Chapter 182
After the start of the third quarter, the Pistons’ outside shooting suddenly cooled down. Only Zhou Yi managed to score a shot in the early stages of the quarter, while the other players’ several attempts at outside shots seemed to miss the basket altogether, with one even resulting in a complete failure. Lacking their powerful outside shooting as a key offensive weapon, the Pistons didn’t panic and instead focused on driving to the basket. After McGrady and Andre Iguodala scored successively, the Pistons took a 15-point lead at 86:71 with 8 minutes and 21 seconds left in the game. After Mike Bibby was taken out of the game, the Heat clearly suffered from offensive paralysis. Several key players performed well defensively but struggled offensively, wasting countless scoring opportunities due to poor timing. If not for Chris Bosh’s consecutive baskets and one three-point shot, the score gap might have widened to over 20 points.
Chapter 414: Eastern Conference Finals, Two Shooters vs. Three Giants (End)
After Heat head coach Eric Spoelstra called a timeout, John Kuester was highly dissatisfied with the team’s offense. Their performance over those few minutes had been poor, with the outside shooting failing to break through. Two successful interior attacks by the Heat had raised their defensive awareness, making it harder for the Pistons to score again.
Zhou Yi felt frustrated but couldn’t express it. He had always thought Mario Chalmers was good at offense but poor defensively. Yet just now, Chalmers posed a serious threat to him, with his constant tricks driving Zhou Yi’s anger up. Fortunately, he was still able to control his own rhythm.
Under the Heat’s relentless defensive pressure, the Pistons’ offense became more hasty. Zhou Yi’s passing remained sharp, but it didn’t help his teammates much. Several rushed attempts ended with the ball bouncing off the rim, while Jwan Howard did an excellent job securing rebounds.
While the Pistons faced repeated setbacks in offense, the Heat played more steadily. Mario Chalmers kept control of the game’s pace. It didn’t matter if a fast break failed—they would immediately switch to half-court play. Even if a pass was inaccurate, the ball would be returned to the outside. As the ball kept moving, the Heat carefully looked for scoring opportunities. This kind of movement-based play was originally the Pistons’ strength, but now with their offense in disarray, the Heat played with precision.
After Samuel Dalembert secured a rebound in the backcourt, John Kuester promptly called a timeout. In the little over four minutes following the timeout, the Pistons managed only three shots, scoring 8 points through both field goals and free throws. Although the Heat didn’t score heavily, they still added 11 points, bringing the score to 94–82 in favor of the Heat, with a 12-point deficit for the Pistons. With Mike Bibby absent, the gap further narrowed. “Under the Heat’s fierce defense, the Pistons’ offense lost its rhythm during those over four minutes. Seeing the score shrink, John Kuester finally couldn’t resist calling a timeout—he wanted to maintain a solid advantage before Mike Bibby returned. But to be honest, given Mike Bibby’s current physical condition, Kuester’s concerns are perhaps unnecessary. Still, the Heat are eager for Bibby to come in. Judging from both teams’ performances so far, the deadlock will soon be broken. The Heat’s current players can hold on for at least three more minutes. Once Bibby enters the game, although it may not significantly improve the team’s defense, it will certainly act as a deterrent to the Pistons,” Yu Jia’s commentary was incisive, accurately reflecting the situation of both teams. Eric Spolstra wasn’t overly optimistic about their recent performance. With a large lead, the Pistons’ mindset gradually changed, giving the Heat an opportunity. Kuester’s timeout was very timely; with a 12-point advantage, the Pistons had a clear edge against the Heat, who were running low on energy, as long as they managed things well. Although Mike Bibby’s expression couldn’t be seen, the intense rise and fall of his chest gradually subsided, suggesting he had calmed down, but it wasn’t wise to bring him in now. The team’s defense wasn’t an issue, but their offensive tactics were quite monotonous. Of the 11 points they scored recently, 7 came from Eric Dampier’s strong play inside. The best defense is offense, and beyond Eric Dampier, the Heat urgently needed a second scoring option. However, the situation on the court changed rapidly. The favorable outcome Spolstra hoped for didn’t happen. After the brief timeout, the Pistons’ offense seemed to regain its rhythm—Zhou Yi forced his way through and scored, followed by McGrady making one of two free throws, giving the Pistons a 15-point lead.
The home crowd couldn’t sit still, raising their hands to celebrate the Pistons’ victory in advance. However, the Pistons’ joy didn’t last long. After Dwyane Wade hit a turnaround jumper and drew a defensive foul from Tracy McGrady, Eric Spoelstra called a timeout. At that point, everyone’s attention turned to the Heat’s bench—Mike Bibby, who had been lying quietly on his seat, was now stretching by the side of the court.