Chapter 137
In the third quarter, the Pistons scored another 32 points against the Rockets, as the Rockets’ interior offense struggled. Fortunately, Kevin Martin stepped up in time to boost the Rockets’ outside shooting, hitting five three-pointers in that quarter to keep the score close.
Even though they were trailing the Pistons by 12 points at 88–76, Rick Adelman still felt the urge to go wild.
In the final quarter, the Rockets replaced the underperforming Aaron Brooks with Kyle Lowry, who had recently secured a starting spot. Kyle Lowry has been a major discovery for the Rockets this season, delivering strong performances in almost every game. His offensive talent has brought new energy to the team’s outside lineup.
Learning from the first three quarters, Yao Ming positioned himself further inside and played more aggressively. Just 10 seconds into the quarter, he dunked over Ben Wallace, forcing a defensive foul. Letting go of the basket, Yao Ming growled.
Yao Ming’s free throws have always been among the most accurate in the Rockets’ team, exceeding 80% this season. After being dunked on by Yao Ming, Ben Wallace was naturally angry. In the following play, he attempted a backdoor hook shot with his back to Yao Ming, but unfortunately, the ball touched Yao Ming’s fingertips after release, bounced twice off the rim, and still didn’t go in.
Ben Wallace’s attack was sudden, and Greg Monroe had already rushed out to set up the outside players, but he was blocked by Yao Ming, leaving him to watch as the rebound went to Yao Ming.
The Rockets moved slowly. By the time Kyle Lowry brought the ball across half-court, the Pistons’ players had already formed a defense, and the ball was passed to Kevin Martin on the right wing. As soon as Kevin Martin received the ball, he sensed eyes on him. Glancing around with the ball in one hand, he met Zhou Yi’s gaze. Frustrated, Kevin Martin tried to force another foul over Ben Gordon but failed. So he passed the ball to Yao Ming inside. After catching it, Yao Ming scored another hook shot with the help of Ben.
On the Pistons’ side, Zhou Yi responded with a three-point shot.
Kevin Martin had many opportunities today, but his shooting form was poor—16 attempts, 5 hits, for 15 points, along with 3 rebounds and 2 assists.
With two key players in poor form, it was natural for the Rockets to perform poorly. However, their small forward, Sean Battier, was in good form today, hitting three three-pointers. Yao Ming scored cleverly inside, while Sean Battier easily made shots from beyond the three-point line. Greg Monroe’s jump shot rotated twice around the rim but still didn’t go in. “Damn it!” Greg Monroe cursed in frustration—no wonder he was so upset when such shots missed. Yao Ming quickly grabbed the rebound and passed the ball, and at that point, it was the Pistons’ half of the court; only Jordan Hill was left running alone. Yao Ming passed the ball to him just as he reached the free-throw line. Truly a forceful player—just two steps into the free-throw line, he leaped high. With a loud thud, Jordan Hill’s dunk significantly boosted the team’s morale. As one team’s morale rose, the Rockets’ morale soared, putting even more pressure on the Pistons. John Kuester noticed this immediately and called a timeout. But this time, he didn’t adjust the lineup or give any effective instructions; the timeout was simply to disrupt the Rockets’ high morale. He trusted his players to handle the situation. After the timeout, both teams brought in their starters to make a final push. Zhou Yi controlled the offense, quickly moving after passing the ball to Greg Monroe. Greg Monroe turned and hit a jump shot, also drawing a foul on Yao Ming—this was already Yao Ming’s fourth foul. The Rockets’ offense stalled, and the Pistons launched a counterattack. Zhou Yi set up a passing play, assisting McGrady in scoring with a dunk. Kevin Martin broke through McGrady twice in a row, entering the Pistons’ paint, and forced a shot that went in as Greg Monroe tried to defend him. Zhou Yi contributed again, passing behind his back to assist McGrady in hitting a three-point shot at the baseline as a counter to Kevin Martin. In the rest of the game, the Pistons not only increased their offensive pace but also strengthened their defense. After Yao Ming was ejected for six fouls, the Pistons didn’t give the Rockets any chance, ultimately defeating them 109:95.
In this game, Zhou Yi performed exceptionally well, scoring 25 points, providing 17 assists, grabbing 6 rebounds, and stealing 3 balls, with a shooting percentage as high as 70%. He was not only named the most valuable player of the game but also the most valuable player among all ten games that day. McGrady had an average performance, contributing 16 points, 5 assists, and 4 rebounds. Greg Monroe also had an outstanding game; in his brief matchup against Yao Ming, he delivered 23 points and 14 rebounds, showing no inferiority to his predecessor Yao Ming.
Yao Ming, as another key player, continued his recent strong form, scoring 27 points and 11 rebounds, along with 4 blocks. Kevin Martin, another core player for the Rockets, did not perform well under Zhou Yi’s defensive pressure but managed to score 21 points through free throws.
After the game, Yao Ming caught up with Zhou Yi and McGrady, exchanged memories, and then left the Auburn Hills Palace quickly, while Zhou Yi and the others stayed at the arena to celebrate the victory with the fans.
Chapter 341: The Jazz Are Coming!
On the morning of the 24th, Beijing time, the day after the game against the Rockets, the Pistons traveled to face the Indiana Pacers away from home.
In the game before facing the Rockets, the Pistons had played against the Pacers. The Pistons were confident in winning against a team like the Pacers and maintained a lead throughout the game thanks to their superior strength, at times leading by as much as 25 points.
The Pistons ultimately defeated the Pacers 106:92. Zhou Yi contributed 32 points and 9 rebounds, with only 6 assists. McGrady, another core player for the Pistons, recorded his first triple-double of the season—19 points, 11 assists, and 11 rebounds—becoming the best player of the game.
In the following two days, the Pistons flew to Philadelphia to take on the 76ers. The 76ers had made a trade with the Pistons earlier, sending Andre Iguodala to acquire Tyshawn Prince. Already focused on rebuilding, they could not withstand the Pistons’ momentum. After four quarters of play, the Pistons easily won 101:79.
However, after beating the 76ers, the Pistons were not overly excited, as both the 76ers and the Pacers were weak teams, and winning against them was not something to be proud of.
However, for the next game, they need to be at their best, because the Utah Jazz are coming! On February 27th, Beijing time, the Pistons hosted the Utah Jazz at the Auburn Hills Palace, in what would also be their last game of the month. The Pistons couldn’t afford to be careless against the Jazz, even though they weren’t high in the Western Conference standings—no one doubted their strength. This game was bound to be another tough fight for all the Pistons players. The game started on time at nine o’clock, with the Utah Jazz’s starting lineup consisting of center Memet Özkır, power forward Al Jefferson, small forward Andrey Kirilenko, shooting guard Rafer Alston, and point guard Deron Williams. The Jazz’s defense was absolutely strong, with the team playing in perfect coordination. Their smooth offense followed Jerry Sloan’s usual style, and they currently had an average of 24.1 assists per game, second only to the Pistons’ 26.3, ranking second in the league. Greg Monroe looked very serious; the Pistons wouldn’t dare slack off against these guests from afar. The Jazz’s three big players were all highly skilled, and they were the key to determining the outcome of the game. The ball was thrown high into the air. Two strong players shouted as it reached its peak, then launched themselves like rockets. Under the dazzling lights and countless flashlights of the NBA court, their figures appeared especially tall, with even their facial expressions clearly visible on the giant screen. With almost simultaneous “thumps,” both players touched the ball. Their tensed muscles and sweat-covered faces became the focus of the court. Greg Monroe ultimately had the upper hand in strength and pushed the ball toward Zhou Yi. But the ball, clearly affected by what had just happened, traveled only a short distance before falling straight to the floor. At that moment, the ball was between McGrady and Rafer Alston. Alston was also bulky, with strong upper limbs and shoulders, good running ability, fast stamina, and a fearless attitude toward physical contact, along with a solid base. With a “bang,” the two collided simultaneously. McGrady’s relatively frail body was pushed aside, and Alston seized the ball. Alston didn’t hold onto the ball for too long; he gently pushed it from below, causing it to change direction quickly, heading straight for Deron Williams.
This season, Deron Williams has passed the ball to Al Jefferson in most of his assists. With Jefferson providing presence in the paint, Deron Williams has more open shots, which naturally leads to a significant boost in his stats. On the league’s assists leaderboard, he ranks fifth with 9.5 assists, ahead of Nash with 11.3, Zhou Yi with 10.8, Chris Paul with 10.1, and Jason Kidd with 9.7. Deron Williams quickly drove the ball past half-court, but the opportunity he was hoping for didn’t arise—Zhou Yi appeared right in front of him. Faced with Zhou Yi’s meticulous defense, Deron Williams couldn’t afford to slack off in the slightest. The pick-and-roll is the most basic offensive tactic in half-court play, but the Jazz’s version is a hallmark of Jerry Sloan’s style. Through pick-and-rolls, the Jazz can develop numerous offensive patterns; back in the day, Karl Malone and Sloan Kenton combined to create the legendary “Utah Twin Towers.” Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer could have formed a “new Utah Twin Towers,” but Boozer moved to Chicago over the summer, and in exchange, the Jazz acquired Al Jefferson, the former “Wolf King.” Now, Deron Williams and Al Jefferson’s pick-and-rolls seem poised to create a “new Utah Twin Towers.” With Andrey Kirilenko and any two or three other Jazz players, pick-and-rolls can be used effectively—whether between interior players and perimeter players or among interior players themselves. Pick-and-rolls are also the key to the Jazz’s resurgence this year. As Deron Williams failed several times to break through, Andrey Kirilenko quickly pulled him back and set up a simple pick-and-roll with him. Under Jerry Sloan’s guidance, the pick-and-roll tactic has returned to its simplest form—the simpler it is, the more effective it becomes. Although Zhou Yi was prepared for this move, he was completely blocked when facing Kirilenko and watched helplessly as Deron Williams passed the ball to the interior. Rafer Alston drove to the baseline, secured the ball, and passed it to Memet Özku on the perimeter for a mid-range shot. Watching his opponent’s smooth offense, Zhou Yi’s fighting spirit grew stronger. However, he didn’t expect Greg Monroe to be equally frustrated at that moment. The more intense their emotions, the calmer their expressions, as they exchanged a slight smile.
The game had just begun—time to show the opponent who truly ruled this court. At the Pistons’ home court, no matter who the opponent was, they had to behave; even tigers had to lie down, and dragons had to curl up. The Pistons’ home court wouldn’t tolerate any recklessness.
With the ball in hand, Zhou Yi quickly drove it across half-court. Compared to the Jazz’s defense, their offensive capabilities were slightly weaker, especially in terms of overall team speed. The Pistons had a slight advantage, as Utah Jazz’s two guards were rather slow. Their success relied more on teamwork and the old coach’s excellent pick-and-roll tactics.
Zhou Yi didn’t seem eager to break through and lingered slightly at the top of the key. Though it was only for a brief moment, it was enough for the Jazz players to react. Deron Williams spread his arms, bent his upper body, and stared intently at Zhou Yi, especially at his shoulder movements. Any player’s actions could be detected from the movement of their shoulders. Some players who were good at breaking through kept their shoulder movements more concealed, and combined with prior feints, it gave them an unpredictable appearance. Being able to accurately judge an offensive player’s next move was a basic skill every defender should possess.
The screech of shoes on the floor allowed Deron Williams to accurately determine Zhou Yi’s direction of breakthrough—definitely the right wing.
However, although Deron Williams guessed Zhou Yi’s direction, after cutting off his path, Zhou Yi wasn’t surprised at all. With a twist of his wrist, the ball disappeared from his hands.
Swish—McGrady easily hit a three-pointer from a 45-degree angle on the left wing.
The teams switched sides, and the Jazz quickly drove the ball across half-court. Deron Williams watched Zhou Yi, who was ready at the three-point line, with focused expression.
Jerry Sloan’s strict management, combined with the geographical environment of Salt Lake City, made the Utah Jazz’s team discipline second only to that of the San Antonio Spurs. Under the old coach’s guidance, the team had a strong sense of unity. Although they wanted to overwhelm Zhou Yi in the game, they remained calm in actual play, avoiding rashness. Several attempts to break through were deflected by Zhou Yi, who immediately passed the ball away without forcing things.
The Jazz’s offensive pace wasn’t fast, and with Deron Williams wasting time with several attempts to break through, only 5 seconds remained before the ball reached Andrei Kirilenko.
With little time left for the Jazz’s offense, Andrei Kirilenko received the ball and decisively drove inside. Andre Iguodala immediately stepped up to guard him, using his long upper arms to block Kirilenko’s path. Kirilenko had solid fundamentals, was a threat beyond the three-point line, and had excellent mid-range shooting skills. However, he was a typical team player who kept the ball for only a short time, passing it to a teammate as soon as an opportunity arose. Iguodala knew that as long as he didn’t give Kirilenko a chance to drive, and got the ball to a teammate, his task would be completed. With the 24-second clock ticking down, it would be difficult for any player holding the ball to stay calm and shoot quickly—even if a good opportunity arose, they might not pay attention. The accuracy under such circumstances was predictable. “Thud”—Memet Özkoç received the ball and immediately shot after turning around, with only two seconds left for his offense. Unfortunately, Greg Monroe’s extremely long arms almost completely blocked his view, preventing him from seeing the basket clearly. He had to shoot by feel, sending the ball to bounce high off the backboard. The Jazz’s three big men rushed to grab the rebound at the same time, with Monroe struggling to find space to jump. Clearly, with three players surrounding him, his chances of successfully grabbing the rebound were slim. Jerry Sloan stood by the side with his arms crossed, calmly watching the game. He was confident about the team’s offensive rebounds, as Utah had led the league in that category this season. With three strong big men competing for rebounds, few teams in the league could match them. Yet, they seemed to underestimate Monroe’s explosive strength. With gritted teeth and bulging veins on his face, he managed to get to the rebound first. Even more surprisingly, Monroe didn’t hold onto the rebound tightly but used his fingers to push the ball away mid-air. Having spent most of the season together, the Pistons’ players had excellent chemistry, especially the four of Zhou Yi, Tracy McGrady, Greg Monroe, and Andre Iguodala. The moment Monroe’s fingers touched the ball, he realized that even if he grabbed the rebound, he would likely be trapped between the opponent’s three players, making it difficult to pass the ball. So he simply pushed it away mid-air, trusting that his teammate Zhou Yi could catch it easily.
The position was right, the direction was right too, but sadly Greg Monroe seemed to use a bit too much force, causing the ball to land a bit far away. John Kuester sighed inwardly. Greg Monroe’s choice earlier had been wise, but bad luck struck—too much force on the ball, otherwise it would have been a perfect fast-break opportunity. By now, McGrady had already rushed into the Jazz’s half of the court, with no one there. As the basketball was about to fly over the baseline, Zhou Yi leaped up, almost parallel to the ground, and caught the ball at the exact moment it crossed the line. With a quick flick of his hand, he sent the ball across half the court to McGrady, who then dunked for an excellent defensive counterattack. Facing the tough Jazz, the Pistons fought desperately. From the start of the game, their aggressive defense prevented the Jazz from finding their rhythm, with four consecutive missed shots. Seeing the scoreboard read 11:5, Jerry Sloan reluctantly called a timeout. When play resumed, the Jazz’s lineup remained unchanged, but they focused more on strong interior play, passing the ball more often to Al Jefferson. Deron Williams quickly passed the ball once he reached the other side of the court. Zhou Yi’s watchful gaze made him nervous; in several previous breaks, he had almost lost the ball to Zhou Yi, but fortunately he reacted quickly. Rafer Alston passed the ball as soon as he got it, handing it to Memet Özkan in the paint. The Jazz’s strongest pick-and-roll combination was naturally Deron Williams and Al Jefferson. After their pick-and-rolls, their passing always found gaps in the opponent’s defense. However, the Jazz’s pick-and-rolls weren’t limited to just those two players. Under coach Jerry Sloan’s guidance, any two players could use basic pick-and-rolls, and the mutual protection between the two interior players worked quite well. After watching the Jazz’s games before the match, Ben Wallace was prepared for their interior pick-and-rolls. After all, as a rookie, Greg Monroe had performed exceptionally well this season, holding his own against some of the league’s top big men. So far this season, he had averaged 15.8 points and 10.2 rebounds, posting a double-double, but he still lacked experience.
Al Jefferson and Memet Özkoç moved back along the baseline; Memet Özkoç gently blocked Greg Monroe’s position, shook his wrist slightly, and the ball quickly bounced into Al Jefferson’s hands. Using his body as cover, Al Jefferson threw the ball high to the left wing. Greg Monroe watched the ball fly over his head, trapped by Memet Özkoç, and could only watch helplessly as it went into the net.
John Kuester shook his head in frustration—the Jazz were truly a team play.
“Greg’s lack of experience is a problem, but with Ben Wallace watching over him, it shouldn’t be an issue. Yet Ben Wallace’s offensive skills are poor, and he’s also too old… sigh.”
John Kuester also saw Greg Monroe’s predicament and kept shouting from the sidelines, urging the Pistons to shift their attacks outward and draw the Jazz’s interior players out.
Zhou Yi quickly passed the ball, and McGrady caught it before shooting immediately. Although McGrady’s shot was somewhat sudden, Rafer Alston’s long reach managed to block his shooting position in time.
Seeing Rafer Alston’s tense expression, McGrady smiled slightly, suddenly lowering his hands ready to pass—the whole motion was very smooth.
“Swish”—with a quick stop-and-shoot after catching the ball, Zhou Yi’s entire shooting motion was seamless. More importantly, he made the shot. The fans at the O’Brien Center naturally didn’t hold back their cheers.
“Swish”—another inside pass and pick-and-roll by the Jazz, this time executed by Andre Kirilenko.
Zhou Yi drove to the basket and passed to Andre Iguodala, who hit a three-pointer from the right wing.
“Scritch”—the sound of sneakers on the floor was clearly audible. The moment he caught the ball, Zhou Yi immediately started moving, leaving Rafer Alston, who was guarding him, with no choice but to watch as he crossed half the court.
But Rafer Alston didn’t give up chasing him, staying close behind Zhou Yi. Unless Zhou Yi rushed straight into the paint, he wouldn’t get a chance to shoot from outside.
The Jazz’s tactical intent was clear: to use LaGarda Bell’s outstanding defensive skills to limit Zhou Yi’s impact on the court. However, the Pistons welcomed this misaligned defense. Draymond Williams and Zhou Yi were roughly evenly matched, but McGrady would likely struggle against Bell’s fierce defense. As a result, Zhou Yi would indeed have a tough time, but Draymond Williams’ defensive abilities were also limited in restraining McGrady; compared to his passing and scoring, Draymond’s defense could only be considered average.
Zhou Yi decisively charged toward the Jazz’s interior, as the opponent’s defense hadn’t yet settled. Direct offense was undoubtedly more threatening than passing, and LaGarda Bell kept persistently pursuing him. If he hesitated even slightly, Bell would likely stick to him. LaGarda Bell’s defense was an indispensable weapon for the Jazz—Kobe, the league’s scoring king, performed poorly under his defense.
The Jazz’s other players couldn’t get back in time, but Andrei Kirilenko still stood in the paint. Kirilenko’s all-around skills were especially advantageous when defending outside players—his incredible explosive power, quick reflexes, and extraordinary reach posed a huge threat to any guard.
Standing just outside the three-second line, Kirilenko watched Zhou Yi intently. He didn’t choose to take the initiative; Bell’s pursuit already left Zhou Yi with no options. At that moment, the Pistons’ players were still in the first half of the court, and from his position, he couldn’t see where his teammates were. The slightest distraction would put him in an even more dangerous situation.
As Zhou Yi and Kirilenko neared collision, given their sizes and Kirilenko’s extraordinary reach, it would be difficult for Zhou Yi to find an opportunity to shoot if he got too close.
Many Jazz fans stood up excitedly—an opponent’s mistake was more inspiring than their own goal, especially from a player like Zhou Yi who had once disappointed them.
Just as the two were about to collide, Zhou Yi planted his right toe firmly on the floor, forcing his body to stop. Yet, due to the strong inertia, his upper body had already leaned forward. But this seemingly inevitable move led to an outstanding shot.
Zhou Yi’s sudden stop caught RagaRagaBellar completely off guard. By the time he managed to stop himself, it was already too late—he slipped past Zhou Yi, who leaned forward to clear a path for him. Andrei Kirilenko had been ready to counter Zhou Yi’s aggressive attack, but his unexpected move left him without a target. In his shock, RagaRagaBellar’s body rushed forward at full speed. “Thud”—the two Jazz defenders collided head-on. To prevent his teammate from getting hurt, Andrei Kirilenko immediately released all his strength, getting pushed straight past the baseline. Zhou Yi effortlessly leaped under the basket, and the ball dropped in with a swish. The Pistons’ bench instantly turned into a sea of joy—it was definitely an amazing shot. Zhou Yi voluntarily extended his right hand to Andrei Kirilenko, who was lying on the floor. Looking at Zhou Yi’s outstretched hand, Andrei Kirilenko felt both amused and frustrated—his carefully prepared defense had been effortlessly bypassed by Zhou Yi, which was completely unexpected. With Zhou Yi’s help, Andrei Kirilenko got up and gently patted Zhou Yi’s right shoulder, saying with a wry smile, “Zhou, you’re really something—thinking of such a shot. I’m truly impressed.” “Beep”—the referee’s whistle suddenly sounded. Everyone looked over and saw that Jazz coach Jerry Sloan had called a timeout. Chapter 342: Playing Pick and Roll Against the Jazz After the timeout, the game resumed. Both teams made adjustments to their lineups—the Jazz replaced Memet Özkök with Paul Millsap, while the Pistons replaced Tracy McGrady with Ben Gordon. Deron Williams received the ball at the baseline from his teammate and drove toward the Pistons’ half-court. Paul Millsap positioned himself inside the Pistons’ defense, pressing Greg Monroe as he reached for the ball from Deron Williams. Seeing this, Deron decisively threw the ball high into the basket. On November 10, 2010, during a game between the Heat and the Jazz, Paul Millsap became famous that day, scoring a career-high 46 points and 9 rebounds, including 11 points in the last 28 seconds of regular time.
After receiving the ball, Paul Millsap executed a gorgeous spin and attempted a jump shot, but Zhou Yi, who rushed in from the side, swatted the ball away, allowing Andre Iguodala to grab it. Seeing the ball fall into Iguodala’s hands, Zhou Yi charged full speed toward the Jazz’s half-court. Iguodala, aware of Zhou Yi’s intentions, passed the ball long, sending it in front of him. Zhou Yi accelerated again, snatched the ball, and rushed inside the Jazz’s three-point line. As soon as he entered the three-point area, he showed off his skills as the “Chinese Flying Man.” He leaped high, grabbed the ball with his right hand, and soared toward the basket. The fans in the arena watched excitedly, knowing that Zhou Yi was about to dunk. A one-step dunk inside the three-point line! With a loud thud, Zhou Yi completed this powerful dunk, prompting cheers from the crowd. By the time the Jazz passed the ball from the baseline, the Pistons had already retreated to their own half-court. Their tactical goal was clear: to slow down the game and force the Jazz into half-court battles. While the Jazz’s fast breaks remained among the league’s most lethal, the gap between the two teams narrowed significantly once the game turned into half-court play. Deron Williams frowned slightly—Zhou Yi had immediately pulled out to defend him as soon as he crossed half-court. The intense defense gave Deron Williams a headache. He wasn’t worried about making mistakes himself; rather, it was better for the Jazz to pass the ball as soon as possible. Their pick-and-roll strategy relied heavily on smooth ball movement. Seeing Deron Williams in trouble, Rafer Alston quickly stepped in, took the pass from him, and swiftly passed it to the interior players. Andre Kirilenko caught the ball near the free-throw line, leaning forward with the ball in his right hand, while Greg Monroe was his defender. Although Greg Monroe stood at 6’11”, he wasn’t the kind of player who liked to stay under the basket. Whether in offense or defense, he preferred to push opponents toward the free-throw line. His long reach, impressive explosive power, and agile footwork allowed him to handle the game effortlessly. If needed, Greg Monroe could play in any of the five positions, covering the entire half-court. However, his weakness was obvious: the lack of experience, as mentioned by John Kuester.
After futile attempts, Andrei Kirilenko gently shook his wrist, passing the ball behind him to Al Jefferson, who used his body as cover to shoot from mid-range and score. Jerry Sloan nodded slightly—with Al Jefferson’s return, the Jazz’s playing style had changed significantly, with more emphasis on interior offense, reducing Al Jefferson’s role on the court. Yet Al Jefferson still maintained a high level of form, his shots in critical moments remaining highly reliable.
Raja Bell is a typical tough defender, an expert at guarding from medium to long distances. His defense relies not only on his physical attributes but also on his intelligence; he’s a smart defender who adjusts his tactics on his own without needing coaching once the opponent changes their approach. Since Deron Williams isn’t a very good defender, Raja Bell provides significant help to the Jazz on defense. His defensive movements aren’t overly aggressive, but he’s a skilled defender. His abilities aren’t enough to make him a star, but he’s definitely a player who can’t be ignored. He performs well both offensively and defensively—the kind of player loved by his own team and hated by opposing teams.
Raja Bell employed close marking on Zhou Yi, a type of defense where he wouldn’t loosen up even by an inch. Any player needs enough space to move, but Raja Bell’s entire body was practically pressed against him. This kind of defense demands a lot from the defender—excellent explosiveness, reflexes, and physical strength are all required. In close marking, if easily pushed away by the opponent, the intended defensive effect won’t be achieved. However, the results of this defense are obvious: the offensive player has little room to maneuver and is prone to making mistakes while holding the ball.
Feeling the oppressive force from Raja Bell’s body, Zhou Yi was secretly surprised—unlike his appearance, Raja Bell possessed astonishing strength. If it were a player with slightly weaker physical capabilities, they would have been pushed aside after just a few pushes from him. The ball was quickly passed to McGrady. From Zhou Yi’s current position, even if he managed to force his way through, the other Jazz players would have enough time to close in and provide additional defense.
After the ball was passed, Zhou Yi quickly moved around, but to his frustration, RaagaRagaBellar seemed determined to pursue him—still chasing him closely even though he no longer had the ball.
Seeing that Zhou Yi couldn’t shake offRagaBellar, McGrady had no choice but to loft the ball into the paint, where Greg Monroe caught it near the free-throw line.
Paul Millsap immediately stepped in to defend, but he overlooked Zhou Yi.
Since he couldn’t get rid of RaagaRagaBellar, Zhou Yi simply kept moving around in the half-court, with that relentless pursuer right behind him.
When McGrady lofted the ball into the paint, Zhou Yi saw his chance—he rushed straight at Greg Monroe, flashing past him just in time to block Paul Millsap’s attempt to help out. Moreover, RaagaRagaBellar also rushed in to join the chaos.
Having hesitated earlier about passing to score, they never expected Zhou Yi’s maneuvers to have such dramatic effects. Zhou Yi and RaagaRagaBellar collided, leaving them unable to defend, while Paul Millsap was separated from them by two players, forcing him to watch helplessly as Greg Monroe hit a mid-range shot.
“Zhou is truly an incredible player. Those few goals he scored just now used the Jazz players as screens to create open shooting opportunities for himself and his teammates—it’s absolutely amazing,” said commentator Kenny Smith, laughing.
Zhou Yi managed to score repeatedly using the Jazz players as screens, even turning them into tools for his own advantage. To the Jazz fans, it was like showing off a sword in front of Guan Yu—or playing tricks in front of Michael~~~
Even the Jazz’s head coach, Jerry Sloan, could only shake his head with a wry smile after seeing those two bizarre goals. He didn’t know how to criticize his players for such plays. On those two occasions, the Jazz players defended aggressively, but their enthusiasm was perfectly exploited by Zhou Yi, ultimately leading to two goals for the Pistons.
Deron Williams’ several attempts to break through went nowhere, as Zhou Yi always blocked his paths just in time. Jody Meeks, who replaced Ben Gordon, learned from his seniors and tightly contained RaagaRagaBellar, preventing him from coming to help.
Draymond Williams used the momentum of his dribble to quickly slide right, stepping forward before Zhou Yi could react, then swiftly stepping left to complete the entire movement in an instant. A shadow flashed before his eyes—as Draymond Williams almost plunged into Zhou Yi’s arms—Zhou Yi reappeared right in his path just as he thought he had successfully broken through. As time passed, Draymond Williams hesitated not at all; taking advantage of Zhou Yi’s unsteady defense, he gently shook his right wrist, and the ball shot out like an arrow, quickly reaching Al Jefferson. At that moment, Greg Monroe was pulled to the perimeter, leaving Ben Wallace alone in the paint. He had a slight size advantage, but his explosive power wasn’t strong—after all, he was older, and physical confrontation was no longer his strength, especially against a fierce player like Al Jefferson, whose weaknesses in physical combat became even more apparent. Al Jefferson faced Ben Wallace one-on-one, his massive frame constantly pressing against Ben Wallace’s chest. The repeated muscle clashes nearly made Ben Wallace lose his breath. Sensing that Ben Wallace was exhausted, Al Jefferson intensified his attacks. With consecutive collisions, Ben Wallace was pushed past the baseline; his back went limp, and Al Jefferson, overjoyed, prepared to slam the ball with both hands. As Al Jefferson raised the ball to his chest, a tremendous force came from the ball, causing him to lose altitude, and the ball fell weakly to the floor. After stealing the ball, Zhou Yi immediately threw a long pass. The ball flew over several Pistons and Jazz players, heading straight toward the Pistons’ frontcourt. Jody Meeks, seeing his chance, quickly ran back. Jody Meeks rarely got opportunities to show off, so he certainly wouldn’t miss this chance. After catching Zhou Yi’s pass, he took two steps in place and rushed into the Jazz’s paint for a double-handed slam. During the Jazz’s offense, Draymond Williams took advantage of Al Jefferson’s screen to break into the Pistons’ basket and score. LaGara Bell’s close defense made Zhou Yi struggle greatly, especially as he kept trying to take the ball from his hands—his relentless fighting spirit in defense was truly admirable.
The Jazz’s defense was outstanding, and their switching was extremely fast. The moment Zhou Yi hesitated slightly, the Jazz had already penetrated deep into the Pistons’ half-court. “Snap, snap”—Zhou Yi accelerated his dribbling rhythm, catching LagaRagaBellar off guard. As the Jazz’s defensive expert, LagaRagaBellar was usually the best choice to shadow the opponent’s top shooter. Over the years, countless star players had failed against him, but few put as much pressure on him as Zhou Yi. In just five minutes, he managed to do almost nothing defensively. “Screech”—Zhou Yi abruptly stopped in his tracks. LagaRagaBellar felt sad; his physical abilities were top-notch, but still inferior to Zhou Yi’s. As Zhou Yi surged forward, he couldn’t adjust his center of gravity in time and instinctively reached out with his right hand. “Snap”—Zhou Yi didn’t miss the opportunity. With his hands slightly raised, LagaRagaBellar’s hand hit his right wrist, but by then, Zhou Yi had already passed the ball to his left hand, using his right hand only to assist with the shot. “Swish”—With his center of gravity disrupted, his shooting position was a bit high, but it didn’t stop the ball from going through the net, tracing a beautiful arc before plunging into the opponent’s basket. Watching Zhou Yi confidently walk to the free-throw line, the home crowd erupted in enthusiastic cheers and applause. Zhou Yi smiled, enjoying their support. “Swish”—Zhou Yi made both free throws! Al Jefferson also hit a turnaround jump shot from the free-throw line. His reliable mid-range shooting had always been his greatest strength—whenever he got a chance, his shots would accurately find the basket. Frustrated from failing to defend Zhou Yi earlier, LagaRagaBellar became even more determined. Fully focused, he exerted tremendous pressure on Zhou Yi, with intense physical confrontations that made Zhou Yi feel overwhelmed. Deron Williams occasionally came in to help defend, preventing Zhou Yi’s rare breakthrough attempts from succeeding. Once again, Zhou Yi used a screen set up by his teammate Greg Monroe to break into the Jazz’s paint, then passed the ball skillfully to Greg Monroe, who was running toward the basket, allowing him to deliver another one-handed dunk. “What a great screen!” John Kuester couldn’t help but applaud.
Chapter 343: Overcoming the Sir with Violence
He was growing to like Zhou Yi even more—this kid always knew how to take advantage of others’ strengths and find what was beneficial for himself.