Chapter 110

After the start of the second quarter, Cameron Anthony was nowhere to be seen on the court. The Pistons, contrary to their usual steady approach in the first quarter, adopted a rapid-fire tactics that caught the Nuggets off guard. Zhou Yi scored twice with drives to the baseline, helping his team widen the score gap quickly.

George Karl’s heart began to ache violently once again. This game was a test for his heart. Only a third of the game had passed, yet the numerous setbacks were already pushing him to his limits.

The Nuggets’ tactics were constantly hampered by the Pistons. The Pistons used their tenacious defense to wear down the Nuggets’ momentum, and when the Nuggets tried to adjust, the Pistons leveraged their fast-break strengths. Zhou Yi’s sharp drives repeatedly breached the opponent’s defense.

Ty Lawson quickly passed the ball to JR Smith without hesitation. With JR Smith’s return pass, the ball went back to Ty Lawson. Just through these simple exchanges, Ty Lawson reached an open spot and scored 2 points with a mid-range shot.

Watching Ty Lawson’s strong figure, Zhou Yi couldn’t help but think that the Pistons’ rotation strategy hadn’t fully taken effect yet.

Zhou Yi drove quickly past the half-court line. The Nuggets were now using zone defense. His driving speed surprised the Nuggets, especially Ty Lawson. But they trusted their team’s defensive capabilities—once Zhou Yi entered their defense, they would surely prevent him from being as effective as before.

Outside the three-point line, Zhou Yi used his teammate Ben Gordon as a screen, moved to the other side, and quickly jumped up. Before the opponents could react, his three-point shot hit the basket accurately.

Four minutes into the second quarter, Zhou Yi was substituted out by Will Bynum.

After being told to take a break, Zhou Yi looked visibly stunned. 12 points was indeed a significant lead, but it was only the second quarter—this wasn’t a lead that guaranteed victory. The Nuggets weren’t actually that weak; they just had issues with their tactical arrangements and were constantly at a disadvantage to the Pistons. If given a chance to catch their breath, the outcome could still be uncertain. Leaving now would clearly harm the team’s offense.

However, he said nothing. In a game, the coach’s decisions couldn’t be questioned by anyone. And judging from John Kuester’s expression, he already had a comprehensive plan for today’s tactics.

Cameron Anthony’s voluntary offer on the other side also put George Karl in a difficult position. The team certainly needed his scoring power, but his form today didn’t seem good, and he had significant mental issues as well.
“Coach, please believe me. I was indeed a bit too eager earlier. Now I’m completely calm. Though I don’t want to admit it, Zhou Yi performed much better than me in the game. But the gap between us isn’t in individual strength—it’s in mentality. He always puts winning first, and that’s our biggest difference,” Cameron Anthony said calmly. His serious expression made George Karl understand his true thoughts.
George Karl gently patted Cameron Anthony’s shoulder and said, “Go!”
After returning to the court, Cameron Anthony’s attitude changed greatly. He didn’t cling to the ball too much in attacks; his sharp breakthroughs and precise passes revitalized the Nuggets. Especially Ty Lawson’s two three-pointers were invaluable.
John Kuester frowned deeply—the 12-point lead vanished in an instant. Fortunately, the team’s offense didn’t have major problems. But seeing Zhou Yi beside him, his worried heart finally settled.
“Thud”—a loud dunk sound plunged the Pistons’ home court into silence. Cameron Anthony’s shot was stunning. He executed a perfect two-on-one with his teammate, used a realistic fake move under the basket to distract Greg Monroe, then flipped over him for a reverse dunk. The whole sequence was smooth and precise, especially the fake move, which seemed real yet illusionary. With his physical abilities, he could easily turn that fake move into a shot.
At that point, the score was 41:37, with the Pistons leading by only 4 points.
As the Nuggets gradually narrowed the gap, John Kuester finally sent in all his starters. He hadn’t realized that just a slight lapse in focus had given the opponent breathing room. Cameron Anthony, in his own way, led the team to catch up bit by bit. And Andre Iguodala’s close defense seemed ineffective as he was repeatedly forced into the paint by the opponent.
Kenyon Martin sidestepped and used his left arm to block Greg Monroe’s body, then hit a hook shot with his right hand.
Zhou Yi broke through Ty Lawson’s defense again. Ty Lawson instinctively reached for the ball but was called for a defensive foul by the referee.

Andrei Iguodala kicked out from the sideline, and Zhou Yi caught the ball before moving around outside the Nuggets’ three-point line in search of an opportunity. The moment Ty Lawson touched his right hand holding the ball, Zhou Yi quickly shot it away. The short time frame made it seem to the referee as if Zhou Yi had taken the shot while the opponent’s defender was fouling him. Although the ball flew high, it secured three free throws for Zhou Yi.

“Swish,” “swish,” “swish” — three consecutive free throws, always so steady from Zhou Yi, delivering a fatal blow to his opponent.

Less than 30 seconds after entering the game, Zhou Yi had already widened the score gap to 7 points.

Led by Cameron Anthony, the Nuggets suddenly launched a surge, scoring a 7-3 run in just two minutes.

The opponent kept attacking wave after wave. Although John Kuester was nervous, he had no intention of making substitutions and only kept shouting “Defense” from the sidelines.

The Nuggets’ interior power played effectively.

Ty Lawson alone couldn’t stop Zhou Yi. Relying on his explosive speed, Zhou Yi broke through him again and hit a quick stop-and-shoot at the midcourt.

Realizing his mistake, JR Smith immediately rushed to contain Zhou Yi with the ball, but Ben Gordon had already blocked his path. Yet this brief moment was more than enough for Zhou Yi. With consecutive changes of direction, as Ty Lawson tried to deal with his breakthrough, he passed backward to James Posey at the baseline. With no defender, James Posey took a deep breath, stretched his arms, and shot the ball in his usual three-point rhythm.

“Swish” — the ball went through the net!

James Posey’s three-pointer gave the Detroit Pistons a new lead.

Charlie Villanueva had just been substituted in, and now only center Samuel Dalembert was left. If he could also return to form, then the real game would begin. Seeing Zhou Yi’s performance, he had no doubt that Zhou Yi would surely help him out of trouble in the rest of the game.

Ty Lawson blocked Lin Xu’s progress, and JR Smith caught his clever pass and hit a three-pointer from the right wing — his third three-pointer of the game.

The nickname “Neuro Knife” really fits JR Smith perfectly.

Zhou Yi drove the ball forward quickly — this was John Kuester’s biggest requirement for him: to rapidly speed up the game’s pace and overwhelm the opponent with offense.

Halfway through the game, two Nuggets players on the perimeter were already positioned on either side of the three-point line, watching intently. The Nuggets’ perimeter defense was not strong; JR. Smith was good at attacking but not at defending, and the young Ty Lawson focused more on offense than defense and couldn’t shoulder the defensive burden—he even seemed struggling to defend Will Bynum just now.

Zhou Yi shifted his body slightly and used a quick dodge while in motion. Ty Lawson’s defense failed to even slow him down; with a smooth crossover, Zhou Yi easily broke through. His fluid movements delighted the fans, showcasing true mastery of ball control—Zhou Yi’s skills were already at a very high level.

However, the threat wasn’t over yet. Although JR. Smith wasn’t good at defense, he still had a sense of defense. With considerable experience, he accurately predicted Zhou Yi’s breakthrough route and stepped ahead two moves, his dark right hand reaching steadily for the ball.

Taking a deep breath, Zhou Yi remained exceptionally calm. The more critical the moment, the calmer he could stay. With that deep breath, he leaned forward and straightened his body as he moved, using his heel as an axis to complete a spin mid-motion. This seemingly simple action required exceptional coordination—without it, losing balance would lead to chaotic movements and mistakes.

It wasn’t over there. Cameron Anthony arrived early near the free-throw line, waiting for Zhou Yi to fall into his trap. At that moment, Zhou Yi was like a moth flying into a flame, his series of demanding moves having already drained his strength.

In the final instant, Zhou Yi gently shook his right hand backward, and the ball hit the floor before bouncing weakly into Ben Gordon’s hands. What seemed like a helpless move turned out to be a brilliant pass.

The Nuggets’ defense was in disarray thanks to Zhou Yi, and Ben Gordon was almost unguarded. He easily jumped from beyond the three-point line, and the ball flew out from his fingertips, tracing a beautiful arc through the air before landing where it was supposed to.

With a “swish,” the fans didn’t hesitate to applaud enthusiastically.

Under Zhou Yi’s control, the pace of the game’s offense and defense became extremely fast. Cameron Anthony watched helplessly as everything unfolded. James Posey also changed his defensive tactics, not trying to outmuscle him but instead focusing on cutting off his connection with his teammates through constant movement, making it difficult for Cameron Anthony to receive passes and effectively isolating him from the team’s offensive system.

With a swish, Zhou Yi’s last-second three-pointer helped the Pistons widen the lead to double digits once again. Seeing the situation once more firmly in the Pistons’ control, the Nuggets’ head coach, George Karl, quickly called a timeout.

After the timeout, John Kuester took Zhou Yi off the court and replaced him with Jody Meeks. McGrady replaced Ben Gordon, while Greg Monroe replaced Charlie Villanueva. On the Nuggets’ side, Cassius Bellamy replaced Ty Lawson, and Aaron Afflalo replaced JR Smith.

John Kuester clearly didn’t realize the mistakes he was making. The Nuggets used their sharp offensive tactics to repeatedly attack the Pistons’ defense. Jody Meeks was a talented player with excellent perimeter defense skills, but he was facing Cassius Bellamy, a top-tier point guard.

Two more minutes passed before JR Smith returned to the court. For the Nuggets, three-point shooting had always been their biggest weakness, and JR Smith was their sharpest weapon from beyond the arc.

After Zhou Yi left the court, the Pistons’ offensive rhythm became a bit chaotic, especially after McGrady missed two shots, allowing the Nuggets to further widen the lead.

Among the Pistons’ three recent trades, Jody Meeks had shown solid scoring ability. With the 76ers, he averaged 9.8 points per game, even with less than 20 minutes of playing time.

Zhou Yi was finally brought back onto the court. Looking at Jody Meeks, who seemed somewhat disheartened, John Kuester sighed softly. Numerous complicated issues made it difficult for him to handle the situation with the new players.

Jody Meeks was a player with great potential. With proper development, he could definitely grow into a capable player on his own.

“Jody, are you feeling a bit disappointed?” John Kuester’s voice, though gentle, sounded like a heavy hammer to Jody Meeks’ ears, striking deep into his heart.

When he was first traded to the 76ers as part of a package deal, he was somewhat upset. But after seeing the Pistons’ impressive record, Jody Mikos felt a surge of enthusiasm. He came to the Pistons with great ambition, hoping to leave a brilliant legacy in his career there. Yet so far, aside from his defensive skills, he seems to have suddenly lost his offensive ability and is out of sync with the team’s overall offensive strategy.

Behind his downcast gaze lay a stubborn fighting spirit. John Kuster’s words promptly lifted his spirits: “Jody, don’t underestimate your scoring ability. Be brave enough to take shots. And don’t doubt your teammates. The Pistons are a team that values teamwork. We have the best playmakers in the league. As long as you move around actively on the court, the ball will be in your hands at the perfect moment. Just think—Tracy and Greg have both benefited from this this season. As long as Zhou is on the court, he’s the driver of the team’s offense. If you want to truly succeed with the Pistons, you need to adapt to their style of play, and you’ll benefit greatly from it.”

After hearing John Kuster’s words, Jody Mikos remained silent. As a newcomer to the league, he had strong adaptability, but the Pistons gave him an unprecedented feeling—the team seemed to revolve around Zhou Yi and Greg Monroe. Zhou Yi’s status was unshakable, and Greg Monroe was gradually becoming the backbone of the team’s interior play.

What Jody Mikos needed to adjust wasn’t just his playing style but also his mindset. What the Pistons needed were solid, reliable players, not individual stars.

“You can think about what I said. I’ve always had high hopes for you. But for a team, there can only be one core player. Maybe the situation is special right now, but the Pistons really have only one core player. Tracy understands this, Andre understands it, and Greg Monroe knows it all too well. Only by recognizing this can you integrate well into this excellent group.” After saying that, John Kuster turned his attention back to the game—staying concise, as talking too much could lead to mistakes.

Jody Mikos covered his head with both hands, sighed, then began watching the game, his gaze fixed on the Chinese player who kept moving around on the court.

The situation on the court had changed somewhat at this point; the Nuggets seemed to be gaining the upper hand. With the combination of Cameron Anthony and Chauncey Billups, along with JR Smith’s three-point shots, the Pistons players seemed to have lost their touch altogether, even Zhou Yi’s two attempts at shooting missed as well. The Pistons players appeared to be in a slump—by the end of the second quarter, they had managed only five shots on target. Their poor shooting performance cost them 8 points in that single quarter. To turn things around, the Pistons would need to rely more on breakthrough plays, and Zhou Yi needed to change his approach from the first half. It was clear that the Nuggets were wary of him, constantly using double-team tactics against him. At the end of the first half, the score stood at 57:54, with the Pistons only leading by 3 points. Disappointed, all the Pistons players rushed into the locker room. Such a somber atmosphere in the locker room had never occurred during the new season. John Kuester also had a furrowed brow—this was exactly the situation he feared the most in games. “Clap, clap, clap…” Bright applause broke the oppressive atmosphere in the locker room. John Kuester calmly stood up, gathered the players around him, and said, “Alright, there’s no need to be discouraged. It’s still just the first half, and we’re still leading by 3 points! It’s the truly strong teams that grow stronger after setbacks. If we want to make it to the playoffs and go further, we’ll inevitably face even more critical situations in the future.” As head coach, it’s clearly not enough to just lift morale—effective plans are what truly solve problems. But John Kuester obviously hadn’t come up with a real solution, relying solely on Zhou Yi’s breakthrough plays. Zhou Yi’s breakthroughs did improve the team’s offense to a large extent, but his teammates couldn’t find their touch and wasted the excellent opportunities he created time and again. The chaos in offense severely affected the Pistons’ defensive quality. Zhou Yi’s individual efforts clearly weren’t enough to save the team, but they also prevented the Nuggets from widening the score gap. In the second half of the second quarter, when his teammates couldn’t score, Zhou Yi tried to take matters into his own hands. Although he couldn’t stop the Nuggets’ offensive surge, he scored 7 points in the final moments of the second quarter, which played a significant role in helping the Pistons stabilize the situation. If not for Zhou Yi stepping up, the Pistons might even have had their lead overturned. Yet, despite his impressive scoring, his furrowed brows remained unchanged.

He hurried to replenish the water lost by his body. Zhou Yi’s expression remained calm, but a few could see the disappointment in his eyes. He had done his best, yet the outcome remained the same—repeated attempts, repeated disappointments. He had experienced such awful situations before, but as the team’s lineup improved, Zhou Yi once again faced the hardships.

As the second half began, Zhou Yi put down the towel in his hand, his gaze once again filled with determination.

During breaks, no matter how disappointed or frustrated he felt, once he stepped onto the court, his firm belief remained unshaken by anything. Perhaps it was in these moments that shame spurred courage, and Zhou Yi’s performance greatly inspired his teammates. Being caught up by the opponent clearly did not dampen their fighting spirit.

Feeling the strong determination of their opponent, the Nuggets players also became serious. They knew they were facing the league’s leaders this season, holders of the second-longest record in league history.

Zhou Yi drove with the ball, passed it skillfully to Andre Iguodala, and they completed a beautiful aerial pass. Iguodala’s dunk ignited the enthusiasm of the home crowd, who cheered loudly to support their team.

On the Nuggets’ side, Carmelo Anthony faced Iguodala one-on-one, turned, and hit a jump shot.

Greg Monroe quickly penetrated to the basket, holding off Nene behind him and asking for the ball from the outside players. Taking advantage of the opponent’s inattention, Zhou Yi threw the ball high, and Greg Monroe easily grabbed the rebound. Nene’s situation was not optimistic—he struggled to bear Greg Monroe’s heavy pressure, with his left foot almost in the three-second zone, unable to slack off in the slightest. Unless he stepped back, it would lead to an easy shot for Greg Monroe.

Feeling the opponent’s unease, Greg Monroe quickly stepped sideways with his left foot. Using all his strength, he left Nene without even a chance to catch his breath.

“Thud”—Greg Monroe didn’t hold back and immediately dunked.

Nene below the basket didn’t dare make any unnecessary moves. In that situation, even the slightest hesitation would likely give the opponent a chance for a three-point shot.

Greg Monroe’s dunk gave the Pistons players more confidence.

The Nuggets’ attacks failed, and Zhou Yi fought to secure the defensive rebound.

“Swish”—Greg Monroe’s signature turnaround jump shot succeeded.

The Pistons’ fierce counterattack shocked George Karl, who was on the bench, prompting him to call a timeout. This timeout didn’t improve the Nuggets’ situation, as the Pistons launched a relentless attack led by Zhou Yi, Tracy McGrady, and Andre Iguodala. Greg Monroe’s strong interior play also left the Nuggets’ front line in disarray. With 5:13 left in the third quarter, the score stood at 69–60, with the Pistons leading 9 points at home. Both teams played with their full starting lineups, though the Nuggets replaced one of their interior players with Kenyon Martin. Chris Bosh was not only skilled offensively but also a strong defender. He relied on his speed and experience to stick closely to opponents, using his agility to disrupt their shooting rhythm. It was undoubtedly an effective defensive tactic, and combined with his lightning-fast steals, it gave his teammates extra time for rebound defense. Zhou Yi tried repeatedly to change direction but couldn’t shake Bosh’s pursuit. As time passed, he had no choice but to pass the ball, and McGrady’s three-point shot from the baseline missed, sending the rebound high into the air. The three big men in the paint almost simultaneously jumped, their massive hands looming in the air. However, Greg Monroe was at a disadvantage—surrounded by two Nuggets big men, he struggled to get off the ground and had no room to adjust mid-air. George Karl’s expression finally relaxed; it seemed his insistence this summer had been correct. To ease the team’s luxury tax burden, they had considered trading some of their interior players to free up salary cap space. But thanks to his persistence, the key interior players remained unchanged. In a season filled with outstanding big men in the West, having a strong interior player was still extremely valuable, and the Nuggets’ powerful front line was a crucial asset for them in the West. A tall, white figure suddenly leaped up near the free-throw line and flew toward the paint at astonishing speed. At the moment of his jump, the fans hadn’t noticed much, but when he reached the basket, they were shocked to see that this blue figure was half a hand’s length taller than the other big men. With a sudden appearance, he easily grabbed the ball.

And that wasn’t the end of it. Using the strength in his waist and abdomen, Andre Iguodala twisted forcefully in mid-air, using his back to push against several interior players to find a new point of support for his body. He gently threw the ball, which flew over his head in a beautiful arc before sinking into the basket.
The referee’s whistle blew immediately. Upon landing, Kenyon Martin instinctively pushed forward with both hands to block Iguodala’s fierce momentum. But to his dismay, Iguodala not only scored but also committed a defensive foul.
With a swish, Iguodala made the free throw.
Kwame Brown’s elusive movements were hard to defend against. Even Zhou Yi, who was momentarily distracted, was easily bypassed by him. After playing for so long, as a veteran, Brown’s speed remained astonishing.
Brown’s layup helped the Nuggets narrow the score to 5 points.
With Iguodala providing a screen, Zhou Yi easily drove inside and shot a mid-range jumper. With another swish, the ball went through the basket.
Cameron Anthony took advantage of Iguodala not being in position yet and tried to shoot a three-pointer, but it clanged off the rim.
Zhou Yi controlled the offense, suddenly lighting up with a smile.
Iguodala cut toward the basket from the side. Zhou Yi, of course, saw this opportunity and passed the ball to Iguodala with a bounce pass.
After catching the ball, Iguodala continued toward the basket. Just as he was about to enter the three-second zone, his body suddenly jumped upward. This sudden leap didn’t seem unnatural at all. As his body moved forward, Iguodala gradually closed in on Kenyon Martin under the basket.
Martin adjusted his defensive stance as Iguodala’s shape changed in mid-air, but his lower body remained fixed as if rooted to the ground. Moving at that moment would only be disadvantageous for him, as he could easily be called for a defensive foul. Defending under the basket was also extremely difficult; even the best players couldn’t cover everything. But no matter what, interior players needed to have momentum, a dominant presence to exert strong pressure on the offensive players.

“Birdman” Chris Anderson also adjusted his position at this moment, standing behind Kenyon Martin, ready to fill in any gaps in Martin’s defense. A proud smile appeared on Kenyon Martin’s face—he had completely blocked Andre Iguodala’s shooting angle; whenever Iguodala tried to shoot, he would surely get a block. If he managed to pull off that block, it would greatly boost their team’s morale. He couldn’t help but admire his opponent’s sophisticated defense, which had almost sealed off his shooting routes. Yet Andre Iguodala wasn’t someone who gave up easily. At the moment their bodies were about to collide, he suddenly tightened his upper body and, by a narrow margin, slipped through Kenyon Martin’s arms. However, the crisis wasn’t fully over—he was running out of strength, and behind Kenyon Martin, “Birdman” Anderson was watching intently. Seeing Iguodala dodge in mid-air, Anderson secretly admired him; such exceptional physical abilities were truly rare, especially the timing sense he demonstrated during the dodge, which was beyond ordinary people’s reach. Seeing Kenyon Martin’s defense broken, Chris Anderson leaped up, his massive black hand aiming at Iguodala’s right hand holding the ball. Iguodala inwardly groaned—he hadn’t expected the two to coordinate so well. He had already given it his all with the dodge in mid-air, and facing Chris Anderson’s defense, it seemed he was at his wits’ end. But giving up before the final moment wasn’t in Iguodala’s nature. Using the strength of his core, he forced his body to rise two inches, quickly passing the ball to his left hand. “Thwack”—the moment he switched hands, his right hand was slammed hard by Chris Anderson, causing him to lose balance. Using his last bit of strength, he threw the ball high behind him. Iguodala had no confidence in that shot at all. “Swish”—before he hit the ground, a familiar voice came from above, filling him with excitement. It seemed the goddess of luck was still on his side. “Ding,” the referee quickly blew the whistle: “Two points. The visiting team’s player number 11 committed a foul—free throw.” But the referee’s voice was quickly drowned out by the crowd’s cheers. Iguodala’s amazing performance earlier had already gotten the entire crowd on their feet—perfect mid-air dodges, outstanding aerial skills, especially that three-point shot at the last moment—Linx had scored a great goal.

Only Andre Iguodala knew best that luck played a big role in that shot just now, but basketball is full of luck anyway. He was lucky to have good fortune on his side at critical moments. Amidst the crowd’s cheers, Andre Iguodala easily made the free throw and scored another point. “Andre’s physical condition is truly amazing!” Zhou Yi muttered to himself as he watched Andre Iguodala make the free throw and then run back. On the Nuggets’ side, Carmelo Anthony finally took advantage of a clever pass from his teammate to score from beyond the three-point line. After catching the ball, McGrady quickly passed it back, and with Iguodala’s screen, Zhou Yi was able to drive to the basket. Before Kenyon Martin could recover, Zhou Yi scored by driving and shooting. With 3 minutes left in the third quarter, both teams switched to their main lineups. The Pistons now led the Nuggets by less than 10 points, so there was no reason for the Nuggets to give up. Soon, the third quarter ended. The score stood at 85:77, with the Pistons still leading by 8 points.