Chapter 163

By the end of the third quarter, the Pacers led 77-70 with a 7-point advantage. John Kuester helplessly shook his head—the Pistons played terribly in that quarter. Without Zhou Yi’s outstanding performance, the game would have long been out of control. Zhou Yi slumped weakly in his seat, covering his head with a wet towel. John Kuester gave him a sympathetic look; Zhou Yi had really struggled in this game. He had been constantly involved in offense and defense throughout the two quarters. Especially as the Pistons’ other perimeter players failed to find their rhythm, the Pacers intensified their defense on Zhou Yi, particularly in the last few minutes of the third quarter. Even when he didn’t have the ball, Pacers players surrounded him, and whenever he did get it, at least two Pacers players were right there, leaving him almost unable to do anything in those final moments. Added to this was the injury Zhou Yi suffered in the previous game, which made John Kuester even more worried about his health. Greg Monroe also looked extremely frustrated—the poor shooting from the perimeter put extra pressure on him inside, especially with Josh McRoberts’ close defense. The Pistons’ bench was filled with despair, and Coach Zhang said helplessly, “The Pistons were off in the third quarter, relying solely on Zhou Yi and Greg Monroe to hold things together. Once the Pacers’ perimeter players started scoring, it seemed the game was slipping away from them. It’s a shame Zhou Yi performed so well today, but since his teammates weren’t in form, it’s likely they’ll suffer their first playoff loss at the Consol Energy Center.” “Yes, the Pacers fought really hard today. No wonder—after losing two games in a row, if they lose this home game as well, their morale will drop to unimaginable levels. So they must go all out to win this game; otherwise, they might be swept out by the Pistons,” added Yu Jia. “Hmm, especially Danny Granger, who wasn’t in good form in the first two games, exploded in this one. So far, he’s 8 of 14 from the field, including three three-pointers, and has already scored 23 points, along with 8 rebounds and 3 blocks—a true display of what a core player can do,” continued Coach Zhang.

Although many domestic fans are dissatisfied with his commentary, after seeing the performance of the Pistons players, they have to remain calm. After all, basketball is a team sport, and an individual’s skills always seem a bit insufficient in the face of a team. Nevertheless, they still believe the Pistons can turn things around and win this game, thanks to Zhou Yi.