Chapter 170

Section four of the game finally began. With a large lead, the Bulls’ offense remained fierce. Tom Thibodeau’s intentions were clear—he wanted to expand the lead in the first half of the fourth quarter to secure the win early, as the Bulls had been plagued by fatigue after seven grueling games in the previous round.

John Kuester could no longer tolerate the Pistons’ performance. After the Bulls hit two consecutive three-pointers, he angrily called a timeout and berated all the players on the court before pulling several underperforming players off. The players now on the court were center Samuel Dalembert, power forward Greg Monroe, small forward James Posey, shooting guard Ben Gordon, and point guard Zhou Yi. Except for Zhou Yi and Greg Monroe, the other three were clearly backups.

With little hope of winning, John Kuester seemed determined to teach those who weren’t contributing a lesson.

At 10 minutes and 31 seconds, with a 16-point lead, it seemed the Bulls had the game wrapped up.

“Swish”—Derrick Rose’s mistake allowed Zhou Yi to steal the ball at midcourt and shoot a three-pointer from the right wing. However, his shot seemed a bit late, and the Bulls’ players didn’t pay much attention to it.

With 8 minutes and 20 seconds left, Zhou Yi received a perfect pass from Greg Monroe at the baseline, jumped, and shot. The ball traced a beautiful arc before going through the net, widening the Pistons’ deficit to 12 points, 93–81.

Derrick Rose’s long shot missed, and Greg Monroe jumped up to grab the rebound. By then, Zhou Yi had already crossed half-court; he received a long pass and scored two points with a layup.

With 7 minutes and 11 seconds left, Zhou Yi shot a three-pointer from the top of the key, forcing Keith Bogans into a foul and scoring four points. The score was now 98–89, with the Pistons narrowing the gap to single digits.

James Posey’s mid-range shot missed, and Greg Monroe immediately grabbed the rebound and added a putback, reducing the deficit to seven points.

Within 2 minutes and 55 seconds, the Pistons scored a 14–2 run, dealing a heavy blow to the Bulls.

Tom Thibodeau also realized the problem—the Bulls’ players, with such a large lead, had clearly become complacent.

Carlos Boozer stepped outside to block, Derek Rose seized the gap and attempted a three-point shot that missed. Joakim Noah grabbed a rebound and was fouled—this was his sixth foul of the game, so Joakim Noah “graduated” from the game early.
With the opponent’s starting center ejected, the atmosphere in the Auburn Hills Palace instantly intensified.
Tom Thibodeau reluctantly substituted in veteran Kurt Thomas and then continued to watch the game in silence.
On the Pistons’ offense, Zhou Yi drove to the Bulls’ paint and completed a beautiful reverse layup, also drawing a foul on Carlos Boozer.
“Great job, Zhou,” Greg Monroe quickly rushed over and bumped into Zhou Yi.
Carlos Boozer now had five fouls in total; just one more and he would “graduate” early alongside Joakim Noah. That would leave the Bulls with almost no players in the paint, allowing the Pistons to take full control of the counterattack.
Pistons fans chanted “MVP.” In the first two quarters, the Bulls’ consecutive scores had widened the lead, making Pistons fans sense impending doom.
But at critical moments, Zhou Yi’s series of scores and this impressive 2+1 completely stabilized the team’s morale, proving the value of an MVP at decisive times.
“Swish”—Zhou Yi made his free throw as well. After hitting it, the crowd erupted in enthusiastic applause again.
98:94, the Bulls led by just four points.
Switch of play.
Derek Rose took control of the offense and passed skillfully to Rolando Blackman at the baseline. Blackman went one-on-one with James Posey and attempted a quick stop-and-shoot, but the experienced James Posey blocked it.
Greg Monroe grabbed the ball and quickly passed it to Zhou Yi.
Watching Zhou Yi trying to break through, Derek Rose said confidently, “Zhou, your performance is truly admirable, but I won’t let you take the victory from me.”
Ignoring Derek Rose’s provocation, Zhou Yi focused entirely on the game.
With six minutes and 11 seconds left, Zhou Yi attempted a 45-degree three-point shot from the right wing. Keith Bogans, who had been shadowing him, naturally wouldn’t let him succeed easily. The moment Zhou Yi released the shot, Bogans touched his right wrist.
Such an obvious foul meant the referee wouldn’t overlook it, and Zhou Yi’s free throws were a certainty—he made all three easily.

Taking advantage of the timeout, the court broadcast switched back to the studio. Yu Jia glanced at the data in her hands and said excitedly, “When everyone thought the Pistons had no chance of turning things around, their point guard, Zhou Yi, hit four shots in a row within three minutes, helping the Pistons score a 17-5 run. Now the score gap between the two teams has widened to four points, with six minutes and eleven seconds left in the game. This gives the Pistons new hope, and Zhou Yi played a crucial role in this scoring surge.”

After the timeout, the Bulls sent out their starting lineup again. According to Tom Thibodeau’s philosophy, offense is the best defense. The reason they suffered a scoring surge from the Pistons earlier was that they didn’t exert enough pressure on their opponents offensively, giving them a chance to catch their breath.

Derrick Rose slowly drove the ball across half-court. Although Thibodeau emphasized offense, he believed stability was the most important thing for the Bulls at the moment.

With a four-point advantage and just six minutes left, the Bulls still held most of the initiative. While fast breaks could certainly put immense pressure on the Pistons, they also increased the chances of mistakes. Two of Zhou Yi’s three-point shots earlier were thanks to mistakes by the Bulls. He naturally had no doubts about the Bulls’ offensive philosophy, but in the highly competitive playoffs, offense alone wasn’t enough. A team lacking defense would struggle to succeed in the playoffs.

Carlos Boozer once again stepped up to provide defense—this was the Bulls’ most effective tactic. After Derrick Rose easily broke through, he immediately passed the ball to Carlos Boozer, who turned and made a jump shot. This was Boozer’s strength: his smooth shooting ability allowed him to attack almost anywhere across the court. If defenders were slightly careless, he could deliver a deadly shot.

With the Pistons in high spirits, Boozer’s mid-range shots came at just the right time, stabilizing the Bulls’ morale, which had started to waver. The score gap widened again to 100:94.

With five minutes and thirty seconds left in the game, Ben Gordon made a passing mistake, and Derrick Rose passed the ball long, assisting Keith Bogans in scoring a layup.

John Kuester promptly called a timeout, planning to bring in key players like McGrady.

When the game resumed, McGrady and the others were substituted in by John Kuester.

Tom Thibodeau somewhat understood the situation—thanks to Zhou Yi’s outstanding performance, the Pistons had already gained a morale advantage over the Bulls. However, Ben Gordon’s 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, McGrady was the one most capable of doing that.

Five minutes and eleven seconds in, Zhou Yi and Andre Iguodala created a gap on the perimeter, allowing the ball to reach McGrady in the right wing. There was no one in front of him, and everyone’s attention instantly focused on him. This was undoubtedly a crucial shot. Against the strong Bulls, Zhou Yi’s individual effort alone wasn’t enough; the Bulls’ poor defense was also a major reason for his excellent performance earlier. But now, no matter where Zhou Yi went, Keith Bogans would stick closely to him, and Derek Rose, not far away, would also keep an eye on him. As soon as the ball was aimed his way, he would abandon his defensive player and come forward 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 four, missing several great chances as well.

“Swish.” Zhou Yi clenched his fists tightly and thought to himself, “Bulls, wait—this is where the real game begins.”

Watching the Pistons regain their vitality, Derek Rose was deeply impressed. Under such adversity, Zhou Yi had managed to help the team regain its strength all by himself—a skill that was rare in the league.

Faced with the Pistons’ offensive push, the Bulls didn’t lose their composure. Their huge lead at the start of the fourth quarter seemed to give them reason to relax, but in the face of the Pistons’ counterattack, they regained their focus.

Derek Rose quickly drove past the half-court line, but when trying to break through Zhou Yi, his legs suddenly felt numb. He couldn’t help but smile bitterly—the effects of the tough battle in the previous round were finally showing.

In fact, it wasn’t just him; Zhou Yi’s calves were also trembling, but he hid it well, and the Bulls’ players couldn’t tell for now.

Derek Rose passed the ball backward to Keith Bogans, who stepped forward quickly, raised his hands slightly, and scored with a mid-range shot.

Play changed sides.

Maddie quickly drove the ball across half-court. Keith Bogans’ several attempts to steal it were skillfully avoided by him. At critical moments, his steady performance was truly reassuring.

At this point, Zhou Yi had completely dropped his responsibility for organizing the offense; even the outside defense no longer revolved around him. In John Kuster’s words, Zhou Yi’s only task now was to move around and shoot freely once he got the ball.

After catching the ball at the baseline, Keith Bogans 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, Keith Bogans quickly tried to block the shot. From such close range, he doubted Zhou Yi could still shoot.

“Swish”—the ball went in, a clean three-pointer.

Keith Bogans was extremely frustrated. He never expected his defense to appear so weak against the opponent.

Carlos Boozer’s turnaround jump shot missed, and Greg Monroe blocked Boozer, securing a rebound that was now extremely important for the Pistons.

Zhou Yi easily broke through Derek Rose and quickly passed the ball to Andre Iguodala, who shot freely. Unfortunately, so far, he still hadn’t found his rhythm, and the ball clanged off the rim.

Greg Monroe tightly held Carlos Boozer back and once again easily grabbed the rebound, passing it long to Zhou Yi.

“Swish”—this was already Zhou Yi’s fourth three-pointer of the quarter.

100:97—the Pistons were only three points behind.

As fans and Pistons’ bench players cheered and jumped up, a scene on the court prevented them from being happy. The player who scored the goal staggered and collapsed to the floor.

This scene affected the feelings of countless fans, especially those in China. Seeing Zhou Yi’s outstanding performance in the fourth quarter—such great performance from a Chinese player was unprecedented.

Fortunately, Zhou Yi lay on the ground for a short while before getting back up. John Kuster wanted to call a timeout, but Zhou Yi refused. It was just a lack of strength; he had suddenly exerted too much force, and his legs wouldn’t obey him.

This time, John Kuster didn’t listen to him. By this point in the game, he had no regrets, especially after seeing Zhou Yi step up in the fourth quarter—his performance filled him with satisfaction.

Although this is the playoffs and every game is crucial, he still prefers Zhou Yi’s health. It can be said that without Zhou Yi, the Pistons’ playoff prospects are uncertain. The Pistons without Zhou Yi are like a tiger with its teeth pulled out, while Zhou Yi is the team’s future. It is because of Zhou Yi that the Pistons have had such an excellent record this season. Deep down, John Kuester doesn’t have high expectations for these playoffs. Though he claims to his players that the team’s goal this season is to win the championship, he knows it won’t be easy—actually, it’s extremely difficult. Since the team has only just started rebuilding this season, winning a championship right away is something only teams like the Celtics, who can bring in three star players at once, can do. So, in John Kuester’s true thoughts, the team should go as far as they can; his and the team’s management’s hopes are actually placed on next season. This summer, he will make good use of it to improve the team’s lineup. With 13 seconds left in the game and the score at 100:97, a three-point difference, the Pistons have a good chance to turn the game around. For the Pistons, the best scenario is to take advantage of the Bulls’ fatigue to take the lead. Even going into overtime wouldn’t be a good outcome for them. Although the Bulls have already shown signs of fatigue, Zhou Yi’s stamina is even more concerning—whether he can hold up through the rest of the game is also in doubt. The reason the Pistons can compete with the Bulls is because Zhou Yi and Greg Monroe are the team’s main strengths. Greg Monroe’s defense and offense in the paint give the Pistons more options, while Zhou Yi holds his own against the league’s best point guards, showing scoring ability in critical moments that seems even better than Derrick Rose’s. With 6 seconds left, Zhou Yi shoots from a 45-degree angle on the right wing after being screened by McGrady, hits the shot, but loses his balance upon landing and sits on the floor briefly before quickly getting up. Watching Tom Thibodeau shouting loudly on the sidelines, it seems his voice might be ruined by the end of this game.

At the moment Zhou Yi caught the ball, two Bulls defenders had already tightly surrounded him. Although there were teammates blocking for him, Keith Bogans remained in a favorable defensive position. As Zhou Yi jumped, he accurately judged his shooting point, but Zhou Yi’s astonishing shooting speed once again thwarted his defense. With this three-point shot, the Pistons finally tied the score. Pistons fans watching on TV were overjoyed—having gone from being behind by 16 points to catching up in just a short time. Tom Thibodeau took advantage of a dead ball to bring Rolando Blackman back into the game. Blackman’s entry not only provided offensive firepower but also served another purpose: helping defend Zhou Yi. His 206-centimeter height gave him more options when defending Zhou Yi. At two minutes and thirty seconds, Derrick Rose made a passing mistake, and the Pistons took advantage to launch a brilliant fast break. McGrady scored easily with a layup, securing two points for the team. The Pistons once again took the lead, and the entire crowd cheered. Zhou Yi’s stamina was nearly exhausted. He slowly dribbled outside the three-point line, every nerve in his body tense, not daring to be careless. When he reached just outside the three-point line facing the basket, he stopped and casually pushed the ball over Derrick Rose’s head toward the basket. When people saw Samuel Dalembert and Greg Monroe still trapped by Kurt Thomas and Carlos Boozer, unable to move freely, another thought crossed their minds—had Zhou Yi made a mistake?! However, something unexpected happened. A figure in a white jersey suddenly rushed from the right baseline into the paint and leaped in the paint just as the ball was about to hit the backboard. With his right arm, he grabbed the ball and threw it toward the basket! “Thud!” The ball was slammed firmly into the basket, and everyone saw clearly who had completed this aerial pass—it was McGrady, wearing the Pistons’ No. 1 jersey! “Great pass, Zhou!” McGrady excitedly ran up to Zhou Yi and high-fived him. Zhou Yi smiled at McGrady and ran with him toward the backcourt. This shot was extremely important for the Pistons; it once again boosted the players’ morale. Derrick Rose broke through at the baseline and passed to Carlos Boozer under the basket. After catching the ball, Boozer dodged Greg Monroe’s defense and scored a layup.

After several steady passes, the ball reached Andre Iguodala’s hands. Upon receiving it, he immediately adjusted his stance and shot a three-pointer from the zero-degree angle just outside the left-wing three-point line. However, he didn’t seem to be in good form that night, so the shot missed. The ball hit the rim and bounced out! “Damn it!” Andre Iguodala cursed inwardly.

The Pistons’ two big men, Samuel Dalembert and Greg Monroe, were held back by the Bulls’ Corey Thomas and Carlos Boozer, preventing them from securing good positions to rebound. The ball slowly descended, and Corey Thomas and Carlos Boozer bent down to try to grab it. But just as the ball was about to fall into Carlos Boozer’s hands, a player in the Pistons’ No. 37 jersey suddenly rushed into the paint from the side and snatched the rebound right from in front of those big men! Zhou Yi!

Everyone stared in disbelief at this Chinese player, who was only 188 centimeters tall, unable to believe that such a short player could snatch a rebound from among those giants. But what happened next left the home crowd even more astonished. Zhou Yi actually held his own against Carlos Boozer and scored using an incredible inside move, even drawing a foul on Carlos Boozer!

The Pistons’ head coach, John Kuester, also looked surprised, but soon a smile appeared on his face. Zhou Yi took the free throw and naturally made it. Raul Dunham missed his mid-range jump shot, and Samuel Dalembert secured the defensive rebound. As soon as Samuel Dalembert got the rebound, Zhou Yi launched an fast break.

Zhou Yi received the pass from Samuel Dalembert just outside the Bulls’ three-point line. Without hesitation, facing an unguarded Bulls big man, he rushed into the Bulls’ paint at top speed! Once inside, he leaped with all his strength and drove the ball into the basket with a powerful right-handed slam! “Bang!” With a perfect axe-handle dunk, Zhou Yi ended this fast break!

A loud roar echoed in everyone’s hearts, shaking their souls! The arena fell dead silent as everyone stared in awe at what had just happened.

Faced with the Pistons’ relentless offensive push, the Bulls players didn’t just focus on defense. After Derrick Rose and Roy Dunbar hit three-pointers in succession, with 1:15 left in the game, the Bulls took the lead at 112:107, holding a 5-point advantage.

Chapter 397: Semi-Finals, Battle Against the Bulls (III)

Thanks to the combined counterattacks by Derrick Rose and Roy Dunbar, the Pistons were pushed further and further away from victory.

The ball was in the Pistons’ possession, but they seemed flustered. Andre Iguodala handled the ball carelessly, throwing it onto the backboard where Carlos Boozer caught it. Derrick Rose launched a fast break to the basket, scoring and drawing a foul. Though he missed the free throw, the Bulls regained a 9-point lead with 45 seconds left in the game.

With Greg Monroe’s last-second shot falling short, the Pistons lost at home 109:119.

Derrick Rose demonstrated the value of an absolute core player with his outstanding performance, scoring 31 points and delivering 12 assists. Had Zhou Yi not had an amazing fourth quarter, he would undoubtedly have been the best player on the court.

Keith Bogans scored 22 points; Carlos Boozer had 20 points and 15 rebounds; Roy Dunbar scored 19 points; Joakim Noah scored 15 points and 10 rebounds; CJ Watson scored 12 points. The Bulls’ overall shooting percentage was a remarkable 55%.

The Pistons also had a high shooting percentage of 50%. Zhou Yi scored 24 points in the fourth quarter, bringing his total to 40 points for the game, along with 9 assists, 4 steals, and 6 rebounds. Greg Monroe scored 28 points, 13 rebounds, and 5 blocks.

As the referee’s whistle blew, Zhou Yi collapsed to the floor. In fact, during the last two minutes, he could no longer move effectively, his vision blurred, and his legs felt as heavy as lead. Taking each step required immense effort. Without his strong willpower, he would have given up long ago.

Greg Monroe stepped forward to help him up and slowly guided him off the court.

Although Zhou Yi caused nightmare-like situations for the Bulls fans during the game, his performance still earned their admiration. Especially after the game, he seemed to lack even the strength to walk. They could hardly imagine how he managed to hold on through those final minutes.

In fact, in the last two minutes, Zhou Yi barely contributed anything on the court; his legs no longer responded to his commands, and he merely repeated mechanical movements. He was unable to provide any resistance to the Bulls in defense. Yet John Kuester did not replace him. He still clearly remembered Zhou Yi’s determined expression when he tried to take him off the court.

Roar of applause erupted in the Auburn Hills Palace. Although the home team lost the game, there was no doubt that Zhou Yi’s performance had conquered them.

At the post-game press conference, Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau also spoke highly of Zhou Yi, focusing mostly on his performance in the fourth quarter: “Zhou’s performance was simply unbelievable. Many people didn’t give him the respect he deserved. Although this is just his first season, he played like a superstar. Today’s performance was one of the best I’ve seen in my time coaching. Here, I think it’s necessary to remind our players that their opponents have strengths beyond imagination. In future games, we need to give it our all—no room for slackness, otherwise it will be us who go home early.”

John Kuester, of course, also praised his player. Sitting on the podium, he showed no signs of defeat and said cheerfully, “I’ve never doubted Zhou Yi’s abilities. I’ve always believed he has the potential to become a superstar. I just didn’t expect him to grow so quickly. Today’s performance can only be described as perfect. No matter who replaced him, I don’t think anyone could have performed better. As for today’s game, although we lost temporarily, it gave me more hope. When the team is in trouble, our players show unprecedented unity. In my view, we lost the game but gained a lot from it.”

Earlier, in the Eastern Conference semifinals, the Heat suffered a crushing 94-111 loss to the Celtics, falling behind 0-1 in the series. “The Little Emperor” LeBron James racked up 27 points, 11 rebounds, and 9 assists—almost a triple-double—while Dwyane Wade scored 32 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists. The other member of the “Big Three,” Chris Bosh, had a poor performance, scoring only 9 points and grabbing 6 rebounds under Kevin Garnett’s defense—this was one of the main reasons for the Heat’s defeat.

On the Celtics’ side, all four stars performed exceptionally well: Rajon Rondo racked up 18 points, 17 assists, and 10 rebounds, delivering a stunning triple-double; Ray Allen hit 6 of 8 three-point attempts for 21 points; Paul Pierce also had a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds. The final star, Kevin Garnett, contributed 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 blocks. The consistent performance of these four stars is precisely what makes the Celtics so formidable. However, the performances of the Celtics and Heat didn’t draw much attention. After the game, everyone’s focus shifted to the scoring battle between the Bulls and Pistons. Shortly after the match ended, many NBA legends commented on the game, with Zhou Yi naturally becoming the subject of their praise. The second game between the Bulls and Pistons is scheduled for the 8th. Before the previous game, the United Center held a MVP award ceremony for Zhou Yi. Today, the United Center welcomed NBA Commissioner David Stern, who came specifically to present Zhou Yi with the Rookie of the Year trophy. The Bulls had formidable offensive power, defeating the Pistons 119-109 in the last game. After analyzing the situation, John Kuester decided that the Pistons wouldn’t have an advantage in a fast-paced attack, so he advised his players to avoid hasty shots and slow down the pace. This strategy worked, though it limited the Bulls’ offense, while their own attacking ability remained strong, allowing them to quickly take the lead. The Bulls only led for 22 seconds before Carlos Boozer scored the first basket of the game. The Pistons then took control with a 12-2 run, leading 12-4, and never looked back. In the first 6 minutes of this quarter, the Clippers scored 20 points while the Bulls missed several shots, scoring only 6 points. After barely narrowing the gap to 10 points, the Bulls were once again targeted by Zhou Yi, who scored seven points in just one minute through shots and free throws, widening the lead to 32-15.

Zhou Yi’s sudden burst of energy in the previous game nearly stunned the Bulls. In the second game, Tom Thibodeau deliberately strengthened defense against Zhou Yi to limit his impact. CJ Watson and Keith Bogans kept switching defenses to contain him. Having expended too much energy in the last game, Zhou Yi didn’t push hard from the start this time and instead fulfilled his role as an offensive coordinator properly. His brilliant passes helped his teammates score repeatedly, with the Pistons hitting 16 out of 29 shots in the first quarter, taking a 38-22 lead at the end of that quarter.

Seeing the Bulls regain their aggressive offense, John Kuester called a timeout and brought Zhou Yi back into the game. Zhou Yi and Will Bynum tapped their right palms together; as they passed by each other, Will Bynum whispered, “Zhou, it’s all on you now.” Will Bynum’s performance had been average, but it paled in comparison to Derek Rose’s outstanding play.

Moreover, after the high success rate in the first quarter, the Pistons’ shooting form cooled down quickly. They missed several shots in a row, and their passes failed to find their mark. The Bulls’ rotating defenses disrupted the Pistons’ attacks repeatedly. This is the difference between Will Bynum and top-tier playmakers like Derek Rose and Zhou Yi—these latter players have an excellent understanding of the game, allowing them to anticipate moves and deliver timely, brilliant passes. Such passes not only give opponents enough time to shoot but can also help them find the best shooting position. This is what people mean by a playmaker who can elevate his teammates, and it is also the ultimate goal of an offensive coordinator in a game.

The lessons from the previous game made John Kuester realize that relying too much on offense wasn’t good for the current Pistons. There were two main reasons why they could overwhelm the Bulls in the regular season through offense: first, the regular season wasn’t as intense back then, and losing one or two games didn’t bother some teams. Second, with Zhou Yi joining the Pistons, they had become a completely different team. This sudden change left other teams confused and caught the Pistons off guard.

The impact of Zhou Yi entering the game was immediate; the Pistons’ offense quickly found its rhythm. His passes always found gaps in the Bulls’ defense, leaving the Bulls’ players flustered. However, the Pistons failed to capitalize on these opportunities, missing both attempts. The ball went back to the Pistons, but Zhou Yi quickly passed it away from the midcourt. Since he entered the game, the Bulls had not relaxed their defense around him, especially after his two brilliant passes, with at least two Bulls players constantly surrounding him—trying not only to stop him from scoring but also to cut off his passing routes. Even after passing the ball, the Bulls did not lower their guard; Rolando Blackman stayed close behind him. Tom Thibodeau had specifically assigned players to defend Zhou Yi before the game, emphasizing that as long as he was on the court, their only task was to guard him tightly. Greg Monroe noticed Zhou Yi moving toward the right wing baseline, his strongest shooting spot, where he rarely missed three-pointers. But Rolando Blackman behind him never relaxed, making it difficult for Zhou Yi to use his speed over such a short distance. With Blackman’s height advantage, Zhou Yi could shoot from very low positions. He quickly stepped forward to provide a screen, and Tracy McGrady was quick, getting the ball to Zhou Yi right away. Facing an open basket, Zhou Yi easily jumped and scored—a smooth three-pointer he had always been confident with. This three-pointer came at just the right time; in the previous two and a half minutes, both teams’ offenses had stalled, and the Bulls’ scorers had lost their touch, even failing to score a layup. With Greg Monroe’s backdoor jump shot, the Pistons took a 63-46 lead. During this offensive surge, Monroe dominated inside, hitting multiple jump shots and scoring eight points alone. By the end of the first half, the Pistons led 65-51. The Pistons knew what kind of team they were facing and wouldn’t take any advantages for granted. The Bulls’ rapid offense could tie the score in just a few minutes. With a large lead, John Kuester’s instruction to his players was simple: defend, counterattack through defense, and not give the Bulls any chance.