Chapter 148

With 5 minutes and 13 seconds left in the fourth quarter, the Pistons were temporarily trailing the Nuggets 112-96. John Kuester appeared very relaxed—the toughest part had passed. “Everyone did a good job just now, but the real test has only just begun. There are still five minutes left, and we’re still 16 points behind.” With over five minutes remaining, Zhou Yi finally joined the Pistons’ starting lineup, but they were still 16 points behind. To catch up in five minutes, offense alone wasn’t enough; they also needed to improve their defense. Zhou Yi, who had always been the core of the Pistons’ defense, might now become the biggest weakness. Yu Jia’s commentary on Zhou Yi’s entry was fairly balanced—indeed, the Pistons’ chances of winning were slim at that point. As Zhou Yi and Cassius Billups passed by each other, Zhou Yi whispered, “Cassius, be careful. The real game has just begun.” Cassius Billups simply smiled. He admired Zhou Yi’s competitive spirit, but given his current condition and the 16-point advantage for the Nuggets, the game’s suspense was minimal. After a slow start to the fourth quarter, the Nuggets were in good form. However, John Kuester kept Tracy McGrady on the court—first because he was the most talented among the players, and second because Zhou Yi needed him to help with playmaking in the remaining five minutes. Zhou Yi’s main focus now was scoring. McGrady quickly drove the ball across half-court, aiming his first pass at Zhou Yi. But since he entered the game, JR Smith had been closely following him. Among the Nuggets’ current players, Smith was a solid defender and good at drawing offensive fouls. At this critical moment, George Karl naturally entrusted him with the defense, with other Nuggets players ready to help out. Although Zhou Yi no longer had his former speed and wasn’t responsible for the team’s playmaking, his presence had an obvious effect—there were always at least two Nuggets players focusing on him, and Greg Monroe in the paint also needed to help defend. As a result, the Nuggets’ zone defense was full of gaps. McGrady quickly passed the ball to Andre Iguodala, who scored with a mid-range shot.

Andre Iguodala’s shot was crucial. After Zhou Yi entered the game, the Nuggets’ main defensive focus had been on him, but with that shot, the Nuggets were forced to pay attention to other Pistons players, reducing the pressure on Zhou Yi significantly.

Cameron Anthony’s mid-range shot missed, and control of the ball went back to the Pistons. Ben Gordon scored from beyond the three-point line, and the Pistons scored five points in just half a minute, narrowing the score gap to 11 points.

George Karl immediately called a timeout. The sudden surge from the Pistons’ two role players completely disrupted his tactical plans. Before Zhou Yi could even make an impact, the Pistons had already closed the gap by five points—something that certainly couldn’t be taken lightly.

“The game has reached a critical moment, so George Karl wisely called a timeout. Any change now could determine the final outcome. It’s not surprising that the Pistons’ two bench players kept scoring; with Zhou Yi and Greg Monroe on the court, the Nuggets had to use double-team tactics on both of them, creating opportunities for the others,” explained Yu Jia.

Cameron Anthony was extremely poor from close range today, hitting just 2 out of 8 attempts, but his performance from beyond the three-point line was impressive—4 out of 6 attempts so far.

After the timeout, Cameron Anthony continued his strong form. After a simple screen with Chauncey Billups, he scored from the baseline.

Tyreke Evans drove across half-court without holding the ball too long and quickly passed it to Zhou Yi. At that moment, only JR Smith was around Zhou Yi. Although other Nuggets players were lurking nearby, the situation was much better than before with the double team.

With a step back, Zhou Yi created distance between him and JR Smith. He threw a high arc shot, and the ball quickly passed over JR Smith’s head as Ben Gordon turned and scored a layup.

With 3:31 left in the game, Chauncey Billups scored twice in a row, bringing the score to 116-103. As the game neared its end, the Pistons’ hopes grew slimmer. Especially after the Nuggets improved their defense following the timeout, and Chauncey Billups’ consecutive scores further suppressed the Pistons’ offense.

As the Nuggets stabilized the situation, Zhou Yi’s expression grew increasingly stern, his dark eyes flashing with a cold light. Every Nuggets player caught in his gaze trembled involuntarily. The Pistons now had only one timeout left. With the Nuggets scoring continuously, John Kuester was extremely anxious but managed to suppress it. The single timeout needed to be used at the most appropriate moment, and the current situation on the court couldn’t be resolved with just one timeout. If Zhou Yi and his team could turn the crisis around, this timeout would become a key factor for the Pistons to turn things around; otherwise, it would be pointless. Gently touching the ball, Zhou Yi quickly drove it across half-court and finally met with Cassius Billups. Seeing Billups defending nervously, Zhou Yi couldn’t help but smile slightly. The more critical the game became, the more relaxed Zhou Yi felt. After several feints, Billups remained unmoved. “Swish”—it seemed Zhou Yi had eyes at the back of his head as he accurately passed the ball to McGrady, then stepped forward to block Billups tightly on the right side. Taking advantage of the opportunity created by Zhou Yi, McGrady didn’t hesitate and quickly shot, but unfortunately, his force was too weak, causing the ball to bounce high in front of the basket. Greg Monroe spread his arms wide, pressing Kenyon Martin behind him and easily scored a free throw. “Ding”—with the referee’s whistle, JR Smith quickly got up from the floor, having been fooled into committing another offensive foul. Zhou Yi’s earlier drive had only lightly touched him, yet he fell so far. Such deception made Zhou Yi smile bitterly. The Pistons were in strong form, and such tactics dealt a huge blow to their morale, especially since there were only two and a half minutes left in the game, and the Pistons were still 11 points behind. Unless the Nuggets made any mistakes, the game was practically over. Watching JR Smith walk to the free-throw line, the Pistons’ fans watching on TV couldn’t help but shout “Miss!” Unfortunately, JR Smith was very consistent from the free throw line, with a regular-season success rate of 79.8%. Seeing several players muttering to themselves, Zhou Yi also silently prayed in his heart. At this stage of the game, every point scored by the Nuggets pushed the Pistons closer to the edge of disaster.

“Bang.” In the past, Zhou Yi hated nothing more than the sound of the ball hitting the basket, but at this moment it sounded like heavenly music. JR Smith’s second free throw lacked power; the ball hit the front edge of the basket. Greg Monroe leaped up, easily grabbed the rebound, and passed it quickly out of the paint toward the Nuggets’ half-court.

Zhou Yi, who had been waiting on the other side, saw the pass and quickly assessed the situation before rushing toward the Nuggets’ basket. As he predicted, Greg Monroe’s pass had enough force to reach the free-throw line, giving him enough time to get away from Cassius Billups.

Cassius Billups stretched out his arms and ran desperately, but to his frustration, the two who had been neck and neck just a few steps later showed signs of Zhou Yi overtaking him. Thinking back to 20 minutes earlier, when Zhou Yi had been too tired to stay on the bench for so long, he never expected him to be able to run this fast.

Capturing the ball lightly, Zhou Yi maintained a slight lead over Cassius Billups and easily scored by dunking. What frustrated Cassius Billups even more was that he kept chasing Zhou Yi in an attempt to disrupt his shot, but when he reached the basket, he lost his balance and collided heavily with Zhou Yi. The referee called a defensive foul without hesitation.

Cassius Billups didn’t argue with the referee—after all, the collision was obvious, and the call was justified. He just felt a bit aggrieved, as he hadn’t intended to foul at all; it was simply that he couldn’t control his pace. If he had known this would happen, he would have tried to pull Zhou Yi down earlier, at least to prevent him from scoring an easy three-pointer.

Free throws were Zhou Yi’s most reliable scoring method. Even on days when his form was poor, he rarely missed them. This season, his free-throw success rate was as high as 95.6%, the highest in the league.

In this game, George Karl maintained a strong offensive pressure on the Pistons in the first half, hoping to secure a victory early in the first three quarters. His plans worked well in the first half against the Pistons, but with the Pistons’ formidable duo, they managed to hold on tightly to the score, keeping their hopes of a comeback alive. Just as Zhou Yi’s stamina was running low, something George Karl really didn’t want to see happened. The other Pistons players, as if waking from a slumber, showed an unstoppable fighting spirit and gradually narrowed the score gap until Zhou Yi came on. By then, the Nuggets’ stamina issues finally became apparent. Changsi Bilups’ foul earlier could have been avoided under normal circumstances.

Even knowing this, George Karl still didn’t call a timeout. Both teams now had only one timeout left, and this single opportunity needed to be used wisely. In his view, although the Pistons showed strong momentum in their comeback, with so little time left, all they could hope for was a miracle.

“The Miller Moment” and “The McGrady Moment” were great moments in league history, but according to George Karl, the coaches of the teams they faced were largely responsible for their success—it was their carelessness at the end that created opportunities for them. As a successful coach, one must always keep control of the game situation. No matter how big the advantage, mistakes must be avoided until the end of the game; otherwise, no matter how skilled one is as a coach, if they can’t win, they can’t be considered a good coach.

With 1:50 left in the game, the Pistons finally narrowed the score gap to single digits. The fans at Pepsi Center couldn’t believe what they were seeing. Even though the Nuggets were still scoring fairly well, the Pistons were gradually closing the gap. Less than two minutes later, the Pistons still led by nine points, but the fans couldn’t see that nine-point advantage as a guarantee of victory.

“Defense!” Even though the ball was in the Nuggets’ hands, the fans at Pepsi Center chanted for a strong defensive effort. They didn’t need flashy attacks anymore—only solid defense. Whether the team scored or not didn’t matter. As long as they made good use of their advantage left to suppress the Pistons’ comeback, victory was what they wanted most.

George Karl inwardly cursed. At this moment, the fans’ chants were utterly inappropriate—while the team was attacking, they were shouting for defense. One could easily imagine what the players were thinking; such a situation made mistakes highly likely. “Defense” disrupted JR Smith’s dribbling attempts. For some players, just a brief moment was enough to execute many moves, and Zhou Yi, who was guarding him, was among the best at this. The moment Smith was distracted, Zhou Yi swiftly snatched the ball from his hands like a viper striking and immediately passed it long. The Nuggets’ players were clearly unprepared for this mistake. Watching Greg Monroe leap high inside the three-second line, raising his hands high above his head, he slammed the ball down with tremendous force—such a powerful dunk seemed to shake the entire arena, showcasing his dominance. 117-110. Seeing the bright red numbers on the scoreboard, George Karl finally called a timeout. In just four minutes, the Nuggets’ lead of over ten points was about to vanish. What angered him even more was that since Zhou Yi entered the game, three Pistons players had scored, and Greg Monroe, in the paint, had also defended exceptionally well, preventing two crucial Nuggets shots. This definitely wasn’t the Pistons’ true strength, nor was it the Nuggets’. Yet both teams’ on-court performance was the exact opposite of their actual capabilities. With one and a half minutes left in the game, if they used this timeout wisely, they could still retain control of the game. “The Nuggets’ timeout is timely. Given the current score, they still hold a clear advantage. But based on both teams’ performance so far, this seven-point lead isn’t sustainable—it could be gone in just two exchanges. What the Nuggets need to focus on now is avoiding any mistakes of their own,” analyzed Kenny Smith, the on-site commentator. George Karl was worried about more than just that. The Nuggets also had problems with rebounds. In the past few minutes, Greg Monroe had grabbed three offensive rebounds in a row, giving the Nuggets three scoring opportunities. Now, with the game reaching a critical moment, every rebound was invaluable.

The Nuggets had been sticking to a lineup of one big man and four smaller players, an approach that relied on speed but was inevitably weak in rebounding. It seemed that this lineup wasn’t very effective against the Pistons. To regain control of rebounds, George Karl brought back Chris Anderson. With him and Nene together, the Nuggets gained an advantage inside the paint.

On the Pistons’ bench, John Kuester looked very serious. He tapped the strategy board a few times and calmly outlined the tactics for his players. “At this stage of the game, both teams are exhausted. It’s all about who loses their nerve first; once that happens, there’s little hope left for either side,” Yu Jia said, also looking very serious.

Chris Anderson lived up to his reputation as “The Flying Man.” As soon as he entered the game, he grabbed a rebound in the front court and passed it neatly to Chauncey Billups, who hit a three-pointer. The score gap widened to double digits again. This shot could be considered the most valuable for the Nuggets so far. With only 1 minute and 13 seconds left in the game, the Nuggets led by 10 points, and victory seemed within reach.

On the sidelines, Kenyon Martin and the other bench players couldn’t sit still. They stood up, raising their fists in celebration of the Nuggets’ win. The fans at Pepsi Center also became lively, many of them cheering for the victory.

John Kuester’s face turned pale. He had been confident just moments ago, but this goal by the Nuggets left him completely disheartened. With less than a minute left, it would take something like McGrady’s miraculous 35 points in 35 seconds—something that’s extremely rare, perhaps only happened once in NBA history.

Chauncey Billups enjoyed this wonderful moment to the fullest. His first target for showing off was Zhou Yi. He couldn’t forget Zhou Yi’s words to him after he returned to the game. He wanted to tell Zhou Yi: “Although you’re excellent, if you want to take the win away from the Nuggets, you’ll have to ask me first.”

But all he saw was Zhou Yi running toward his own half of the court. In the blink of an eye, he was outside the three-point line. Suddenly, a dark shadow flashed past his ear, and a cool sensation rushed through him from head to toe. Yet nothing compared to the chill in his heart.

Zhou Yi’s movements seemed extremely slow in front of his eyes. Every move he made was precise. Watching Zhou Yi gracefully jump and the ball quickly leave his fingertips…

“Swish.” Actually, Chris Bosh didn’t need to hear it to know the shot would definitely go in—Zhou Yi’s shooting just now was textbook-perfect. JR Smith didn’t notice Bosh’s distraction; seeing him still on the Pistons’ half-court, he felt a surge of joy—this was an excellent opportunity to launch a fast break. If Bosh could execute this fast break, they could secure the win for sure. Just as Bosh regained his focus, a large basketball swiftly flew toward him. Instinctively, he dodged, and Zhou Yi easily caught the ball before passing it quickly to Greg Monroe. By then, there were no Nuggets defenders in front of Greg Monroe, and his dunk seemed ready to tear apart Denver’s backboard. With 1 minute and 5 seconds left in the game, the Pistons’ inside and outside players erupted, scoring five points in just half a minute, once again throwing things into uncertainty. Chapter 354: The Final Winner At this critical moment, the referee blew the whistle—a decision utterly absurd. Everyone’s gaze turned to the referee. At that time, the Nuggets hadn’t even taken a shot yet; the players from both teams were merely positioning themselves, with no aggressive actions taken. Where did this call come from? The answer came quickly. George Karl, seeing the Pistons scoring continuously, suddenly panicked and called a timeout. Unbeknownst to him, the Nuggets’ last timeout had already been used. His assistant tried to stop him, but it was too late—the chief referee had already noticed his gesture and wouldn’t hesitate. At this point in the game, as the chief referee, he actually wanted to keep the suspense until the last moment. He was a relatively inexperienced referee, and although his calls had always been respected by the league, he had rarely officiated such eye-catching games. If this game became a classic, it would bring honor to his career as a referee. Unconsciously, he had begun to favor the Pistons in his calls, but he still maintained a good balance, leaving no leverage for the Nuggets. The crucial free throws naturally fell to Zhou Yi, who lived up to his teammates’ trust by accurately sinking the shots. The score stood at 120-116. Now, only the Pistons had one more 20-second timeout left. But obviously, John Kuester wouldn’t be foolish enough to call a timeout for the Nuggets at this point.

With Zhou Yi’s free throw making it, the suspense of the game was reignited. There was no longer any focus on which team would win; everyone’s attention was entirely on the game itself.

Chansi Billups was feeling the most conflicted at this moment. At the most critical stage of the game, his distraction had pushed the team to the brink of disaster. George Karl’s recent misbehavior was also largely related to him. He certainly hadn’t expected that the player he trusted the most would turn out to be the one who put the team in such trouble.

Seeing the excited expressions on the Pistons’ players’ faces, Chansi Billups felt an unprecedented fighting spirit. He was known for his composure throughout the game, but now he too felt an urge to fight back. Wherever he fell, he would get back up; he would have to make amends for his mistakes.

George Karl looked anxious, completely devoid of his usual calmness. He had been quite proud after calling a timeout earlier, believing it had turned the game around at a critical moment. But now he wished he could call another timeout. There was only one chance, and it was in the hands of the opponent. No matter how much John Kuester wanted to give instructions to his players, he wouldn’t call a timeout at this point, giving an advantage to the other side.

As the game reached its most critical moment, every second was crucial. To prevent the Nuggets from regaining their rhythm, the Pistons’ players coordinated a tight defensive strategy throughout the game. In such desperate situations, the trailing team usually employed two tactics: either a man-to-man defensive pressure to force mistakes from the opponent or fouling. But with a four-point deficit and time still available, fouling wasn’t necessary. Moreover, they were facing the Nuggets, whose players were very consistent from the free-throw line.

As soon as Chansi Billups received the ball at the three-point line, Zhou Yi appeared right beside him, trying to force him out of the court. With a feint, Chansi Billups got past him. Zhou Yi felt anxious—what seemed like a simple move, but Chansi Billups was decisive, showing no signs of fatigue from the game. It seemed the earlier mistake had stung the veteran’s pride.

After previous encounters, what impressed Zhou Yi the most about Cassius Billups was his resilience. In terms of pure speed, Billups was slightly inferior to him, but in numerous head-to-head battles, their performances were fairly even—Billups always found a way to escape tough situations at critical moments.

Just past the halfway mark, Zhou Yi didn’t give Billups any room to breathe and pressed him tightly.

John Kuester was already restless, pacing anxiously on the sidelines. Especially upon seeing Billups’ expression, he kept shouting for defense.

The Pistons had already switched to zone defense. Unlike other teams, the Nuggets’ five players all had strong scoring abilities, and none of them could be overlooked.

Despite sweat dripping from his forehead onto the ground, Zhou Yi didn’t dare wipe it away. He seemed completely immersed in defense, oblivious to the noise in the Pepsi Center.

Billups displayed lightning-fast speed, appearing right in front of Zhou Yi in the blink of an eye. At that moment, every fan in the arena and those watching on TV knew the game’s most crucial play was about to happen. With less than a minute left, this confrontation would determine the outcome. The Pistons had nowhere to retreat—if they failed to defend this shot, winning the game would become purely theoretical.

As the two players neared each other, Billups’ movements seemed unchanged, his speed consistent, with subtle adjustments in his hand movements. He caught the bouncing ball with his left hand and swiftly drove it toward Zhou Yi’s left side. The ball was moving extremely fast. Zhou Yi’s mind tightened as he shifted his weight slightly backward, adapting to Billups’ changing movements.

“Swish”—the moment the ball was released, Billups made a surprising move. He spun 360 degrees in place, bent his right hand slightly, and appeared on Zhou Yi’s right side. Realizing his mistake, Zhou Yi tried to react immediately, but Cameron Anthony had already nimbly moved to the outside, setting up a simple screen with Billups.

Just inside the three-point line, as Billups was about to shoot, Greg Monroe rushed forward quickly. He had anticipated Anthony’s move and followed closely, managing to block Billups in time.

Chansy Billups isn’t the type of player who likes to work alone. After his shooting attempt was blocked by Greg Monroe, the ball hit the floor to the right of Greg Monroe and quickly bounced into the hands of Chris Anderson inside the paint. By then, Greg Monroe had already moved out of the paint, with Samuel Dalembert also blocking his path, making it a matter of course for him to dunk for a score.

“Birdman” Anderson stepped forward slightly, and scoring became inevitable. A faint smile appeared on his lips. Being able to help his team score such a crucial shot in an important game was something very special for him.

However, the Pistons players didn’t give up. Several of them rushed toward the basket quickly. With the game already decided, they were determined to do their utmost effort. Chris Anderson jumped very high. At the peak of his jump, his waist bent slightly backward, his body like a taut bowstring, as his thunderous dunk was about to unfold before the eyes of all the fans.

Just as his raised right hand was about to slam down, a sense of unease arose. He couldn’t see it, but all the Nuggets fans witnessed something they couldn’t believe. The moment Chansy Billups passed the ball to the ground, a dark figure rushed straight from beyond the three-point line into the paint. By the time Chris Anderson leaped up, that dark figure was already inside the free-throw line. There was no time to waste—his body shot upward like a cannon.

Watching the ball in Chris Anderson’s hands rise slowly, Zhou Yi’s determination grew even stronger. But his body wasn’t what it used to be. As he soared through the air, pain and fatigue rushed through his entire body, making it seem like he might fall straight down at any moment. Yet his persistent determination kept him from letting go.

Without the energy to pay attention to anything else, it seemed as though only the orange Spalding basketball was in his sight. By the end, Zhou Yi’s consciousness had become somewhat blurred, but his unwavering belief kept him from stopping and extending his right hand forward.

“Ahh!” The excruciating pain snapped Zhou Yi out of his daze slightly. Letting his body fall straight down, he no longer had any regrets. He had felt the heat of the basketball. Although only three fingers touched it, and he couldn’t swat it away nicely, that final force was enough to disrupt its trajectory.

“Bang!” Chris Anderson’s powerful dunk missed the back of the rim by a hair’s breadth, and the intense rebound sent him flying back. The cold floor snapped Zhou Yi out of his daze, but his extreme exhaustion made it difficult for him to move. He knew he had completed his mission in this game. As Zhou Yi was carried off by his teammates, the entire Pepsi Center fell silent. Looking at the player they had once despised so much, their feelings were complex. Someone took the lead, and one after another, they stood up. The arena was filled with roaring applause directed at the Pistons’ bench. Seeing this final scene, Yu Jia was clearly excited as well. He said emotionally, “The greatest charm of sports is witnessing the indomitable fighting spirit of athletes in competition. In many touching moments, victory or defeat becomes unimportant. In the 2001 finals, the Lakers achieved the feat of three consecutive championships and set the best record in the playoffs. But what stood out the most was Iverson’s relentless fighting spirit on the court. In today’s game between the Pistons and Nuggets, although the outcome remains uncertain, for many, the game is already over—they saw everything they wanted to see. I am truly proud to have such an outstanding compatriot. No matter the final result, the Pistons and Zhou Yi have nothing to regret, because they gave their all.” After several urges from the referee, the game could finally resume. Without Zhou Yi, the Pistons players seemed even stronger, their fierce defense thwarting the Nuggets’ attacks. However, their emotional instability might not be a good thing for them, as they became too hasty in offense, committing two costly mistakes in a row. “Ding!” With the sharp whistle, the game came to an end. The Denver Nuggets won 120-118 at home, ending the Pistons’ 24-game winning streak. This season, the Pistons had already extended their winning streak to over 20 games twice—once to 28 and now to 24. Naturally, Zhou Yi didn’t have the energy to congratulate the Nuggets players, but Cassius Billups and the others didn’t forget the player who nearly cost them the game. They gradually made their way to the Pistons’ bench.

Although he appeared extremely tired, Zhou Yi still managed to keep a smile on his face. After shaking hands with each Nuggets player, he would softly say, “Keep it up.”

Chansi Billups was the last player to approach him. Their right hands clasped tightly together. Compared to the other Nuggets players, the bond between them was stronger. As players in the same position, they were well aware of each other’s strengths, especially Chansi Billups’.

Even though Zhou Yi had performed so well this season, it only made Billups pay slightly more attention. After all, no one who could make it in the NBA was incompetent. To succeed here, talent alone wasn’t enough—persistent effort and time to hone skills and gain experience were required.

But after two encounters, Zhou Yi had shown him endless potential. Perhaps in just a few years, the title of top point guard might fall to this guy right in front of him.

At the post-game press conference, the focus was naturally on Zhou Yi.

“Zhou, first of all, I want to thank you for giving me such an amazing game to watch. I announce here that I will become your loyal fan from now on,” said ESPN columnist Michael Pusey first.

After a half-hour break, Zhou Yi regained some of his energy. Given his current condition, he shouldn’t have been at the press conference, but the experienced John Kuster predicted that if Zhou Yi didn’t show up, it would disappoint many media outlets. Compared to the winning Nuggets, Zhou Yi was what the media wanted to interview the most at that moment.

“Thank you,” Zhou Yi said with a smile and a nod.

He answered the media’s questions with smiles and nods. Although the Pistons lost the game, they still earned people’s admiration.

After the press conference, the Pistons returned to the hotel to rest.

Chapter 355: A Surprising Turn of Events

After the three-game trip, the Pistons had three days off. At 7:30 p.m. on the fourth day, they faced off against the Toronto Raptors.

That morning, during the game against the Raptors, Zhou Yi received good news: Mo Keer would be arriving in Detroit in the next two days. But while happy, Zhou Yi became worried again—about Xiang Yun. During this time, whenever he had free moments, he thought about how to take care of Xiang Yun. The closer Mo Keer got, the more worried Zhou Yi became.

The Pistons and Raptors have faced each other twice before, with the Pistons winning both matches easily. This time, the Pistons are determined to win this game—they lost their last match to the Nuggets and don’t want to suffer consecutive losses, while the Raptors are aiming for revenge.

The Raptors have been in good form lately, winning five straight games, including three on the road. With the season nearing its end, they hope to make it to the playoffs, so they’re playing hard to catch up. Thus, they’re full of confidence to avenge themselves on the Pistons and deliver them two consecutive losses.

The game starts at 7:30 p.m.

There are some changes in the Pistons’ starting lineup today—Ben Wallace is out, with Samuel Dalembert starting in his place, while the other starting positions remain unchanged.

On the Raptors’ side, the lineup is Andrea Banchani at five, Ed Davis at four, Linas Kleiza at three, DeMar DeRozan at two, and Jose Calderon at one.

At the start of the game, Samuel Dalembert and Andrea Banchani jump for the ball, and the Pistons easily gain possession, getting their first chance to attack.

Zhou Yi quickly moves across the court, steps forward with his left foot, adjusts his stance, and charges toward the Raptors’ interior. All he sees is Jose Calderon. Naturally, Zhou Yi won’t take his first shot lightly—he wants to get off to a good start.

Jose Calderon is known for his speed. Even after Zhou Yi leaps into the air, he manages to catch up. Zhou Yi, still in mid-air, hits a turnaround shot.

The referee promptly calls a foul on Jose Calderon, giving Zhou Yi a 2+1 after his first attempt, which excites John Kueste, who punches the air vigorously.

Jose Calderon drives toward Zhou Yi, gets up right where he falls, determined to prove to everyone that what just happened was just a momentary mistake.

Such an obvious provocation is evident to all the fans. Intense battles like this are exactly what fans love to see. This isn’t a formal game, and most of the fans present aren’t die-hard supporters of either team. They’re not too concerned about the outcome—they just want to see a fierce competition.

Faced with this provocation, Zhou Yi never backs down. He bends slightly, his eyes sharp, watching every move of Jose Calderon.

After several feints, Jose Calderon suddenly increased his pace, his lightning-fast movement bringing him to Zhou Yi’s right side in an instant. With such a fierce breakthrough, if not for Zhou Yi’s excellent reflexes, he would have indeed been broken through. Zhou Yi stepped hard on the ground with his left foot, pushing himself backward quickly to block Jose Calderon’s advance in time.

Yet, despite successfully covering the gap, Zhou Yi looked displeased, as Jose Calderon no longer had the ball in his hands—a dark shadow flashed past his head.

With DeMar DeRozan’s three-pointer successful, John Kuester was only slightly disappointed. He was still satisfied with Zhou Yi’s defense earlier; whether it was his defensive intensity, timing of movement, or reaction to cover gaps, it all showed qualities beyond ordinary players. As for DeMar DeRozan’s three-pointer, it was due to a lack of coordination among teammates and delayed coverage, but it wasn’t a major issue. With more games played, these aspects would naturally improve significantly.

The Pistons’ offense wasn’t flowing smoothly, and Zhou Yi’s several clever passes went to waste. In half a quarter, Zhou Yi only provided two assists, and the team was trailing the weaker Raptors by 4 points, 10:14.

John Kuester called a timeout. The team’s continuous attempts to score failed, and they also had problems defensively. He was still quite satisfied with Zhou Yi’s performance in those few minutes—his strong impact posed a serious challenge to the Raptors’ defense, and his passing after breaking through was timely.

“With the game going like this, there’s no need for me to say much. Everyone should understand that although the Raptors aren’t strong, as a professional player, one must give their all in every game—that’s what a professional player should possess,” John Kuester said seriously. The poor performance in the recent game was due not only to a lack of coordination among teammates but also to individual players’ attitudes. Their lack of focus led to laziness on the court, which was the team’s biggest problem at the moment.

Perhaps John Kuester’s rebuke had an effect. After the game resumed, the players’ attitude changed significantly, especially during defensive rotations, with the pace speeding up a lot. This change caught the Raptors off guard, as their three consecutive attacks ended in failure, while the Pistons took advantage to score a 9:2 run.

Although Jose Calderon had already delivered four assists in the first quarter, he still felt dissatisfied. He hadn’t gained any advantage in several clashes with Zhou Yi, which undoubtedly struck a blow to his pride.

Zhou Yi was puzzled by Jose Calderon’s hostile gaze, as if he were quite hostile toward him, even though there seemed to be no conflict between them. Ignoring the provocation, Zhou Yi focused entirely on his opponent’s shoulders. With his current skill level, he could roughly guess the opponent’s next move by observing their shoulder movements. Coupled with his explosive power and speed, this allowed him to dominate in one-on-one defense with ease.

The pace of dribbling suddenly accelerated. Jose Calderon, like a taut bowstring, stepped back to create some space before exploding forward at lightning speed—this was his true speed.

Amazed, Zhou Yi quickly regained his composure and stepped back. Though the opponent’s speed surprised him, he was confident enough to block it. His outstretched arms moved continuously, constantly changing positions to block Jose Calderon’s path forward.

Their bodies collided instantly. The tremendous force emanating from Jose Calderon nearly forced Zhou Yi to lose his defensive position. With a grunt, Zhou Yi felt a sharp pain in his ribs—Jose Calderon had quickly used his right elbow to jab at Zhou Yi’s ribs while dribbling. This subtle move was so hidden that not only fans couldn’t see it, but even the referee nearby was deceived.

After breaking through Zhou Yi’s defense, Jose Calderon scored two points with a beautiful three-step layup.

Taking a deep breath, Zhou Yi’s ribs recovered quickly. McGrady seemed to have noticed what had happened. As he passed by Zhou Yi, he asked concerningly, “Zhou, are you okay? Be careful in close battles.”

Zhou Yi waved at him. He had experienced such tactics before, but his previous opponents hadn’t been as clever or subtle as Jose Calderon.