its reputation—no player can escape them. In the past few minutes, the Pistons’ Zhou Yi managed seven successful breakthroughs, but the Pacers’ defensive shifts were so fast that they quickly filled in the gaps. Now they’ve taken Zhou Yi off the court and replaced him with Will Bynum,” explained the on-site commentator in confusion. “Zhou, do you know why I’m taking you off now?” John Kuester asked softly, worried that Zhou Yi might question his decision. In response to Kuester’s question, Zhou Yi smiled and said, “Coach, I understand your thoughts. The playoffs are approaching, and stamina is of utmost importance.” Kuester was taken aback. He had intended to comfort Zhou Yi but didn’t expect him to be so perceptive about stamina issues. He then said reassuringly, “Yes. In the remaining games of this season, I’ll control your playing time to ensure you have enough stamina for the playoffs.” In the subsequent game, both teams engaged in a fierce battle. At the half-time break, the Pistons led 61–54, with only a 7-point advantage. Soon, the second half was about to begin. “The second half is starting soon, Zhou. It’s your turn now. The opponent’s key players are exhausted, so your breakthroughs will be even more effective. I have only one requirement for you: use your speed to constantly attack the opponent’s defense and create opportunities for your teammates, aiming to gain a decisive advantage in the third quarter,” Kuester instructed Zhou Yi before the second half began. Watching Zhou Yi walk among the players as if leisurely strolling, the Pacers’ players felt a chill. Although only ten minutes had passed in the first half, Zhou Yi’s breakthroughs left a deep impression on them. His fierce attacks left the defenders feeling helpless. In sports, momentum is crucial, and offense is always more advantageous than defense. If the defenders lose momentum, the game will be one-sided.

The Pistons still fielded their starters, but for the second half, John Kuester rotated them off the court in the first two quarters, allowing almost everyone to rest for most of each quarter. This was the biggest headache for the Pacers’ coach. The Pistons’ bench players were also highly skilled, some of them no less capable than the starters, but they were kept on the bench due to Kuester’s tactical decisions. Although he wanted to substitute the starters, after careful consideration, he had to give up on this tempting idea. The game was already going poorly, and making random lineup changes would likely make things even worse. Knowing it was a desperate move, he still had no choice but to do it.

“Let’s go, the game’s about to start. My brother’s waiting for your pass,” Greg Monroe said, expressing what everyone was thinking. Zhou Yi’s passes were sometimes brilliant and sometimes ordinary, but the receivers always felt comfortable—after catching the ball, they just needed to shoot without having to think about anything else. At that moment, they had the best chance to score.

Rodney Stuckey really wanted to cry. Watching Zhou Yi zoom away, he felt almost numb. In just three minutes of the second half, this was already the fifth time Zhou Yi had broken through his defense. In the first half, although he had been broken through several times, he had managed to defend successfully a few times. Even when he was beaten, he gave his teammates enough time to react. But now, he had almost no chance to fight back, and his teammates’ defensive rotations weren’t as quick as before, allowing the Pistons to score a 10-2 run.

The intense battles in the first half were a pleasure to watch for the fans, while Zhou Yi’s unrestrained performance in the second half left everyone in awe. The Pacers’ head coach, Jim O’Brien, kept trying to contain Zhou Yi by making three substitutions in a row, but the results only got worse. What was once a closely contested game suddenly saw one team full of confidence and momentum while the other was in disarray. By the end of the third quarter, the Pistons led by 18 points, 89-71.

In this quarter, the Pistons scored from multiple sources. Greg Monroe alone scored nine points, dominating the Pacers’ interior play. Together with Zhou Yi, one inside and one outside, they completely overwhelmed the Pacers. Zhou Yi also scored seven points and provided five assists in this quarter.

In the final quarter, Zhou Yi was once again sent to the bench. With the game already decided, John Kuester brought in a completely new lineup: center Spencer Hawes, power forward Taylor Hansbrough, small forward Austin Daye, shooting guard Jody Meeks, and point guard Will Bynum.
The Pistons’ lineup was entirely made up of backups, even reserve backups, and what set this lineup apart was its youth.
The Pistons’ move was purely for practice purposes.
Although Pacers head coach Jim O’Brien wanted to take advantage of the Pistons’ lineup change to narrow the score gap, after nearly three quarters of play, his starters were completely exhausted. Relying solely on those bench players was like sending sheep into a tiger’s den. If not for John Kuester’s sportsmanship in bringing in these young backups, the game could have turned out very badly.
With the referee’s whistle, the game came to an end, with the Pistons winning 111:95.
By defeating the Pacers once again, the Pistons completed a two-game sweep of them.
Chapter 366: Taming the Bulls (Part 1)
At 4:30 a.m. on April 1st, Beijing time, the Pistons hosted the Bulls at The Palace. This wasn’t an ideal time for broadcasting in China; even if some fans wanted to stay up to watch the game, it would be difficult for them to stay awake that late. But if they didn’t stay up, how many people would be awake at that time?
Not even CCTV-5 could broadcast the game. To make up for the fans’ disappointment, CCTV-5 decided to air a recorded replay at 10 a.m. Still, there were quite a number of fans who watched the game. Fortunately, with the advanced internet infrastructure nowadays, there are many ways to watch broadcasts online, especially for such a high-profile match—there are at least a dozen websites where it can be watched.
Even though the game was scheduled at this time, it didn’t affect the attendance at The Palace.

Amidst the cheers of the fans outside, John Kuester was also extremely excited. He said in a deep voice, “Today, our opponent is the Bulls, a team that has achieved thirteen consecutive wins this season. Their defense goes without saying—everyone is well aware of it and has experienced it firsthand. But what I want to talk about today is their offense. In their last ten games, at least five players on the Bulls have scored in double figures in each match. With such a consistent offense, plus players who can step up from the bench, they are undoubtedly a tough team to deal with. And since we just played against the Pacers, stamina will definitely be an issue. I don’t know what level of performance the players here can maintain, but I just want to say one thing: this is the Palace of Auburn Hills.”

“This is the Palace of Auburn Hills.” Those simple words resonated with the Pistons’ interior players. This season, the Palace of Auburn Hills has been hailed by other teams as a hellish arena. In so many home games, the Pistons have only lost three times.

As the door to the locker room opened, a loud roar surged in like a tide. Even after experiencing countless such scenes, the Pistons’ players still became filled with enthusiasm in the face of such cheers. This is the advantage of playing at home—the combination of favorable timing, location, and team spirit often allows players to perform at their best.

The Bulls’ players had to endure a few minutes of boos. The only one who fared better was Derrick Rose, who received the least amount of boos, mixed in with applause.

At 4:30 a.m. Beijing time, the game started on time. The large screen in the center of the arena displayed the starting lineups for both teams, along with some comparative stats from previous games. The Bulls’ starting lineup consisted of center Joakim Noah, power forward Carlos Boozer, small forward Ron Artest, shooting guard Keith Bogans, and point guard Derrick Rose.

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

The Pistons’ starting lineup lacked a reliable center. Ben Wallace was old, Samuel Dalembert was injured, and Spencer Hawes was too young to hold back Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer.

Thanks to his experience, Carlos Boozer easily passed the ball to Derrick Rose.

After catching the ball, he quickly crossed half-court. Derek Rose was fast, but Zhou Yi appeared far outside the three-point line early on. Instead of forcing his way through, Derek Rose passed the ball to Raul Dunlap. Seeing Andre Iguodala’s cold expression, Raul Dunlap accelerated his pace with the ball. Besides his excellent defensive skills, Andre Iguodala also had beast-like stamina—any opponent caught by him wouldn’t fare well. With a crisp sound of the basketball, Raul Dunlap performed a behind-the-back pass, using his right foot to shift his body to the right of Andre Iguodala in one smooth motion. Such a sudden and aggressive maneuver would usually force even average players to react, but he was facing Andre Iguodala. By the time Raul Dunlap moved, Andre Iguodala was already prepared, though he hadn’t expected the opponent’s breakthrough to be so straightforward, without even a basic feint. In his haste, Andre Iguodala immediately pressed close, blocking Raul Dunlap’s advance. The collision wasn’t intense—Raul Dunlap didn’t force his way through, and Andre Iguodala stood firm on his feet. Raul Dunlap tried a tentative breakthrough before pulling back. With his right toe tapping the floor, he used the rebound to spin 180 degrees, turning his back on Andre Iguodala and passing the ball. In Tom Thibodeau’s new tactical system, there was a high demand for ball mobility. After catching the ball, Derek Rose slid forward. Without hesitation in the face of backup defense from Tracy McGrady, he executed a convincing jump shot, luring McGrady off his feet before darting toward the Pistons’ interior. With a slight shake of his wrist, Derek Rose changed his shooting posture to a pass, returning the ball to Raul Dunlap. That back-and-forth was enough for the Pistons to cover up their defensive gaps. Raul Dunlap shot up suddenly, but at the moment he released the ball, Zhou Yi noticed something odd with his wrist movement—it seemed less like a shot and more like a pass. “Watch the paint!” Zhou Yi’s warning came too late. Joakim Noah caught the ball inside and dunked it immediately, giving the Bulls the first point. With his agile feet and skilled ball control, Derek Rose grew anxious. In this game, Tom Thibodeau had naturally entrusted him with the task of defending Zhou Yi. In their three previous encounters this season, Derek Rose had almost been overwhelmed by Zhou Yi, leaving him wary of his breakthrough skills.

Derrick Rose deliberately kept some distance, but unexpectedly, Zhou Yi emerged from half a meter outside the three-point line and dunked the ball straight into the net. With Derrick Rose’s defensive skills and height advantage, it should have been difficult for Zhou Yi to score so easily. However, his excessive caution due to fearing Zhou Yi’s breakthroughs backfired. Tom Thibodeau shook his head helplessly—this wasn’t entirely Derrick Rose’s fault; Zhou Yi was simply too versatile, capable in offense, defense, passing, and with a steady shooting touch that made it impossible for the defenders to predict his next move. The Bulls’ several passes from outside never created an opportunity. With no other choice, Derrick Rose passed the ball to the interior. Joakim Noah immediately reached out to grab it—there were no Pistons players under the basket, so once he got the ball, he could score right away. But with a flash of movement in front of him, he failed to catch the ball. McGrady’s innate sense for opportunities always had him at the forefront of fast breaks. Although Greg Monroe’s passes weren’t very accurate, fortunately, there were no Bulls players around him, allowing him to easily score. This was the Pistons’ strength—always full of energy in offense, and given just a slight opportunity, they could launch a series of attacks. Tom Thibodeau’s expression grew increasingly grim. The Pistons’ tactics were clearly aimed at the Bulls—three interior players almost cut off Joakim Noah, Carlos Boozer, and the other teammates from communicating. Derrick Rose’s shooting form was also poor; he made just one shot out of four, even his open shots missed. The Bulls called their first timeout, stuck in trouble inside the basket. With Derrick Rose struggling, Rolando Blackman’s two accurate mid-range shots prevented the Pistons from widening the score gap. Watching the chaos on the Bulls’ bench and Kyle Korver’s relaxed expression, John Kuester knew what the Bulls would do next. After several encounters, John Kuester had enough reason to study the Bulls. When the Bulls returned to the court, Kyle Korver replaced Keith Bogans. Keith Bogans hadn’t performed well this season, with his playing time continuously reduced, but Tom Thibodeau still hadn’t replaced him as the starting player.

Ronny Brewer’s form isn’t much better than his, but he’s clearly less familiar with the team compared to him. As for Kyle Korver, he only has a decent outside shooting skill; his other abilities are practically negligible.
As soon as Kyle Korver stepped onto the court, he gave the Pistons a tough start.
McGrady’s cross-pass was intercepted by the suddenly appearing Kyle Korver, who then drove the ball alone. The Pistons’ players had already penetrated into the Bulls’ half-court. McGrady’s passing mistake caught everyone off guard. Despite McGrady’s best efforts to chase after him, the gap between them grew wider, leaving them helpless as they watched Kyle Korver successfully score.
Kyle Korver’s showy celebration angered the fans at the Auburn Hills Palace. Fortunately, the Pistons’ current fans are quite civilized, with few shouting insults; however, there was a mix of noise and boos.
Just ten seconds later, McGrady responded with a precise three-pointer against the Bulls—more importantly, it was scored while under Kyle Korver’s defense.