Chapter 133

In the fourth quarter, led by the returning Zhou Yi, the Pistons fought back hard, attacking the Trail Blazers’ basket relentlessly. Yet the Trail Blazers remained unfazed by the Pistons’ onslaught, continuing to attack and defend methodically while maintaining a high shooting percentage. As a result, no matter how fiercely the Pistons attacked, they couldn’t tie or take the lead, staying in the red.

With four minutes left in the game, the Pistons grew disorganized as they failed to close the gap, committing frequent simple mistakes. If not for the Trail Blazers’ shooting percentage also dropping at that point, the Pistons would likely have been behind by double digits.

In the final three minutes, Spencer Hawes, who had been quiet throughout the first three quarters under Greg Oden’s pressure, suddenly erupted. He first scored 4 points with a hook shot and a free throw after receiving a pass from Zhou Yi, then grabbed an offensive rebound, spun around, and drove to the basket, forcing a foul on Greg Oden for a 2+1. This helped the Pistons score a 7-2 run, bringing the score to 102–105 and instantly boosting their morale.

Later, with 1 minute and 43 seconds left, Zhou Yi hit another three-pointer with help from Greg Monroe, bringing the score to just one point apart and pushing the Pistons’ morale to its peak. At the same time, the enthusiasm of all Pistons fans reached its highest point as well. The fans cheered, calling out Zhou Yi, Greg Monroe, and other outstanding Pistons players—because the Pistons brought them passion, joy, and excitement!

But just as people thought the Pistons might turn the game around, the Trail Blazers’ power forward drove to beyond the three-point line and hit a crucial three-pointer. Then, McGrady’s three-pointer missed, allowing Greg Oden to grab a defensive rebound and pass it to Brandon Roy, who had already entered the Pistons’ half. Roy launched a fast break and easily scored 2 more points with a three-step layup, changing the score to 109–115, putting the Pistons 6 points behind again.

Suddenly, the shadow of defeat loomed over all the Pistons players and fans. They were terrified of losing this game.

In the final moments, due to the intense effort throughout the game, both the Pistons and Trail Blazers players had little energy left. Yet, among them, there were still some who had plenty of stamina.

Zhou Yi had been using short breaks throughout the game and didn’t play at all in the third quarter, so he was still at the peak of his stamina. It could be said that he now had to unleash all his strength to save the Pistons.

56 seconds before the end of the game, Zhou Yi dribbled to the center just outside the three-point line, facing the basket directly. His eyes were fixed on the basket ahead, as if Brandon Roy beside him were completely transparent and full of weaknesses.

Yet even though Zhou Yi deliberately showed vulnerabilities, Brandon Roy didn’t dare act rashly. He knew it was a critical moment—Zhou Yi wouldn’t be stupid enough to deliberately expose weaknesses for him, and even the slightest carelessness could lead to a fatal mistake.

Zhou Yi took a deep breath, gradually speeding up his dribble, signaling that he was about to attack. Every cell in Brandon Roy’s body began to pulse in rhythm with the dribble, ready to confront Zhou Yi at any moment.

Zhou Yi glanced to the left. Spotting this slight movement, Brandon Roy assumed Zhou Yi intended to break through from the left, so he shifted his body slightly to the left. At the same time, Zhou Yi launched his breakthrough.

He suddenly stepped right, breaking through from the right.

“Don’t think you can get past so easily!”

Brandon Roy moved immediately, following Zhou Yi’s pace and blocking his path. But Zhou Yi suddenly changed direction, shifting sideways to feign a breakthrough from the left. Brandon Roy followed suit, but his balance was already compromised.

Gritting his teeth, Zhou Yi pulled his left hand holding the ball sideways, shifted his body to the right, and completed another change of direction and breakthrough, returning to the right side.

“Damn it!”

The series of difficult directional dribbles left Brandon Roy unable to keep up. His balance failed, and he nearly fell to the ground. By the time he regained his footing, it was too late to catch up—Zhou Yi had already crossed the free-throw line.

At that moment, the Pistons’ paint was empty. The only player close to Zhou Yi, Greg Oden, was nearly two meters away and running toward the paint. But could Greg Oden really stop Zhou Yi, who had reached his top speed?

“Ah~~~” With a loud roar, Zhou Yi leaped high as soon as he entered the penalty area and glided toward the basket like a glider. In mid-air, Zhou Yi raised his right hand holding the ball, while Greg Oden jumped from behind, raising his left hand to try and block him. But Greg Oden had just recovered from an injury, and his stamina wasn’t as good as it had been at the start of the game. As a result, the height he could reach wasn’t as great as Zhou Yi’s, and his speed wasn’t comparable to Zhou Yi’s either. Because of this, Greg Oden’s outstretched hand only flailed uselessly in the air as he stared blankly at Zhou Yi approaching the basket. With the basket right in front of him, Zhou Yi gritted his teeth and swung his right hand, holding the ball, like a sharp and heavy axe, at the basket. “Bang!” It was a simple, decisive, and powerful dunk. Chapter 326: Winning in Overtime Against the Trail Blazers for Thirteen Consecutive Wins! Zhou Yi not only dodged Brandon Roy but also completed a dunk right in front of Greg Oden! “So amazing, absolutely unstoppable!” Even though Greg Oden was no longer the top center who had entered the NBA as the number one draft pick and was revered as the “Emperor” in college days, he was still a key player in the paint. Good heavens! Is Zhou Yi really Chinese? Is he really an Asian? Immediately, thunderous cheers filled the entire stadium—no, every Chinese fan watching the game was shouting, all crazy about Zhou Yi’s performance. However, the Chinese fans seemed to be celebrating a bit too early, as the game wasn’t over yet. “44, 43, 42” Brandon Roy drove forward with the ball, but Zhou Yi kept pestering him, preventing him from easily advancing to the front court. “41, 40” Brandon Roy couldn’t fully exert himself with Zhou Yi right on his heels, so he had to pass the ball. “39, 38” Andre Miller made a mistake after receiving the ball and was stripped by Andre Iguodala, who suddenly rushed in. “37, 36, 35” Andre Iguodala, Zhou Yi, and McGrady launched a fast attack, rushing into the Trail Blazers’ half-court, creating a three-versus-two situation against Brandon Roy and Andre Miller. “34” Andre Iguodala passed the ball to Zhou Yi, who drove into the Trail Blazers’ penalty area. “33” Zhou Yi took three big steps and jumped, with Brandon Roy right behind him.

“32”
After jumping, Zhou Yi didn’t force his way to the basket but flicked the ball back to McGrady, who was positioned at the top of the key outside the three-point line.
“31”
Upon catching the ball, McGrady adjusted quickly and shot it as soon as he jumped.
“30”
The basketball soared through the air, and every fan in the arena’s heart pounded fiercely with each bounce, holding their breath as if afraid their own breathing might disrupt the ball’s trajectory.
“29”
“Swish!”
A satisfied smile appeared on McGrady’s face as he pointed straight upward with his right index finger—he had scored that crucial three-point shot!
117:116, the Pistons closed the gap to just one point again.
“28”
The crowd erupted in enthusiastic cheers—they were extremely excited by the Pistons’ unyielding spirit in those final moments.
“27”
The Trail Blazers inbounded the ball, and the Pistons quickly retreated to the backcourt to defend against their attack.
“26, 25… 21, 20”
Brandon Roy carefully dribbled across half-court, hesitating to attack and staying just outside the three-point line to waste time.
“19, 18, 17”
As time passed, the fans grew increasingly anxious and panicked. Some couldn’t hold back and started shouting for Brandon Roy to attack sooner.
“15, 14”
In the last fourteen seconds, Greg Oden rushed out to set a screen for Brandon Roy.
“13”
Seizing the opportunity with Zhou Yi blocked by Greg Oden, Brandon Roy accelerated and used his speed to drive straight into the Pistons’ paint.
“12, 11”
The other Pistons players rushed back to help defend, but this time Brandon Roy didn’t force his way to the basket—he chose the best offensive move.
Brandon Roy stopped abruptly at the free-throw line and jumped to shoot.
“10”
It was a high-arcing mid-range shot, and the Pistons players, the Trail Blazers players, and all fans watching the game held their breaths at the sight of it.
“9”
“Swish!” A crisp, familiar, yet heart-wrenching sound of the basketball hitting the rim echoed softly.
The Pistons players and fans’ spirits sank at that sound. But neither the fans nor the Pistons players gave up, knowing they still had a chance to turn the game around.

119:116, 9 seconds left.
It was the Pistons’ turn to play, and John Kuester didn’t call a timeout. He knew there was enough time for the players to organize an attack, and there were at least two players on the court who could take the final shot.
“8”
McGrady had the ball, and the Trail Blazers used a full-court press to prevent him from moving freely.
“7, 6, 5”
With support from Zhou Yi and Andre Iguodala, the ball reached the Trail Blazers’ half-court. When McGrady rushed to the front court, Zhou Yi passed the ball back to him.
“4, 3”
McGrady drove with the ball, reached the top of the three-point arc, and immediately jumped to shoot, with two Trail Blazers players in front of him.
“2”
Instead of forcing the shot, McGrady pulled his hands back and passed the ball to Zhou Yi, who had been waiting at a 45-degree angle on the right side of the three-point line.
“1”
There was no time to think. Zhou Yi caught the ball and immediately jumped, using his wrist to shoot the ball. In front of him was another Trail Blazers player, Lamarcus Aldridge, who rushed over to try and block the shot.
“0”
“Ding~~~” The final buzzer sounded, and the ball flew toward the basket at that moment.
The ball flew toward the basket, slowly, slowly approaching it, carrying the outcome of the game.
“Swish!” The clear, crisp sound of the ball hitting the net came through.
Silence, then more silence…
“Wow~~~” Wild cheers erupted throughout the arena.
Fans were shouting, clapping, high-fiving, hugging, and some even shed tears of emotion.
Because Zhou Yi had made it—he had scored that crucial three-point shot! That shot sent the game into overtime and gave the Pistons a chance to win again.
“Great!” Zhou Yi pumped his right fist vigorously, his face filled with excitement and joy, as he had succeeded in scoring that vital three-point shot!
The Pistons’ players rushed to Zhou Yi’s side, surrounding him with happy smiles.
The Pistons’ fans and players were celebrating, but the Trail Blazers weren’t happy—they had lost a victory they thought they had secured and now had to continue playing overtime against their opponents.
Players from both teams returned to their respective benches to rest for a few minutes before facing each other again.
Soon, the break ended, and both teams returned to the court.

Greg Monroe and Greg Oden jump for the ball, with Monroe winning it and the Pistons gaining possession.
It’s Zhou Yi who controls the offense for the Pistons, rather than Will Bynum. Zhou Yi is still on the bench resting; although he’s had enough time to rest, he used a lot of energy in the fourth quarter trying to lead the team back in the game. So, John Kuester wants Zhou Yi to rest a bit longer so he can lead the team to a victory in the final minutes.
The Pistons’ offense fails, and the Trail Blazers secure the defensive rebound.
Brandon Roy holds the ball at the top of the key and passes it to Lamarcus Aldridge inside.
Lamarcus Aldridge goes one-on-one with Greg Monroe and hits a beautiful backdoor jump shot, scoring 2 points for the Trail Blazers.
Aldridge can be considered the most consistent player for the Trail Blazers, with his mid-range shots and backdoor jump shots being highly praised by fans.
Andrei Iguodala tries to force his way through defense but ends up trapped. With no choice, he passes the ball, and Tracy McGrady takes a mid-range jump shot.
With a thud, McGrady’s shot misses, and Brandon Roy grabs the defensive rebound.
The Trail Blazers take advantage of this opportunity to launch a fast break, with Andre Miller scoring inside.
After the Trail Blazers take a 4-point lead, John Kuester calls a timeout to bring in Zhou Yi.
John Kuester isn’t anxious; even though the Pistons are behind by 4 points, he isn’t under much pressure and doesn’t scold the players. He simply says, “You all did pretty well just now, but we’re still behind by 4 points. It’s not entirely your fault.”
“Greg, your defense was great today—very aggressive. And Andre, your defense was good too. You need to be more aggressive like this in the future…” Hearing this, Greg Monroe and Andre Iguodala feel a bit ashamed, knowing it was during their time on the court that the Trail Blazers took the lead.
At this point, John Kuester looks over at Zhou Yi. Zhou Yi puffs out his chest and says, “I’m ready…”
With three minutes left in overtime, Zhou Yi returns to the court.
Brandon Roy is also on the court, and he frowns slightly upon seeing Zhou Yi enter—their rivalry is well-known.
Zhou Yi steps onto the court with a smile, and the Pistons gain possession.

The Pistons fans suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of loss when Zhou Yi was not on the court, always feeling as if something was missing. It wasn’t until Zhou Yi stepped onto the court that they realized, “I see—something is always missing when Zhou Yi isn’t here.” So when they saw him return to the court, they started clapping enthusiastically, trying to express all their love for him and the team through their applause. Zhou Yi waved slightly as a greeting before jogging onto the court. The Pistons players on the court now were Zhou Yi, McGrady, Andre Iguodala, Taylor Hansbrough, and Greg Monroe. Zhou Yi controlled the ball and moved across half-court, with Brandon Roy starting to defend him from a short distance away. Zhou Yi tilted his body slightly, pressed against Roy, and with a strong push, managed to push Roy aside. Brandon Roy was filled with confusion—how could Zhou Yi’s physical strength be so terrifying? Pushed by Zhou Yi, Brandon Roy immediately created some space. Zhou Yi took advantage of this, pushed forward, stepped forward with his right foot, and his speed suddenly surged as he passed Roy effortlessly. Brandon Roy tried to reach out with his right hand to block Zhou Yi, but Zhou Yi’s speed was beyond his reach. Moreover, Brandon Roy’s stamina was nearly exhausted, while Zhou Yi still had plenty left. In the blink of an eye, Zhou Yi was already far ahead. With a few quick strides, his speed reached its peak. In just about a second, he reached beyond the three-point line and suddenly launched a jump shot. This shot caught everyone on the Trail Blazers off guard—Zhou Yi’s sudden jump shot left them no time to defend. And he didn’t intend for them to defend at all; he simply jumped high, the basketball passing through his fingertips as it went in! “Swish!” It was decisive. Right from the start, Zhou Yi narrowed the score gap with a three-point shot, leaving them only 1 point behind. By the time Brandon Roy reached near the three-point line, it was already too late—Zhou Yi had already made the shot and stepped back, raising his proud right hand high. Brandon Roy smiled bitterly—it seemed his attempt to defend Zhou Yi alone was a mistake, because once Zhou Yi’s speed was unleashed, no one could claim they could catch up to him.

As a result, the home crowd poured their cheers wholeheartedly into Zhou Yi, who could restore their pride.
During the transition between offense and defense, Brandon Roy excelled at timing his moves—before Zhou Yi could react, his basketball had already broken through numerous obstacles and reached LaMarcus Aldridge, who immediately jumped and scored.
The Trail Blazers took a 3-point lead again.
The score between the two teams was closely matched. Once again, Zhou Yi took charge. Observing the situation, he realized their team had three players with strong offensive abilities: himself, McGrady, and Andre Iguodala.
Zhou Yi knew his main task and goal now was to widen the score gap. The tactics he could use included breaking through defenses, attacking personally, and ensuring the whole team scored, while also focusing on defense.
Zhou Yi slowly controlled the ball in his hands and tried to approach Brandon Roy. Brandon Roy, having just suffered a setback, didn’t want Zhou Yi to get close and took measures to prevent him from using his body to drive past defenders for a score.
Zhou Yi tried accelerating briefly, and Brandon Roy quickly kept up. Zhou Yi knew that if he stubbornly rushed into the paint, he would likely get a charge. So after stopping abruptly, he didn’t move again but stared at Brandon Roy, then slowly brought the ball back beyond the three-point line.
Brandon Roy naturally followed. Zhou Yi’s three-point shooting was precise, forcing him to be cautious.
Zhou Yi couldn’t help but smile slightly at Brandon Roy’s serious expression. Then he changed direction with the ball in front of him, quickly passed it to the left, and stamped his left foot hard on the ground!
“Whoosh!”
It was as if the loudest wind sound could be heard; Brandon Roy even saw Zhou Yi’s figure gradually blurring in his vision.
Brandon Roy was shocked. He hadn’t expected Zhou Yi to show his full speed during the game just now. This made him a bit panicked, but his body instinctively started to defend.
However, Zhou Yi’s target wasn’t on his right side either. Instead, after dribbling behind his back, he brought the ball back to his right hand, then accelerated again by shifting his weight, breaking free from Brandon Roy’s defense and breaking into the paint.
Facing the defense of the Trail Blazers’ two strong interior players, Zhou Yi jumped and attempted a two-handed windmill layup, even managing to draw a foul from one of them at the last moment.

The basketball flew into the hoop.
Zhou Yi made his free throw, tying the score between the two teams again.
With Zhou Yi on the team, the Pistons’ players felt much less worried, as they didn’t have to fear being overtaken or struggling offensively, thanks to him.
In the next two minutes of play, the Pistons fully regained their offensive momentum. Their defense, bolstered by Zhou Yi, Greg Monroe, and Andre Iguodala, became a formidable force, completely dismantling the Trail Blazers’ frontcourt and guard lineup.
Towards the end of overtime, the score was 127:125, with the Pistons leading by 2 points.
Zhou Yi’s contribution to the team was immense; in his three minutes in overtime, he hit a three-pointer, completed a 2+1 play, and provided two crucial assists.
The Pistons’ momentum grew, while the Trail Blazers’ faded. Although Brandon Roy remained fiercely competitive, his exhaustion told him he was nearing his limits.
In the end, the Pistons narrowly defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 132:127 at home, achieving their second consecutive thirteen-game winning streak this season.
As expected, although the Pistons were stronger, the Trail Blazers proved to be a tough opponent.
It was extremely difficult for the Pistons to win this game; if not for Brandon Roy’s exhaustion at the end, their chances of winning might have been even slimmer.
Both teams delivered many exciting goals for the fans, and the score was quite high.
Eleven players from the Pistons scored in this game, with seven of them scoring double digits.
Zhou Yi shot 11 out of 19 attempts, finishing with 31 points—the second-highest score in the game—along with 11 assists, 7 rebounds, and 3 steals. McGrady scored 19 points, 5 assists, and 6 rebounds; Andre Iguodala also scored 19 points, plus 8 rebounds and 4 assists. Greg Monroe performed well in the first half but faded in the second, scoring only 16 points and 9 rebounds. Ben Gordon scored 15 points; James Posey scored 13 points; Samuel Dalembert scored 11 points and 8 rebounds.

On the Trail Blazers’ side, the top scorer was naturally Brandon Roy, whose 38 points were not only the highest for his team but also the highest in the entire game. Despite scoring so many points, Brandon Roy likely wasn’t happy, as his team lost. Chapter 327: Capture the Eagles or Unseal the Bottle? (Part 1) After a tough victory over the Portland Trail Blazers, the Pistons faced another challenge from the Atlanta Hawks the following night. The back-to-back games were truly exhausting for the Pistons’ players. Fortunately, it was still a home game. The Pistons’ starting lineup remained the same as before, while the Hawks’ starting five consisted of center Al Horford, power forward Josh Smith, small forward Marvin Williams, shooting guard Joe Johnson, and point guard Mike Bibby. Once both teams were in position, the referee stepped to the center line, glanced at the players who would take the jump ball—Greg Monroe and Josh Smith—and gently placed the whistle in his mouth. With a clear whistle, the orange basketball was lightly thrown by the referee. As the ball rose, thousands of hearts leaped into the air as well. Greg Monroe and Josh Smith focused entirely on the ball in the air, but that didn’t prevent them from competing with each other; their bodies pressed tightly against one another, trying to gain an advantage. The jump ball testned not only physical strength but also mental toughness and experience. Thanks to his height advantage, Greg Monroe gently pressed his right elbow against his opponent’s left arm as he jumped. Josh Smith’s incredible explosive power meant he wouldn’t be pushed to the ground by such a slight force, but he lost the advantage of jumping first. With a thud, Josh Smith landed and immediately shot upward like a rocket. There was a muffled sound, and Greg Monroe’s expression changed sharply. Having lost the advantage, he became careless while competing for the ball, not quickly passing it to his teammate but instead thinking about how to deliver it more smoothly. But he didn’t expect Josh Smith to have such extraordinary physical abilities, astonishing jumping power, and such a short recovery time for his second jump.

Josh Smith pushed hard on the bottom of the basketball with his right hand, sending the ball, which had just fallen, soaring back toward the ceiling of the Auburn Hills Palace of Auburn Hills—though at a significantly different angle. It wasn’t the two players competing for the ball anymore.
“Get out of the way!” With a fierce shout, Mike Bibby quickly moved two steps to the right. With a loud whoosh, a sky-blue figure flashed past him.
Josh Smith’s push was indeed powerful, and this time the ball rose to an astonishing height. Under the astonished gazes of the fans, two lightning-fast figures quickly intersected.
Joe Johnson and Zhou Yi, destined to be opponents, saw each other’s figures. Joe Johnson’s gaze became even sharper, and Zhou Yi’s stare grew even more intense.
Two clearly defined palms touched the basketball almost simultaneously.
With a snap, the basketball couldn’t withstand their incredible force and soared into the air once again.
With a muffled thud, Zhou Yi sighed helplessly. In fact, he should have had an advantage over his opponent in timing his second jump, but a moment of carelessness ruined his plans.
Just a few moments later, a loud dunk sound froze the atmosphere at the scene.
The ball ended up in Mike Bibby’s hands, and he didn’t even have time to adjust. With a gentle push on the bottom of the ball, it quickly flew over the heads of the Pistons players.
As the ball was about to cross the baseline, a tall figure quickly cut in from the right side, entered the paint, and leaped up just two steps from the free-throw line, executing a battle-axe dunk to give the Eagles an early lead.
Watching Joe Johnson easily high-five his teammates, the atmosphere on the court became extremely awkward.
Maddie caught the ball at the baseline and quickly pushed it forward into the middle of the court.
Zhou Yi rushed forward to meet it, skillfully controlling the ball with his right hand while using his left to direct his teammates’ movements. The Pistons’ interior players weren’t fast. So, one of Zhou Yi’s key tasks in this game was to control the pace—only by dragging the game into close combat could the Pistons increase their chances of winning.
The Eagles’ head coach, Larry Drew, naturally placed great importance on this game. He assigned Joe Johnson to guard Zhou Yi specifically. Mike Bibby was a good defender, but his speed was clearly not on the same level, while Joe Johnson was at the peak of his career.

Zhou Yi’s body suddenly sank, and Joe Johnson’s gaze sharpened. Highly focused, Zhou Yi didn’t choose to break through instead passing the ball to McGrady on the right, quickly slipping past Joe Johnson.

The Hawks’ switch defense was extremely fast. As soon as the ball reached him, Mike Bibby quickly appeared in front of him. McGrady was shocked—there were issues with handling the ball. To avoid Bibby’s aerial interception, he passed the ball very high, so much so that when it reached above Zhou Yi’s head, Zhou Yi had to leap to catch it.

Glancing briefly at the basketball above his head, Zhou Yi had an idea. Keeping his speed at its limit, Joe Johnson had already predicted his breakthrough route and even figured out Zhou Yi’s actions after catching the ball the moment he saw it.

The only thing that surprised him was that Zhou Yi ignored the basketball above his head. After all, there were no players on the Pistons’ right side of the paint, and given the ball’s trajectory, without any Hawks players intercepting it, it would definitely cross the baseline.

Watching the ball approach rapidly, Joe Johnson hesitated for a moment. With such a pass, if he didn’t interfere, it would definitely cross the baseline, but catching it posed no difficulty for him.

At that moment of distraction, Zhou Yi quickly closed in, pressing his back tightly against Joe Johnson, and with agile steps, easily broke through to the right of Joe Johnson.

Joe Johnson was shocked and quickly stepped forward to cover, but Zhou Yi wouldn’t let him do so easily. At the moment of breaking through, he had already leaped up and effortlessly grabbed the ball.

Under the gaze of all the fans, Zhou Yi twisted in mid-air, his body seemingly freezing in place as he gently pushed the ball, causing it to float into the basket a few feet away.

Amidst the cheers of the crowd, Zhou Yi raised his right hand high before quickly retreating. The Hawks’ fast break was truly astonishing. In the blink of an eye, Mike Bibby made a spectacular pass, sending the ball across most of the court from near the free-throw line, while the Pistons’ front player had just reached the midline.

Josh Smith caught the ball effortlessly, using his amazing jumping ability and a beautiful axe handle dunk to help the Hawks regain the lead.

Josh Smith’s awareness of fast breaks is the best among the Eagles. Since joining the team, he has been its second-leading scorer, with Joe Johnson being the top scorer. However, Joe Johnson’s presence hasn’t affected Josh Smith’s performance at all. His accurate mid-range shots and excellent post-play skills make him stand out among the Eagles. So far this season, he averages 18.9 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game, excelling both offensively and defensively, especially in defense.

Watching Joe Johnson, who is about two steps away, Zhou Yi looks very serious. Among the Eagles’ five starting players, Joe Johnson is the best choice to defend him.

With realistic feints and months of practice, Zhou Yi’s breakthrough moves are no longer flashy—they’re more aggressive. His timing and choice of breakthrough routes are also more precise. The simpler his moves, combined with his unmatched speed, make his breakthroughs even more devastating.

Joe Johnson’s expression is serious as he focuses intently on Zhou Yi’s movements. Zhou Yi’s skilled ball-handling makes it difficult for Joe Johnson to think about coming forward to steal the ball.

With a crisp sound of the basketball, Zhou Yi’s lightning-fast movement makes Joe Johnson’s eyes narrow. Yet even so, he can’t see Zhou Yi’s actions clearly and only feels a tremendous force coming from his left arm.

Zhou Yi’s breakthrough is a perfect combination of skill and strength. Joe Johnson’s center of gravity is almost disrupted. Gritting his teeth, he stays firmly in place, knowing that if he can stop Zhou Yi for a moment, his teammates will quickly fill in the gap.

As he breaks through, Zhou Yi doesn’t forget to observe the positions of the other players. Inside, Greg Monroe is in an excellent position, tightly containing Al Horford behind him. But this isn’t Monroe’s preferred area for attacking, while Mike Bibby is quickly moving in to help defend.

Zhou Yi, who was leaning forward, is pulled back forcefully. His entire body weight rests heavily on Joe Johnson, while his right hand, holding the ball, suddenly presses down at an angle out of Joe Johnson’s line of sight.

Although Joe Johnson guesses Zhou Yi’s intention, he can’t react in time. He never expected to be manipulated so easily.

Mike Bibby watched helplessly as the ball flew past him; just two steps away and he could have grabbed it. Zhou Yi’s passing was always frustrating—in today’s NBA, there were two players whose passing was especially frustrating: Zhou Yi and Steve Nash.

Zhou Yi’s pass was perfect; Greg Monroe didn’t even need to bend down and easily caught the ball. With his right hand skillfully controlling the ball, he pressed close to Al Horford and moved step by step toward the basket.

With a roar, Greg Monroe slammed his right hand down. As the ball rose and fell, he unleashed all his strength, forcing Al Horford to take two steps back. Before Al Horford could regain his position, Greg Monroe quickly turned and dunked with one hand.

Amidst the cheers of the crowd, Greg Monroe accepted high-fives from his teammates before slowly walking to the free-throw line. Earlier, Al Horford had hit Greg Monroe’s wrist while positioning himself.

“Thwack”—Greg Monroe’s free throw seemed too forceful, hitting the back of the rim and bouncing right out. Al Horford easily grabbed the rebound.

Greg Monroe cried out in pain, waved his right hand in frustration, and quickly returned to defense. The Hawks’ speed left no time for him to dwell on his mistake.

Faced with Zhou Yi’s defense, Mike Bibby hesitated not at all. With just one tentative drive, he cleverly passed the ball to Joe Johnson on the other side. It was McGrady who was guarding Joe Johnson.

Without hesitation, Joe Johnson caught the ball and shot a three-pointer right over McGrady’s head. “Swish”—the ball went through the net. McGrady didn’t even have time to react. Joe Johnson’s decisive shot left the well-prepared McGrady unable to defend.

7:5—the Hawks regained the lead. Joe Johnson was in excellent form that day, scoring 5 points by himself just over a minute into the game.

According to the pre-game strategy, the first quarter should focus on the interior play. But Greg Monroe’s position wasn’t ideal, so they quickly passed the ball to Ben Wallace. In his haste, Ben Wallace missed the shot.

The Eagles secured the first rebound in the backcourt of this game. Al Horford grabbed the rebound and quickly passed it to Mike Bibby. Bibby, Josh Smith, and Joe Johnson formed a trio that swiftly moved toward the Pistons’ backcourt.
The Pistons’ starting lineup wasn’t very fast, with Andre Iguodala being the relatively faster one. Yet near the midcourt, they were still left far behind by Joe Johnson and the others. By then, only Zhou Yi was left on the Pistons’ half-court.
A three-on-one situation was something many fans couldn’t bear to watch—three players, especially three strong ones, meant scoring was only a matter of time.
Zhou Yi couldn’t help but gasp. How could he defend against this? Mike Bibby was in the center, with Josh Smith and Joe Johnson on either wing.
At that moment, Zhou Yi was like a leaf in a storm, his eyes flickering between the three players as he quickly backed away.
As Zhou Yi neared the free-throw line, Mike Bibby threw the ball lightly while in motion. It effortlessly landed in Joe Johnson’s hands. Zhou Yi had no choice but to shift his position to the left. The ball didn’t pause in Joe Johnson’s hands at all—he gently supported the bottom of the ball with his left hand, and it lightly flew over Zhou Yi’s head to Josh Smith on the other side.
Over such a short distance from the free-throw line to the basket, the three Eagles players completed five passes, forcing Zhou Yi to run back and forth between them.
Such a stunning scene made many fans close their eyes.
After catching the ball, Josh Smith leaped up, raising it high above his head with his right hand. Zhou Yi rushed at him quickly.
Seeing Zhou Yi approaching, a faint smile appeared on Josh Smith’s lips. With a slight motion of his right hand, the ball floated over Zhou Yi’s head.
Zhou Yi gritted his teeth and had to run back at full speed.
Joe Johnson had already jumped into the air, easily catching the ball. At that moment, he was right above the basket, his tense body like a bow ready to shoot.
With a roar, Joe Johnson’s red-faced face stood out even more under the lights. The fans on the Eagles’ bench stood up eagerly, awaiting the moment of the storm.
The moment Joe Johnson’s right arm swung down, he too enjoyed the silence in the arena—but just as the ball was about to touch the basket…

A lightning-fast figure came from the side, startling Joe Johnson. Before he could react, he felt a tremendous force in his hands. With a loud thud, the basketball in Joe Johnson’s hands hit the front of the basket, and Zhou Yi and Joe Johnson collided violently, falling to the floor together. As their feet hit the ground, a deafening dunk sound echoed above them. Josh Smith caught the rebounded basketball and completed an immediate dunk. However, the focus on the court wasn’t on Josh Smith but on the two still entangled players. Zhou Yi’s block earlier had been astonishing—he had turned the situation around, forcing the ball into the basket despite being at a disadvantage. Amid the cheers of the crowd, the two separated. Josh Smith and Mike Bibby helped them up. After lifting Zhou Yi, Josh Smith patted his shoulder and said, “Good job, but I definitely won’t hold back.” Ben Wallace’s second attempt was disrupted by his opponent, while Zhou Yi was inside, creating an opportunity for Ben Wallace with his drives and passes. Ben Wallace still hesitated before shooting, and Josh Smith saw his shooting path, jumping early to disrupt him, resulting in a brilliant fast break for the opponent. 15:7—just over four minutes into the first quarter, the Eagles had made six shots out of eight attempts, while the Pistons were struggling offensively. Their attacks mainly focused on Zhou Yi and Greg Monroe. Zhou Yi scored on both of his attempts, and Greg Monroe made one out of two shots but missed all three free throws. The other players missed all four of their attempts. John Kuester called a timeout. The Pistons’ problems weren’t just offensive; their defense was also flawed, especially in switching defenses, as they couldn’t adapt to the Eagles’ fast breaks. Additionally, Mike Bibby’s playmaking allowed the Eagles to frequently launch mismatched attacks—Josh Smith going one-on-one with McGrady, and Marvin Williams attacking Greg Monroe in a mismatch. This situation was highly disadvantageous for the Pistons.

John Kuester doesn’t seem to have any good solutions; the current roster is already the Pistons’ strongest. The Eagles’ fast breaks are something the Pistons are completely unaccustomed to dealing with. Trading McGrady for Will Bynum might be a good idea, but both players have their strengths. Will Bynum has excellent physical fitness and strong breakthrough skills, but his mid-to-long range shooting is inaccurate, and his defense is far from reliable. McGrady isn’t in as good physical shape as before, but he has more experience. In such a situation, trading McGrady for Will Bynum would only make the Pistons’ defensive problems more apparent.

Chapter 328: Capture the Eagles or Break Through? (Part 2)

After the timeout, the Pistons simply replaced Ben Wallace with Samuel Dalembert. Ben Wallace’s performance earlier was terrible—all three of his attempts missed, and he was hesitant in attacking. Although his defense was solid, he was too old. Samuel Dalembert, on the other hand, has strong confidence, a fierce fighting spirit, solid fundamentals, and agility. He plays smart, excels in close combat under the basket, and often catches opponents off guard with his long-range shots combined with rebounds for second-chance attacks.

Once the game resumed, both the Eagles and Pistons continued to attack aggressively. Mike Bibby, Joe Johnson, and Josh Smith took turns pressing the Pistons in the paint, while the Pistons’ offensive performance also improved significantly. With a score of 23:11, the Pistons’ lead widened further. Zhou Yi slowly drove the ball across half-court. The pace of the game earlier was too fast—ideal for the Eagles, but left the Pistons struggling to keep up, putting them in a very passive position. Fortunately, Greg Monroe did well in the paint, preventing the score from widening even more.

Zhou Yi skillfully controlled the ball and said, “Everyone, don’t rush. Just make sure to score properly.” “A twelve-point gap isn’t a huge problem. In the past, the Pistons would hardly have any chance to turn things around. But with Greg Monroe and Zhou Yi around, the Pistons still have a good chance. Although Zhou Yi hasn’t been with the Pistons for long, his impact is obvious. In just a few minutes, he showed true leadership,” said the commentator.

The Pistons were very active on offense. After the timeout, the biggest change was the increased enthusiasm of the players, who moved around the court very actively.

Samuel Dalembert cleverly pulled to the perimeter to set up a pick-and-roll for Zhou Yi; Marvin Williams’ path was blocked by him. In that instant, Zhou Yi made a lightning-fast breakthrough—so swiftly that Marvin Williams lost sight of him in an instant. Mike Bibby, after all, was older, his footwork far less agile than before. Though his defensive skills were excellent, against Zhou Yi’s overwhelming speed, he had no choice but to accept being beaten through.

Now, the only one standing in Zhou Yi’s way was Josh Smith. Josh Smith had astonishing athletic talent, especially a powerful offensive ability, and defense had always been his strength. With his physical condition, he could have become an excellent defensive player. However, his attitude toward defense was very lax, and effective defense from him was rarely seen in games. A guard as sharp and agile as Zhou Yi was his natural enemy. Marvin Williams, having shaken off Samuel Dalembert, quickly cut in as well.

Josh Smith was aware of his own defensive limitations, but he was smart enough not to rush in recklessly. Instead, he assessed Zhou Yi’s path and tried to push him toward the baseline. If he could slow Zhou Yi down just a bit, Marvin Williams could quickly close in for a double-team.

Zhou Yi didn’t force his way toward the basket. At the moment their bodies were about to touch, he quickly tilted his body to the right, rotating on the tip of his right foot while springing upward. His entire body arched diagonally across the baseline, tilted at a 45-degree angle in the air.

Josh Smith quickly closed in, using his body to block Zhou Yi’s shooting space. To his relief, Marvin Williams also arrived in time. Zhou Yi’s choice was undoubtedly foolish.

With a loud shout, Zhou Yi, hanging upside down in the air, threw the ball forcefully with his right hand. The ball flew across half the court and landed in the hands of Andre Iguodala on the left wing.

At that moment, there was no one in front of Andre Iguodala. With no defender around, he calmly adjusted the ball in his hands and easily jumped from beyond the three-point line to shoot.

With a crisp swish, the net rippled.

23:14—the Pistons had once again narrowed the score to single digits.

“Zhou Yi’s passes are truly pleasing to watch, along with his excellent overall game awareness. Just now, he didn’t deliberately watch his teammates’ positions, yet under such circumstances, he accurately passed the ball to Andre Iguodala,” the commentator praised. Zhou Yi’s breakthrough earlier had already drawn all of the Eagles’ attention, and the pass was timely enough to give Iguodala a calm shooting opportunity.

Half a minute later, Zhou Yi almost in the same position and using the same method passed the ball to McGrady again, who scored the Pistons’ second three-pointer of the game.

23:17 — the Pistons were only six points behind. Two consecutive three-pointers re-energized the crowd. The fans, who had seemed somewhat disheartened earlier, became excited once again and cheered enthusiastically for the Pistons.

The Eagles’ head coach, Larry Drew, also became anxious and started directing from the sidelines. Only after being advised by the referee did he return to the bench. At least for now, the Pistons had the upper hand on the court.

In the rest of the first quarter, both teams entered a tight battle. The Pistons’ players defended aggressively, preventing the opponent from expanding their lead. The Eagles eventually ended the first quarter leading by 7 points, 29:22.

The Pistons’ players were still satisfied with this result. They returned to their seats chatting and laughing, except for Zhou Yi, whose expression was serious. He sat on the bench, out of breath, quickly rehydrating after his intense exertion in those few minutes. Most of the Pistons’ scoring opportunities came from Zhou Yi’s breakthrough passes, and the Eagles’ defense against him grew stronger by the moment.

Greg Monroe gently patted Zhou Yi on the shoulder, sighed, and sat down next to him. He was well aware that the Pistons’ offense relied on Zhou Yi’s relentless breakthroughs, while he himself struggled to make progress in the paint. Al Horford had also become much smarter, using his physical advantages to make it difficult for Monroe to get to the shooting position.

Zhou Yi refused John Kuester’s offer to take a break. Both teams were tied at the moment, but once the Pistons started rotating players, the huge difference in their bench strength would surely make things more difficult for them.

The Pistons’ five players for the second quarter were: Greg Monroe, Charlie Villanueva, Samuel Dalembert, Will Bynum, and Zhou Yi.

The five players on the Eagles’ team were: Zaza Pachulia, Joe Johnson, Jason Collins, Mike Bibby, and Marvin Williams.
As Samuel Dalembert stepped to the free-throw line, Zhou Yi took a deep breath to steady his mindset.
Mike Bibby, with his pale face showing no emotion, slightly spread his arms, bent his upper body slightly, and fixed his sharp gaze on Zhou Yi.
After several attempts by Zhou Yi, Mike Bibby remained unmoved. Zhou Yi couldn’t help but sigh; as time passed, he had no choice but to pass the ball to Will Bynum.
Mike Bibby, nicknamed “The White Devil,” was known for his calm playing style. He was a cool-headed player with excellent skills, good at passing, and versatile in offense. Especially in critical moments, he never hesitated. Those who knew Mike Bibby well understood that he was extremely calm while playing, knowing how to use his strengths to counter his opponents. His defense as a guard was top-notch: quick eyesight, fierce tackling, high jumping ability, and fast running speed. Most importantly, he had patience. His opponents would always realize, no matter how smart or patient they thought they were, that facing Mike Bibby meant they would always feel their patience wasn’t enough.
When Will Bynum saw Marvin Williams ahead of him, he became excited. He performed several flashy feints, shifted his weight, and rushed forward.
Marvin Williams smiled, watching Will Bynum’s moves. Calmly stepping back, he easily stopped Will Bynum from moving forward. His dark right hand shot out like lightning, gently pushing at Will Bynum’s right side.
It seemed Will Bynum was cooperating with Marvin Williams’ move. As Marvin Williams’ right hand reached his right side, he raised the ball to his waist, and with a gentle push, the ball rolled away.
Amidst the sighs of the fans, Will Bynum was also shocked. His skillful ball control had always been his pride, but he never expected it to be disrupted so easily. However, he remained calm. He quickly turned, stretched out his left arm to block Marvin Williams’ body, and stepped forward swiftly to regain control of the ball.

Seeing Will Bynum’s calm performance, Marvin Williams also showed a cautious look. But Marvin Williams wasn’t easy to deal with—he quickly filled in the gap, and Will Bynum held the ball close to his chest. Watching what had just happened, Zhou Yi quickly ran back to support Will Bynum. With a burst of speed, he easily outpaced Marvin Williams. The moment Zhou Yi broke through, Joe Johnson quickly closed in. It was thanks to Zhou Yi’s outstanding performance that the Pistons could keep up with their opponents in the second half of the first quarter. During the few minutes of rest, the Eagles’ head coach, Larry Drew, reorganized the tactics for the second quarter, with focusing on defending Zhou Yi being a top priority—Mike Bibby’s return to the game served that purpose as well. Just past the free-throw line, Zhou Yi’s feet seemed to be fitted with springs; he leaped up suddenly without warning, his upper body leaning forward at nearly a 45-degree angle due to inertia. Zhou Yi used both hands to push the ball forward, his left hand holding the ball while his right hand gave it a gentle push, sending the ball out in a nearly horizontal trajectory—exactly Steve Nash’s signature shooting style, the “horseback shooting” pose. Joe Johnson tried to jump in haste, but unfortunately, the ball flew over his head first. With a crisp swish of the net, the Pistons’ bench erupted in celebration—29:24, with only a 5-point difference left. John Kuester brought in Will Bynum precisely because of his breakthrough ability. Zhou Yi’s breakthroughs had already thrown the Eagles’ defense into chaos, and with Will Bynum added, they were attacking from two fronts. But Marvin Williams wasn’t Chris Jeff Tigg—Will Bynum’s breakthrough attempts had no effect. In just over three minutes on the court, he managed only one breakthrough past Marvin Williams’ defense, at the cost of two mistakes. 36:26—in no time, the Eagles regained a double-digit lead. Will Bynum’s presence hadn’t achieved the desired results. At this point, Zhou Yi somewhat missed McGrady; although he wasn’t as fast as McGrady, his extensive playing experience and superior offensive skills made him far more suitable for the Pistons at that moment than Will Bynum’s brute-force approach.

John Kuester wasn’t an incompetent player either. He watched Will Bynum’s performance on the court with concern, anxious as the Eagles regained the initiative. With no other choice, he called a timeout and brought back Tracy McGrady while replacing Samuel Dalembert with Ben Wallace. So far, only Greg Monroe and Zhou Yi remained on the court for the Pistons.

After the timeout, the Pistons were dismayed to see that the Eagles had also made changes, with Josh Smith replacing Joe Johnson.

“Greg, try to push the offense inside. Defense isn’t Josh Smith’s strongest suit, and his defensive attitude is poor—he’s also quite irritable. If we play smart, things will be easier from here,” Zhou Yi instructed Greg Monroe before he took the court.

A sharp whistle sounded. Greg Monroe reluctantly raised his right hand. Josh Smith used his backcutting style, but unfortunately, Charlie Villanueva’s defense was weak, allowing Josh Smith to push him back easily. Greg Monroe’s counterdefense came too late, costing the Pistons a free throw.

Swish. Josh Smith calmly made the free throw.

39:26. All their efforts from earlier were instantly wasted. Zhou Yi and Greg Monroe exchanged helpless looks—the Eagles were simply too strong, especially after years of training, having developed a solid chemistry among their players.

Seeing Mike Bibby ahead of him, Zhou Yi felt frustrated. Ever since Mike Bibby entered the game, his attempts to break through seemed to hit a wall. Mike Bibby’s defense was meticulous, especially when coordinating with Marvin Williams, forcing Zhou Yi to pass instead of breaking through.

Instead of trying to break through in the middle, Zhou Yi quickly brought the ball to the right wing, bypassing McGrady easily, and Mike Bibby left him far behind. Now with no defenders in front of him, Marvin Williams swiftly got past the Pistons’ players, moving at lightning speed with a fierce momentum.

Zhou Yi ignored Marvin Williams’ counterdefense completely. He lightly tapped the ground with his right foot and soared into the air. Before reaching his peak, he gently swung his right hand, shooting the ball as he was still ascending.

Swish. The ball went through the net the moment Zhou Yi landed.

Marvin Williams gave Zhou Yi a complex look. He thought his counter-defense had been timely enough—despite Zhou Yi’s fast movement, if Zhou Yi had attacked at the peak of his jump, he would have had enough confidence to stop him. But he never expected Zhou Yi’s attack to be so unpredictable.

The next two attacks by both teams ended without success. Greg Monroe was feeling frustrated. Two powerhouse players, Al Horford and Josh Smith, took turns facing him. Greg Monroe’s stamina was depleting rapidly, and stamina had never been his strength. Now, he was struggling inside the paint, but he knew well that the Pistons couldn’t do without him.

His lack of stamina directly affected his offensive efficiency. Greg Monroe missed two hook shots in a row, and his offensive positioning was too far out—clearly not his strongest style of play.

48:31, a 17-point gap—the largest so far in the game. There was still a little over four minutes left in the second quarter. The Pistons called another timeout. John Kuester brought Taylor Hansbrough back in, with Greg Monroe resting, and Andre Iguodala replacing Charlie Villanueva.

Zhou Yi gently moved his wrist, took a deep breath, and stepped back onto the court with heavy steps. The Eagles made another lineup change, bringing in five starters plus the player who had just returned. It seemed they wanted to seize the opportunity to close the gap, aiming to prevent the Pistons from turning things around by halftime. Especially since Mike Bibby had done a good job defending Zhou Yi earlier; bringing him back was clearly to keep an eye on him.

“Nearly twenty minutes of non-stop running—seems you really don’t spare your energy,” Mike Bibby said in a low voice.

Zhou Yi was momentarily stunned, unsure why this quiet player would say such things at this moment. His movements paused for a split second. At that exact moment, Mike Bibby’s right hand shot out like lightning, aiming at the basketball in Zhou Yi’s hands.

Feeling a lightness in his hand, Zhou Yi tensed up and quickly pulled back to regain control of the ball. His gaze toward Mike Bibby sharpened as he said in a deep voice, “That’s not very clever—a tactic that certainly won’t work on me.”

With a flash of lightning, Mike Bibby saw everything blur before Zhou Yi disappeared from sight.

By the time he reacted and turned around, Zhou Yi was already near the free-throw line, his agile movements unchanged from the start of the game. “Don’t let him shoot,” shouted Larry Drew, the Eagles’ head coach, excitedly from the sidelines. From that position, Zhou Yi had already made three shots, with the closest defender still several steps away. Zhou Yi’s pace showed no sign of slowing; in the blink of an eye, he appeared under the basket and dived inside. Larry Drew’s expression changed sharply—given Zhou Yi’s skills, he could have easily stopped and jumped for a shot, but he still rushed under the basket; his intentions were obvious. “Ding”—the coach realized too late. Just as he was about to warn him, the referee’s whistle blew. “Foul!” Zhou Yi’s layup was clear, and Al Horford wouldn’t miss such an opportunity; he immediately reached out to foul. “Three fouls!” The coach frowned at the stats in his hands. The Eagles’ most reliable player was Al Horford, whose ability to control the paint was outstanding. Zaza Pachulia’s offensive tactics were simple and nowhere near Al Horford’s level. Zhou Yi’s expression was strange—almost a wry smile. Especially his left hand hidden under his jersey, he thought to himself, “I was really careless just now. Thankfully it’s just my left hand.” “Swish,” “Swish”—two consecutive free throws went through the net, easing the pain in his left hand, though it still felt numb. 48:33—there was still a fifteen-point gap. Looking at the red numbers on the scoreboard, Zhou Yi made up his mind: with three and a half minutes left before halftime, it was the Pistons’ toughest moment. As long as they could prevent the opponent from widening the gap, there was still a chance in the second half. In the next few minutes, Zhou Yi rushed around tirelessly, becoming the most eye-catching figure on the court. Mike Bibby’s usually calm face also showed signs of anxiety. After being penetrated several times by Zhou Yi, he felt embarrassed to meet the Eagles’ coach’s expectant gaze. What troubled Larry Drew the most wasn’t Zhou Yi’s penetration. In fact, he knew beforehand that it was unlikely to truly contain Zhou Yi—his skills were too versatile, and he could always find ways to help the team. He didn’t think Mike Bibby could really stop Zhou Yi; he just hoped to limit his movement as much as possible.

What’s bothering him now is the issue with his interior players. Within three minutes, the Pistons’ ball control was almost entirely in Zhou Yi’s hands, who attacked the Eagles’ paint without any hesitation. In just three minutes, the referee’s whistle blew four times, resulting in ten points for the Pistons, along with three personal fouls for Al Horford, three for Josh Smith, and two for Zaza Pachulia. If he continues playing like this, he might really run out of interior players to rely on. With a “swish,” Zhou Yi’s last-second three-pointer was blocked by Marvin Williams right at the line. Zhou Yi looked at the smug Marvin Williams and could only shake his head helplessly. After over twenty minutes of intense play, Zhou Yi’s physical exhaustion was greater than ever before. At the moment of jumping, his legs went numb, severely affecting his jumping height. The final score between the two teams was 53:44, narrowing the gap to single digits. As soon as the referee’s whistle blew, Zhou Yi let out a sigh of relief and turned to leave the court. Unexpectedly, his legs failed him, and he stumbled. Fortunately, Josh Smith beside him caught him, otherwise he might have really fallen. “Thank you!” Zhou Yi said softly before breaking free from Josh Smith’s support—he couldn’t let others see his fatigue. In fact, how could Zhou Yi know that the scene of Josh Smith helping him had already been shown on the big screen at the venue to all the fans watching on TV? “Dear fans, the first half of the game is temporarily over. The current score is 53:44, with the Eagles leading the Pistons by 9 points. A 9-point gap doesn’t truly reflect the difference in strength between the two teams. Coach Zhang, could you explain the first half of the game for us?” The commentator handed the mic to Coach Zhang. “It must be said that the Eagles are very strong. At the start of the season, they even topped the Eastern Conference for two consecutive weeks. They take this game very seriously. The Pistons didn’t perform well in the first half; even Greg Monroe’s performance was average. The Eagles’ two interior stars consumed almost all of his energy. In the first half, Zhou Yi carried the entire team on his own. But as everyone saw just now, Zhou Yi’s stamina is already running low. We definitely can’t expect him to maintain such an excellent level in the second half.”

Coach Zhang seemed rather pessimistic in his remarks, and the commentator interjected, “No wonder the Pistons really have no chance.”
“As I’ve said before, the Eagles do have their flaws, but first and foremost, the Pistons need to do their best. At least in the first half, their performance was far from enough to beat the Eagles. Moreover, Zhou Yi created a very favorable situation for the Pistons in the first half—three of the Eagles’ interior players each accumulated three personal fouls. In the second half, it will depend on Greg Monroe’s performance,” Coach Zhang said, changing the topic.
In the locker room, John Kuester made final arrangements for the second half.
Zhou Yi was his biggest concern. He had already played 21 minutes in the first half, and John Kuester wanted him to rest before the second quarter, but Zhou Yi refused.
“Stop being stubborn. Listen to the coach this time. You know best how your body is feeling. In the first half, you let me sit on the bench with peace of mind. I hope you can trust me in the second half too,” Greg Monroe said earnestly.
Zhou Yi is a player who gets stronger the more pressure he faces. The more critical the moment, the clearer his mind becomes. He knows best how his body is doing. In a game, sheer determination without physical strength is utterly unrealistic—he’s not Superman after all. The events at the end of the first half served as a warning to him.
The five players who started for the Pistons in the second half were Greg Monroe, Ben Wallace, Andre Iguodala, Tracy McGrady, and Will Bynum.
After the second half began, Greg Monroe’s performance was completely different from that in the first half. He dominated inside, forcing Josh Smith to commit three fouls. Smith became hesitant in defense and couldn’t play freely offensively, allowing Greg Monroe to run the show inside. As a result, the Eagles’ head coach sent him to the bench.
Al Horford, who came in as a substitute, managed to contain Greg Monroe to some extent under the basket. However, he was called for a defensive foul during one defense, forcing the Eagles’ head coach to take him off the court. It seems he’ll have to wait until the last few minutes of the fourth quarter to get on the court.
Despite Greg Monroe’s outstanding performance, the Pistons failed to seize this opportunity to narrow the score gap. The Eagles ended the first three quarters leading by 13 points, 78–65.
In that quarter, Greg Monroe scored 15 points on 6 out of 8 attempts, including free throws. The other players combined for only 6 points.

Many fans left early in disappointment, but those who lingered outside quickly streamed into the Auburn Hills Palace to fill the seats they had left behind. The Pistons’ bench was quiet; John Kuester, looking at his players with heads bowed, was filled with disappointment. Yet as head coach, now was not the time to feel disheartened. Zhou Yi, who had rested for an entire quarter, had regained much of his energy. Throughout most of the NBA season, his average playing time had been increasing steadily, especially recently, with an average of 40.4 minutes per game, ranking third in the league. His stamina was astonishing, and his ability to recover was even more remarkable. In the final quarter, the Pistons brought back five starters, while the Eagles also sent in three starters, along with Damian Wilkins. The center position was occupied by Zaza Pachulia, while Al Horford, having already accumulated four personal fouls, could only sit on the bench in frustration. Zhou Yi slowly drove the ball across half-court—a pace he disliked the most. In the first half, due to several lost passes, his teammates seemed to react half a beat too late. Two consecutive passing mistakes were almost unheard of for Zhou Yi, but they happened in the second quarter. Mike Bibby’s expression was serious as he watched closely at the ball in Zhou Yi’s hands. At that moment, the basketball in Zhou Yi’s hands seemed like a lively sprite, performing incredible moves as it bounced around him. Mike Bibby didn’t rush to interfere. Zhou Yi’s drives were always unpredictable and hard to fathom. “Snap, snap, snap…” Zhou Yi’s ball-handling speed suddenly became extremely fast, with the ball constantly moving between his legs. Mike Bibby helplessly turned his head aside; such rapid changes made it hard for him to keep up. In the blink of an eye, Zhou Yi was out of sight. Mike Bibby felt a surge of concern, but he was prepared for this and calmly stepped back to block Zhou Yi’s path again. Zhou Yi lightly tapped his right foot on the floor and retracted like a spring. Before Mike Bibby could adjust his balance, his determined nature prevented him from giving up easily, and he quickly closed in again.

Under such circumstances, with his outstanding explosive power, Zhou Yi could easily have chosen to take a jump shot at Mike Bibby, who was already struggling to defend. Without a chance to adjust, it would be impossible for Bibby to leap into the air. Seeing that Zhou Yi was still in a driving stance, Mike Bibby heaved a long sigh of relief—so long as Zhou Yi didn’t shoot, he still had a chance to stop him. Moreover, after the delay, he believed his teammates could definitely fill in the gap. Almost repeating the same move, Mike Bibby stepped back, losing his balance as his body swayed in the air, his arms instinctively stretching out to maintain equilibrium. With a firm grip on the ball, Zhou Yi pulled it back again. Mike Bibby felt like crying—being manipulated like this by his opponent was unbearable for anyone. He really wanted to give up in frustration, but his instinct drove him to take half a step forward. A severe headache made Mike Bibby’s scalp tingle; his right ankle missed the ground, but he didn’t panic. At that critical moment, he quickly lifted his right foot, allowing his body to fall to the right. With a crisp “swish” as the ball went through the net, Zhou Yi glanced at Mike Bibby on the ground, smiled lightly, and quickly shifted his defense. The moment Zhou Yi shot, thunderous applause erupted throughout the arena. Many fans jumped up excitedly, venting their enthusiasm. Josh Smith easily got a chance for a jump shot from the right wing, while the aging Ben Wallace was still half a beat slow, allowing his opponent to score right over him. 82:70—still a twelve-point lead. Zhou Yi tried hard to suppress his emotions. No matter how much he strived, his defensive skills wouldn’t improve, and narrowing the gap was nothing but a fantasy. His tightly clenched teeth showed traces of blood, and his fierce gaze made the Eagles players who met his eyes instinctively look away. At this point, Zhou Yi’s eyes were red, and he resembled an angry lion king. Mike Bibby became even more cautious in his defense, staying closely attached to Zhou Yi. Any player needing space to drive required close defense as an effective countermeasure. On the other side of Mike Bibby, Marvin Williams rushed in like lightning.

Zhou Yi’s mind flashed quickly as he shook off Mike Bibby and swiftly cut toward the right wing along the three-point line. Maddie seized the opportunity and stepped forward in unison, while Zhou Yi quickly moved to his right side. “Such fast positioning changes,” Zhou Yi thought. Having gotten rid of Mike Bibby, he still didn’t get the shooting chance he needed—Josh Smith had already separated himself from Ben Wallace and appeared right in front of him. “Thankfully it’s Josh Smith,” Zhou Yi thought with relief. His shooting stance remained unchanged, but Josh Smith still seemed a step slow. Panicked, he lunged at Zhou Yi. Watching Josh Smith charging at him in mid-air, Zhou Yi tried hard to suppress his joy, but his shooting speed slowed significantly. Josh Smith, still in the air, wore a triumphant expression—finally catching up, he took his defensive position before Zhou Yi could shoot. His smile was bright, but it was fleeting. The basketball in Zhou Yi’s hands didn’t fly as he expected; instead, Zhou Yi quickly pulled it back. Having been in the league for several years, Josh Smith naturally guessed Zhou Yi’s next move. He could have dodged his opponent’s trap in mid-air, but his arrogance made him ready to block the shot. Seeing Josh Smith’s disappointed expression, Zhou Yi’s smile seemed especially glaring to him. He even thought to himself, “I lost this round, but I won’t let you have it so easy.” Facing Zhou Yi’s confident shot were Josh Smith’s arms. He had already made up his mind—no matter what, he couldn’t let his opponent shoot. With his hands firmly pressed by his opponent, Zhou Yi couldn’t shoot the basketball. Yet he wasn’t too disappointed. After all, plays like drawing fouls for 2+1 or 3+1 depend not only on a player’s skills and form but also luck. Just deceiving the opponent was already a victory. With Zhou Yi’s two free throws, the score gap between the two teams narrowed to 10 points: 82–72. Joe Johnson’s breakthrough ability was impressive, easily pushing Maddie out of his defensive position. Ben Wallace’s response was a step too slow, leaving him helpless as his opponent rushed to the free-throw line.

Greg Monroe had already accumulated three fouls by this point. In the first three quarters, the Pistons’ defense had been inconsistent, forcing Greg Monroe to constantly defend near the free-throw line. Fortunately, he was able to take a few minutes off before the half ended; otherwise, he might have also had to sit on the bench. With these concerns in mind, Monroe’s movements slowed slightly. Joe Johnson had already rushed to the basket, slamming his foot hard on the floor as his sturdy frame soared into the air with great momentum. Monroe was now pressed to the left by Joe Johnson, who held the ball above his head. Monroe gritted his teeth and prepared to fight back—he couldn’t accept being outdone like this right in front of him. Joe Johnson was extremely pleased, letting out a loud shout as he drove the ball hard toward the basket. Just as Monroe was about to turn, a lightning-fast figure flashed past him in a white jersey. Monroe felt relieved—he knew who it was. There was only one person on the Pistons with such incredible speed. A few surprised screams came from the Eagles’ bench. Joe Johnson, still in mid-air, couldn’t tell what his teammates were doing, but at the moment of the dunk, he felt something tickle the back of his neck, as if someone had blown on it. Unprepared, he shuddered, and his movements froze. Suddenly, the basketball in his hands grew heavy, and Joe Johnson was forced to fall forward. As he descended, he noticed a pale arm shooting out from behind his head, pressing down on the ball. With a loud thud, Joe Johnson felt an even greater rebound force surge from the ball into his arms. He couldn’t control his body and crashed to the floor. Chapter 329: Catching the Eagle or Pulling the Plug? (Part 2) The cheers in the Auburn Hills Palace stopped abruptly. Zhou Yi’s astonishing block made the fans feel as if they were on an NBA court themselves. Yet the rebounded ball landed firmly in Josh Smith’s hands. Now, only three players remained under the basket—Joe Johnson and Zhou Yi were locked in a struggle, while Greg Monroe was blocked by them, leaving no time to get through. Josh Smith took two quick steps and soared into the air.

With a thud, Josh Smith flew only a meter before crashing to the floor. His dark-faced expression showed embarrassment as he looked at his right hand—the basketball had disappeared the moment he jumped. The series of unexpected events caught the Eagles off guard; they watched helplessly as Zhou Yi launched a brilliant long pass, sending the ball straight from the backcourt to the frontcourt, by which time McGrady had already crossed half-court. McGrady accelerated, running from the Pistons’ half-court into the Eagles’ half-court. By the time he reached the free-throw line, the basketball was firmly in his hands. With a smooth three-step layup, he easily sent the ball through the hoop, scoring 2 points and completing this stunning fast break. 82:74—the score gap was finally reduced to single digits. The entire crowd cheered for number 37; in just ten seconds, Zhou Yi had shown everyone his remarkable all-around skills. Coming back strong, Zhou Yi, despite being far behind, caught up to Joe Johnson thanks to his astonishing speed. Joe Johnson had incredible jumping ability, but Zhou Yi managed to dunk the ball from behind him—his jumping power was clearly far superior. Moreover, while Josh Smith was in the air and tangled with Joe Johnson, Zhou Yi still demonstrated remarkable judgment, intercepting the ball with precision. It seemed simple, but it required intelligence, quick reflexes, and excellent physical condition—all of which were essential. As for the cross-court pass, it wasn’t particularly surprising; Zhou Yi’s passing skills were already beyond doubt, and such passes were common throughout most of his season. In the final quarter, the Eagles gradually sped up their offensive rhythm. It took only two or three seconds for the ball to cross half-court. Joe Johnson’s feint sent a shiver through McGrady—his exceptional flexibility and sudden changes in direction left McGrady with no time to react. Not only did the Eagles speed up their offense, but their defense did too. And this rotation proved highly effective. Zhou Yi was forced to stop in his tracks—Joe Johnson’s speed was too great. His only option was to try for a defensive foul, as there were at least two players inside the paint. With a quick change of direction, Joe Johnson easily shook off Ben Wallace and broke through three players in a row, causing excitement among the Eagles’ bench and a corner of the stands.

At this point, only Greg Monroe was left under the basket. Greg Monroe calmly stepped back, ready to act at any moment—should Joe Johnson dare enter his range, he would definitely not hold back. With the game having progressed this far, Greg Monroe couldn’t afford to commit too many fouls.
“Thwack.” Joe Johnson placed the ball at his waist and took a big step forward. Greg Monroe was highly focused, noticing every move Joe Johnson made.
“Thwack.” With such a large stride, Joe Johnson had already entered the paint, quickly lifting the ball above his head. Greg Monroe swiftly stepped forward, waiting for the perfect moment to contest the shot.
Joe Johnson’s astonishing explosive power and incredible jumping ability surpassed Greg Monroe’s expectations. Before Greg Monroe could swing his arms, Joe Johnson had already flown past him.
Reaching the right side of the basket, Joe Johnson used one hand to pull the rim and gently threw the ball in.
With a crisp swish, Joe Johnson landed steadily on the floor.
At that moment, the large screen in the Auburn Hills Palace Stadium clearly displayed what had just happened. With a surprised expression on Greg Monroe’s face, Joe Johnson had moved far enough to avoid being blocked—even if Greg Monroe had a chance to block, the distance was likely too great for him to reach the ball.
84:74—the score gap widened to double digits again.
John Kuester called the first timeout of the fourth quarter, with only 48 seconds left in the game.
89:79—the gap was still ten points.
Both teams were highly efficient during these few minutes, not just offensively but also defensively. At least in defense, the Pistons performed exceptionally well—responding quickly to switches, disrupting opponents’ pick-and-rolls, and covering gaps effectively. However, this trend was unfavorable for the Pistons. Recovering ten points from the Eagles in the remaining time wasn’t an easy task.
Taking advantage of the break, Zhou Yi quickly replenished the fluids he had lost. He had expended a great deal of energy in the previous few minutes, and his legs were now weak. Looking at Greg Monroe beside him, whose complexion also didn’t look good, it seemed his energy issues were worse than his own. Since the second half began, Greg Monroe had remained on the court constantly, especially in the third quarter, almost single-handedly driving the Pistons’ offense.

In fact, it wasn’t just those two; the other players also suffered severe physical exhaustion. McGrady collapsed on the bench as soon as he left the court. Although his efficiency wasn’t high, John Kuester didn’t dare replace him easily. The Eagles had a strong team, especially their bench players—Jamar Crawford’s performance was even better than that of their starters. There was little difference in quality between the Eagles’ starters and bench players, whereas the Pistons lacked such consistency; no one could fill the roles of their key players. Throughout the game, the Pistons were constantly at a disadvantage, so John Kuester hesitated to make any changes to the lineup. But the more he hesitated, the worse things got, as the starters’ stamina gradually declined. After much consideration, John Kuester replaced McGrady with Ben Gordon and James Posey with Andre Iguodala. “The Pistons made another lineup change. Ben Gordon and Andre Iguodala have good offensive skills and plenty of stamina. Under these circumstances, John Kuester is essentially gambling everything on them,” said Coach Zhang. The timeout passed quickly, and John Kuester had no effective tactics—only an emphasis on offense, which, at that point, seemed like the best way to solve the problem. With over 20,000 fans cheering loudly, it seemed there was no other way to help the team at that moment. Fueled by passion and determination, Zhou Yi completely forgot about his physical fatigue. His dedication to basketball meant he would never yield on the court. With McGrady out, Zhou Yi became the sole point guard. He quickly drove the ball across half-court. The slow pace ahead made things difficult for him. Jamar Crawford was very cautious in defense, determined not to fall for Zhou Yi’s fake moves again. With a slight shift of his shoulders, Zhou Yi dashed forward like lightning. The previous lesson left Jamar Crawford wary, causing him to stiffen slightly. By then, the figure in front of him had already disappeared.

Zhou Yi’s speed is unmatched in the league, but what’s meant by that is not his starting speed. Although his first step is astonishing, his overall speed may not surpass Iverson’s. What truly impresses is his speed once he gets moving—during his relentless dashes across the court, his speed becomes truly incredible. Once he makes that first move, Zhou Yi is confident that no one on the court can catch up to him.

Under impossible circumstances, Zhou Yi’s speed increases even further. Josh Smith only sees a blur before his eyes; his instinctively stretched right hand fails to even touch a speck of dust from Zhou Yi.

Al Horford and Marvin Williams watch as Zhou Yi’s unstoppable momentum continues. His earlier stunning performance has already embarrassed the Eagles, and they cannot allow their paint to become his playground.

With the Eagles applying a double-team, Zhou Yi’s expression becomes even more frenzied, his eyes glowing with a bloodthirsty light. Clutching the basketball tightly, he charges forward without hesitation.

With a low grunt, Zhou Yi feels suffocated as he slips through the gap between Al Horford and Marvin Williams. However, his opponents react quickly—allowing his arm to pass but trapping him against the floor.

Just before hitting the ground, Zhou Yi shakes his wrist forcefully, launching the basketball high into the air. Upon landing, he quickly turns to check. His instinct told him something wasn’t right when he shot—it was a risky attempt meant solely to create a free throw opportunity. As expected, the referee blows the whistle.

The basketball passes over the top of the rim before falling, hitting the inner edge of the hoop and bouncing back up, finally slipping inside just along the rim.

“Swish!” Zhou Yi slams his right hand against his chest. Even such a shot goes in—seems the goddess of luck is on his side.

Free throws are Zhou Yi’s safest scoring method, but in moments like this, any chance can turn the game around. He carefully adjusts the basketball in his hands before taking a deep breath.

“Bang”—the force of the shot seems a bit too strong, hitting the back of the rim. The moment the ball hits the rim, something inside Zhou Yi seems to shatter. He never expected that, despite his careful shooting under such pressure, it would end up like this.

The ball rotated twice around the rim before finally plunging into the basket. Zhou Yi realized that he was carrying too much mental burden; his excessive focus on shooting had made him hesitant when taking shots.
89:82—the score gap between the two teams had finally narrowed to 7 points, the smallest gap in the second half.
Andre Iguodala couldn’t stop Marvin Williams from breaking through. The opponent’s constant changes in direction made it easy for Iguodala to lose his defensive position.
There were no other Pistons players nearby. Watching Marvin Williams leap effortlessly and shoot with coordination, Zhou Yi felt a chill in his heart.
So far, the Pistons had performed at an exceptional defensive level, holding back their energy. But just one shot from the opponent could instantly drain that energy, leading to disaster for the Pistons. With a 9-point gap after three minutes, if they lost their fighting spirit, the game would be lost.
“Thud”—the shot was taken with too little force, hitting the back of the rim and bouncing right out.
Greg Monroe, with his agile movements, stepped back and rushed toward Al Horford, pressing closely against him to easily grab the rebound.
By now, Zhou Yi had already rushed across half-court like crazy. When Marvin Williams missed his shot, he noticed Zhou Yi’s movement and quickly chased after him. But Zhou Yi was too fast, and Marvin Williams felt the distance between them growing wider.
Greg Monroe watched the two of them moving like arrows leaving the bowstring, hesitating. In a pure speed race, Marvin Williams was far inferior to Zhou Yi.
But passing wasn’t Greg Monroe’s strength, especially long passes, which posed a challenge for him. If he threw too hard, the ball might fly over the baseline; if not hard enough, it might be intercepted by Marvin Williams.
Seeing the Eagles player approaching mid-court, he gritted his teeth, took a bold decision, and threw the ball with force.
“Greg Monroe’s pass—such a long pass is indeed rare from him,” the commentator said excitedly.
Greg Monroe’s pass wasn’t very fast, but it had great height. Josh Smith, near mid-court, tried to jump and intercept the ball, but after glancing at it in the air, he simply gave up. With such a high pass, even the best jumper would be helpless.

The basketball flew swiftly past the midline and the three-point line. Seeing it zipping overhead, Marvin Williams felt a knot form in his chest. By now, Zhou Yi had already rushed to the basket—once he got hold of the ball, there would be nothing he could do. As Marvin Williams dashed past the free-throw line, Zhou Yi had already turned around. Seeing the ball in the air, his expression changed instantly. Wasn’t that pass too high? With a sudden burst of strength, Zhou Yi launched himself into the air like a rocket, reaching out with his right hand to grab the ball. Severe pain shot through his middle and ring fingers. As the ball passed overhead, his two fingers luckily touched it, pushing it back into the air. But with such a forceful pass, relying solely on two fingers to change direction—and the immense impact force—no wonder Zhou Yi’s face looked so grim. There was no time for him to check his fingers. The moment he landed, Marvin Williams rushed into the basket like a gust of wind. Zhou Yi quickly turned, using his left arm to block Marvin Williams behind him and regain control of the ball. As soon as he got the ball, his right hand hurt again—the same pain as before. Panicked, he realized that with his hand in that condition, he couldn’t even feel how to shoot. Using his left arm to push off Marvin Williams, Zhou Yi quickly stepped to the right. In that instant, he leaped into the air, moving another half meter to the right, then executed a small spin with his right hand to shoot at the basket above him. 92:87—there was still 1 minute and 27 seconds left in the game, with a 5-point gap. The Eagles’ head coach, Larry Drew, immediately called a timeout. The Eagles’ offense had been struggling in the previous few minutes, and Zhou Yi’s sudden surge had completely disrupted their strategy. Zhou Yi’s smiling expression inspired all his teammates, especially those on the bench, who excitedly rushed forward to hug him. Though his expression seemed relaxed, he wasn’t actually feeling good. His right hand, wrapped under his jersey, was numb and sore—after glancing at it, he saw it was even slightly swollen. There could be no worse news at this moment. His touch had always been Zhou Yi’s greatest strength, essential for both shooting and ball control. His ability to blend himself with the ball relied entirely on his exceptional touch.

The Pistons’ locker room was filled with laughter, while the Eagles’ side was dead silent, especially Marvin Williams, who looked extremely grim. Despite still leading by 5 points, the team was completely on the defensive. His previous shot, which would have gone in most of the time under normal circumstances, missed at such a critical moment.

After the game resumed, the Eagles replaced Jamal Crawford with Mike Bibby. Zhou Yi’s breakthroughs usually started from him, and in critical situations, experienced veterans were the most reliable. Mike Bibby quickly drove the ball across half-court, seemingly ignoring Marvin Williams, who was trying to get the ball on the right wing, and gently lofted it into the paint.

Al Horford caught the ball near the free-throw line. Greg Monroe was about to defend him, but Josh Smith had already blocked his path. Panicked, Greg Monroe took a sharp step forward, but Josh Smith wouldn’t let him get the position easily; the two struggled physically. Al Horford took two quick steps forward, raised his hands—clearly ready for a dunk. Suddenly, everything went dark before his eyes as someone tightly grabbed his arm, pushing him back to the floor.

The referee’s whistle blew, and Zhou Yi easily shook off his arm and ran away happily. Al Horford walked to the free-throw line with a cold expression. His planned dunk had been ruined by his opponent, leaving him extremely frustrated.

Chapter 330: Hunting Eagles

“Bang!” Al Horford’s free throw was so forceful that the ball hit the inside of the rim, and the immense force sent it bouncing over the backboard. Zhou Yi clapped lightly below the basket, seemingly satisfied that his foul had paid off.

Losing his first free throw made Al Horford’s expression even darker. Losing free throws had a huge impact on a player’s mindset. Although Zhou Yi’s applause wasn’t loud, it still reached Al Horford’s ears clearly. He glared at Zhou Yi fiercely, gritted his teeth, and carefully pushed the ball forward.

“Thwack!” The ball bounced cheerfully on the floor, but Al Horford’s expression grew even more grim. The Eagles’ bench was also dead silent. No one expected Al Horford to miss such a crucial shot.

Amid the fans’ cheers, Greg Monroe quickly sent a ball from the baseline.

Zhou Yi was about to move when he felt his jersey tighten all over, and a tremendous force pulled at him from behind, causing him to stagger and nearly fall. However, this force lasted only briefly and disappeared before Zhou Yi could react. He turned around and saw indeed a torn fold on the back of his jersey. Mike Bibby ran away as if nothing had happened, but the referee seemed not to notice his earlier move. Greg Monroe intended to pass the ball to Zhou Yi, but Mike Bibby’s interference prevented Zhou Yi from reaching it, allowing Marvin Williams, who had moved first, to easily steal the ball and shake off Zhou Yi before diving straight toward the basket. His speed was astonishing; Zhou Yi admired him silently. He rushed forward with all his might—under no circumstances could he let the opponent score, or the game would truly end early. Marvin Williams, mid-air, used his core strength to spin 180 degrees beneath the basket. With Zhou Yi’s defense present, no of his moves could escape Marvin Williams’s attention. His exceptional flexibility allowed him to maintain balance as he gently threw the ball toward the basket behind him. The Eagles’ head coach, Larry Drew, had already rushed to the sidelines, holding his breath and clenching his fists, eagerly awaiting Marvin Williams to score. Zhou Yi stopped helplessly—Marvin Williams hadn’t left him any chance. “Is it really over already?” So close to victory, Zhou Yi felt as if all his pores had suddenly been blocked, giving him a suffocating sensation. “Get down!” A roar erupted. The moment his vision cleared again, he saw Marvin Williams’s right hand still raised, his expression blank, as the basketball flew toward him. Behind him, Greg Monroe’s furious face was visible, his huge right hand hovering in the air to the right of Marvin Williams. Zhou Yi instinctively caught the ball, but before he could move, Larry Drew called another timeout—this was the Eagles’ last chance for a timeout. At 51 seconds, the Eagles still led by 5 points, 92:87. Attack, attack—John Kuester kept emphasizing offense, causing Zhou Yi to frown slightly. Indeed, the Pistons had no other option but to attack at this point.

But defense is even more non-negotiable; all five players on the Eagles’ team possess strong scoring abilities. The timeout is always so short—before the head coaches of both teams can finish speaking, the timeout ends. After the timeout, the Pistons inbounded the ball at midcourt. Zhou Yi took a light step forward and steadily crossed to the other side of the court. However, the situation ahead shocked him—Marvin Williams had already moved up to near the midline to defend him, with Mike Bibby just two steps behind, his fierce gaze making Zhou Yi’s heart sink. It seemed the Eagles’ head coach really intended to shut him down completely. With Marvin Williams and Mike Bibby covering different positions and forming a overlapping defense, Zhou Yi had no choice but to pass the ball. After passing, he realized helplessly that Mike Bibby had gone to defend other players, while Marvin Williams remained motionless, staring at him from near the midline. Zhou Yi tried to cut past Marvin Williams from the right, but Marvin Williams was determined to block him, constantly moving to prevent him from succeeding. With constant pushing and pulling, Marvin Williams’ movements became chaotic. Zhou Yi’s breakthrough already posed a huge challenge for him; now, without the ball, he was not only faster but also more agile, easily leaving Marvin Williams behind. Greg Monroe kept trying to position himself inside, but the strong Al Horford never gave him a chance. Greg Monroe assessed his distance from the basket—this wasn’t his strong scoring spot, and his stamina was rapidly declining along with his shooting form, so he didn’t rush to attack. Seeing Zhou Yi break free from Marvin Williams, Greg Monroe quickly passed the ball. Marvin Williams chased closely behind, and Mike Bibby appeared in front of him almost at the same time. Under such circumstances, Zhou Yi couldn’t shoot at all, but he quickly moved sideways two steps and leaned forward slightly, a clear sign of preparing for a breakthrough. The two defenders, not daring to slack off, quickly followed up. Zhou Yi suddenly straightened his upper body, placed the ball on his right shoulder, and threw it backward forcefully before Marvin Williams could intercept it. It was then that the Eagles’ players noticed a Pistons player lurking near the three-point line on the left wing, with the basketball flying toward him at lightning speed.

Andre Iguodala took a step forward after catching the ball, leaped into the air, shook his wrists slightly, and the basketball spun rapidly in the air. With a crisp swish, the Auburn Hills Palace erupted in thunderous cheers, and the Pistons’ bench players jumped up excitedly, hugging each other. As the scoreboard updated, the cheers suddenly ceased. 92:89—the Pistons were still three points behind. Iguodala’s previous three-point shot had only counted as two points. John Kuester rushed to the referee, furious, to protest, but before doing so, he remembered to call a timeout. Watching Kuester’s red-faced anger, the referee shook his head slightly and pointed to the large screen in the Auburn Hills Palace, where the replay of the moment was shown: indeed, Iguodala was standing outside the three-point line when he caught the ball, but his habitual step forward caused his right foot to land exactly on the line. Iguodala sighed in frustration, not expecting to make such a basic mistake—the difference between a three-point shot and a two-point shot was enormous at this point. Thirty-two seconds left, 92:89—the Pistons were still three points behind. By now, both teams’ benches were extremely serious, and the crowd was filled with tension. No one was paying attention to the cheerleaders’ performances; everyone was focused on the final struggle between the two teams. “Thirty-two seconds left, a three-point difference—still, the Pistons have a good chance. With Zhou Yi’s outstanding performance, the Pistons can take control of the game in these few minutes. As the score narrows, the Pistons are showing an unprecedented level of defense. Timeout’s over—let’s look forward to the exciting performance from both teams in the last half minute,” said the commentator quickly before switching back to the live feed. He knew well that if his rambling delayed the game and kept fans from watching, he would surely be cursed by countless people. The Eagles held the ball, with Mike Bibby controlling it near the top of the key, while the other Eagles players quickly moved into position. But judging by Bibby’s demeanor, he didn’t seem eager to attack. With thirty-two seconds left, the initiative was in the Eagles’ hands. The more hasty the Eagles’ offense, the more time the Pistons would have. With the Eagles’ experienced head coach, they surely wouldn’t make such a basic mistake.

As time passed, Mike Bibby continued to control the ball leisurely beyond the three-point line, showing no urgency to attack.
“Foul strategy,” John Kuester shouted anxiously from the sidelines as time went by.
Andrei Iguodala hesitated for a moment after hearing this but still followed his coach’s advice. Just as he reached out, Zhou Yi suddenly cried, “Don’t, don’t foul now.”
No matter how much the Eagles tried to waste time, the Pistons still had at least ten seconds to organize their final attack. But if they fouled now, they would only get one shot at most, especially since the foul would be on Mike Bibby—essentially seeking their own downfall.
These two opposite suggestions left Andrei Iguodala caught in conflict. With his extensive playing experience, he should have had his own opinion.
While he hesitated, Mike Bibby took the opportunity to break free from his defense.
John Kuester kept yelling from the sidelines, but his target was Zhou Yi. In his view, it was Zhou Yi’s refusal to follow his instructions that gave the Eagles an opening.
After breaking through, Mike Bibby didn’t hesitate and headed straight to the basket. Before Greg Monroe could block him, he gently threw the ball up—performing this skillful shot countless times in his career.
Mike Bibby’s offensive move was brilliant, perfectly avoiding Greg Monroe’s block. However, the force behind his shot seemed too weak; the ball lost momentum as it reached the rim, allowing Greg Monroe to easily grab the rebound.
Greg Monroe threw the ball forcefully across the court. The timer now read 13.5 seconds—there was no time left for him to dawdle.
By now, Marvin Williams seemed determined, sticking closely to Zhou Yi, while Greg Monroe’s ball landed beyond the three-point line.
The two of them sped up frantically. Marvin Williams had initially been ahead by several lengths but didn’t rush to grab the ball. He knew full well that his speed couldn’t compete with Zhou Yi over such a long distance, so he gave up chasing the ball and instead used his body to disrupt Zhou Yi. As long as Zhou Yi couldn’t catch up with the ball, possession would naturally return to the Eagles.
With a harsh screeching sound, Zhou Yi’s right toe pressed hard against the floor, forcing him to stop abruptly. Marvin Williams, who was focused solely on him, also stopped immediately.

But after all, he stopped without preparation, losing his balance. While he struggled to regain it, Zhou Yi had already zipped past him. As the basketball crossed the three-point line, Zhou Yi accelerated again in an almost impossible manner. On the large screen, many fans were surprised to see afterimages trailing behind him. It wasn’t until Zhou Yi picked up the basketball inside the free-throw line that the anxious hearts of all the fans settled. Such astonishing speed had already captured everyone’s attention. With a simple one-handed dunk, the Pistons were only one point behind their opponent, with six seconds left in the game. “What incredible speed! I can’t believe it—this is the speed a human can reach. I suggest the officials extract that segment after the game; perhaps his speed has broken the sprint record,” said the commentator excitedly. In fact, not only him but everyone watching the game was amazed by Zhou Yi’s speed, especially the fans in the front rows. They had witnessed the brilliance firsthand—it was absolutely a visual feast. Many fans still hadn’t come around from their shock. But the players on the court didn’t have time to reflect; only six seconds remained, a critical moment for both teams. Mike Bibby was determined to prevent the ball from crossing half-court at all. The eight-second half-court limit was highly advantageous for the Eagles. Marvin Williams closely followed Zhou Yi, knowing full well that in this final moment, Zhou Yi was the one most likely to pull off a miracle for the Pistons. If they could stop him, just in those five short seconds, everything would be over. At the last moment, the Pistons’ players showed unprecedented enthusiasm, constantly moving to block. Josh Smith tossed the ball back and forth at the baseline, but couldn’t get it out. Suddenly, Josh Smith had an idea: Marvin Williams, seeing that all his teammates were tightly guarded and the passing deadline approaching, immediately stepped back a few steps, hoping to pass the ball temporarily. He was determined that even if they didn’t attack with this pass, they definitely wouldn’t give the opponent any chance. Josh Smith gently tossed the ball high into the air—so high that no one could intercept it along the way. Marvin Williams, however, was right at the forefront, with plenty of space to cushion the impact.

Josh Smith’s calculations were precise, while Marvin Williams watched the height of the basketball, realizing he definitely couldn’t reach it, so he immediately turned and rushed forward. The ball finally started to drop after crossing the midline, which pleased Marvin Williams. A furious scream made Marvin Williams pause mid-leap; the thunderous shout seemed to ring in his own ears. Turning around, he saw a tall figure launch himself into the air—his strong inertia kept his body leaning toward him even as he soared. A look of disbelief gradually appeared on Marvin Williams’ face as his mouth opened involuntarily; everything before him left him stunned. With a “thud,” Zhou Yi’s left toe slammed onto the floor, and his upper body quickly leaned downward. Seeing this, Marvin Williams gave up on attempting to steal the ball and even stepped back two steps, raising his hands to avoid being called for fouling if he fell. As Zhou Yi’s upper body became parallel to the floor, he suddenly rushed forward, trying to regain balance while running. The distance from the free-throw line to the basket gave Zhou Yi a chance to stabilize himself. By the time he threw the ball into the basket, it was already over—only 1.2 seconds remained for the Eagles. But remember, the Eagles no longer had the chance for a timeout; they could only take free throws from the baseline. As Marvin Williams took a desperate shot that didn’t even touch the basket, the referee’s whistle blew promptly. In fact, the game had already ended the moment Zhou Yi scored—the chance of Marvin Williams’ shot making it across half the court and into the basket was probably one in ten thousand. The moment the referee’s whistle sounded, the Auburn Hills Palace erupted in excitement. Tens of thousands of fans stood up in enthusiasm, with some more emotional fans even jumping from their seats and rushing toward the court. Fortunately, thorough preparations had prevented chaos. After two and a half hours of intense competition, the Pistons finally overcame their rivals, defeating the Eagles 93–92. Down by seven points at the end, the Pistons used their tenacious defense to score a 10–2 run and secure the victory.

Let’s take a look at the statistics of some key players for the Pistons. Greg Monroe made 10 of 17 shots, scoring 25 points, along with 11 rebounds and 3 blocks. Zhou Yi made 13 of 20 shots, scoring 37 points from both field goals and free throws—exactly matching his jersey number, haha… Additionally, Zhou Yi had 12 assists, 6 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 3 steals. He alone scored 12 of the Pistons’ final 19 points…
The celebration at the Auburn Hills Palace lasted for over half an hour, but after such an intense game, most players were exhausted. Half an hour later, another press conference awaited both teams.
Chapter 331: The Last Game Before All-Star Weekend
After a hard-fought victory over the Eagles, the Pistons faced the Indiana Pacers the next day. This game was also their last match before All-Star Weekend.
As the Pistons’ players entered the court, the atmosphere was gradually heightened by the DJ, especially when Zhou Yi appeared, causing the crowd to erupt in cheers.
Throughout most of the season, Zhou Yi had won many honors and won over the hearts of the Pistons’ fans.
Hearing the enthusiastic cheers from the fans, Zhou Yi felt emotional.
As the referee raised the ball, the game officially began.
The moment he received the ball, Zhou Yi calmed down again. Distraction during the game was the biggest no-no.
His opponent in defense was Rodney Stuckey, who had been traded from the Pistons to the Pacers. After much training throughout the season, he had secured a starting point guard spot for the Pacers.
With smooth dribbles and movement around the top of the key, Rodney Stuckey maintained his defensive stance without rushing to steal the ball.
Zhou Yi slowed down, raised the ball with his right hand, ready to shoot. Rodney Stuckey quickly stepped forward to block it. The ball landed beside his right hand, and instinctively, he tried to hook it. A shadow flashed by—as Zhou Yi blocked his path.
A force came from his right arm; his hand was pushed away as if hit by a speeding sports car, causing him to stumble and lose his position.
“Swish”—Zhou Yi easily made his free throw from the line.
Faced with Zhou Yi’s early advantage, Rodney Stuckey wasn’t willing to back down. With a clever bounce pass, he quickly passed the ball to Roy Hibbert inside to score with a hook shot.

Then Greg Monroe chased after the opponent and scored again, forcing Roy Hibbert into a defensive foul, which led to an additional free throw. Greg Monroe is an interior player skilled in movement; during fast breaks, he sometimes even outruns players like Andre Iguodala. Combined with his size, he’s like a small tank, charging forward with little one able to stop him, and he has many ways to attack under the basket. Both teams played smoothly offensively, but John Kuester wasn’t happy and kept shouting from the sidelines for better defense. Seeing this, Zhou Yi also urged everyone to step up their defense. The Pistons suddenly tightened their defense, and the Pacers made several mistakes in a row, allowing the Pistons to score a 10-0 run. The Pacers quickly called a timeout and adjusted their lineup, pushing Rodney Stuckey into the shooting guard position. Against Zhou Yi, he was at a clear disadvantage—not only unable to contain Zhou Yi’s performance but also restricted his own offensive capabilities. The results were immediate: against McGrady’s defense, he first scored on a one-on-one play, then intercepted Andre Iguodala’s pass. Zhou Yi took a step, cleverly evading the defense, attracted their attention, then passed behind his back to Andre Iguodala, who naturally didn’t miss the chance to hit a three-pointer. Zhou Yi stole the ball in the middle court and passed it long to Andre Iguodala, who, despite Greg Monroe’s attempt to block, scored another three-pointer. Andre Iguodala shouted a few times at Danny Granger as a show of defiance—having been pressured by the opponent all along, he was finally able to vent his frustration, which was truly satisfying. After receiving the ball, Rodney Stuckey raised his hand to pass, but suddenly saw a white blur in front of him and felt the ball go light in his hands. In shock, he turned around to see the massive player numbered 37, holding the ball, quickly breaking through the team’s defense and scoring with a layup. John Kuester stood up excitedly, applauding Zhou Yi’s performance. Zhou Yi’s goal, in terms of timing and execution, was undoubtedly perfect. Rodney Stuckey looked at player number 37, secretly admiring him—truly someone who had pushed him aside.

Rodney Stuckey didn’t confront Zhou Yi head-on. From the earlier scene, he had gained some understanding of Zhou Yi’s speed and steals ability. Zhou Yi was a very traditional point guard, focused on coordinating the team’s attacks; one-on-one confrontations were not his choice unless necessary. Especially against an outstanding opponent like Zhou Yi, it would be foolish to force a confrontation when one’s skills weren’t up to par.

Roy Hibbert took the initiative to get the ball inside, using his back strength to gradually push Greg Monroe into the three-second zone. With a sudden burst of power, he dunked with both hands, causing Greg Monroe to foul.

John Kuester frowned inwardly. Greg Monroe already had an exceptional physique, and it was unexpected that the opponent’s center was so strong. It seemed they really wouldn’t be an easy match.

Greg Monroe’s eyes burned with anger; he was very confident in his physical abilities. Being pushed around like this was quite rare for him.

“The home team’s player number 10 commits a defensive foul—2 points awarded, the away team’s player number 55 gets one free throw.”

At Zhou Yi’s reminder, Greg Monroe reluctantly raised his right hand.

At the start of the game, both teams mainly launchedprobing attacks attacks. As the back-and-forth continued, the score rose quickly. When the score reached 22:14, the Pacers called a timeout.

John Kuester remained uneasy about the game so far. Although his team led by 8 points, the opponent’s coordination inside and outside was smooth, making scoring opportunities easy to come by.

“Zhou, wait a moment. Try to attack the opponent’s interior as much as possible and get Roy Hibbert to foul a few times. That will make the game easier to control.” Having the interior constantly suppressed put a lot of pressure on the outside players as well.

He took a step to create distance between the two. This distance was enough for Zhou Yi to charge in. Watching Zhou Yi’s figure, Rodney Stuckey smiled bitterly. There was too much magic about this Chinese player—his speed left him in despair. He had been broken through several times in a row just now. As far as defending against breakthroughs went, he thought his years in the NBA had made him quite skilled in that area, but Zhou Yi’s speed kept him always a step behind.

Roy Hibbert saw Zhou Yi heading straight for his interior and became furious. In the earlier confrontation, he had had a clear advantage inside. He would never allow a point guard to act recklessly in his paint.

Watching Roy Hibbert’s unfriendly expression, Zhou Yi smirked coldly, thinking he was looking for an opportunity to hit him. He didn’t expect Hibbert to come looking for trouble so quickly. Stepping forward, Zhou Yi wasn’t afraid of Hibbert’s height; he jumped forcefully in front of him and, just as the two were about to collide, delivered a backhand hook shot. Three sounds—“bang,” “swish,” “drip”—came in succession. Before shooting, Zhou Yi had already blocked the referee’s view, giving the attacking player an advantage. He quickly got up and patted his jersey, feeling a bit regretful—he seemed a bit impulsive earlier. With his skills, he could have easily forced Hibbert to commit a foul, but after colliding uselessly, he realized these Black players had bodies as hard as granite. Zhou Yi walked calmly to the free-throw line; this was already the third time he’d done so in the first quarter. What pleased him even more was that there were still over three minutes left in the first quarter, and Roy Hibbert already had two fouls. The Pacers’ head coach would surely take him off the court soon to protect him. This meant Greg Monroe, the opposing team’s backup center, who was nowhere near his level, could freely dominate inside the paint. Just three minutes after Hibbert was taken off, the Pistons took advantage of Monroe’s inside strength to score a 9-2 run, quickly widening the score gap. With no other choice, the Pacers’ head coach brought Hibbert back in, telling him to be careful and arranging for someone else to cover him. As a last resort, he could commit a foul on his own. Yet he still underestimated Zhou Yi—Zhou Yi managed several one-on-one battles inside against Hibbert, succeeding repeatedly and forcing four fouls from him. By the end of the first half, the score was 48-32 in favor of the Pistons, with a 16-point lead. John Kuester, sitting on the sidelines, was beaming with joy. After giving a few brief instructions, he let the players rest. Today’s game had gone very well, especially after taking Zhou Yi off in the tenth minute, which reduced the team’s offensive efficiency. Still, for some newcomers, their performance was quite good.

In the second half, Zhou Yi was kept on the bench the whole time. John Kuester explained to him that the team’s biggest problem was lack of experience. His ability to coordinate the team’s attacks on the court could indeed enhance their offensive power, but it also meant they lacked practice. The Pacers were not a weak team; using them as a testing ground would make things easier in the future.

Will Bynum took Zhou Yi’s place. He was fast, had good ball-handling skills, and a broad field of vision. His playing style was similar to Zhou Yi’s. Will Bynum played calmly now, though he struggled to maintain rhythm, yet he advanced smoothly. Rodney Stuckey’s several attempts at steals failed, and he came close to being broken through by him.

In the second half, the Pacers adopted man-to-man defense—a decision made after the opposing coach studied them for half a game. With Zhou Yi out, the Pistons had mostly rookie players on the court. Undeniably, they performed well, but their shortcomings were obvious as well—they didn’t play well together. In the first half, Zhou Yi’s passing kept the Pacers occupied, allowing the opponents to play so smoothly.

Now, Zhou Yi sat on the sidelines wearing a jacket, resting. John Kuester’s intentions were clear—he wanted to use the Pacers to train his team. Such disregard for himself naturally angered the Pacers’ coach, but he also felt a hint of satisfaction. After so many encounters, his understanding of Zhou Yi grew increasingly mysterious.

Chapter 332: A Decisive Victory Over the Pacers

The Pacers’ tactics were successful. Under their intense man-to-man defense, Greg Monroe felt uncomfortable, his movements stiff, and he made several silly mistakes. Fortunately, the opponents’ shooting accuracy wasn’t high.

John Kuester had been prepared for this situation, but as the score narrowed, he grew anxious. He stood on the sidelines, clasped his hands, and shouted, “Damn it! Look at your offense and your defense!”

Greg Monroe smiled bitterly. “We don’t want this either. We don’t know why our hands and feet suddenly stopped working properly.”

Seeing John Kuester’s frustration, Zhou Yi held back a laugh and said, “Coach, the Pacers’ man-to-man defense is good. You can’t blame them entirely. It’s because you’re such a poor coach—you didn’t even bother to plan a strategy during the halftime break.”

Noticing Zhou Yi’s odd expression, John Kuester immediately understood what he meant. His anger dissipated, and he quickly called a timeout.

Greg Monroe looked at him with uneasy expressions one by one. John Kuester had a strange look on his face, filled with resentment, though it seemed not directed at them but rather at Zhou Yi, who was sitting nearby.
The pause was short. Holding a tactical board, John Kuester said, “The Pacers have always had strong defense. Jim O’Brien is also an excellent coach. Their man-to-man defense is specifically designed to target you. You need to believe in yourselves. Only those who are confident can bring out their true strength in a game. The Pistons used to be poor at half-court play, with their players not being good at defense. With your defense, you can definitely compete in half-court battles. The pick-and-roll is one of the most basic tactics in basketball half-court play—there’s limited space for movement, with more lateral and short vertical passes, allowing coordination among two or three players. Will, you handle passing timing well. I hope you can take on this responsibility.”
After the game started, Zhou Yi asked anxiously, “Coach, half-court play requires a high level of precision. Although the team has intensified training, given their current form, things might get worse.”
John Kuester replied seriously, “In fact, only intense competition can help them grow faster. Since the problem has arisen, instead of hiding it, it’s better to expose it completely. And I’m not worried about the game at all. I still have one card in my hand. If necessary, I can use it again.”
Half-court play isn’t visually appealing but is intense, and it can be boring for fans. The Pistons kept moving the State University players around through frequent passes. The coordination between Will Bynum and Andre Iguodala was quite seamless. Their pick-and-rolls created several great opportunities. At critical moments, Andre Iguodala showed his ability to seize opportunities, hitting three of five three-point attempts and scoring seventeen points by then.
Andre Iguodala’s shot missed, and Greg Monroe tightly held the ball against the opposing player. With his hands crossed between his legs, he dribbled. By then, only Josh McRoberts was left on the opposing team’s interior. Having waited so long inside, he decided to try to force his way through.
With a step back and a spin, he threw the ball into the basket before Josh McRoberts could react.
……
Greg Monroe used his back strength to push Josh McRoberts out of the paint, then spun around for a dunk, drawing a defensive foul from the opponent.
Greg Monroe converted the free throw, which also succeeded.

After going through some chaos earlier, the Pistons regained their form, becoming increasingly strong in close-quarters play. They not only restricted the opponent’s offense but also saw their own offense become smoother. Zhou Yi had to admire John Kuester’s vision—four of the players on the court this year were new recruits who not only had excellent skills but also great potential.

More than half of the third quarter had passed before Zhou Yi was substituted back in. With the opponent players looking helpless, he stopped abruptly and hit a jump shot, building a two-digit lead.

…

Andrei Iguodala and Zhou Yi combined for a two-on-one move that left Danny Granger defenseless; eventually, Iguodala drove the ball to the basket.

…

Zhou Yi stole the ball in the middle of the court and passed it up high. Greg Monroe, with his back pressed against the opponent’s interior player, was unable to move. Zhou Yi jumped in time and passed the ball accurately to him, who then turned halfway and hit a hook shot.