Chapter 174

After the start of the fourth quarter, the Bulls’ three-point strategy suddenly failed. Only Derrick Rose managed to score one shot in the early stages of the quarter, while several other players’ attempts from beyond the arc seemed to miss the basket entirely—there were even two instances of failing to score at all. Lacking this potent scoring tool, the Bulls didn’t become overly desperate and instead focused on driving to the basket. After Ronnie Brewer and Carlos Boozer scored successively, the Bulls took a 15-point lead at 101-86 with 8 minutes and 44 seconds left in the game.

After Zhou Yi left the court, the Pistons clearly struggled with offensive problems. Several bench players performed well defensively but were ineffective offensively, wasting scoring opportunities due to poor timing. If not for Greg Monroe’s consecutive successful drives to the basket, the lead might have grown to over 20 points.

Chapter 402: Semi-Finals, Battle Against the Bulls (8)

After the official timeout, Tom Thibodeau was highly dissatisfied with the team’s offense. Their performance over those few minutes had been poor, with no progress from beyond the arc. Two successful interior attacks had raised Greg Monroe’s alertness, making it harder to score further.

Derrick Rose was frustrated but couldn’t express it. He had always thought Ben Gordon was average in both offense and defense, with ordinary speed. But just now, Gordon posed a significant threat to him, with his constant tricks driving Rose’s anger up. Fortunately, Rose could still control his own rhythm. However, Ron Artest seemed unable to calm down. After a ball was touched out of bounds by Andre Iguodala, he angrily pushed Iguodala, resulting in a technical foul called by the referee.

Under the Pistons’ relentless defensive efforts, the Bulls’ offense became more hasty. Derrick Rose’s passing remained sharp, but it didn’t help his teammates much. Several rushed attempts ended with the ball bouncing off the rim, while Greg Monroe controlled the rebounds well.

While the Bulls’ offense kept hitting snags, the Pistons played more steadily. Ben Gordon maintained control of the game’s pace. It didn’t matter if their fast breaks failed—they simply switched to half-court play. Even if a pass wasn’t perfect, the ball would be returned to the perimeter, and as the ball kept moving, the Pistons carefully looked for shooting opportunities. This kind of offensive style was originally the Bulls’ forte, but now their offense was in disarray, while the Pistons played methodically.

When Carlos Boozer grabbed a defensive rebound, Tom Thibodeau promptly called a timeout. In just over four minutes, the Bulls managed only two shots and scored seven points through both field goals and free throws. Although the Pistons didn’t score heavily, they added nine points as well. The score at that point was 101-90, with the gap narrowing further in Zhou Yi’s absence.

“Under the relentless defense of the Pistons, the Bulls completely lost their rhythm during those over four minutes. Seeing the score narrow, Tom Thibodeau finally couldn’t resist calling a timeout. Before Zhou Yi entered the game, he wanted his team to maintain a solid advantage. With the final moments of the first game still fresh in mind, he naturally couldn’t afford to be careless. To be honest, given Zhou Yi’s current physical condition, Thibodeau’s concerns might be excessive. But right now, the Pistons are focused solely on waiting for Zhou Yi to come in. Judging from both teams’ performances so far, the deadlock on the court will soon be broken. The Pistons’ current players can hold out for at least three more minutes. Once Zhou Yi enters, although he may not significantly improve the team’s defense, no one else among the Pistons can match his deterrence effect against the Bulls,” Yu Jia’s analysis was incisive, accurately reflecting the situation of both teams.

In the eyes of his players, Tom Thibodeau is usually quite gentle, so such loud reprimands were rare in previous games.

But it’s no wonder he lost his composure—this year’s Bulls have had a tough time. The seven-game first-round playoff series against the Orlando Magic left them severely depleted, and they also played seven games in the series against the Pistons. If they lost even with such an advantage, Tom Thibodeau simply couldn’t accept it.

Regarding his team’s performance just now, John Kuester wasn’t overly optimistic. With a large lead, the Bulls’ players’ mindset quietly changed, giving the Pistons an opportunity to strike. Tom Thibodeau’s timeout was timely; still holding an 11-point advantage, the Bulls had a clear edge against the thin-handed Pistons if they managed things well.

Although Zhou Yi’s expression couldn’t be seen, his chest heaving violently gradually subsided, indicating he had calmed down somewhat. However, it wouldn’t be wise to send him back on the court now.

The team’s defense wasn’t a problem, but their offensive tactics were quite monotonous. Six of the nine points scored earlier came from Greg Monroe’s power plays in the paint. The best defense is offense, and beyond Greg Monroe, the Pistons urgently needed a second scoring option.

Yet the situation on the court changed rapidly. The favorable outcome John Kuester hoped for didn’t materialize. After a brief timeout, the Bulls’ offense seemed to regain its rhythm—Derrick Rose forced his way through defenses for a layup, followed by Ronnie Brewer hitting a free throw, giving the Bulls a 14-point lead.

Some of the Bulls’ fans in the stands couldn’t sit still anymore. They stood up, raising their fists in celebration of the team’s impending victory.

But the Pistons’ fans sitting next to them protested loudly, cheering for their team.

However, the Bulls’ joy didn’t last long. With Greg Monroe hitting a turnaround jump shot, John Kuester called another timeout. At that moment, everyone’s attention turned to the Pistons’ bench—Zhou Yi, who had been lying quietly on the seat earlier, was now stretching by the side of the court.