Chapter 211
The fourth quarter of the game started quickly! At present, both teams are mainly playing with their reserve players. Paul Gasol forced his way to the Pistons’ basket, pushing aside Taylor Hansbrough to score. On the Pistons’ side, Will Bynum assisted Ben Gordon for a mid-range jump shot that went in. Steve Blake made a clever pass to Joe Smith for a layup, but it missed; Matt Barnes grabbed an offensive rebound and tried a reverse layup, which also missed, while Taylor Hansbrough secured a defensive rebound. The Pistons’ Will Bynum attempted a three-pointer from beyond the arc, which missed, and Samuel Dalembert scored a putback. The teams continued to trade blows, but the score gap remained in the double digits, keeping the Lakers and their home fans extremely anxious. With 7 minutes and 11 seconds left in the fourth quarter, the game entered an official timeout. After the timeout, both teams gradually brought in their starting lineups. As soon as Derek Fisher entered the court, he made a mistake. When the ball was passed to him, he seemed to be half a beat slow, catching the ball instinctively—Zhou Yi naturally didn’t miss this opportunity. At that moment, the Lakers’ players were quickly moving toward the Pistons’ half, with no Lakers player in their own half. Seizing this chance, Zhou Yi rushed into the Lakers’ paint like lightning. His slender frame soared into the air as he moved fast, like an eagle in flight, his body slightly bent with the basketball held high in one hand, his entire figure resembling a fully drawn bowstring in the air. The fans at Staples Center watched in dismay as this unfolded before their eyes. With a loud “thud,” a massive dunk echoed throughout the arena. The Lakers’ fans couldn’t believe what they saw, able only to watch the basketball bounce around on the floor. The once chaotic game suddenly took a sharp turn downward, with only a few Pistons fans cheering. Phil Jackson decisively called a timeout; he had always been cautious in games against the Pistons. But he never expected the away-playing Pistons to show such strength, leaving the Lakers unable to respond for a while. John Kuester sat on the coaching bench with a bright smile on his face. The team not only played smooth offense but also performed excellently defensively. Zhou Yi’s incredible steal led to another 7-3 run for the Pistons. Now, the score was 101-84, with the Pistons leading by 17 points.
The game resumed, and Kobe clearly intensified his offensive efforts. With Paul Gasol on the Lakers’ roster, Kobe remains the most reliable player in critical moments. Especially when the rest of the team performs poorly, Kobe has to take on more responsibility and pressure.
It’s not easy to contain Kobe. Among the Pistons’ current lineup, James Posey is the most suited to handle this task.
The Pistons’ current lineup on the court is: Samuel Dalembert, Greg Monroe, Andre Iguodala, James Posey, and Zhou Yi.
John Kuester has great confidence in James Posey’s defensive abilities. As a key player on a championship team, James Posey always knows when to do what and when not to.
Kobe received the ball in the middle of the court, but this time it was Zhou Yi who stood in front of him. James Posey’s intense defense drained a lot of his energy, especially when facing a player of Kobe’s caliber.
Kobe slowly controlled the ball while adjusting his body position. He tried to find an opening to break through against Zhou Yi, but Zhou Yi didn’t give him any chance.
Kobe kept dribbling back and forth between his legs. Suddenly, he accelerated and forced his way past Zhou Yi’s right side. Zhou Yi stepped back and quickly shifted sideways, using his body to block Kobe. With no room to speed up further, Kobe had no choice but to pass the ball back to the outside.
After catching the ball outside the three-point line, Steve Blake quickly passed it inside. However, his pass was too careless, and Andre Iguodala easily intercepted it.
Immediately afterward, Andre Iguodala made a long pass, sending the ball quickly across the half-court. By the time he passed, Zhou Yi had already understood his intention and rushed back at full speed.
Although the two were only a step apart earlier, Zhou Yi’s early movement quickly created distance, making it impossible for Kobe to catch up.
Watching Zhou Yi score, Kobe angrily shook his fist in frustration.
On the Lakers’ offense, Kobe received the ball outside the right-side three-point line, but he didn’t get a chance to shoot. James Posey appeared in front of him right away. With the rest of the Lakers’ players struggling, only Kobe seemed to have regained his form. John Kuester’s task for James Posey was simple: limit Kobe’s scoring as much as possible.
Steve Blake quickly pulled back to the perimeter and set up a simple pick-and-roll with Kobe. After Kobe drove inside, he decisively shot the ball. “Swish” — the ball went in. The Pistons attacked; Zhou Yi drove with the ball and passed it neatly to James Posey, who then lofted the ball inside. Greg Monroe tried to drive for a layup but was blocked by Andrew Bynum, with Paul Gasol grabbing the defensive rebound. Kobe passed the ball to World Peace from beyond the three-point line. The Pistons quickly switched defenses, and Andre Iguodala promptly followed up, forcing World Peace to stop his shooting attempt. Kobe regained possession near the free-throw line but seemed undecided about shooting; his right hand moved swiftly. At the moment James Posey shifted his weight slightly, a flash appeared in Kobe’s eyes. His right hand snapped back, and he leaped up — the whole movement was smooth and effortless. James Posey reacted quickly, readjusting his balance as Kobe rose, but by then Kobe had already shot the ball. “Swish” — James Posey shook his head helplessly. Truly a top-tier player with extensive game experience; he was far beyond his reach. He had tried his best to raise his arms to disrupt Kobe’s shot, but Kobe still managed to shoot over him. With this shot, the Lakers closed the gap to 107:94, only 13 points behind the Pistons. The Pistons’ offense failed again, and John Kuester immediately sat up straight, concern rising in his heart. At that moment, 4 minutes and 23 seconds remained in the game, and the Pistons led by only 13 points. If they didn’t counterattack, the Lakers could easily close the gap. As John Kuester watched anxiously, Kobe scored another shot from beyond the three-point line. 107:97 — the Pistons now led by only 10 points. John Kuester immediately called a timeout to prevent things from worsening. He carefully analyzed the situation on the strategy board. Though the Pistons had an advantage for now, he wasn’t satisfied, as their opponent was no ordinary team — they had the league’s best shooting guard and a championship-winning coach with 11 rings. The Lakers were a team no one should underestimate.
After the timeout ended, Zhou Yi was temporarily substituted out, with Will Bynum taking his place. Jody Meeks also came in, replacing Andre Iguodala. After Zhou Yi left the court, Jody Meeks was responsible for defending Kobe. Although Jody Meeks had recovered well, his speed was clearly not up to Kobe’s, allowing Kobe to score repeatedly. The Lakers managed to narrow the score gap at one point, but Jody Meeks acted as a pillar, scoring continuously against Kobe and keeping the gap in double digits. As Kobe gradually gained momentum, John Kuester remained calm. He knew well that one person couldn’t defeat a team. With 2 minutes and 50 seconds left in the game, John Kuester called another timeout. At that moment, the score was 110:101, with the Pistons still leading by 9 points. After the timeout, Zhou Yi replaced Jody Meeks, forming a twin-point guard lineup with Will Bynum, while Andre Iguodala replaced James Posey. The game continued, and the decisive moment arrived! As soon as play resumed, the Lakers launched a fierce attack. After controlling the ball for half the court, Derek Fisher passed it to Kobe without hesitation. Instead of attacking, Kobe passed the ball to Paul Gasol, who was performing well inside. After catching the ball, Paul Gasol dribbled a few times behind his back, then moved left and right before shooting a hook shot that went in. After half the court had passed, Zhou Yi calmly scanned the court. At that time, Andre Iguodala moved up and passed by Zhou Yi. Zhou Yi immediately handed the ball to Andre Iguodala and set up a screen to blockCompassion World Peace, who was defending him. WithoutCompassion World Peace’s defense, Andre Iguodala accelerated to the fastest speed, rushed into the Lakers’ paint, and scored with a double-handed dunk, also drawing a foul on Paul Gasol. This play was excellent, thanks to Zhou Yi’s clever coordination. Andre Iguodala took the free throw and made both shots. Kobe controlled the ball, with Zhou Yi defending him. Zhou Yi stuck closely to him, constantly using small moves to disrupt Kobe. However, these didn’t cause Kobe to make mistakes. Kobe dribbled behind his back, pulled to the left beyond the three-point line, and immediately jumped to shoot. With a swish, the basketball fell into the basket.
For players on the court, three-point shots are even more deadly than dunks. A three-point shot at a critical moment exerts huge pressure on the opponent, and when behind, it becomes the greatest hope. Many major comebacks in NBA history have relied on three-point shots, such as the famous “Jody Meeks moment” and “Miller moment”.
After a series of dribbles under his body, he used a crossover to get past Kobe. Seeing Kobe get breached, Derek Fisher immediately came over to help defend Zhou Yi. As Derek Fisher rushed in, Zhou Yi remained calm and made an easy backpass to Will Bynum, who was not far away beyond the three-point line.
Upon receiving the ball, Will Bynum shot a three-point attempt, which surprisingly went through the net.
Kobe caught the ball at a high position, broke past Zhou Yi, and faced Andre Iguodala’s help defense. After a feint, he turned and took a backshot; with a swish, it went through the net again.
Samuel Dalembert also responded with a hook shot.
Since the timeout, the game has been closely contested with high shooting percentages, but the Lakers haven’t narrowed the score gap. The current score is 118:108, with the Pistons still leading by 10 points, and only 1 minute and 24 seconds left in the game.
Kobe’s speed was incredible. After getting past Zhou Yi, he noticed that the Pistons’ players were focusing on the other Lakers players. Seeing the open Pistons basket, Kobe was overjoyed—this was an excellent opportunity to boost the team’s morale.
Two steps inside the free-throw line, Kobe soared like a soaring eagle, his right hand holding the ball high, becoming the focus of the court.
The Staples Center, which had been quiet for a long time, once again became a sea of joy. No one could forget Kobe’s status as a dunking king. Over the years, he had performed countless amazing and thrilling dunks at the Staples Center. Although the team’s poor performance might have dampened interest, seeing Kobe’s dazzling dunks made the ticket worth it.
However, clearly, someone didn’t want Kobe to perform. At the moment his raised right hand was about to dunk, a dark figure quickly soared up from the right side of the basket, using astonishing jumping ability to completely block Kobe’s dunking path.
Kobe, in mid-air, felt anguish he couldn’t express. Just as his strength was running low, Zhou Yi suddenly appeared out of nowhere—hadn’t he already shaken him off? It was extremely difficult for him to make any move in front of Zhou Yi. With no other choice, Kobe decided to force a dunk. Taking advantage of Zhou Yi’s still-rising body, he used all his strength to slam the ball down hard. The collision was like Mars hitting Earth—two supremely skilled players truly collided in mid-air before tens of thousands of fans. Kobe had overestimated his own strength and underestimated Zhou Yi’s terrifying explosive power. Zhou Yi’s right hand quickly blocked the basketball, and the two of them froze in mid-air. This dunk was destined to become one of the top ten of the season. Zhou Yi’s arm muscles swelled instantly. His explosive power pushed Kobe downward, with the basketball bouncing around him. The moment Zhou Yi covered the ball, Kobe’s mind went blank. Despite being in the advantage, he still couldn’t defeat this seemingly slender rookie. The shadow of failure instantly enveloped him. Even Kobe lost confidence in winning, and the Lakers collapsed in the last few minutes of the fourth quarter. The Pistons took advantage of the Lakers’ low morale and launched another scoring spree in those final minutes. By this point, the outcome was no longer the most important thing. The Lakers’ momentum had been completely shattered by Zhou Yi’s dunk that covered Kobe. Watching their team suffer such a crushing defeat, the fans at Staples Center could hardly believe their eyes. The Pistons ultimately defeated the Lakers 102-95, extending their winning streak to seventeen games and maintaining a perfect record. In this game, Kobe scored 43 points, but such a high score only added another highlight, having no impact on the outcome. Zhou Yi posted a near-triple-double with 31 points, 9 rebounds, and 13 assists. Chapter 455: The Christmas Battle (Part 1)
The NBA regular season is in full swing, and before long, Christmas arrived. Since beating the Los Angeles Clippers, the Pistons have lost only twice in the following twenty-odd days—one loss to the Boston Celtics led by the “Big Three” and another to the Memphis Grizzlies in a surprising upset.
On Christmas Day, the Pistons hosted the Clippers, led by Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, at home. Chris Paul was traded from the New Orleans Hornets to the Clippers this summer, and since then, many fans have placed high hopes on the Clippers. Sure enough, in the new season, the combination of CP3 and Blake Griffin has helped the Clippers achieve an impressive record of 19 wins and 10 losses. With the addition of Chris Bosh and Maurice Williams, the Clippers’ backcourt is exceptionally strong.
As a result, even before the new season began, the NBA started building hype for this matchup between the Pistons and Clippers. What kind of visual spectacle would these two superstar point guards, Zhou Yi and Chris Paul, bring to the fans? That was the question the league posed to the fans.
At 7 p.m., this game would provide the answer.
Samuel Dalembert and DeAndre Jordan jumped for the ball, with Dalembert winning it and Zhou Yi getting possession. Cheers erupted from the crowd when Zhou Yi took the ball. He drove the ball outside the three-point line when Chris Paul suddenly said, “Hey, Zhou, I heard you’ve been getting a lot of attention lately.”
Zhou Yi wasn’t sure what Chris Paul meant, but he still replied, “Oh, maybe so. Some people seem to like me these days.”
Chris Paul said, “That must be true. Your performance is amazing… But today, I just want to see if you really have what it takes. Show me your skills… I want to see exactly how good you are…”
“Then let’s do it…” Zhou Yi suddenly passed the basketball to McGrady, who was not far away. The next moment, Zhou Yi rushed straight into the paint. Chris Paul knew Zhou Yi’s movement skills were quite good, so he wanted to follow him right away. He caught up with Zhou Yi, but by then Zhou Yi had received the pass near the free-throw line. When he caught the ball, he was already facing away from Chris Paul, but in that instant he threw his entire body into the air. Zhou Yi’s jumping ability was getting stronger by the day, allowing him to stretch out his body in mid-air and adjust his direction toward the basket. He raised the basketball in front of his forehead, and it instantly left his hands to land right in the basket!
The moment Zhou Yi got the ball, he jumped high in front of Chris Paul and shot a jump shot. The entire sequence of actions was seamless—Chris Paul didn’t even have time to defend, as Zhou Yi had already made the shot.
Zhou Yi scored two points and returned to his half of the court. He had helped the Pistons secure the first two points. The whole scoring process was effortless and natural; the basketball smoothly traveled through the air and landed in the basket. At that point, possession went back to the Clippers.
Chris Paul also caught the pass with interest, then gently pushed against Zhou Yi with his shoulder, showing a faint effort to push him away. However, given Zhou Yi’s current strength, Chris Paul’s attempt was nothing more than a child’s play. Zhou Yi’s stance remained firm, blocking Chris Paul’s path and preventing him from breaking through. Chris Paul could sense Zhou Yi’s strength and realized that while the idea of using force to push him aside and enter the paint seemed tempting, it was completely unfeasible. So, he held the basketball close to his chest, deciding to plan carefully. Zhou Yi knew he needed to take a breather before figuring out how to score. But just as he thought this, Chris Paul suddenly pushed against his chest again. Due to a slight miscalculation by Zhou Yi, he couldn’t fully block him. Seizing the moment, Chris Paul tightly pulled the basketball to his chest, then stepped back and jumped high. This wasn’t a step-back move; instead, he moved to a safer distance from Zhou Yi and jumped straight up. By then, Zhou Yi didn’t have time to defend, but he still jumped as high as he could, extending his right hand in an attempt to disrupt Chris Paul’s jump shot. As the two were about to engage in a fierce battle in mid-air, the height of Chris Paul’s jump shot, which Zhou Yi had already anticipated, suddenly dropped by about ten centimeters! As a result, although Zhou Yi could still see the entire process of Chris Paul’s shot, his right hand was no longer able to stop it. Chris Paul’s shot easily escaped his grasp, and Zhou Yi’s right hand missed its chance to block it. Moreover, Chris Paul’s backspin jump shot was flawless, giving him an advantage that Zhou Yi couldn’t overcome. Thus, the basketball flew into the basket, and Chris Paul scored three points, adding further weight to his lead over Zhou Yi’s two points.
After making the jump shot, Chris Paul also felt cold sweat about to drip down—after all, the situation just now had been quite dangerous. If he hadn’t changed the height of his shot at that critical moment, he might really have been blocked by Zhou Yi. Thankfully, he used that move; otherwise, he might have caused a major disaster right at the start of the game. That would have been terrible. But things seem to be going well now. He could tell that Zhou Yi was a bit impressed by his shot choice, and presumably his confidence must have been affected as well…
Actually, Chris Paul was wrong. Although Zhou Yi was indeed influenced by Chris Paul’s jump shot, it had a positive effect on him. What Zhou Yi wanted to do now was to properly confront Chris Paul and figure out if he had any other moves.
The ball went back into Zhou Yi’s hands. He controlled the ball across half the court and stood in front of Chris Paul again, repeatedly colliding the ball with his left hand. Then, suddenly, the ball left his left hand and, driven by a force, ended up in Zhou Yi’s right hand, passing under his waist, leaving Chris Paul momentarily confused.
Although Zhou Yi only used a fairly simple change of direction, his body coordination and breakthrough skills were getting better and better. Chris Paul couldn’t always predict his next move. For example, Zhou Yi’s shoulder and head movements served as deception, along with his unpredictable leg movements, making his entire body hard to figure out. Then, with the ball in his right hand, he slapped it forward forcefully, and his body rushed toward Chris Paul’s left side.
“I see it… you can’t get away!” Chris Paul roared inwardly. Then he stretched out his right hand and thrust it at Zhou Yi’s basketball. Yet it seemed Zhou Yi had been waiting for this moment—the basketball slipped from his hand right at the last second as Chris Paul tried to steal it. In that instant, Zhou Yi’s body moved like a phantom, seemingly a mere shadow, freely changing direction right in front of Chris Paul. The next second, Zhou Yi reached his peak speed and broke through right beside Chris Paul’s right hand! The basketball bounced back and forth between his left hand and the ground, yet his speed didn’t decline much. Taking advantage of this, Zhou Yi quickly reached near the free-throw line, then pulled the basketball back with his left hand and stepped forward into the paint!
“Damn it…” Chris Paul screamed inwardly. He couldn’t let Zhou Yi score so easily. But it seemed too late now—Zhou Yi had already retrieved the basketball, his speed surging once again as he turned into a blue shadow, leaving only a mysterious afterimage etched on Chris Paul’s retinas.
“Defense!” Chris Paul shouted. Without needing to be told, Blake Griffin in the paint rushed to defend Zhou Yi. But Zhou Yi merely smirked coldly at him. The next second, the basketball was in his right hand, and he completed a hand swap right in front of Blake Griffin. At this point, his three-step dunk was in its final stage—with almost no one left to defend him!
Using his incredibly skillful breakthrough techniques, masterful speed, and footwork, Zhou Yi effortlessly dodged the Clippers’ key defenders in the paint. His body leaped high to the side of the basket!
“Wow… I’m seeing it in real time!” That was the somewhat absurd thought that came to many people’s minds when they saw Zhou Yi start his dunk. After all, Zhou Yi had been causing a stir in recent games, and many had seen his dunks before. Now, they could finally witness the actual version of that swift, graceful motion, so the crowd’s cheers began to rise involuntarily. At that moment, Zhou Yi created a dazzling display of overlapping spaces and colors, as if his entire body turned into a brilliant flash in the sky—a truly stunning flash. It still gave the impression of breaking through space and time. Zhou Yi even switched hands with the basketball beneath his waist, then, as if piercing through time and space, his body seemed stationary in the air while actually moving swiftly through it.
“That’s exactly the feeling!” Many who had seen similar dunks by Zhou Yi on TV were now covering their mouths in astonishment as they watched the live version. It was like watching an exceptionally amazing and breathtaking 3D movie, and everyone covered their mouths.
At this point, it seemed as though Zhou Yi had flown through centuries to reach the basket. He pulled the basketball out from beneath his waist with his right hand and swung it high into the air. The next second, the basketball slammed hard into the basket! At that moment, Zhou Yi resembled a celestial warrior, standing above the basket with an imposing presence that made even the cheers seem faint in comparison.
Seeing such a stunning dunk, anyone who wasn’t deeply loyal to their team would politely applaud, because this performance offered them a visual spectacle they couldn’t possibly get anywhere else.
The fans who came to support Zhou Yi also cheered after seeing his dunk, as he appeared utterly invincible, seemingly unstoppable. Then, Zhou Yi descended from the sky, earning another round of cheers.
“Great shot! Great shot! Crush the Clippers!” A few Lakers fans who had come just to watch shouted. They felt they had come to the right place today—the Clippers might be in trouble, and the Pistons would definitely be a tough opponent.
Chris Paul looked at the still-floating netting and Zhou Yi descending from the sky, feeling momentarily stunned. The young man, who had been just an occasional spark of brilliance when he first met him, had now become someone unstoppable. The magic of time was truly astonishing. Seeing Zhou Yi reminded Chris Paul of a cliché phrase that fit this situation perfectly: “Only the sky is his limit… That’s right!”
Zhou Yi’s shooting and dribbling techniques were deeply ingrained in everyone’s minds. Even Chris Paul couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration at such skill—only the sky seemed to be his limit, let alone ordinary fans. Roars came from the stands, including those from Zhou Yi’s fans who had traveled far to watch him. This showed just how captivating his play was.
After scoring, Zhou Yi regained possession for the Clippers. Chris Paul of the Clippers and Zhou Yi of the Pistons often delivered thrilling battles for fans whenever they faced off. Today, expectations were high, and as expected, things unfolded as anticipated. Chris Paul received a pass from his teammate outside the three-point line. Standing in front of Zhou Yi, he placed the ball to his right, bending slightly forward while tapping his right toe lightly on the ground, seemingly ready to make his next move at any moment. Zhou Yi knew this was Chris Paul’s habitual move, one of his most skilled feints. He paid it little attention instead, focusing on balancing his stance and directing his thoughts and attention, ensuring Chris Paul couldn’t easily break through his defense.
Even Chris Paul found it challenging under Zhou Yi’s defense. With Zhou Yi’s current physique and strength, Chris Paul had few options to break through. Indeed, those who claimed Zhou Yi was the best defender in the NBA weren’t exaggerating. He was truly the best defender in the league—his strength was formidable enough to withstand opponents’ charges, his speed allowed him to quickly position himself where attacks might come from, and his agility enhanced his defensive capabilities. Against someone like Zhou Yi, many people were at a loss, even Chris Paul.
At that very moment, Karon Butler suddenly appeared beside Zhou Yi. Instantly, Chris Paul’s eyes flashed with intensity, a gaze that seemed almost painful to look at. After that look, Chris Paul took a heavy step forward with his right leg, and the next second, the basketball slammed hard onto the ground. His body followed right behind the basketball, moving forward as well.
Chris Paul had used his speed to break through and reach near the free-throw line. He was moving diagonally toward the basket, cutting into the paint. As Zhou Yi tried to catch up, he was blocked by Karon Butler.
However, Zhou Yi’s movements were extremely agile. Even under such a block, he still had room to maneuver. His body quickly moved behind Chris Paul and then to his side. Since Zhou Yi’s direction was closer to the basket, at an angle somewhat similar to a straight line, his path was much faster than Chris Paul’s, allowing him to barely keep up on his side.
But then something changed suddenly—the Pistons’ big men saw Chris Paul charging in, and Greg Monroe quickly stepped up. After all, Chris Paul’s strength was well-known, and they knew he couldn’t be allowed to enter the paint so easily. So, Greg Monroe went ahead of Chris Paul to defend him directly.
Chapter 456: The Christmas Battle (Part 2)
“Think you can stop me like that? It’s not that easy!”
At that moment, Chris Paul demonstrated his superstar prowess and vast experience, executing a flawless move. All that could be seen was him stepping firmly on the ground without hesitation; the next second, his body was already in the air, the basketball in his right hand, as he glided past Greg Monroe—yes, glided! That word perfectly described Chris Paul’s situation at that time. The basketball seemed to be magnetically attached to his right hand. By then, his body was facing the basket sideways, and it was this change in direction that allowed him to easily bypass Greg Monroe by using his side, flying past him in the air. After traveling a short distance, Chris Paul slammed the basketball hard into the basket!
“Beautiful!” Many fans in the crowd cheered and applauded.
Chris Paul also landed back on the ground. Zhou Yi glanced at Chris Paul’s tall figure in a size 3 jersey and smiled slightly. In fact, he had been following closely behind Chris Paul, but Greg Monroe came up to defend him, accidentally blocking Zhou Yi’s path and causing the current situation. Blocked by Greg Monroe, Zhou Yi couldn’t immediately block Chris Paul again, which allowed Chris Paul’s dunk to succeed.
However, Zhou Yi believed that Chris Paul’s scoring run wouldn’t last long. He knew he had ways to render all of Chris Paul’s efforts useless.
The ball was now in Zhou Yi’s hands. Once again, he controlled the ball and stayed on the other side of the three-point line. Chris Paul appeared in front of him once more, blocking his path.
“Hey, Zhou, your speed doesn’t seem as fast as before. Are you already out of energy? Did you spend the whole night with those women’s bare stomachs and still haven’t recovered?” Chris Paul taunted Zhou Yi.
“Hmph!” Zhou Yi snorted coldly. The next moment, he dribbled the basketball back and forth beneath his hips. Taking advantage of this time, he shook his shoulders, and his head also moved in a deceptive manner. For a brief instant, Chris Paul was confused. Yet Zhou Yi’s movements didn’t stop there—they intensified even more. He quickly performed a behind-the-back dribble, with the basketball moving behind him, gradually disrupting Chris Paul’s balance.
Another brilliant spin move sent Chris Paul’s balance into disarray. Seizing the opportunity, Zhou Yi caught the basketball with both hands. His body leaped into the air, stretching out as he rose. By the next moment, Chris Paul had no time to stop him. By the time he managed to regain his balance, Zhou Yi was already in the air. Against the backdrop of the sky, he slowly raised the basketball and threw it straight toward the basket in the distance!
The basketball flew through the air like a shell. This time, Zhou Yi’s shot lacked any elegance—it resembled a destructive bomb, flying straight toward the basket. Upon hitting its target, it exploded with a loud sound. Its straight trajectory embodied a kind of violent beauty. The basketball sank into the basket, increasing Zhou Yi’s score by three points.
“As expected, these two are starting to score heavily!” Many viewers watching the game thought to themselves, staring intently at the court, unwilling to miss this showdown between the two—truly a match of the century!
The ball went back to the Clippers. Zhou Yi defended in front of Chris Paul. It seemed Chris Paul didn’t intend to take over immediately after receiving the ball. Instead, he led Zhou Yi to the other side of the three-point line, then wandered around the paint before coming back out. Zhou Yi followed Chris Paul around the paint as well. Despite being led around, his agile movements ensured he stayed closely behind Chris Paul without losing track. In this way, the two wandered around the paint before exiting.
“This kid is really tough!” Chris Paul thought to himself. Then, he received a pass outside the three-point line and faced Chris Paul with his back to him.
Zhou Yi immediately became alert—after all, when Chris Paul faced someone with his back, it was one of his most dangerous moments. Although Zhou Yi was very confident, he didn’t dare take risks and continued to defend Chris Paul with all his might.
Chris Paul received the pass and leaned his back against Zhou Yi. Then, as if testing him, he bumped into Zhou Yi with his shoulder. For a moment, Zhou Yi sneered inwardly—Chris Paul couldn’t shift his center of gravity that way. But the moment Chris Paul suddenly straightened up from bending and rotated his body to face the basket, Zhou Yi realized he had misjudged. Chris Paul was already preparing to take a jump shot.
So, Zhou Yi jumped up and tried to block Chris Paul. But the moment he jumped to block, he thought, “Damn it!” Something was wrong with Chris Paul. But it was too late to react—Chris Paul’s entire body suddenly rotated nearly 360 degrees around his left leg! This kind of rotation was extremely difficult, and only someone who often used spins and footwork to outmaneuver opponents could pull off such a move.
By this point, Zhou Yi had been completely thrown off balance by Chris Paul. By the time he landed and rushed back to jump and block Chris Paul again, the basketball had already left his hands and flown straight into the sky. After flying for a while, it easily made it into the basket!
“Another three-pointer!”
“As expected, these two are competing to score the most!” Many fans couldn’t contain their excitement. After all, many people had come to this arena expecting a battle between 37 and 37 points. So, the competition between Zhou Yi and Chris Paul was their favorite drama. Seeing them get into it so early in the game, these fans were thrilled beyond measure…
But they didn’t enjoy their happiness for long, as once the ball went back to the Pistons, Zhou Yi stopped launching targeted attacks. It seemed Zhou Yi was more restrained today—compared to his past tendency to go head-to-head with Chris Paul without thinking, he had improved a lot.
Zhou Yi’s improvement somewhat disappointed the spectators watching from the sidelines, but since the other players on both teams were also outstanding, they didn’t dwell too much on it and quickly shifted their attention elsewhere.
Soon, the first quarter entered its final 20 seconds. At this point, Zhou Yi had the ball, and the score was 25:24, with the Pistons leading by one point. In the first quarter, after a series of scoring bursts from Zhou Yi and Chris Paul, both teams’ shooting form seemed to be wasted due to the relentless back-and-forth battles between these two superstars. As a result, their shooting accuracy wasn’t very high, partly because of the intense defense from both sides. Now, the Pistons had Zhou Yi to handle their outside defense, Maddie was also a solid defender, and Greg Monroe’s defense inside was getting stronger, amplified by his muscular build. Additionally, Samuel Dalembert provided impeccable defense inside, and his improving skills meant he and Greg Monroe together created a formidable defensive barrier.
Inside this defensive net, the opponent’s attacks were often easily stopped, leaving both teams frustrated as they struggled to score. This meant it was time for those who loved rebounding to shine—Zhou Yi had grabbed 4 rebounds in the entire first quarter, a number that might seem astonishing, but it made sense given the frequent missed shots by both teams.
With only 20 seconds left, Zhou Yi controlled the ball from the outside, skillfully guiding it with his right hand while protecting it with his left. The ball was safe in his hands, with no risk of being stolen. He maintained excellent ball control in front of Chris Paul, who hardly found any openings.
At that moment, Zhou Yi suddenly accelerated. With only 5 seconds left, his acceleration was clearly meant to deliver the final blow in the first quarter. Chris Paul immediately stepped in front of Zhou Yi to prevent such a sudden surge in speed from succeeding. Just as Zhou Yi’s body was about to touch Chris Paul and be stopped, he made a drastic change of direction. His superb ball-handling skills allowed him to effortlessly guide the basketball under his hip and into his left hand. With such exceptional control, Zhou Yi quickly moved to the other side as if by magic. This sudden movement made it nearly impossible for Chris Paul to block him; fortunately, Chris Paul adjusted his balance at the last moment and tried to close in on Zhou Yi. But this was just the beginning. As Chris Paul adjusted his balance, the basketball passed under his hip again and ended up in his right hand. Zhou Yi made two drastic changes of direction, both while moving at high speed. With such relentless and unstoppable attacks, Chris Paul could no longer resist and could only watch helplessly as Zhou Yi grabbed the ball and charged toward the paint. After stepping away from Chris Paul, Zhou Yi quickly stepped forward with his left leg, slamming it hard on the ground, and then his entire body soared into the air! The angle he chose was highly strategic—making it impossible for his opponent to defend effectively. Moreover, the defender was nothing but Blake Griffin, who had already lost several times to Zhou Yi. Seeing Zhou Yi leap high into the air, Blake Griffin felt a bit fearful, as he had also been defeated by Zhou Yi many times. Facing such a determined dunk attempt, Blake Griffin wondered if he should back down. By the time he realized this, the best chance to defend had already passed. Zhou Yi’s body cut through the air, whizzing past Blake Griffin’s ear, with the basketball sticking tightly to him as if glued there.
Zhou Yi finally reached right above the basket. Then, he swung the basketball fiercely with his right hand, sending it soaring high behind him. At that moment, Zhou Yi resembled a perfect and fully drawn bow, aimed at the basket. After building up his momentum, the basketball was hurled high from his right hand and crashed downward!
“Bang!” A thunderous sound erupted. Zhou Yi’s right hand was still hanging on the basket, while the basketball had already been thrown into it, bouncing repeatedly on the ground. After hanging on the basket for a while, Zhou Yi also jumped down. The thrill of just completing a dunk surged strongly within him. He pounded his chest and roared, releasing that surge of excitement and pride through his loud cry.
“It was absolutely stunning!” That was what many fans thought to themselves. In this game, they truly understood what true basketball beauty meant. The duel between Zhou Yi and Chris Paul was the epitome of basketball aesthetics—like dancers in the sky, dazzling to watch. Their jump shots were equally pleasing to the eye, making it impossible to look away.