Chapter 165

With 9 minutes and 41 seconds left in the fourth quarter, the Pacers led by 14 points, and the Pistons were truly in crisis.
With a swift mistake by Darren Collison, Zhou Yi intercepted the ball at midcourt and hit a three-pointer from the right wing.
Eight minutes and 20 seconds remaining, Zhou Yi received a perfect pass from Greg Monroe at the baseline, jumped, shot, and the ball traced a beautiful arc before going through the net. The Pistons were now down 10 points at 92–82 to the Pacers.
Darren Collison’s long shot missed, and Greg Monroe jumped up to grab the rebound. By then, Zhou Yi had already crossed midcourt; he received a long pass and scored two points with a layup.
Although the three bench players weren’t impressive offensively and their defense had many flaws, only James Posey’s defense was noteworthy.
Fortunately, they had fighting spirit—after all, every minute on the court was precious for them. Their desperate defense caused significant trouble for the Pacers, but they also had many defensive problems, with frequent fouls, a common issue among these bench players.
With 7 minutes and 11 seconds left, Zhou Yi hit a three-pointer from the top of the key, forcing Brandon Rush into a foul, and scored two free throws. The score stood at 97–89, with the Pistons still down 8 points.
…
Spencer Hawes’s mid-range shot missed, and Greg Monroe quickly grabbed the rebound and added a dunk, narrowing the gap to 6 points.
Within over two minutes, the Pistons scored 11 points in a row, cutting the deficit to 6 points. This was undoubtedly a blow to the Pacers. Jim O’Brien realized the problem—the Pacers’ players had become complacent despite their large lead.
Josh McRoberts stepped outside to block, and Danny Granger took advantage of the opening to hit a three-pointer, pushing the atmosphere in the Consol Energy Center to its peak.
In the previous three minutes, the Pistons had scored continuously, making the Pacers’ fans sense the danger approaching. At a critical moment, Danny Granger’s long shot stabilized the team, demonstrating the value of a core player.
Facing Zhou Yi, who was trying to break through, Danny Granger said confidently, “Zhou, your performance is truly admirable. But this time, I won’t let you take the victory from me.”

Ignoring Danny Granger’s provocation, Zhou Yi’s entire focus was on the game. While everyone else had given up, Zhou Yi remained convinced that anything was possible until the last second. But as a professional player, one must not wait passively for miracles to happen; only by doing one’s best can miracles occur for those who are prepared. With six minutes and eleven seconds left in the game, Zhou Yi took a three-point shot from 45 degrees on the right wing. Brandon Rush, who had been shadowing him closely, naturally wouldn’t let him succeed easily. The moment Zhou Yi released the ball, Rush hit his right wrist. Such a clear foul couldn’t go unnoticed by the referee, and Zhou Yi’s free throws were a certainty—he made all three easily. Taking advantage of the timeout, the broadcast switched back to the studio. Coach Zhang glanced at the statistics and said excitedly, “When everyone thought the Pistons were doomed, their point guard, Zhou Yi, scored four shots in just three minutes, helping the Pistons build a 16-6 run. Now the score gap has narrowed to four points, with six minutes and eleven seconds left. The Pistons still have a good chance of winning. Of course, Zhou Yi played a crucial role in this offensive surge.” After the timeout, the Pacers sent out their starting lineup again. According to Jim O’Brien’s philosophy, offense is the best defense. The reason they lost that scoring run earlier was that they hadn’t put enough pressure on the opponent offensively, giving them a chance to catch their breath. Rodney Stuckey wasn’t performing well, so Jim O’Brien naturally wouldn’t keep him on the court. With Stuckey out, Darren Collison became the best choice as the Pacers’ point guard. Darren Collison slowly drove the ball across half-court. Although Jim O’Brien emphasized offense, he believed stability was the most important thing for the Pacers at the moment. With a four-point advantage, the Pacers still held significant momentum, and this was their home court. While fast breaks could certainly put pressure on the Pistons, they also increased the chances of mistakes. Two of Zhou Yi’s recent three-point shots came from mistakes by the Pacers, giving him opportunities. He certainly had no doubts about the Pacers’ offensive philosophy. However, in the highly competitive playoffs, offense alone isn’t enough. A team lacking defense will struggle to succeed in the playoffs.

Josh McRoberts once again pulled to the perimeter to cover, a tactic the Pacers use most effectively. After Darren Collison easily broke through, he immediately passed the ball to Josh McRoberts, who turned and hit a jump shot. With the Pistons in high spirits, McRoberts’ mid-range shot came at just the right time, stabilizing the Pacers’ faltering morale and widening the score to 102:106. With five minutes and 30 seconds left in the game, Spencer Hawes made a passing error, and Darren Collison launched a long pass, assisting Brandon Rush to score. John Kuester decisively called a timeout. Although the several bench players performed well and played hard defensively, their mentality was too extreme, leading to unnecessary mistakes in passing details. Ben Gordon’s passing error earlier had a crucial impact on the game’s outcome. Yet after the timeout, looking at the bench players, John Kuester was hesitant—given their previous performance, he wasn’t confident letting them play. The Pistons’ players understood the purpose of Kuester’s timeout, and seeing his uncertain gaze, they also realized his hesitation. McGrady volunteered, “Coach, let me play.” Seeing Kuester’s puzzled look, McGrady took a deep breath and said seriously, “Coach, I know our performance earlier was really bad, but I understand the team’s situation better now. What the team needs most is stability. I think I can help Zhou the most—I can share the burden of organizing the offense and pass to him in a timely manner.” The other key players also volunteered. Seeing the hopeful look in their eyes, John Kuester felt deeply moved. Thanks to Zhou Yi’s outstanding performance, the Pistons’ players’ morale was boosted as well. At this point in the game, John Kuester felt there was no regret regardless of the outcome—having successfully boosted the players’ morale, the rest of the game would be easier to handle. When play resumed, the Pistons’ lineup surprised many people. The bench players had performed very well earlier; although they still needed improvement in details, they were undoubtedly more reliable than the struggling starters.

Jim O’Brien somewhat understood that, thanks to Zhou Yi’s outstanding performance, the Pistons had already gained a morale advantage over the Pacers. However, Spencer Hawes’ passing mistakes had a significant impact on the game. At this critical moment, the Pistons needed to ensure they didn’t make any mistakes, and aside from Zhou Yi, the only player capable of doing that was McGrady. At five minutes and eleven seconds, Zhou Yi and Andre Iguodala created a gap on the perimeter, allowing the ball to reach McGrady in the right wing. With no one in front of him and all eyes on him, it was undoubtedly a crucial shot. Against the strong Pacers, Zhou Yi’s individual effort alone wasn’t enough to explain his excellent performance earlier. The Pacers’ poor defense was also a major factor, but now, no matter where Zhou Yi went, Brandon Rush would stick closely to him. Darren Collison, not far away, also focused mostly on this area; once the ball was aimed his way, he would abandon his defensive player and come to double-team Zhou Yi. Only if the entire Pistons team worked together could they create a miracle. Such an open shot was naturally the best opportunity. In previous games, McGrady had taken eleven shots but only made three, missing several great chances. “Swish!” McGrady’s open three-pointer went through the net! Zhou Yi clenched his fists and thought to himself, “Pacers, wait—this is just the beginning.” Darren Collison quickly drove across the court and passed the ball to Brandon Rush, who stepped forward and hit a mid-range shot. With the teams switching sides, McGrady swiftly drove across the court, dodging Brandon Rush’s several attempts to steal the ball. At such critical moments, his steady performance was quite reassuring. By now, Zhou Yi had completely taken on less responsibility in organizing the offense, and even the perimeter defense no longer revolved around him. In John Kuester’s words, Zhou Yi’s only job now was to move around and shoot freely once he got the ball. After catching the ball at the baseline, Brandon Rush appeared right beside him immediately, but Zhou Yi seemed to ignore the defender, jumping high and gently lifting the ball. Unexpecting Zhou Yi’s boldness, Brandon Rush quickly tried to block the shot—so close, he doubted Zhou Yi could still shoot.

“Swish,” a cool breeze swept across Brandon Rush’s cheeks. He hadn’t expected Zhou Yi to act so quickly—he simply didn’t have time to react.
Josh McRoberts’s turnaround jump shot went in.
Zhou Yi effortlessly broke through Darren Collison and quickly passed the ball to Andre Iguodala, who shot easily. Unfortunately, it seemed he still hadn’t found his rhythm yet, as the ball missed the rim.
Greg Monroe tightly held Josh McRoberts back and easily secured the rebound, then passed the ball to Zhou Yi.
“Swish!” Another score!
The entire arena was in shock!!!
Chapter 384: Pistons vs. Pacers (7)
Darren Collison slowly drove the ball across half-court. Although Jim O’Brien emphasized offense, he believed stability was the Pacers’ top priority at the moment.
With a four-point lead, the Pacers still held significant advantage, and this was their home court.
While fast breaks could certainly put pressure on the Pistons, they also increased the chances of mistakes. Two of Zhou Yi’s recent three-pointers came from mistakes by the Pacers that gave him opportunities. He naturally had no doubts about the Pacers’ offensive strategy.
However, in the highly competitive playoffs, offense alone wasn’t enough. A team lacking defense would struggle to succeed in the playoffs.
Josh McRoberts once again pulled up for a screen—this was the Pacers’ most effective tactic.
After effortlessly breaking through, Darren Collison immediately passed the ball to Josh McRoberts, who scored with a turnaround jump shot.
With the Pistons in high spirits, Josh McRoberts’s mid-range shot came at just the right time, stabilizing the Pacers’ morale, and the score widened to 102:106.
With five minutes and thirty seconds left in the game, Spencer Hawes made a passing mistake. Darren Collison passed the ball long, helping Brandon Rush score.
John Kuester decisively called a timeout. Although the several bench players performed well and played hard defensively, their mentality was too extreme, leading to unnecessary mistakes in handling passes. Ben Gordon’s passing mistake earlier had a crucial impact on the game’s outcome.
But after the timeout, looking at the players on the bench, John Kuester was hesitant. Given their previous performance, he wasn’t confident enough to let them play.

The purpose of John Kuester calling a timeout was well understood by several Pistons players, and they could also tell from his hesitant gaze that he was unsure. McGrady stepped forward and said, “Coach, let me play.” Seeing Kuester’s puzzled expression, McGrady took a deep breath and said seriously, “Coach, I know my performance just now was terrible, but I understand the team’s situation better. What the team needs most now is stability. I think I can help Zhou the most—I can share the burden of organizing the offense and pass to him in a timely manner.” The other key players also volunteered to play. Seeing the hopeful look in their eyes, Kuester felt deeply moved. Thanks to Zhou Yi’s outstanding performance, the morale of the Pistons players was boosted as well. At this point in the game, Kuester felt there was no regret regardless of the outcome, as he had successfully lifted the players’ morale, making the rest of the game easier to handle. When the game resumed, the Pistons’ lineup surprised many people. The team’s bench players had performed very well earlier, and although there was room for improvement in details, they were undoubtedly more reliable than the starting players. Jim O’Brien somewhat understood that, thanks to Zhou Yi’s excellent play, the Pistons had already gained a morale advantage over the Pacers. However, Spencer Hawes’ passing mistakes had a significant impact on the game. At this critical moment, the Pistons needed to ensure they made no mistakes, and aside from Zhou Yi, McGrady was the one most capable of doing that. At five minutes and eleven seconds, Zhou Yi and Andre Iguodala created a screen outside, allowing the ball to reach McGrady in the right wing. With no one in front of him and everyone’s attention focused on him, this was undoubtedly a crucial play. Against the strong Pacers, Zhou Yi’s individual effort alone wasn’t enough to explain his outstanding performance earlier—poor defense by the Pacers was also a major factor. But now, no matter where Zhou Yi went, Brandon Rush would stick closely to him. Darren Collison, not far away, also paid most of his attention here; as soon as the ball seemed to be heading his way, he would abandon his defensive player and join forces to pressure Zhou Yi. Only if the entire Pistons team worked together could they create a miracle.

A shot from such an open position is naturally the best opportunity. In previous games, McGrady had taken eleven shots but only made three, missing several excellent shooting chances as well.
“Swish!” McGrady’s three-pointer from an open position sunk through the net!
Zhou Yi clenched his fists tightly and thought to himself, “Patrons, wait—this is where the real game begins.”
Daren Collison quickly drove across half-court and delivered a beautiful backpass to Brandon Rush, who stepped forward swiftly, raised his hands slightly, and hit a mid-range shot.
With the teams switching sides, McGrady quickly drove across half-court. Brandon Rush’s several attempts to steal the ball were skillfully avoided by him. At critical moments, his steady performance was quite reassuring.
At this point, Zhou Yi completely dropped the responsibility of organizing the offense; even the outside defense no longer revolved around him. In John Kuster’s words, the only thing Zhou Yi needed to do now was move around and shoot freely once he got the ball.
After catching the ball at the baseline, Brandon Rush appeared right beside him immediately. But Zhou Yi seemed to ignore the defender ahead, jumped high, and gently lifted the ball with both hands.
Unexpecting Zhou Yi’s boldness, Brandon Rush quickly tried to block the shot. From such close range, he doubted Zhou Yi could still shoot.
“Swish!” A cool breeze swept across Brandon Rush’s face—he hadn’t expected Zhou Yi to shoot so quickly; he simply didn’t have time to react.
Josh McRoberts hit a turnaround jump shot.
Zhou Yi easily broke through Daren Collison and quickly passed the ball to Andre Iguodala, who shot freely. Unfortunately, it seemed he still hadn’t found his rhythm yet, as the ball missed the hoop.
Greg Monroe tightly pressed Josh McRoberts behind him, easily grabbed the rebound, and passed it to Zhou Yi.
“Swish!” Another score!
The entire arena was in shock!!!
This was already Zhou Yi’s fourth three-pointer of the quarter. The Pistons’ bench players immediately jumped up and cheered.
Thanks to this three-pointer by Zhou Yi, the Pistons finally closed the gap to 103:105, now only 2 points behind the Patrons.
Although John Kuster was also very happy, when he saw Zhou Yi frowning, he suddenly began to worry about his health.

However, it was somewhat inappropriate to take Zhou Yi off at this moment, as the Pistons were gaining momentum, and Zhou Yi was the key figure in boosting their spirits. If he were taken out now, all his previous efforts would be in vain.
Jim O’Brien didn’t call a timeout. Although the Pistons had narrowed the score to 2 points, they still held the initiative. Calling a timeout at this point would more or less affect their team’s morale.
Jim O’Brien truly was an experienced coach, and his decision proved to be absolutely correct later on.
It was Danny Granger again!
Daren Collison broke into the Pistons’ paint and made a brilliant pass, sending the ball to Danny Granger in the right corner.
Danny Granger didn’t hesitate and shot a three-pointer. His form was on fire—another three-pointer that went straight through the net!
“Dan… Ni… Ge… Lan… Ge…” The DJ at the arena loudly called out Danny Granger’s name.
Soon, most of the Pacers’ fans joined in chanting Danny Granger’s name.
With 4 minutes and 11 seconds left in the game, the Pistons were still 5 points behind. Although the gap wasn’t huge, this was the Pacers’ home court, giving them a significant advantage.
On the Pistons’ offense, Zhou Yi drove with the ball and passed it skillfully to Greg Monroe at the baseline.
Greg Monroe might have been too exhausted from earlier efforts, so his pass was clearly too short. Josh McRoberts grabbed the rebound and passed it to Daren Collison.
Daren Collison’s playmaking skills were indeed better than Rodney Stuckey’s, as evident from the smoother flow of the Pacers’ offense once he took over.
It was another assist from Daren Collison, this time to Josh McRoberts.
Josh McRoberts set a screen for Daren Collison, then rushed back to the basket and caught a high pass from him, completing a stunning aerial move.
“Thud”—the basket let out a pitiful sound, while the home crowd erupted in loud cheers.
103:110—the Pistons were now 7 points behind.
But John Kuester still didn’t call a timeout. This wasn’t the time to pause.
Zhou Yi firmly controlled the ball and, after half the game, passed it to McGrady.
McGrady drove to the left, got past Brandon Rush’s close defense, and then stopped abruptly to shoot a jump shot.

“Clang!” Another miss.
But immediately afterward, another “clang” echoed through the Conseco Fieldhouse.
A somewhat slender figure, after the rebound bounced up, rushed into the Pacers’ basket like a tiger breaking free from its cage, then leaped high to slam the rebound back into the hoop.
The entire arena was stunned—because that slender figure was none other than him!
That’s right, it was Zhou Yi who completed that dunk.
“Zhou, great job!”
“Go, Zhou! You’re the best!”
“Zhou, show them what you’ve got!”
…
Many Pistons fans present, despite the pressure of playing at home, shouted loudly at Zhou Yi.
Zhou Yi landed on the ground, took a couple of breaths, and quickly retreated to defend.
105:110!
No timeout was called yet; both coaches remained calm, not stopping the game for minor setbacks.
Danny Granger drove to attack, with Zhou Yi guarding him from a different angle.
Zhou Yi’s defensive stance was not only perfect but also exuded a formidable presence.
Danny Granger carefully orchestrated his offense—he knew how strong Zhou Yi was.
He took a quick step back, then jumped high, releasing the ball swiftly from his fingers.
With his fast and decisive step back, plus his height advantage over Zhou Yi, Zhou Yi failed to block the shot.
However, Zhou Yi’s amazing jumping ability disrupted Danny Granger’s shot, causing the ball to fly toward the hoop and bounce off the front rim.
Seeing this, Zhou Yi sighed in relief, hoping Greg Monroe could secure the defensive rebound.
But what happened next left him extremely frustrated.
The rebound didn’t bounce out; instead, it bounced a few times on the rim before actually falling through the net.
“Ugh, that’s too unlucky,” Zhou Yi said, shaking his hand in frustration.
Meanwhile, the home crowd continued to loudly chant the name of their hero—Danny Granger.
The Pistons’ next attack also missed, allowing the Pacers to launch another fast break.
With three minutes and five seconds left in the final quarter, the Pistons called a timeout, still trailing by seven points.

“Will, get ready to warm up. You’ll take Zhou Yi’s place in the game shortly,” John Kuester said, reluctantly sending Will Bynum in to warm up after seeing Zhou Yi coughing nonstop. He himself was also quite forced into this decision.
“Coach, wait a moment. I can still hold on,” Zhou Yi said, sitting down tiredly on the bench. But upon seeing the coach preparing to make a substitution, he quickly tried to stop him.
“Zhou, I understand how you feel, but you need to listen to me. This series is seven games long. Even if we lose away, there’s still a chance to turn things around. But if you keep pushing yourself too hard and get injured, it will be worth nothing. Besides, you injured your foot in the last game. Having you play today is already the limit. Alright, just…”
“Coach, trust me. I can do it,” Zhou Yi simply replied.
Zhou Yi’s persistence left John Kuester helpless. All he could do was instruct the players on the court to help share the pressure off Zhou Yi before the game resumed.
With three minutes and five seconds left in the game, the score stood at 105:112. A seven-point gap wasn’t impossible to close within just over three minutes.
At exactly three minutes, Zhou Yi shot from a 45-degree angle on the right wing, taking advantage of McGrady’s screen.
Watching Jim O’Brien shouting frantically on the sidelines, it seemed his gray hair would increase significantly after this game ended.
The moment Zhou Yi caught the ball, two Pacers defenders had already surrounded him tightly. Although he had his teammate’s screen, Brandon Rush remained in a favorable defensive position. As Zhou Yi jumped, Rush accurately guessed his shooting spot, but Zhou Yi’s astonishing shooting speed made his defense fail once again.
With this three-pointer, the Pistons closed the gap to just four points.
Taking advantage of a dead ball, Jim O’Brien brought Dantay Jones onto the court. Jones’s excellent defensive skills gave them more options when guarding Zhou Yi.
Two minutes and thirty seconds later, Darren Collison missed a pass, and the Pistons seized the opportunity for a brilliant fast break. McGrady scored with a layup, easily adding two points.
Faced with the Pistons’ fierce offensive push, the Pacers didn’t just focus on defense. After Darren Collison and Dantay Jones hit three-pointers in succession, with 16 seconds left in the game, the Pacers expanded their lead to six points again, at 112:118.
Rodney Stuckey returned to the court, and Dantay Jones had also come back earlier.

Jim O’Brien found his big-man tactics to be completely ineffective so far. The advantage in rebounds was gradually evened out by Greg Monroe and Samuel Dalembert, while the tactical weakness in speed became even more apparent under the Pistons’ fast breaks. Rodney Stuckey passed the ball to Danny Granger at a 45-degree angle on the right wing, but before he could shoot, Andre Iguodala appeared in front of him, spreading his arms to completely block Granger’s path. Granger’s two feints didn’t result in a breakthrough, but they did give him an opportunity to pass. The ball was quickly passed to Donte Jones, who didn’t hesitate at all—he rose effortlessly, shook his right wrist slightly, and the ball went straight into the basket. Zhou Yi was completely exhausted, struggling greatly with both playmaking and offense. The Pistons lost their outside presence, with several shots going wide, while Greg Monroe also failed to make a breakthrough in the paint, allowing the Pacers to score an 8-4 run and widen the lead to 9 points. John Kuester called a timeout. He was aware of the team’s poor performance from outside, as their two best shooters were no longer at their best. After some thought, Kuester still had no good solution—his only option was to send in all his starters. The best outcome would be to take back the lead and win the game. However, this would place a huge strain on Zhou Yi’s stamina. Fortunately, if they won this game and just one more, they would have plenty of time to recover. After the timeout, the Pistons sent out their strongest lineup. A so-called starting lineup isn’t necessarily the strongest one. Samuel Dalembert had been relatively consistent in the paint lately, with no major fluctuations in form, especially when playing alongside Greg Monroe—he existed to help Monroe perform better. Dalembert is a well-rounded player; his rebounding skills are far from inferior to those of the other big men, and his offensive capabilities are incomparable to theirs.

However, his performance is extremely inconsistent, largely due to injuries and health issues. When he’s in good form, scoring in the teens or twenties is easy for him; he can even achieve double-doubles in points and rebounds. But when he can’t find his rhythm, he becomes unreliable in critical moments. That’s why John Kuester gives him mostly backup opportunities.

Chapter 385: Pistons vs. Pacers (8)

Zhou Yi drove hard toward the paint, but Donte Jones was like a persistent pest, while Rodney Stuckey watched closely from the side. It seemed Zhou Yi was being double-teamed.

“Snap!” Zhou Yi spun 180 degrees in place, but the ball dropped sharply due to the force, bouncing quickly off the floor and flying through the gap between the two defenders.

A figure appeared like lightning along the ball’s path. Andre Iguodala caught the ball and shot decisively.

114:121—the Pistons narrowed the score to seven points.

Rodney Stuckey made a faulty pass. Zhou Yi intercepted the ball and quickly penetrated into the Pacers’ half.

McGrady moved in perfect coordination, but Danny Granger clearly didn’t want to give him an opportunity.

After studying the Pistons’ first two playoff games, Jim O’Brien noticed that Zhou Yi was excellent at taking advantage of opponents’ mistakes to launch fast breaks, with precise timing. McGrady was his most reliable partner—responsible for at least 70% of the successful fast breaks. So when planning tactics for Game 3, O’Brien took that into account.

Donte Jones, who was supposed to help defend Zhou Yi, couldn’t fully guard McGrady. But now, with Danny Granger—superior to McGrady in both strength and speed—things were different.

As Zhou Yi neared the free-throw line, Danny Granger reluctantly abandoned McGrady and rushed to confront Zhou Yi.

McGrady posed a serious threat, and Zhou Yi couldn’t afford any carelessness. Danny Granger admired this player, who was seven or eight years younger than him, deeply. From the day he joined the league, he seemed to radiate dazzling brilliance.

“Screech!” Zhou Yi stopped abruptly mid-motion, his feet not sliding even slightly. With his upper body slightly leaning forward, he twisted his waist forcefully to slip past Danny Granger.

A brief pause allowed Deng Tai Jones to catch up in time. With Zhou Yi’s previous movements, if Deng Tai Jones had attacked from the right, it would have been extremely difficult for Zhou Yi to keep the ball. But he didn’t do that; instead, Zhou Yi decisively pushed past him.

Overjoyed, Zhou Yi placed the tip of his left foot on the ground and firmly locked his elbow around Danny Granger. All of this made him feel that his breakthrough had succeeded.

Unfortunately, he didn’t have X-ray vision. With his center of gravity slightly lowered, he couldn’t see what was behind Danny Granger. He quickly stepped forward with his right foot—there was only Danny Granger under the basket earlier, but now it was completely open.

His feet finally touched solid ground, yet he didn’t feel stable at all. The immense inertia prevented him from making any other moves. His keen sense of smell warned him of danger. As his body tilted, he tried hard to pull back, but his entire body fell even faster. In his current position and posture, if he fell to the ground, things would likely turn very bad.

Many female fans who supported Zhou Yi had already covered their eyes in horror, unable to bear to watch the tragedy unfold.

Just as the tragedy seemed inevitable, a pair of dark, strong hands grabbed Zhou Yi’s shoulders the moment he was about to fall.

“Phew…” Almost all the fans in the arena let out a deep sigh as their hearts, which had been in suspense, finally settled.

But things didn’t end there. The temperamental Greg Monroe had already rushed forward with his fists raised.

Zhou Yi, who had just escaped danger, quickly stepped forward and hugged him, whispering in his ear, “Greg, calm down. This is still a game. No matter what happens, fighting won’t lead to anything good.”

Greg Monroe’s temper was well-known. His face turned red, and his violent struggles made it impossible for Zhou Yi to hold him.

“Greg, the team needs you to win this game. Think about the fans outside—do you really want to ruin their long-awaited dreams because of a moment of impulse?” Zhou Yi almost shouted in his ear.

To his surprise, Greg Monroe became even angrier because of his words, though it also moved him deeply. He knew that if he let go, things would get worse. The league had imposed strict penalties for violent behavior on the court in recent years.

Perhaps Zhou Yi’s words played a crucial role—Greg Monroe’s struggles grew weaker, and eventually he unclenched his fists. The referee had already rushed over, worried about the situation escalating after seeing Monroe’s actions, but Zhou Yi managed to defuse it. As a result, the referee’s goodwill toward Zhou Yi immediately increased. It was truly remarkable for a player to remain so calm under such severe threats and strive to prevent the situation from worsening.

“Ding”—the referee’s call was without hesitation: a technical foul. As for Andre Iguodala’s issue, after discussing it among the three, they decided to let him off for now. John Kuester quickly called a timeout. The incident had happened so suddenly that he hadn’t had time to intervene, and thankfully, things hadn’t turned out as he feared. Still, he decided to call a timeout out of concern for Zhou Yi.

After being checked by the team doctor, John Kuester’s worried heart finally settled.

“Swish”—the earlier turmoil didn’t affect Zhou Yi’s free throw.

115:121—the Pistons were now only 6 points behind.

With two minutes and thirty seconds left in the game, the Pistons still had a good chance to turn the situation around. The Pacers failed to score, and Zhou Yi seized the opportunity to grab a defensive rebound before darting toward the Pacers’ half-court.

“Swish”—Zhou Yi’s layup succeeded, helping the Pistons close the gap to 2 points again.

117:121—four points apart.

The Pistons’ fans at the arena immediately started cheering loudly for their team, offering their players the most enthusiastic support. However, their cheers were soon drowned out by the home crowd’s noise.

Rodney Stuckey finally showed the value of a starting point guard. After breaking into the Pistons’ paint, he didn’t recklessly try to shoot but instead passed behind his back to D’Angelo Jones, who was in the corner. Jones immediately rose up from beyond the three-point line.

“Swish”—Stuckey’s pass turned into an assist.

Due to Jones’s previous malicious foul, the referee was already on high alert, seemingly leaning in his calls.

Zhou Yi drove with the ball, entered the three-point line, and Jones tried to steal it, resulting in a defensive foul called by the referee—giving Zhou Yi another free throw opportunity.

Jim O’Brien reluctantly called a timeout, with only one minute and forty-one seconds left in the game. Zhou Yi’s previous three-pointer had reduced the Pistons’ deficit to four points, 120–124. If Zhou Yi made both free throws, the Pacers’ lead would be reduced to just two points.

In the final minutes of the fourth quarter, defense became the dominant theme of the game. Both teams’ shooting percentages dropped significantly. Even Zhou Yi, under intense pressure from his opponents, couldn’t shoot as well as usual.

John Kuester’s expression turned very serious; in fact, he was already anxious. At this point in the game, both teams had used up all their strategies, and their stamina was nearly exhausted. What remained was perhaps a mental battle, with determination to win deciding the ultimate outcome.

With stiff limbs, trembling bodies, and heavy heads, even the massages from the staff couldn’t relieve the physical fatigue. Zhou Yi could barely move, sitting slumped in his seat.

It was a high-quality game, with both teams giving it their all. Now, it would be their will and determination to win that would decide the outcome.

The Pacers adjusted their lineup, with the five players on the court being center Roy Hibbert, power forward Josh McRoberts, small forward Danny Granger, shooting guard Dantey Jones, and point guard Rodney Stuckey. The Pistons continued to rely on their starting lineup.

“Swish, swish.” Despite being nearly exhausted, Zhou Yi still made both crucial free throws. 122–124, with two points left.

The Pacers inbounded the ball at the baseline. Rodney Stuckey and Danny Granger used their speed to dash into the Pistons’ half, confusing the Pistons’ defenders. Yet they didn’t dare relax either. To maintain their slim advantage, the Pistons showed unprecedented determination in defense.

Normally, the Pistons’ key players had already played at least 25 minutes each, with obvious signs of fatigue. But their defensive movements seemed unaffected. Rodney Stuckey and Danny Granger kept charging toward the basket, setting screens and moving in and out, but Zhou Yi and Andre Iguodala were like their shadows, always arriving just in time.

As time passed by, D’Angelo Jones had no choice but to quickly pass the ball to Josh McRoberts in the frontcourt. Unfortunately, Josh McRoberts was only near the free-throw line at that moment, so his offensive power was limited—he kept charging toward the basket. But Greg Monroe naturally wouldn’t give him a chance, pressing his right elbow firmly against Josh McRoberts’ ribs and using his extensive experience to sense changes in Josh McRoberts’ body and his movement direction, repeatedly countering his feints.

Bulky drops of sweat fell from Josh McRoberts’ forehead onto the floor, and he appeared extremely anxious, his eyes darting around restlessly.

At such a critical moment, Josh McRoberts’ mental resilience wasn’t strong enough.

Danny Granger took advantage of Josh McRoberts’ screen to quickly cut inside from his side.

Josh McRoberts felt hopeful and gently lofted the ball behind Greg Monroe. Danny Granger, who had entered the three-second area, caught the ball just in time. Facing Samuel Dalembert’s defense at the basket, he spun in mid-air to bypass the defense and scored a layup.

Suddenly, the referee’s whistle blew. Everyone was puzzled by this call—Danny Granger’s move had seemed effortless, with no apparent contact with Samuel Dalembert.

Facing the confused looks of everyone, the referee indicated that Samuel Dalembert had violated the three-second rule.

The three referees enforcing the rules in the playoffs were very strict, ensuring no obvious flaws in any call.

Reviewing the footage, it was indeed true that when Danny Granger rushed toward the basket, his foot had already crossed into the three-second area, and he didn’t step back until he released the ball.

The score was counted, plus one free throw—2+1—leaving the Pistons’ fans utterly disheartened.

Danny Granger making the free throw made matters worse. With 18 seconds left in the game, the Pacers used the free throw to widen the score gap.

At this point, both teams had only one timeout left. John Kuester cherished this timeout greatly, as his five players on the court were now his greatest hope. Jim O’Brien naturally wouldn’t give the Pistons an easy timeout at this stage.

Zhou Yi quickly took control of the ball and appeared outside the three-point line, instantly tightening the pressure on the Pacers’ players.

After these three matches, Dantay Jones’ defensive impact on Zhou Yi has become increasingly minimal, forcing Jim O’Brien to deploy three perimeter players to guard him in rotation. Most of the time, a double-team strategy was used, but this seemingly only fueled Zhou Yi’s desire to perform—his accurate shots and clever passes repeatedly humiliated the Pacers’ defense. Forty-three points is Zhou Yi’s total so far, and against such a dangerous player, the Pacers naturally couldn’t allow him to operate freely in their half. In addition to Dantay Jones constantly interfering in front of him, Rodney Stuckey quickly joined forces to form a double-team around Zhou Yi, leaving only a narrow gap in the middle. Not only could Zhou Yi not squeeze through that tiny gap, but even if he managed to get past the two defenders, Danny Granger, who was waiting on the other side, would immediately appear in front of him. “Gregg…” Zhou Yi suddenly jumped upward, his furious roar startling the Pacers’ defenders. He managed to stabilize his rising body, then dropped sharply, unleashing all his strength to force his way through the gap between the two defenders. The immense force pushed the two defenders back several steps involuntarily. Zhou Yi stepped forward quickly, breaking through the gap, then leaped into the air, flying a considerable distance before smoothly shooting the ball. With a swish, the ball landed firmly in the basket, the crisp sound silencing the entire Consol Energy Center. With 48 seconds left, the Pistons closed the score to 124:127. The Pistons had adopted a half-court man-to-man defense throughout the fourth quarter, but Zhou Yi’s sudden switch to full-court pressure caught Rodney Stuckey off guard. Just as half-court was about to be reached, Zhou Yi quickly slipped past him, taking the ball with him. Rodney Stuckey was too late to recover, and Samuel Dalembert, who was already in the half-court area, had caught Zhou Yi’s pass. He quickly took two steps forward, easily jumped outside the three-second line, and dunked the ball. 126:127—the Pacers now led by only one point, prompting Jim O’Brien to finally call a timeout. When play resumed, the fans in the Consol Energy Center stood up in unison, cheering repeatedly for their team, hoping their hero would create another miracle.

Under Zhou Yi’s intense man-to-man defense, the Pacers could hardly cross half-court within eight seconds. Rodney Stuckey quickly passed the ball, but Zhou Yi’s sudden intensified defense made him feel almost suffocated. Once the ball was passed, he felt as if a heavy weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

After catching the ball, Danny Granger quickly rushed toward the paint. Under his pressure, the Pistons’ defense kept retreating inward. With a smooth motion, Danny Granger executed a beautiful forced layup, twisting in mid-air to completely evade Greg Monroe’s defense. Just as it seemed the ball would go in, a pale hand suddenly appeared on the right side, swatting the ball away fiercely.

“Zhou…” The Pistons’ fans immediately cheered. At this critical moment, Zhou Yi’s block proved decisive. Danny Granger’s layup route was highly concealed, but Zhou Yi keenly noticed that Greg Monroe was occupied by Josh McRoberts, limiting his movement and affecting his defense. Danny Granger was good at driving to the basket with McRoberts’ screen, but Zhou Yi’s timely intervention saved his team.

The ball hit the ground and was quickly picked up by Greg Monroe, who then passed it to McGrady. Although the Pistons’ fans made up less than a quarter of the crowd, their loud cheers turned the Conseco Fieldhouse into something like the Auburn Hills Palace.

“Andrei…” McGrady shouted before passing the ball to Andre Iguodala. By now, Iguodala had already reached the Pacers’ basket. It was clearly impossible for the Pacers to save the ball. With a swish, the ball went in.

128:127—the Pistons took a 1-point lead.

“Aww…” The entire arena was in uproar. Cheers for Iguodala continued nonstop.

“Andrei… Iguodala…”

“Andrei, great job!” Zhou Yi rushed over to Iguodala, excitedly saying to him.

Chapter 386: Sweeping Through to the Next Round (Part 1)

“Hehe, if we can stop their next shot, we’ll basically be winning,” Iguodala said excitedly, clenching his fist.

“Yeah, stop that shot!” Zhou Yi nodded firmly. The previously tired Zhou Yi seemed to vanish instantly.

“Clang”—the basket rejected Josh McRoberts’ baseline jump shot once again, and the entire Conseco Fieldhouse fell into silence.

The rebounded ball flew out of the basket and ended up in the hands of a Pacers player. It was Danny Granger! The best shooter for the Pacers in this game! One of the league’s outstanding clutch players, with the ball in his hands just 23 seconds left in the game. Quickly stepping back two steps, Danny Granger retreated beyond the three-point line. His sturdy frame appeared unusually heavy in the air, and his hands, which had created many miracles before, once again took control of the team’s fate at a critical moment. “Huh, huh, huh…” A slight whooshing sound as the ball lightly flew from his fingers. Time seemed to freeze in that instant, with tens of millions of fans around the world watching this decisive shot. If it went in, the game would be back in the Pacers’ hands; if not, they might lose the game, and losing it could mean being eliminated by the Pistons. “Thud” — a loud thud as the ball was blocked mid-air by a suddenly appearing hand. What kind of skill was that? With Danny Granger’s 6’9” height, the three-point arc was already high, and with such a long distance, what incredible jumping ability was required? In just over 20 seconds of play, Zhou Yi made two difficult blocks to save his team. In the last few seconds, the Pacers’ foul strategy only widened the score gap, but Zhou Yi was relentless at the free-throw line, making all four of his attempts. “Ding” — the final buzzer sounded. The Pistons, thanks to Zhou Yi’s crucial block at the last moment, defeated the Pacers 132:127, securing a game-winning advantage in this series. With just one more win, they could sweep the Pacers and advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals. Zhou Yi’s 45 points, 12 assists, 9 rebounds, 5 steals, and 3 blocks made him the biggest hero of the game. In the next issue of SLAM, the Pistons’ comeback was heavily featured, with high praise for Zhou Yi’s performance at critical moments. The results of the league’s Rookie of the Year award will be announced in half a month, and they believe Zhou Yi’s victory is a certainty — he will become the fifth player in NBA history to win all monthly Rookie of the Year awards.

After seven days of intense fighting, the situation in the first round began to clarify. The Celtics narrowly defeated the Knicks 98–95 away, taking the series lead to 2–1; the Mavericks beat the Denver Nuggets 111–107 in overtime away, leading 3–0 in the first round of the playoffs—they were also the only team besides the Pistons to remain undefeated in the playoffs; the Lakers easily defeated the Suns 102–89 away, also leading 2–1 in the first round; the Magic thrashed the Bulls 121–104 at home, tying the series 2–2; the Miami Heat narrowly beat the Eagles 96–94 away, also leading 2–1 in the first round; the Rockets defeated the Thunder 101–95 at home, tying the series 2–2; the Spurs beat the Jazz 109–90 away, taking a 3–1 lead in the first round.

Three losses in the first three games forced Jim O’Brien to reevaluate his strategy. Just one more loss, and he’d have to head home early to fish. After some consideration, he adjusted his starting lineup: Roy Hibbert remained the center, Josh McRoberts took over as the power forward, Danny Granger as the small forward, Dantay Jones as the shooting guard, and Darren Collison as the point guard. Darren Collison was clearly better at orchestrating offense, and having him as a reserve would boost the team’s offensive firepower.

“Ding,” the referee’s whistle blew, instantly intensifying the atmosphere in the arena, and the hearts of millions of fans watching on TV tightened with tension. This game was crucial—if the Pistons won, they’d sweep the Pacers and advance directly; if they lost, the Pacers would take a 3–1 lead. However, the chances of the Pacers pulling off a huge comeback were virtually zero. Besides, the next two games were at the Pistons’ home court.

As the orange basketball slowly rose into the air, Greg Monroe and Roy Hibbert gathered all their strength, ready to explode at any moment. “Ah…” Two massive figures leaped almost simultaneously, but Greg Monroe’s exceptional jumping ability finally paid off as he reached for the ball first. In these four games of the series, Greg Monroe had lost three jump ball contests—this time he didn’t lose, saving some face. The ball was caught by Andre Iguodala, who immediately passed it to Zhou Yi.

Zhou Yi drove with the ball, made a straight break, and passed it to Samuel Dalumport under the basket. Unfortunately, his layup missed, and the rebound was grabbed by Brandon Rush on the left. He then threw a long pass, sending the ball swiftly toward Darren Collison on the other side of the three-point line. Josh McRoberts rushed to the basket first. Seeing this, Darren Collison shouted, and thanks to their well-developed understanding, Josh McRoberts immediately understood what was needed and quickly turned around. Suddenly, everything went dark in Darren Collison’s vision—a dark figure appeared like a wall in front of him, blocking the ball’s path perfectly, so it could no longer reach him. “Greg!” Zhou Yi shouted as soon as he got the ball. Greg Monroe, who had been behind just moments ago, was now at the forefront of the team’s attack. Greg Monroe quickly retreated. He had always trusted Zhou Yi’s passes. Although he was moving, the默契 developed over a season allowed Zhou Yi to fully understand Greg Monroe’s movements and abilities. By the time Greg Monroe reached the free-throw line, the ball was precisely in front of him. The moment he grabbed the ball, he used his momentum, tapping his left toe on the ground, leaping into the air, and dunking the ball into the basket with both hands inside the three-second area. “Thud!” Greg Monroe’s dunk was powerful, and the loud sound echoed throughout the Consol Energy Center. After gaining possession, the Pacers quickly drove the ball across half-court. This time, the offensive responsibility fell to Danny Granger, but his high shot missed, and Greg Monroe grabbed the first rebound of the game. McGrady’s three-pointer from the right wing also missed without any defense, and the rebound was taken by the opponent. Darren Collison dodged Andre Iguodala’s steal and quickly drove the ball across half-court. The Pistons used a staggered defense strategy—Andre Iguodala was assigned to guard him. Darren Collison was the Pacers’ offensive hub, with excellent playmaking skills. Most of the Pacers’ attacks originated from him. If they could cut off his connection with his teammates, the Pacers’ offense would be almost completely paralyzed. John Kuester didn’t assign Zhou Yi to guard him mainly to reduce Zhou Yi’s workload on the court and allow him to focus more on offense.

Daren Collison’s sharp breaks were completely ineffective under Andre Iguodala’s close defense; his several feints were all seen through by the experienced Iguodala, and even the pick-and-roll set up by Josh McRoberts failed due to Zhou Yi’s help defense. As time passed, Collison grew increasingly panicked. He had been warned many times by his coach about the importance of defense in the playoffs, but when it came to reality, he still felt unprepared. In the first three encounters of the playoffs, the Pistons’ defense hadn’t posed much pressure to him because he had played as a substitute in those games, with Zhou Yi already taken off the court by then. Even so, he had still faced off against Zhou Yi directly, and it was only when Zhou Yi guarded him one-on-one that he felt constrained. Collison managed to pass the ball, but only three seconds remained for Roy Hibbert. Greg Monroe didn’t dare slack off at all; he knew well that holding on a few more seconds would thwart the opponent’s attack. Standing just outside the three-second line with his arms raised high, he was ready to intercept Hibbert. Hibbert’s turnaround jump shot went awry due to Monroe’s interference, and Josh McRoberts, with his agile movements, rushed to the basket first. Using his strong frame, he pushed Samuel Dalembert out of the way and easily secured the rebound. McRoberts twisted in mid-air and passed the ball to the perimeter, where two Pistons big men were waiting. Once he landed, it would be difficult for him to pass the ball again. Collison felt like crying—just over a minute into the game, he had lost the ball twice in a row. First to Zhou Yi, now to Iguodala. Unfortunately, Iguodala’s movements were too exaggerated, and after stealing the ball, he lost his balance, causing the ball to roll past the baseline. Brandon Rush’s left-wing jump shot missed, bouncing off the front of the rim as several big men below fought for the rebound but failed. Zhou Yi had an accurate judgment when it came to rebounds. After grabbing it, he quickly got up and rushed forward like a cheetah. The Pacers’ head coach, Jim O’Brien, stood up excitedly, shouting “Defense!” from the sidelines.

But with Zhou Yi fully committed to full speed, who in the league could surpass him? Although Darren Collison was trying his best to close the gap, seeing the distance between the two growing wider filled him with helplessness—the other player still had the ball! The three-point line and free-throw line rushed past his feet, and amid the cheers of the crowd, Zhou Yi’s enthusiasm surged, giving him an urge to tear everything apart. “Ah…” Amid the shouts, Zhou Yi leaped into the air. “Thud”—Zhou Yi slammed the basketball hard into the basket. As Greg Monroe hit a turnaround jumper, the Pacers called a timeout. With 7 minutes and 35 seconds left in the first quarter, the Pistons started strong with a 10-2 run. Under the Pistons’ intense defense, the Pacers’ shots kept missing. After the timeout, the Pacers increased their outside shooting. Brandon Rush hit a three-pointer from just outside the left-side three-point line. Taking advantage of McGrady’s missed shot, the Pacers executed another brilliant fast break, creating a three-on-one situation under the basket, with Josh McRoberts scoring by driving to the left baseline. As the Pistons inbounded the ball, John Kuester shouted from the sidelines, “Zhou, control the pace and ensure the offense is successful.” Zhou Yi waved at him and caught the ball passed by McGrady. In fact, even without Kuester’s instructions, Zhou Yi knew he had been a bit hasty in those two previous attacks, and the defense after those attacks had also been slow, allowing the opponent to close the gap by five points. Instead of forcing a breakthrough, Zhou Yi used Andre Iguodala’s screen to find another path through. With a cut, he broke through to the right side of Iguodala and hit a mid-range shot from a 45-degree angle on the right wing. After the timeout, the Pacers not only improved their offense but also their defense significantly. Several consecutive possessions saw no points scored by either team. McGrady’s drive to the baseline was blocked by Danny Granger, who pushed him straight into the backboard. At a critical moment, Brandon Rush stepped up again for the Pacers. Under McGrady’s close defense, he hit a backdoor jump shot from the right wing, tying the score at 7-12. With 5 minutes and 41 seconds left in the first quarter, John Kuester reluctantly called a timeout. When play resumed, the Pistons had possession. After catching the ball on the right wing, Zhou Yi quickly started moving, with only Darren Collison guarding him.

Darren Collison’s defensive stance was decent, and his expression was very serious, though he was a bit too tense, causing his movements to become slightly distorted. Defense has never been his strength, especially when facing players like Zhou Yi; it’s inevitable for him to feel nervous. However, seeing his expression, Zhou Yi had a sudden idea.

He used a highly convincing fake move that made Darren Collison tense up unnecessarily. Darren quickly raised his center of gravity and lifted the ball above his head. Already shaken by the earlier move, Darren was on his feet before Zhou Yi had finished his action.

Watching the basketball grow larger in front of him, Darren felt bitter. He hadn’t expected Zhou Yi’s fake moves to be so realistic. Back in the NCAA, he too was an expert at fakes—using deadly changes of direction and strong body feints. And whenever the defender hesitated or stepped back, he could immediately launch a jump shot. Given Zhou Yi’s earlier move, Darren had no choice but to pass or shoot. Yet, even as his body was about to leave the ground, Zhou Yi pulled his body back and jumped straight at him after landing.

“Ding” “Swish”—the referee’s whistle sounded. As Zhou Yi lost his balance in mid-air, he threw the ball toward the basket. His excellent shooting skills ensured that the shot, despite his altered movement, still made it through the net.

“Swish”—his consistent performance at the free-throw line made any player who fouled him regret it in secret.

The Pacers attacked, with Danny Granger’s stop-and-shoot helping them score two more points.

With the switch in offense and defense, Zhou Yi slowly drove past the half-court, with Brandon Rush already waiting for him at the three-point line.

Jim O’Brien made this tactical change to restrict Zhou Yi.

In terms of speed, Brandon Rush was no less than Rodney Stuckey, but his height advantage was something the latter couldn’t match. In the previous three games, Zhou Yi averaged 38.9 points per game, making him the Pistons’ top scorer. Especially his three-point shots, which often came in critical moments, caused the Pacers great trouble.

Moreover, Zhou Yi’s average points per game in the playoffs were the highest among all players.

After several consecutive dribbles under his hip, Zhou Yi began to break through. With a swift step forward with his right foot, before Zhou Yi could move at lightning speed, Brandon Rush executed a simple move that prevented him from continuing—just stepping forward slightly, his extremely long arms almost encircling Zhou Yi’s entire body.

Zhou Yi stepped back slightly, then jumped up. At the distance between them, Brandon Rush’s hand inevitably touched Zhou Yi’s right hand holding the ball. With the limited space he had, jumping was already extremely difficult; being blocked by Brandon Rush left him completely exhausted. Although he managed to throw the ball, it fell weakly halfway through its flight.

“Ding,” the referee’s whistle sounded in time—Brandon Rush committed a defensive foul, resulting in two free throws.

Zhou Yi naturally wouldn’t miss this chance to score two more points for the Pistons.

9:17—under Zhou Yi’s leadership, the Pistons widened their lead to eight points.

Danny Granger caught the ball, stepped back to dodge Andre Iguodala’s defense, and skillfully passed it to Josh McRoberts. The pass was both clever and subtle, using the defenders’ bodies to move the ball inside under Gregg Monroe’s nose.

From the start of the game, Gregg Monroe and Josh McRoberts had been positioning themselves under the basket.

Due to a malicious foul against Zhou Yi in the first game, Josh McRoberts had to play as a substitute in the next two games. Now that he was back in the starting lineup, he was determined to have a strong performance to impress the head coach.

Josh McRoberts suddenly pulled back, causing Gregg Monroe to lose his balance and stumble two steps forward. Josh McRoberts then forcefully dunked the ball into the basket.

“Roar…” Josh McRoberts let out a shout before looking at Gregg Monroe.

Gregg Monroe met his gaze without fear.

“It seems this game is going to be exciting—full of tension!” Yu Jia said with a smile, then stared fixedly at the screen.

Chapter 387: Sweeping Through to the Next Round (Part 2)

John Kuester called a timeout. Up to this point, although the Pistons were ahead in score, their performance on the court was terrible. Especially in terms of rebound control, they allowed the Pacers to score repeatedly, and there were also issues with their outside shooting.

In the first three games, McGrady’s performance had been mediocre, failing to deliver the explosive performance people expected.

In the first three games, McGrady took 40 shots and only made 20, hitting less than 40%. After much consideration, John Kuester did not start him in this game. However, the results were even worse—McGrady’s performance was inconsistent, and he showed weaknesses defensively, making it easy for opponents to exploit him. These were his shortcomings, but it couldn’t be denied that his outstanding scoring ability and significant impact on the paint were exactly what the Pistons needed. Ben Gordon, who replaced him, was slightly better and more proactive defensively, but his offensive capabilities were nowhere near comparable. Yet John Kuester still didn’t start McGrady; he wanted to test him, as McGrady was like a sleeping tiger. The Pistons now led the Pacers 3-0, and even if the Pacers had great strength, it would be difficult for them to turn the situation around. He had already begun thinking about their next opponent, when the Pistons would definitely need McGrady. After the timeout, the Pistons made adjustments to their lineup, with Will Bynum replacing Ben Gordon. The main reason for this change was to relieve Zhou Yi of the burden of controlling the ball. Bynum quickly drove past half-court with the ball. Before he took the court, John Kuester repeatedly emphasized that the Pacers, due to their losses in previous games, had given up on speed, so they should play in their own style. The Pistons were known for their fast-break tactics, and as long as they maintained their rhythm, there would be no suspense in the game. Freed from the responsibility of controlling the ball, Zhou Yi felt extremely relaxed and constantly moved around the court, becoming a nightmare for the Pacers. They couldn’t keep up with Zhou Yi’s speed, but they also couldn’t give up on defending him. The moment Zhou Yi reached the baseline, Bynum passed the ball to him. However, his target was too obvious, and the pass wasn’t fast enough. By the time the ball reached Zhou Yi, Brandon Rush was already in front of him, leaving no chance to shoot. Zhou Yi stopped abruptly, changed direction to get away from Rush, and before the opposing player could react, he threw a high pass that gently landed in the basket. The Pacers had a significant advantage inside today, with Josh McRoberts and Roy Hibbert jointly trapping Greg Monroe so tightly that he could barely move two steps, let alone grab rebounds.

At the end of the first quarter, the Pistons were temporarily behind by five points, 22-27. John Kuester managed to free Zhou Yi in time, preventing the opponent from widening the score gap. However, the issue with the interior play persisted; if not resolved, the score could easily widen again, a problem that troubled John Kuester greatly. Watching Greg Monroe drenched in sweat, John Kuester felt unprecedented pressure. He knew that if he didn’t address the interior issue soon, Greg Monroe wouldn’t be able to hold up much longer under double-team pressure. Once even he couldn’t hold on, there would be no hope left for the game. But looking at the players on the bench, who could be sent to play center? With no other choice, John Kuester decided to send Ben Wallace out. Affected by injuries, Ben Wallace’s form was far from his best, but he still had some strength left and could serve as a deterrent to the opponent. At his current level, he was no match for Roy Hibbert, but his experience helped him gain a foothold in the interior. More importantly, with him holding back the opponent, Greg Monroe was able to break free from the double team and gradually turn the tide in his confrontation with Josh McRoberts. Zhou Yi hit a three-pointer from just outside the arc. A step away from him, Brandon Rush looked frustrated. The moment Greg Monroe passed the ball, he realized its target and quickly moved in front of Zhou Yi. Based on his usual experience, he had enough time to react at such a short distance, but Zhou Yi’s shot was too fast—by the time he tried to defend, Zhou Yi’s three-pointer had already been released, leaving him no time to react. Brandon Rush’s shot easily cleared Will Bynum’s head. Such a pass was indeed disheartening, but with a fifteen-centimeter height difference between the two, it wasn’t surprising, especially considering the short timing of the pass. After catching the ball, Roy Hibbert scored by throwing it into the basket with a small hook shot. Greg Monroe’s turnaround jump shot missed, while Zhou Yi, perched above Josh McRoberts, effortlessly pushed the ball into the basket. Josh McRoberts’s layup missed, and Greg Monroe easily grabbed the rebound, passing the ball to Zhou Yi. At that point, he was the only player for the Pacers on the court, and he scored two points with a simple three-step layup. On the Pacers’ side, Danny Granger hit a long shot from just outside the three-point line.

Zhou Yi hit a three-pointer from the right wing baseline, responding with his own three-point shot. Zhou Yi successfully stole the ball in the midcourt, easily outmaneuvered Brandon Rush with two quick passes, and scored by driving to the basket with Josh McRoberts as a screen, forcing a foul and securing a 2+1 play. In just two minutes, Zhou Yi scored 10 points alone, helping the Pistons launch a 10-2 run and take the lead. At the end of the quarter, the Pistons led 55-49, with a six-point advantage. Zhou Yi, whose offensive capabilities were fully unleashed, hit six out of seven shots in the quarter, scoring 15 points from both field goals and free throws. Jim O’Brien’s hair turned several shades whiter—all because the team had been ahead just moments earlier, yet everything changed in those two minutes. Zhou Yi’s offensive surge not only helped the team take the lead but also boosted their morale. So far, the awards for the 2010-2011 regular season have already determined the Most Improved Player and Coach of the Year. The Detroit Pistons’ head coach was named Coach of the Year, becoming the first Pistons coach to receive this honor. The judging panel for Coach of the Year consisted of 124 sports journalists and commentators from the United States and Canada. John Kuester received 319 points in the final voting, with 43 people choosing him as their top choice, while the Lakers’ coach, Phil Jackson, received 38 first-place votes for a total of 281 points, finishing in second place. This is John Kuester’s third season coaching the Pistons, during which they achieved a remarkable 75-7 record in the regular season, ranking first in the league and tying the Pistons’ best regular-season record ever. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Timberwolves’ power forward Kevin Love edged out everyone else to win the title of Most Improved Player of the Season. Kevin Love had a stellar season, raising his average points per game to 20+ and his rebounds to 15+. He also broke and set many records this season. On November 12, 2010, in a game at Target Center against the New York Knicks, Kevin Love scored 31 points and grabbed 31 rebounds. His 31 rebounds set a Timberwolves team record and made him the player with the most rebounds in a single game since Charles Barkley had 33 rebounds in 1996.

The last player to score over 30 points and grab over 30 rebounds in a single game dates back to 1982, when Moses Malone scored 32 points and 38 rebounds in a Houston Rockets game against the Seattle SuperSonics. In mid-November 2010, Kevin Love had four games with double-doubles, with the last time someone had four double-doubles in a single month dating back to 1991, when Kevin Willis did the same in November of that year. Those four games were: 23 points and 24 rebounds against the Lakers on November 10, 31 points and 31 rebounds against the Knicks on November 13, 32 points and 22 rebounds against the Spurs on November 25, and 21 points and 22 rebounds against the Warriors on November 28. On February 5, 2011, NBA Commissioner David Stern announced that Kevin Love would replace the injured Yao Ming in the NBA All-Star Game held in Los Angeles. This made Kevin Love the first player from a team with the worst record in their division since Tracy McGrady in the 2003-2004 season. On February 8, 2011, Kevin Love tied Kevin Garnett’s record of 37 consecutive double-doubles, and on February 9, he surpassed Garnett with 38 consecutive double-doubles, becoming the new “Wolf King.” On February 24, he tied Moses Malone’s record of 44 consecutive double-doubles, and on February 26, he surpassed Malone’s record with 45 consecutive double-doubles, becoming the all-time leader in consecutive double-doubles. On February 28, 2011, Beijing time, the Minnesota Timberwolves narrowly defeated the Golden Warriors 126-123 at home. While this game wasn’t the focus of the day, the team’s star Kevin Love had an outstanding performance, scoring 37 points and grabbing 23 rebounds once again. On March 8, 2011, Beijing time, in a game against the Dallas Mavericks, Kevin Love scored 23 points and 17 rebounds, achieving another double-double. Although Love’s double-doubles this season have become somewhat routine, today’s performance still holds special significance. This double-double against the Mavericks was his 51st consecutive double-double of the season. Previously, the record for the most consecutive double-doubles in a single season in NBA history was held by Moses Malone, who had 50 consecutive double-doubles during the 1978-1979 season.

This is also the longest consecutive double-double record by a player since the NBA and ABA merged in 1976. After today, Kevin Love’s name will take precedence over his predecessors when it comes to consecutive double-doubles in a single season. With such motivation, Kevin Love played effortlessly in this game, especially against the Warriors’ weak interior defense; the “Love God” seemed unstoppable. He finished with astonishing stats: 8 out of 13 shots, including 3 out of 4 three-pointers, and 18 out of 23 free throws, scoring 37 points and grabbing 23 rebounds. His 23 free throws also set a new record for Love’s career. In NBA history, the last time someone posted similar 37+23 stats was 10 years ago, when Chris Webber, playing for the Kings, scored 51 points and 26 rebounds against the Pacers. Of course, what pleased Kevin Love the most was that his incredible performance helped the Wolves win the game. This season, he had already scored 31 points and 31 rebounds in a game against the Knicks, and the Wolves won that match as well. On March 14, 2011, Kevin Love’s streak of consecutive double-doubles ended, with the record standing at 53 games. It can be said that Kevin Love is definitely one of the most prominent players this season. … The team regained the upper hand, and John Kuester was pleased with the results of his tactical changes. At the start of the second half, it was the Pacers’ turn to possess the ball. Darren Collison quickly drove to the other end of the court; he performed well in this game, making several clever passes with high skill. Driving forward, Darren Collison grabbed the ball with both hands and passed it inside. After receiving the ball, Roy Hibbert dribbled a few times, then set a screen for Danny Granger, who slipped in from the baseline, received the ball from Roy Hibbert, and easily scored a layup. The offense and defense switched. Will Bynum controlled the ball, while Zhou Yi actively moved around. From the baseline to the top of the key, Zhou Yi made another round trip. After several failed attempts to break through, Will Bynum had no choice but to pass the ball to Greg Monroe. Meanwhile, Zhou Yi kept moving without the ball, using his outstanding performance to distract the Pacers’ defenders. Although he didn’t always have the ball, he at least drew the attention of at least two defenders, thus giving other players more opportunities.

Josh McRoberts tightly contained Greg Monroe’s position. Monroe’s signature turnaround jump shot required space—at least some room to turn—but McRoberts wouldn’t give it to him. After several failed physical struggles, Monroe quickly passed the ball. His pass was sudden; while he was still locked in a struggle with McRoberts, the ball had already been thrown from the paint.

At that moment, Zhou Yi was at the baseline, with no room to maneuver in the middle court. Darren Collison’s reckless defense posed a serious challenge, and D’Angelo Jones was also rushing over. If they managed to sandwich him, he’d be in real trouble.

Suddenly, Darren Collison found himself with an open view—his opponent had vanished from sight. Zhou Yi, who had crouched, didn’t stop there; he leaned his upper body forward rapidly, almost horizontal in the air, on the verge of falling to the floor. His left hand suddenly shot out, lightly touching the ground, and his body shot forward like a cheetah. Such an impressive and astonishing move left the Pacers’ fans stunned.

But it wasn’t over yet. Due to this delay, D’Angelo Jones had already appeared in front of him. Zhou Yi’s situation was even more precarious now than before—his center of gravity was still in the air. He needed time and space to adjust it, otherwise it would be pointless. From his current position, there was no chance of shooting at all. As the world spun around him, he only had a vague idea of where the basket was.

D’Angelo Jones didn’t rush to grab the ball. With Zhou Yi in that position, if pressured too much, he could simply fall backward, pressing the ball under him, making it impossible for anyone to take it from him—maybe forcing the Pistons to call a timeout.

This gave Zhou Yi hope. He would find a way to adjust his position. During that time, his defense would be weak, and his chance would arrive—he just needed to wait patiently.

Everything went as he had planned. Zhou Yi used strength in his waist, gradually lifting his upper body.

The perfect opportunity for Dantay Jones arrived, and he quickly moved forward. Having been in the league for so long, Jones was merely a second- or third-rate player at his best, but all these years hadn’t been in vain—he had his own ways of controlling the pace of the game. Jim O’Brien could trust Darren Collison over Rodney Stuckey thanks to Jones’s support.

Jones was secretly delighted; his fingers could already feel the basketball. But just as a faint smile appeared on his lips, the ball vanished instantly.

While Jones was at a loss, Zhou Yi’s brilliant pass came into view for all the fans in the arena. Zhou Yi’s earlier actions matched Jones’s predictions, but the moment he reached out, Zhou Yi passed the ball beneath him. At a 45-degree angle on the right wing stood Will Bynum. There were no defenders around him; their attention was focused on Zhou Yi. Despite several dangerous situations, Zhou Yi managed to overcome them time and again, especially with that incredible pass at Jones.

When the ball reached Will Bynum, he instinctively reached out to catch it, paused briefly, then decisively shot it. Though a bit distracted, his touch was still good, and the ball accurately went through the hoop.

Silence fell over the Consol Energy Center. Zhou Yi’s bizarre pass was truly spectacular. But letting the opponent act so freely on their own court was hard for the Pacers’ fans to accept. They were reluctant to applaud such a brilliant pass, and even boos seemed impossible.

Taking advantage of a dead ball, the Pacers adjusted their lineup again. Rodney Stuckey returned to the court, along with Brandon Rush. Jim O’Brien realized that his big-man strategy had completely failed so far—the advantage in rebounds was gradually being offset by Greg Monroe and Ben Wallace together. The speed weakness of this strategy became even more apparent under the Pistons’ fast breaks. John Kuester also took the chance to replace Zhou Yi, as after half a game, only Zhou Yi had played the longest time; even Greg Monroe had taken a few minutes off.

The Pacers’ lineup change brought not only speed but also consistent passing to the Pistons.

Rodney Stuckey’s pass to Brandon Rush, who appeared at the 45-degree angle on the right wing. After catching the ball, he immediately shot a three-pointer; with a swish, the ball went through the net, causing the net to ripple.

On the Pistons’ offense, Ben Gordon feinted twice in a row. Although he failed to break through, it allowed him to find an opportunity to pass the ball quickly to Andre Iguodala. Without hesitation, Iguodala rose easily, shook his right wrist slightly, and the ball dropped through the net.

On the Pacers’ side, Danny Granger took a quick stop and shot a jump shot, hitting it again. Will Bynum drove the ball downcourt for a fast break, but his layup was blocked by Josh McRoberts.

With Zhou Yi out, the Pistons lost their key player on the perimeter. Several of their shots missed, and Greg Monroe’s efforts in the paint also failed to make a difference. The Pacers took advantage to score an 8-0 run, tying the score. Danny Granger’s offensive prowess posed a significant challenge to the Pistons.

John Kuester called a timeout. He was aware of the poor performance from the perimeter, as his two best perimeter players were sitting on the bench.

Madison had not been in good form recently. Although he was on the bench, Kuester hadn’t given him a chance to play yet and didn’t plan to do so now. Zhou Yi was also temporarily on the bench. This game was tough, and he had sensed it before the match—after all, it was at the Pacers’ home court, and it was their last chance to fight hard. Their momentum couldn’t be underestimated.

Yet, no matter how much John Kuester planned, he didn’t expect the problems to arise with him. The Pistons, who had been invincible in the regular season, were facing so many issues. Their perimeter defense was surprisingly weak—this was the difference between the Pistons and true powerhouse teams. They lacked the deep experience of the San Antonio Spurs and Boston Celtics, as well as their strong bench depth.

Chapter 388: Sweeping Through to the Next Round (3)

After much thought, John Kuester had no good ideas. The best option was to send both players out. The ideal outcome would be to gain a decisive advantage in the third quarter to keep pressure on the Pacers. However, this would place a heavy strain on Zhou Yi’s stamina. Fortunately, as long as they won this game, the second round of the playoffs would likely be some time away.

After the pause, the Pistons sent out their strongest lineup. What’s considered the core lineup isn’t necessarily the strongest. Ben Wallace performed very steadily in the paint, with no major fluctuations in form, especially as he and Greg Monroe worked well together—his presence was meant to help Greg Monroe perform better.

Rodney Stuckey’s several attempts to break through went nowhere as Zhou Yi always managed to block his paths just in time. McGrady also learned his lesson by tightly guarding Brandon Rush, preventing him from coming forward to support.

Rodney Stuckey quickly slid right along with the momentum of his dribble. Before Zhou Yi could recover, he stepped forward with his left foot, instantly completing his movement.

In a flash, Rodney Stuckey almost crashed into Zhou Yi’s arms. Just as Zhou Yi was delighted at having successfully blocked his breakthrough, he reappeared in Stuckey’s path again.

As time passed, Rodney Stuckey hesitated not at all. Taking advantage of Zhou Yi’s unsteady recovery, he gently shook his right wrist, and the ball shot out like an arrow, quickly reaching Josh McRoberts.

At that moment, Greg Monroe was pulled to the outside, leaving only Ben Wallace in the paint. He had a slight size advantage, but his explosive power wasn’t strong, especially at his age. Physical confrontation wasn’t his strength, and facing someone like Josh McRoberts only exposed his weaknesses even more.

Josh McRoberts faced Ben Wallace one-on-one, his massive frame moving back and forth in front of Ben Wallace. The repeated muscle clashes nearly made Ben Wallace lose his breath.

Seeing that Ben Wallace was clearly exhausted, Josh McRoberts intensified his attacks. After several collisions, Ben Wallace was pushed all the way to the baseline. With a sigh of relief, Josh McRoberts prepared to dunk with both hands.

Just as he raised the ball to his chest, a tremendous force came from the basketball, knocking him off his feet and causing the ball to fall weakly to the floor.

After successfully blocking and stealing the ball, Zhou Yi threw it long, sending it over several Pistons and Pacers players straight toward the Pacers’ frontcourt. McGrady, having seen the opportunity, started running back immediately.

Josh McRoberts was furious. Just moments earlier, he had executed a brilliant dunk, only for Zhou Yi to snatch the ball right from his hands, driving him to the brink of madness. Moreover, with Zhou Yi in charge, the Pacers were gradually heading toward defeat, which further ignited Josh McRoberts’ anger—he punched Zhou Yi in the back. Fortunately, Greg Monroe reacted quickly, pushing the ball aside, but Josh McRoberts’ fist still hit Zhou Yi’s right shoulder. Thankfully, the punch wasn’t forceful enough to cause serious harm to Zhou Yi. However, Josh McRoberts’ attack enraged the Pistons players. If Andre Iguodala hadn’t grabbed Greg Monroe, his clenched fist would have struck Monroe’s head. The referee promptly separated the players, and thankfully, the other players on both teams remained calm, preventing further chaos. “Josh McRoberts has such a bad temper. Although this punch didn’t cause much trouble this time, he’s likely in trouble. Even if he isn’t ejected outright, he’ll definitely get a technical foul,” said the commentator with regret. Perhaps due to it being home court, the referee only issued one technical foul to Josh McRoberts, giving the Pistons a free throw. John Kuester wasn’t too concerned about the decision, as judging some calls depends on the referee’s discretion. Besides, it was the Pacers’ home court. If the referee had insisted on ejecting Josh McRoberts, it would have caused more trouble. After the game resumed, Josh McRoberts sat on the bench—he really needed to calm down. Free throws meant extra points for Zhou Yi. Despite the loud boos in the Consol Energy Center, Zhou Yi remained unfazed, sinking the shots as the Pistons took a 69–65 lead. The ball remained in the Pistons’ hands. Without Josh McRoberts, the Pacers’ interior defense became weaker. Greg Monroe used a convincing fake move to draw Solomon Jones away, then made a clever pass inside to help Ben Wallace score with a dunk. Soon after, when the Pacers failed to score, Greg Monroe grabbed a defensive rebound and quickly passed it to Zhou Yi. Although Greg Monroe’s pass was timely, the Pacers’ defense reacted quickly. “Swish”—Greg Monroe pushed past Solomon Jones and hit a hook shot.

This season, Solomon Jones has averaged only 13.3 minutes of playing time, less than half of last season’s amount, and his performance has declined significantly. He simply can’t replace Josh McRoberts on the court. The Pistons’ two interior players took turns dominating the Pacers’ basket, and with 5:34 left in the third quarter, the Pistons led by 10 points, 78-68.

Jim O’Brien reluctantly called a timeout and, looking at Josh McRoberts sitting on the bench, asked seriously, “Are you calm now?”
Josh McRoberts quickly nodded obediently. Sitting on the bench and watching his team fall behind step by step, he must have been extremely upset, especially with the Pistons’ overwhelming strength in the paint.

Seeing his obedient behavior, Jim O’Brien was somewhat unaccustomed to it, but there was nothing he could do. The Pistons’ interior players were playing wildly, constantly pushing into the Pacers’ paint. Solomon Jones simply couldn’t stop Greg Monroe, and Roy Hibbert’s defense seemed to have lost its effectiveness against him.

As soon as Josh McRoberts returned to the court, he showed his true colors, glaring fiercely at Zhou Yi, his eyes almost sparking with anger.

Watching this, Jim O’Brien had just stood up excitedly from the bench when he realized this kid was truly a showman. He had acted so obediently earlier, making Jim feel as if keeping him on the bench would be a foul. Yet in less than two minutes, he reverted to his true self.

Not to mention his superhero-like performance this season in regular games, just those two incredible goals in this match reveal Zhou Yi’s mindset in games. Their mental approaches are almost completely opposite. Jim O’Brien was worried that Josh McRoberts might lose control to Zhou Yi’s provocations, especially since he already had one technical foul on his record.

Dante Jones’ close defense and constant tricks made Zhou Yi very uncomfortable. Especially his relentless attempts to steal the ball and his fearless attacking stance were truly admirable. The Pacers’ defense wasn’t great, but their switching was very fast. As soon as Zhou Yi hesitated slightly, the Pacers would penetrate deep into the Pistons’ half-court.

“Snap, snap”—Zhou Yi’s control of the ball accelerated instantly. Dengtai Jones was caught off guard and quickly shifted right along with Zhou Yi’s movements. As the Pacers’ most ferocious defender, Dengtai Jones had always been the ideal choice to contain opponents’ top scorers. Over the years, countless star players had fallen to him, but few had put as much pressure on him as Zhou Yi. In this brief confrontation, he failed to make any impact defensively and even suffered repeated humiliations in front of his home crowd.

“Screech”—Zhou Yi abruptly stopped in his tracks. Dengtai Jones felt bitter; his physical abilities were top-notch, yet still inferior to Zhou Yi’s. As Zhou Yi surged forward, he couldn’t adjust his center of gravity and instinctively reached out with his right hand.

“Snap”—Seizing the opportunity, Zhou Yi didn’t hesitate. With his hands slightly raised, Dengtai Jones hit his right wrist, but by then Zhou Yi had already passed the ball to his left hand, using his right hand only to assist with the shot.

“Swish”—Shooting while off-balance, his release point was a bit high, but it didn’t stop the ball from going through the net, tracing a beautiful arc before plunging into the opponent’s basket.

Watching Zhou Yi confidently walk to the free-throw line, the Pacers’ fans began booing loudly. What should have been a fierce battle turned into a personal showcase for Zhou Yi, with the entire game seemingly revolving around him.

“Teacher Zhang, Zhou Yi’s performance today seems very different from before. But this version of him definitely looks like a superstar,” Yu Jia remarked.

“Indeed. In the past, Zhou Yi was more low-key in games, especially when his teammates were performing well. He focused more on organization and defense, stepping up only when the team was in trouble. But unbeknownst to us, by the end, he had already racked up another double-double. A performance as dazzling as today is indeed rare. For fans, though, this Zhou Yi is even more appealing,” Coach Zhang agreed, nodding. Looking at the flood of messages on the information platform, it was clear how excited the domestic fans were. Yao Ming had already delivered a huge surprise to the fans, but he couldn’t match Zhou Yi’s outstanding performance.

Danny Granger hit a turnaround jump shot from the free-throw line. Such consistent mid-range shooting has always been Danny Granger’s greatest strength—he would accurately shoot the ball into the opponent’s basket whenever he got the chance.
A string of losses had filled Dantay Jones with immense shame; he felt like a fool, repeatedly exposing his weaknesses in front of his home crowd. Yet he was a renowned defensive expert in the league, with a mental resilience far beyond ordinary people. The tougher the opponent, the more serious his defensive attitude became. At this point, he saw Zhou Yi as a greater threat than Kobe—after all, stopping Kobe’s shots would complete 80% of the task.
But defending Zhou Yi meant trying to limit his scoring while also paying close attention to his passing. He had to focus on both aspects, yet failed to do either well, which was what worried him the most.
Fully in form, Dantay Jones exerted tremendous pressure on Zhou Yi defensively. The continuous physical confrontations made Zhou Yi feel overwhelmed. Rodney Stuckey occasionally came in to help with defense, preventing Zhou Yi from capitalizing on a few rare breakthrough opportunities.
Danny Granger drew Greg Monroe, who was in the paint, to help defend, and as Greg Monroe left the paint, Josh McRoberts naturally became available. Danny Granger passed the ball to the ground, and after catching it, Josh McRoberts dunked powerfully with both hands.
With a loud thud, Josh McRoberts raised his fist and roared loudly.
The home crowd became ecstatic upon seeing this, cheering loudly to support their players.
This game was crucial for the Pacers. If they lost it, they would have to head home early. They didn’t want to lose this game at home and get swept 4-0 by their opponents.
Therefore, from the start until now, the Pacers’ players had fought desperately and played aggressively. Even though the Pistons were stronger, they failed to widen the score gap.
Receiving the pass from McGrady, the annoying Dantay Jones still stood in front of him, focusing entirely on guarding the player rather than the ball.

No matter how much space opened up for the Pistons’ other players, he was determined not to help defend. Wherever Zhou Yi went, he followed. Moreover, his defense was more aggressive than in the first quarter, with physical collisions occurring almost constantly. Even when Zhou Yi wasn’t in possession, his defense didn’t slacken in the slightest. Zhou Yi caught sight out of the corner of his eye that Rodney Stuckey on the other side was quickly retreating, and he sighed helplessly.