Chapter 160

At the end of the first quarter, Zhou Yi and the others headed to the bench to rest briefly before the start of the second quarter.
Chapter 373: Emperor Yi’s Might
The game continued, with the Pistons still in possession. Zhou Yi organized the team’s offense. With McGrady out, the responsibility of leading the offense fell entirely on Zhou Yi, increasing his pressure significantly. Fortunately, Andre Iguodala’s offensive prowess remained fierce, allowing the Pistons to maintain an advantage of over 8 points.
Neither team was hitting shots very well during this period, especially the Wizards, who were unable to counter the Pistons’ intense defense. In no time, 6 minutes of play had passed. Zhou Yi took control of the ball, used a crossover to dodge John Wall’s defense, and drove straight to the paint for a layup—unfortunately missing. Greg Monroe jumped high and secured the rebound, also drawing a defensive foul on Yi Jianlian.
Since it was the Wizards’ home court, loud boos filled the arena as Greg Monroe stepped to the free-throw line. After nearly a season of training, Greg Monroe had become much more composed. Ignoring the boos, he made both free throws.
With 4 minutes and 57 seconds left in the first half, both teams switched to their starting players. The current lineups were: Pistons—Ben Wallace, Greg Monroe, Andre Iguodala, McGrady, and Zhou Yi; Wizards—Javale McGee, Yi Jianlian, Morris Evans, Nick Young, and John Wall.
As soon as John Wall entered the game, taking advantage of Zhou Yi’s fatigue, he scored 4 points in a row and added 2 assists. The Pistons only managed 2 points from McGrady’s free throws. Thus, led by John Wall, the Wizards scored a 9–2 run, narrowing the score to just 3 points behind. However, the Pistons immediately launched a fierce counterattack, treating the MIC Center like their own arena.
Despite the constant boos from the home crowd, the Pistons remained unaffected. Under Zhou Yi’s leadership, they played efficient offense. Within 3 minutes, they widened the score gap to double digits again. Ben Wallace was still too old and lost in the matchup against Javale McGee.

Greg Monroe was extremely clever; seeing that Darbonn couldn’t contain Xavier McKey, he would occasionally run over to help Darbonn defend him. Xavier McKey had to not only defend against Darbonn’s blocks but also avoid Monroe’s help defense, which significantly reduced his offensive efficiency. However, the Wizards’ outside shooters provided fierce firepower at that moment—John Wall and Nick Young each hit a three-pointer, quickly narrowing the score gap to under double digits. Zhou Yi pushed past John Wall and scored inside for the Pistons, helping them stabilize their position. Andre Iguodala also dealt a heavy blow to the Wizards: first, he used his height and reach to block Nick Young, then, after grabbing the rebound, he dunked with both hands in one smooth motion. At that point, with 1 minute and 15 seconds left in the first half, Philip Sanders called a timeout to try to close the gap further. Soon, Sanders’ timeout paid off. Nick Young and Maurice Evans acted like two bombers, unleashing a barrage of threes from the Pistons’ outside. In just 40 seconds, they combined to hit three three-pointers, instantly narrowing the score to just a 3-point deficit. With 31 seconds left, each team had one more chance to score. Zhou Yi didn’t waste a second after halftime; he quickly pushed past John Wall and scored again, helping the Pistons maintain their lead. Zhou Yi’s drive took only 5 seconds, with 26 seconds left in the first half, so the Pistons essentially gained another scoring opportunity. But John Wall was a player who played strategically—seeing 26 seconds left, he slowed down, aiming to use up all 24 seconds of offensive time, leaving only 2 seconds for the opponent to attempt a final shot. John Wall glanced at the 24-second timer; with 8 seconds left, he used his speed to leave Zhou Yi behind, stopped abruptly, and shot a jump shot. His timing was perfect, and his form was excellent—seemingly sure to make the shot. But fate had other plans; the ball rotated a few times around the rim before bouncing out. Darbonn tightly contained Xavier McKey, allowing Greg Monroe to grab the defensive rebound. The Pistons had only 6 seconds to organize their final attack of the half. Zhou Yi calculated carefully, glanced at the timer again, and then pushed past John Wall toward the opponent’s paint.

But this time, the Wizards learned from their mistakes. Xavier McKey was already ready beside John Wall, ready to deliver a block to Zhou Yi. Yet Zhou Yi wasn’t someone who could be blocked so easily. With lightning speed, he sidestepped and passed the ball to DaBen behind Xavier McKey. DaBen caught the ball and immediately leaped up for a one-handed dunk, helping the Pistons score another 2 points at the last moment. After DaBen’s dunk, the whistle marking the end of the first half sounded, and the scoreboard on the big screen showed a score of 58:49, with the Pistons leading by 9 points. After taking a short break, the players returned to the bench, waiting for the second half to begin. Since the second half hadn’t started yet, the Wizards’ cheerleaders were dancing brilliantly on the court, earning cheers from the fans. Soon, the cheerleaders left the court with their sexy moves, and two referees stepped onto the court. The second half was about to begin; one referee blew two whistles to signal the players to return to the court. The players from both sides gradually returned to the court, ready to face the second half. From the start of the second half, Zhou Yi performed excellently. He closely guarded John Wall, stole the ball when he wasn’t looking, picked it up, and rushed forward. Although there was no defender in the paint for the opponent, Zhou Yi didn’t seek glory for himself. Instead, he drove the ball and passed it to McGrady, who was following up. McGrady didn’t hesitate either; he caught the ball, leaped up, and scored a dunk. John Wall dribbled the ball, scanning the court with a serious expression. Xavier McKey came over to provide a screen for John Wall, who then rushed to the basket from the other side and easily scored a layup. Zhou Yi passed the ball to McGrady, who broke through and then suddenly turned to shoot a backdoor jump shot, hitting it—his movement was extremely smooth and graceful, reminiscent of his past performances. On the Wizards’ side, John Wall forced his way past Zhou Yi and scored a goal using his speed and agility. Zhou Yi shook his head helplessly. After receiving a pass from Greg Monroe at the baseline, he began organizing his team’s offense. Zhou Yi also scored a goal using his speed as a response to John Wall. John Wall controlled the ball gloomily, glanced at the 24-second timer, then passed the ball to Nick Young, who was cutting to an open spot.

Nick Young caught the ball and immediately tried to shoot a jump shot without hesitation, but missed. Chinese player Yi Jianlian secured the offensive rebound and promptly passed it to John Wall on the perimeter. John Wall broke through from the wing, glanced around, and smirked coldly. With a quick wrist motion, he passed the ball to Yi Jianlian, who was cutting from the middle. Yi then drove hard and scored with a dominant two-handed dunk, hanging in the air with extreme arrogance. Zhou Yi controlled the ball while John Wall stayed close to him, constantly harassing him in an attempt to steal the ball. Seizing the opportunity, Zhou Yi spun past John Wall’s defense and rushed straight to the basket. Inspired by John Wall, Zhou Yi didn’t choose to attack on his own but instead drew the attention of two other defenders near the basket before quickly passing the ball to Andre Iguodala beyond the three-point line. Iguodala adjusted slightly before shooting a three-point jump shot. With a swish, Iguodala’s three-pointer went in! John Wall grunted. After receiving a pass from Yi Jianlian at the baseline, he took a deep breath, suppressed his anger, and focused on organizing the team’s offense. John Wall steadily controlled the ball and, seeing Xavier McKey reaching for it inside, quickly passed it to him. Xavier McKey acted decisively—immediately turning and shooting a hook shot. With another swish, the ball went through the net, lifting the basket with it. After dribbling past the half-court line, Zhou Yi quickly passed the ball to McGrady. After catching it, McGrady broke through from the baseline. Iguodala’s screen was very clever, allowing McGrady to easily reach the basket. However, Xavier McKey was already ready. But McGrady showed no sign of fear and continued to charge forward. Xavier McKey quickly jumped up trying to block McGrady’s shot. But McGrady didn’t shoot instead; he passed the ball to Greg Monroe behind Xavier McKey. Greg Monroe roared and raised the ball, ready to dunk. But then something unexpected happened—Yi Jianlian suddenly rushed in from the side, smacking Monroe’s dunk attempt right onto the backboard and then seizing the ball. “Amazing…” “Yi Jianlian is awesome…” “So cool…” … The home crowd praised Yi Jianlian’s outstanding defense, cheering loudly.

After Yi Jianlian sealed the defense and grabbed the ball, he quickly passed it to John Wall. Taking advantage of the Pistons’ players being unprepared, John Wall rushed straight to the Pistons’ basket and completed a one-handed dunk. On the Pistons’ side, Zhou Yi immediately responded with an alley-oop dunk. On the Wizards’ side, Nick Young quickly countered Zhou Yi’s dunk with a three-point shot. Once again, it was Zhou Yi who orchestrated the attack, passing the ball to McGrady, who was outside the 45-degree three-point line. McGrady pretended to shoot, and Nick Young quickly jumped up to try to block him. McGrady smiled, dodged Nick Young’s body, and then launched a three-point shot, adding another 3 points. As Zhou Yi retreated to defend, he gave McGrady a firm high-five, both of them smiling broadly. Under the leadership of Zhou Yi and McGrady, the Pistons once again took a double-digit lead. John Wall adjusted his mindset and patiently organized the Wizards’ offense. Zhou Yi made a risky steal, and John Wall seized the opportunity, spinning past Zhou Yi and rushing into the Pistons’ paint to easily score a layup. He also drew a defensive foul from Greg Monroe, earning a free throw. At this point, 5 minutes and 51 seconds had passed in the game, and John Kuester quickly made adjustments to the team lineup while the opponent was taking free throws. James Posey replaced Andre Iguodala, Taylor Hansbrough replaced Greg Monroe, and Spencer Hawes replaced Ben Wallace; no other changes were made. The Wizards also made adjustments, with Andre Blake replacing Xavier McKey and Jordan Crawford replacing Nick Young. John Wall made his free throw, hitting it, and successfully converted a two-plus-one. The game continued as McGrady passed the ball from the baseline, with Zhou Yi receiving it. After catching the ball, Zhou Yi drove to the basket and passed it back to McGrady. Without hesitation, McGrady dribbled past half-court. After crossing half-court, McGrady didn’t hold onto the ball but passed it back to Zhou Yi. Zhou Yi dribbled with one hand while gesturing to his teammates to spread out.

James Posey provided a screen for McGrady, who finally broke free from Jordan Crawford’s defense and found an open spot. Zhou Yi promptly passed the ball to McGrady, but the opponent reacted quickly as well—another player rushed to block McGrady’s path. Seeing this, Zhou Yi quickly retreated to the basket, and McGrady passed the ball back to him. Zhou Yi then broke through past Yi Jianlian at the baseline and dunked with both hands; the shot went in. Since Yi Jianlian had made a foul before Zhou Yi’s shot, Zhou Yi also earned a free throw. Zhou Yi made the free throw. After hitting the three-point shot, the Pistons’ lead returned to double digits. The Wizards made a substitution, with Dame James coming in for Williams. John Wall held his breath and controlled the ball steadily. After half-court, instead of rushing to pass, John Wall subtly glanced at Yi Jianlian. Then, he accelerated at full speed and broke through Zhou Yi’s defense. Zhou Yi focused intensely and closely followed John Wall. But John Wall wasn’t an ordinary player—he used two feints followed by a quick turn to get away from Zhou Yi’s defense. After breaking into the paint, John Wall didn’t shoot but passed the ball to Yi Jianlian, then quickly rushed to the other side of the baseline. Yi Jianlian passed the ball back to him in John Wall’s direction, who then dunked with both hands, though the impact was much less dramatic than Zhou Yi’s dunk. Zhou Yi continued to organize the offense, bringing McGrady to the outside to receive the ball. Zhou Yi moved around quickly, constantly shifting positions—here and there—never staying in one spot for more than a second. This kept John Wall confused, allowing Zhou Yi to easily find open space. McGrady generously passed the ball to Zhou Yi, who immediately shot, and the ball went through the net. Time flew by, and the third quarter was coming to an end. In the last two minutes, Zhou Yi and the others were substituted out. The Wizards’ offense was led not by John Wall but by Jordan Crawford, as John Wall had already been taken off the court 3 minutes into the quarter to rest. Jordan Crawford passed the ball to Yi Jianlian, who drove to the basket against Taylor Hansbrough; the shot went in, and the referee blew the whistle for a free throw. Unfortunately, Yi Jianlian missed the free throw. Taylor Hansbrough grabbed the rebound and passed it to Will Bynum.

Madison has also been taken off the court to rest; Ben Gordon is now playing in his place, while James Posey has been replaced by Austin Daye for rest. Will Bynum moved to beyond the opponent’s three-point line, with Jordan Crawford coming to defend him. Bynum broke through, suddenly changed direction to shake off his defender, and scored a nice layup. Jordan Crawford continued to orchestrate the offense; he didn’t waste time because 48 seconds remained in the game. If they could complete this attack quickly, they would still have one more chance to score. So, after halftime, Jordan Crawford quickly passed the ball to Morris Evans, who then broke through and passed it to Yi Jianlian inside. Yi Jianlian didn’t waste the opportunity and scored again with a powerful drive. “Yi is awesome… Yi is awesome…” Chants filled the arena!!! At this point, 37 seconds remained before the end of the third quarter. Will Bynum shared the same strategy as Jordan Crawford and didn’t choose to waste time. Bynum broke through, but seeing no good opportunity, he passed the ball to the outside. Ben Gordon, like a sharpshooter, shot a three-pointer right after receiving the ball despite being closely guarded. With a swish, the ball went in, leaving the home crowd extremely frustrated. The Pistons’ attack took 13 seconds, leaving the opponent 24 seconds to score. Jordan Crawford glanced at the game clock and the 24-second timer, determined to use up all 24 seconds and leave no chance for the opponent. The Wizards’ players were actively moving around, while Jordan Crawford controlled the ball and scanned the court. Time passed quickly, and in no time, only 6 seconds remained. Jordan Crawford tossed the ball to Yi Jianlian, who was behind Spencer Hawes, who immediately turned and threw a shot—again, it went in!!! By now, the Pistons no longer had any chance to score, and the third quarter ended. Throughout the entire third quarter, Yi Jianlian made all six of his shots, scoring 13 points and grabbing four rebounds. Yi is awesome—truly formidable!!! Chapter 374: The Wizards’ Lament The third quarter officially ended, with the Pistons leading the Wizards 82–66 by a huge 16 points, thanks to Zhou Yi’s last-second three-pointer, as they entered the final quarter of the game.

Philip Sanders was both angry and frustrated—the Wizards played terribly in the final minutes of the third quarter, failing to score offensively or defensively. With a 16-point deficit, the chances of turning things around were slim.
However, Philip Sanders was quite satisfied with Yi Jianlian’s performance.
Philip Sanders tapped his forehead, then gave the Wizards players a stern look as he explained the tactics for the fourth quarter and a summary of the second half of the third quarter.
In the third quarter, the Pistons shone thanks to their star duo. It was the explosive performance of McGrady and Zhou Yi that allowed the Pistons to build a 16-point lead at the last moment. Their stellar performance secured a 16-point advantage for the Pistons, essentially securing their victory in the game!
The Pistons’ bench was filled with laughter and a cheerful atmosphere, while the Wizards’ bench was filled with solemn faces and a tense mood.
The break after the third quarter ended quickly, and players from both teams returned to the court one after another.
With the referee’s whistle, the fourth quarter, which would truly determine the outcome of the game, had begun!!!