Chapter 159

With 43 seconds left in the first quarter, Zhou Yi passed the ball to McGrady again. McGrady drove and passed it to James Posey, who took a jump shot just inside the three-point line. But it missed, and Spencer Hawes grabbed the offensive rebound and passed it back to McGrady on the perimeter. McGrady and Zhou Yi coordinated perfectly—after Zhou Yi set up a pick-and-roll for McGrady, he quickly rushed back to the basket, and McGrady took a jump shot from above. However, the ball’s arc was too high; it clearly wouldn’t even reach the rim. The home crowd immediately started booing, but then they were stunned. The moment McGrady passed the ball, Zhou Yi quickly jumped up. The Wizards’ big men realized the ball’s arc was too high and thought it wouldn’t go in, so they prepared to grab the rebound. But when they saw Zhou Yi jump so early, they showed mocking expressions, thinking it was too early to grab the rebound. Yet in the next moment, they were shocked—because McGrady wasn’t shooting at all; he was passing the ball, and Zhou Yi rushed inside to set up a layup pass. But it was too late—Zhou Yi had already completed the pass, hanging high above the basket like a deity. The entire crowd gasped in awe as they watched the scene. The game continued, with 19 seconds left before the end of the first quarter. John Wall remained calm, undisturbed by Zhou Yi’s amazing performance. Having faced Zhou Yi many times, John Wall clearly knew he couldn’t afford to get distracted around this opponent. After half the time, John Wall passed the ball to Chinese player Yi Jianlian. Yi Jianlian used Andre Iguodala’s screen to drive straight to the basket and scored with a one-handed dunk. “Wow…” The crowd erupted in enthusiastic cheers. “Hehe…” Seeing this, Zhou Yi couldn’t help but smile. Yi Jianlian’s early move gave the Pistons 5.2 seconds, giving them one last chance to attack. McGrady organized the offense, passed the ball to Zhou Yi, who then cleverly passed it to Tyler Hansbrough, who took a jump shot—but it missed. Spencer Hawes grabbed the offensive rebound and tried to shoot immediately, but it was too late. The whistle for the end of the first quarter blew.