Chapter 208

In the third quarter, the Pistons’ backcourt strength was significantly reduced due to the absence of Zhou Yi. Although Jody Meeks, who replaced Zhou Yi, performed well, it couldn’t compensate for Zhou Yi’s value. Without their team catalyst, the Pistons made continuous mistakes and their shooting percentage plummeted. In contrast, Kobe Bryant had a stellar performance in the third quarter, scoring 13 points on 6 out of 7 attempts within six minutes, helping the Lakers take a 17-8 lead and reverse the score. Andrew Bynum also repeatedly scored against Spencer Hawes, and the rest of the Lakers’ players followed suit, raising the team’s overall shooting percentage to around 50%. At a critical moment, if not for McGrady stepping up, hitting two three-pointers in a row and scoring inside, the gap between the two teams might have widened to double digits. By the end of the third quarter, the score was 87-82, with the Lakers leading the Pistons by 5 points. “Ladies and gentlemen, the third quarter is now over. The Pistons didn’t perform well in this quarter, with a shooting percentage of only 37.4%, compared to the Lakers’ 49%, which is nearly 12 percentage points higher. Currently, the Lakers lead 87-82. If the Pistons don’t find a way to improve their shooting percentage in the fourth quarter, they are likely to lose this game. Also, Zhou Yi, who didn’t play in the third quarter, should return in the fourth quarter, and we’ll surely get to see another showdown between him and Kobe. Stay tuned; after the ad, we’ll continue to broadcast the final quarter of the game…” The break passed quickly, and as the whistle blew for the start of the fourth quarter, the players returned to the court. Among the Pistons’ players was Zhou Yi, playing despite being injured.