Chapter 200

Just over two minutes had passed in the fourth quarter so far, but under Zhou Yi’s leadership, the Pistons managed to pull off a 10-3 run, instantly reducing their 11-point lead to just 4 points.
“Phil Jackson” was filled with frustration. It could be said that this season was essentially his farewell season—he would likely retire as a coach once it ended.
He really hoped that in his last season as head coach, the team could end it with a championship.
However, the emergence of the Pistons—no, Zhou Yi’s emergence—seriously hindered his wish. In the first three games of the finals, the Lakers were already behind 2-1.
It seemed the Lakers could win this game at home to tie the series 2-2, but in that crucial fourth quarter, Zhou Yi’s outstanding performance greatly diminished the Lakers’ chances of victory.
“Phil Jackson” frowned, staring at the player in jersey number 37 across from him, then sorted out his thoughts to devise tactics for the Lakers’ next play.
The timeout ended quickly, and both teams made adjustments to their lineups.
The Lakers replaced “Lama” Odom and Andrew Bynum with “The Beast” Ron Artest and Theo Ratliff; the Pistons replaced Ben Gordon and Ben Wallace with McGrady and Samuel Dalembert.
By bringing in “The Beast” Artest, the Lakers probably hoped he could have another breakout performance like in the fourth quarter of the previous game, helping the team win.
But whether “The Beast” could bring good fortune to the Lakers like before was unknown.
The game continued, with the Lakers in possession.
Chapter 434: Kobe at Full Strength – Terrifying
As soon as “The Beast” Artest entered the game, he immediately made a contribution. After Paul Gasol’s jump shot at the baseline missed, he fought for the offensive rebound and scored a putback. What excited the home crowd even more was that his score also resulted in a defensive foul on Zhou Yi, who had rushed in to help defend.
“Ron, Ron, Ron…” Cheers erupted from the crowd.
Sitting on the coaching bench, “Phil Jackson” wore a relieved smile, thinking to himself that his adjustments had indeed been effective.

“Good job, guy! After winning the game, I’ll take you out for some fun,” Kobe said, walking over and patting Ron Artest’s shoulder with a smile.
“Hehe, sure!” the “Beast” replied with a laugh.
Zhou Yi, standing in the middle of the court waiting for Artest to take a free throw, helplessly shrugged. His attempt to defend had not only failed but also resulted in a defensive foul. Fortunately, since entering the playoffs, Zhou Yi had managed his fouls well and hadn’t yet been forced to leave the court due to six fouls. After this foul, Zhou Yi now had only three fouls for the game, even though it was already almost halfway through the fourth quarter.
“Thud”—Artest’s free throw missed. Greg Monroe quickly secured the defensive rebound and passed the ball to Zhou Yi once the threat was gone. Thanks to Artest’s pass, the Lakers took a 89–95 lead over the Pistons.
After halftime, Zhou Yi passed the ball to McGrady at the low post. Then he immediately moved to the other side to set a screen for Andre Iguodala. As Iguodala quickly moved sideways to get away from Artest’s defense and reached the middle, McGrady passed the ball to him. Iguodala attempted a three-step layup, but although he managed to get past Artest, Kobe, who had moved along with McGrady, caught up just in time and swatted the ball out of Iguodala’s hands. The ball went out of bounds, and the Pistons continued their attack.
“Kobe… Bryant!” The arena’s DJ called out Kobe’s name loudly once again, followed by the cheers of the home crowd. Iguodala inbounded the ball at the baseline, and Zhou Yi passed it directly to McGrady for a one-on-one situation. With only 24 seconds left, McGrady didn’t hesitate at all and immediately took a step-back jump shot. Although Kobe tried his best to block it, McGrady’s attack was too decisive and smooth, so the shot went in despite Kobe’s interference.
“Yess!” McGrady swung his arm, bumped into Zhou Yi, who was rushing over, then stepped back to defend.
91–95
Kobe steadily drove the ball across half-court and, after Pau Gasol was in position, passed the ball to him to take over the attack.

However, just as Pau Gasol received the ball, McGrady suddenly came up to double-team him, tightly blocking Gasol’s passing routes and line of sight. But after all, Pau Gasol was the second star of the Lakers—he wasn’t someone incompetent. He used his height to accurately pass the ball to Kobe, who was already open. Yet the Pistons’ defense switched quickly; Zhou Yi immediately rushed over. Seeing no chance of making a shot, Kobe quickly passed the ball to Derek Fisher, who was temporarily unguarded on the other side. Derek Fisher quickly scanned the area to ensure no one was guarding him, then jumped and shot the ball. With a swish, the ball went through the net. 91:98. “Well done,” said Kobe, the “Black Mamba,” delighted to see Derek Fisher execute this offensive play and praising him. Hearing Kobe’s compliment, Derek Fisher was overjoyed. Zhou Yi gloomily took the ball at the baseline from Greg Monroe, glanced at Derek Fisher, who had returned to the Lakers’ half-court, and drove toward their half. McGrady took the ball at the top of the key; after receiving it from Zhou Yi, he stepped forward with his right leg before pulling back swiftly. Kobe immediately rushed over but didn’t dive, as it might have been McGrady’s feint. Sure enough, McGrady didn’t shoot but passed the ball to Greg Monroe, who was cutting toward the basket from the left wing. After catching the ball, Greg Monroe slammed it down with both hands, took a big step, and dunked it with force. 93:98. “Yay…” Greg Monroe shouted excitedly. On the Lakers’ side, Pau Gasol’s hook shot missed, and McGrady grabbed the rebound before passing it to Zhou Yi. Zhou Yi drove fast with the ball, using clever coordination to assist McGrady in scoring another three-pointer from beyond the arc. 96:98—the Pistons were now only two points behind. Kobe made a passing mistake, and Zhou Yi seized the opportunity to steal the ball and dunk it immediately. 98:98—Zhou Yi once again helped the Pistons tie the score. “Phil Jackson” was furious but couldn’t lose his composure, so he called a timeout. After the timeout, the Lakers’ head coach, “Phil Jackson,” ordered his best defensive player, “The Beast” Ron Artest, to stick closely to Zhou Yi, disrupting his playmaking and preventing the Pistons from executing smooth attacks.

And the ‘Zen Master’s’ move was a brilliant one, posing a serious threat to the Pistons. Zhou Yi was already exhausted, especially in the fourth quarter when the collisions were particularly fierce. Meanwhile, ‘The Beast’ had good stamina and had plenty of rest time in the first three quarters, so although he wasn’t at his peak, he was still full of energy. Soon, Zhou Yi found himself trapped in ‘The Beast’s’ tight defense. Without Zhou Yi’s playmaking, the Detroit team became panicked. They were used to relying on his coordination, so without it, the Pistons’ offense gradually fell into crisis. Fortunately, there was still a player like McGrady who was good at initiating the team’s offense, and under his leadership, the Pistons managed to keep attacking. However, the ‘Zen Master’s’ move wasn’t just meant to contain Zhou Yi—it was also to free Kobe. Earlier, Kobe had to defend Zhou Yi, which drained his energy, and he couldn’t fully focus on offense. Now, free from defensive duties, he could devote all his effort to attacking. Watching the Lakers gradually widen the score gap, John Kuester shook his head and decisively replaced Zhou Yi with Will Bynum. Zhou Yi was struggling greatly under ‘The Beast’s’ defense and was highly exhausted. So, considering the final moments of the game, John Kuester resolutely made the substitution. ‘The Beast’ Ron Artest drove with the ball, while Kobe quickly moved to the baseline, shedding his defenders to find an open shot. At the same time, Artest, who was driving on the other side, passed quickly, and Kobe caught the ball in an open position and hit a jump shot. Seeing this series of coordinated moves, John Kuester just shook his head. On the Pistons’ side, McGrady forced his way through defense and passed to Ben Wallace at the basket. Wallace’s reverse layup missed, and ‘The Little Flying Man’ Kobe grabbed the defensive rebound. Kobe held the ball at the top of the key and signaled to Theo Ratliff, who quickly rushed over to take the ball. Meanwhile, Kobe quickly cut to the basket without the ball, and Ratliff passed the ball to him, who then executed a one-handed dunk. Watching Kobe score continuously and widen the lead to 7 points, the Pistons’ head coach, John Kuester, had no choice but to call a timeout.

“I have to say, the people of Los Angeles are really tough, especially that guy,” John Kuester said, pointing at Kobe in jersey number 24. He continued, “We’ve barely been able to contain his offense. Right now, you still need to be careful with that Spaniard—he’s a key part of the Lakers’ triangle offense. Be vigilant against his cuts without the ball. Don’t rely too much on Zhou’s playmaking; Tracy, once Zhou leaves the court, you’ll be in charge of the team’s offense, understand?” John Kuester said carefully to the players.

“Understood,” Maddie and the others replied.

But reality wasn’t as simple as John Kuester had described.

The Lakers’ offense remained smooth as mercury. Even though Maddie tried his best to keep Kobe busy, he couldn’t stop their offensive momentum.

In no time, the Lakers widened the score gap to double digits. At 5:41 left in the fourth quarter, the score was 95:105, with the Pistons trailing by 10 points.

During the Pistons’ offense, Will Bynum drove hard to the paint, scored inside, and drew a foul on Derek Fisher. At that moment, the Lakers’ coach called a timeout.

“Phil Jackson” called this timeout to plan for the rest of the game. The match wasn’t over yet, and Paul Gasol had already played nearly 40 minutes with very little rest time. So, to be able to deploy Gasol, the team’s interior pillar, at a critical moment, Phil Jackson had to take him off the court to let him rest for a while.

Paul Gasol had performed well in this game, already scoring 19 points and grabbing 12 rebounds—a double-double.

Actually, Phil Jackson also wanted to take Kobe off the court because he had played for a long time too. Although not as long as Gasol, the sweat on Kobe’s face made it clear just how exhausted he was.

But “Phil Jackson” quickly gave up on that idea. Kobe was the backbone of the Lakers’ offense. The Lakers’ ability to widen their lead earlier was entirely thanks to Kobe being free to unleash his full strength.

If Kobe were taken off now, the Lakers’ offense would definitely be greatly affected, and their defense would also suffer.

Chapter 435: If You Don’t Want to Lose, Fight!

Watching his players sweating profusely, John Kueste frowned slightly, glanced at the data in his hands, and said, “Our crisis isn’t over yet. Guys, there are less than 6 minutes left in the game, and we’re still 8 points behind. That score might not mean much to other teams, but for a team like the Lakers, it’s enough for them to maintain their lead until the end and send us home defeated. So in these last 6 minutes, we must make changes. Since we can’t strengthen our defense, we have to boost our offense.”

John Kueste took the water bottle from his assistant coach, took a sip, and continued, “For the rest of the game, Zhou will replace Tracy so he can rest. Zhou and Will will form the backcourt duo, which will help us speed things up and make our offense easier. Samuel will replace Ben to add height and offensive power in the paint. Andre, stay on the court—you might not get a single second of rest. Your defense and offense will both help the team. Taylor, you’ll replace Greg. You have more experience than Greg, so I expect great performance from you. Zhou, get moving—let’s revitalize our offense.” John Kueste carefully outlined the tactics for the rest of the game.

“I understand,” Zhou Yi nodded and replied seriously.

“Good, guys, get ready to play,” John Kueste said with a smile as he glanced at his players.

The game continued. Will Bynum took a free throw. Amidst the boos from the crowd, Will Bynum made the extra shot.

98:105, the Pistons were still 7 points behind.

“Old Fish” Fisher drove the ball to organize the offense, with Will Bynum standing in front of him to guard him closely. Seeing Kobe trapped by Zhou Yi and Andrew Bynum, who had just entered the game, being tightly covered by Samuel Dalembert with few opportunities, Fisher immediately signaled.

Andrew Bynum saw the signal and quickly moved toward the ball. His defender, Samuel Dalembert, immediately cut off Derek Fisher’s passing route.

Seeing Dalembert’s defense, Andrew Bynum quickly changed direction and moved toward the basket. Derek Fisher then passed the ball to Andrew Bynum, who was moving back toward the basket.

Andrew Bynum caught the ball and drove to the basket, scoring a point.

98:107

It was too easy. Watching the relaxed expressions on the Lakers’ players’ faces, the Pistons were furious but utterly helpless.
“Old Fish” Fisher and Andrew Bynum’s coordination this time was flawless.
Zhou Yi took a deep breath, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and took the basketball from Taylor Hansbrough’s hands. This was the most critical game, so the Lakers started pressing hard throughout the game.
Derek Fisher closely guarded Zhou Yi as he moved from the Pistons’ half-court to the Lakers’ half-court. Although he tried to disrupt him, he failed to steal the ball.
Once in the Lakers’ half-court, Zhou Yi suddenly sped up, leaving Derek Fisher behind and charging straight toward the basket.
Kobe had no choice but to send Will Bynum to help defend Zhou Yi. Seeing this, Zhou Yi tossed the ball to Will Bynum, who was waiting outside the three-point line.
Will Bynum adjusted slightly and shot a three-pointer.
“Swish”—the ball went in.
Smooth, coordinated, and efficient—this was Zhou Yi and Will Bynum’s teamwork just now.
101:107
John Kuester watched this scene with satisfaction, nodding repeatedly. On the other hand, “Philosophy” Phil Jackson frowned as he watched the game.
It was the Lakers’ turn to attack, with Kobe in control of the ball.
Kobe tried to force his way past Zhou Yi and shot a three-pointer from outside the line, but it missed. Andrew Bynum grabbed the offensive rebound.
Andrew Bynum immediately passed the ball to Ron Artest, who was waiting outside. After catching the ball, Artest raised it high above his head, aiming to shoot another three-pointer.
But Andre Iguodala wouldn’t give him that chance. Seeing Artest about to shoot, he immediately jumped up and rushed at him.
However, Iguodala was deceived.
Ron Artest shifted his body slightly. When Iguodala rushed at him, Artest jumped up and shot the ball.
“Swish”—it also went in.
101:110—the Pistons were still 9 points behind.
It had to be said, Artest played that shot very cleverly. No one expected the usually rough and reckless “Beast” to have such intelligence.
The Pistons called another timeout, with only 3 minutes and 52 seconds left in the game.
Danger—the Pistons were really in danger!

“These last 3 minutes and 52 seconds are very important for us. I hope we can launch a desperate counterattack in these final moments; I believe we can win. If we don’t want to lose, then let’s fight!” said John Kuester.
“Fight!”
John Kuester nodded and made arrangements for the final 3 minutes and 52 seconds of the game.
After the timeout, the Pistons made another lineup change—Madison replaced Will Bynum, and Greg Monroe replaced Taylor Hansbrough. The Lakers also made a change, with Paul Gasol replacing Theo Ratliff.
The game resumed with the Pistons’ offense. Greg Monroe passed the ball directly to Zhou Yi, who drove forward. Boos rang out as he received the ball, but Zhou Yi remained unfazed and ignored them.
After crossing the midcourt line, Derek Fisher immediately followed up, positioning himself in front of Zhou Yi to prevent a direct breakthrough. Zhou Yi kept dribbling forward step by step, while his teammates kept moving around in hopes of creating an opening. Finally, Greg Monroe broke through, and at that moment, Zhou Yi passed the ball to him.
Without giving Paul Gasol any time to react, Greg Monroe jumped and shot—the ball went straight through the net!
“Yay!” The ball went in, and Greg Monroe was extremely happy, waving his arms excitedly.
Having been held back by Paul Gasol for so long, he could finally explode—this feeling surely delighted Greg Monroe.
“As long as you position yourself well, I’ll definitely pass the ball to you!” Zhou Yi said, looking at Greg Monroe.
Paul Gasol sent a ball from the baseline, and Derek Fisher caught it. But just as Derek Fisher received the ball, a gust of wind swept past him. When he looked down, the ball was gone. Looking up again, he saw Zhou Yi already at the basket, scoring with a dunk.
“Wow…” The entire arena was in shock, though there were also cheers.
The Pistons had scored twice in a row, bringing the score to 105:110, narrowing the gap to just 5 points. These two attacks took less than 20 seconds, leaving 3 minutes and 35 seconds left—so the Pistons still had a good chance of winning.
Paul Gasol sent another ball from the baseline, this time caught by “Little Flying Man” Kobe.

Kobe looked at Zhou Yi and slowly dribbled across half-court. After crossing half-court, Zhou Yi switched defenses with McGrady, who guarded Kobe as he drove with the ball. Kobe drove past defenders and then took a quick stop to shoot—a shot that also went in. McGrady shook his head in frustration; he had done his best but still couldn’t stop him. McGrady dribbled across half-court and, instead of trying to handle it alone, drove and passed the ball to Zhou Yi. With Greg Monroe providing coverage, Zhou Yi found an open spot. At that moment, McGrady passed the ball to him. Zhou Yi caught it and immediately jumped to shoot; the ball barely went in. Though it wasn’t a smooth shot, it was still a good shot. 107:112—still 5 points behind! Kobe dribbled four times in a row outside the three-point line before suddenly throwing the ball up. With a “clang,” a miss echoed across the Staples Center court. Greg Monroe used his strong physique to push aside several big men and secure the rebound. Zhou Yi drove with the ball, heading straight toward Derek Fisher’s right side. Although Derek Fisher tried his best, he wasn’t prepared for such a fast drive. In just one play, he was left behind. Fortunately, Derek Fisher was quick-witted; seeing Kobe moving to help defend Zhou Yi, he quickly went to assist Kobe in guarding McGrady. As Derek Fisher expected, Zhou Yi, realizing there was no chance to score, passed the ball to McGrady. Thankfully, he had the foresight to come help guard McGrady; otherwise, McGrady would have had another open shot. But McGrady’s physical strength and experience meant it wasn’t easy to defend him. McGrady used continuous crossover steps and feints to gradually confuse Derek Fisher. Then, he jumped and shot over Derek Fisher’s head. Fortunately for Derek Fisher, McGrady’s shot missed. However, the Pistons secured the offensive rebound. Samuel Dalembert added a layup. 109:112—only 3 points behind. Lakers head coach Phil Jackson, known as “The Zen Master,” could no longer sit still and called a timeout. After the timeout, the Pistons’ Andre Iguodala was replaced by James Posey, while the Lakers’ Derek Fisher was replaced by Steve Blake. “Guys, if we don’t want to lose, let’s fight!” Zhou Yi suddenly said to the team as they returned to the court.

Upon hearing this, no one showed surprise or confusion—only an unyielding fighting spirit.
“Fight!” That voice rang out once again in the Staples Center.
Chapter 436: Give up? No way!
“The Beast” Ron Artest pushed his way inside with Zhou Yi’s help. Zhou Yi was no match for Artest’s strength, so the Beast easily pushed past him to the basket and scored with a layup.
109:114—the score gap was back to 5 points!
Zhou Yi organized the offense, but it was Ron Artest guarding him. Zhou Yi sped up, breaking through Artest’s defense.
Though “The Beast” Ron Artest was extremely strong, his speed was far from slow. Although not as fast as Zhou Yi, he could barely keep up.
In fact, he could keep up thanks to his stamina. If it were a fully focused Zhou Yi, he could leave Artest far behind.
Suddenly, Artest took advantage of Zhou Yi’s inattention and reached for the ball. It was taken, but it went out of bounds—Artest’s effort was in vain.
The Pistons continued their offense, with Zhou Yi driving and organizing plays. Just as Artest happily chased after Zhou Yi, he suddenly collided with a solid figure. Looking up, it was Greg Monroe. Glancing around, Zhou Yi had already run away.
Artest quickly shook off Greg Monroe and rushed after Zhou Yi.
As Greg Monroe set up a screen for Zhou Yi, he also drew Paul Gasol in. After completing the screen, Greg Monroe quickly rushed back to the basket—this was a tactic they often used together with Zhou Yi.
Sure enough, as he rushed back to the basket, Zhou Yi passed the ball. Although Paul Gasol realized Greg Monroe’s trick and tried his best to follow, he was too late and couldn’t keep up. So he could only watch helplessly as Greg Monroe completed this offensive play.
After catching the ball, Greg Monroe leaped high and scored a dunk.
“Great!” Cheers erupted from the Pistons’ bench, especially from Will Bynum.
The Pistons narrowed the score gap to 3 points again, with only 2 minutes and 50 seconds left in the game.
Those final 2 minutes and 50 seconds were the true climax of the battle.
Kobe drove with the ball and then passed it to Andrew Bynum inside.

Andrew Bynum tried a hook shot with Samuel Dalembert suddenly appearing, but it missed. Paul Gasol grabbed the offensive rebound and passed the ball back to Kobe once again.
Kobe slowly adjusted his rhythm, dribbling the ball while observing the situation on the court. When 10 seconds remained out of the 24-second clock, Kobe suddenly spun around. McGrady didn’t have time to react before seeing Kobe backpedal and shoot. Fortunately for McGrady, Kobe’s shooting form was poor at that moment—the ball hit straight on the back of the rim. Clearly, Kobe’s previous hot shooting form was gone.
“Good thing it didn’t go in,” McGrady said, still shaken after seeing the missed shot and Zhou Yi grabbing the rebound.
“Hmph, you won’t be so lucky next time!” Kobe snapped coldly at McGrady before quickly returning to defend his own half.
Zhou Yi rushed forward like an arrow released from a bow. Although James Posey was older, his awareness and experience were excellent. The moment he saw Zhou Yi grab the rebound, he rushed full speed toward the Lakers’ half. By the time Zhou Yi reached the front court, he was already lurking outside the three-point line in the opposing corner.
“James,” Zhou Yi called out, then passed the ball accurately to James Posey.
At that moment, James Posey was completely open, and Paul Gasol, the closest player to him, didn’t have time to block his shot. James Posey took a deep breath, adjusted his rhythm, and shot from three points.
Although this shot wasn’t the one that decided the game, almost everyone held their breath and watched intently.
“Bang bang bang bang”—the basketball bounced back and forth inside the rim before falling down reluctantly.
The three-point shot went in!
“Wow, wow… So beautiful, so beautiful…” Will Bynum started dancing, causing his teammates to laugh uproariously.
The entire court was in shock!!!
Thanks to James Posey’s three-point shot, the Pistons tied the score at 114:114!
Neither team called a timeout, and the game continued.
It was still Kobe who organized the Lakers’ offense. After half a court, Kobe began to drive with the ball. Under McGrady’s close defense, Kobe didn’t dare to attack rashly. So he passed the ball to Steve Blake and started moving around.
Kobe’s stamina was almost exhausted, but he would never give up at this point.

Dribbling to the baseline, Kobe received a pass back from Steve Blake. Kobe fought hard, using his strong physique and top-tier explosive power to break free from Zhou Yi’s clingy defense. After breaking through, he scored with a jump shot. The fans exclaimed in awe, cheering and applauding Kobe’s performance. After scoring 2 points, Kobe’s chest heaved continuously, and he gasped for breath—clearly such attacks drained too much of his energy and couldn’t be repeated frequently. Zhou Yi organized the offense, weaving through the crowd in search of the best opportunity to attack. The Pistons’ players also moved actively, trying to deliver a fatal blow to the Lakers. “James, get the ball,” Zhou Yi said, quickly passing the ball to James Posey, who had once again found an open spot. However, this time Posey didn’t have much of a chance, as Ron Artest was already close by. Even if he shot right after catching the ball, he would surely be disturbed by Artest. But an experienced player is just that—a veteran with championship experience who can deliver a deadly blow at critical moments. After catching the ball, Posey, as before, glanced at the basket, adjusted his rhythm, and prepared to shoot a three. Just as he raised the ball above his head, Ron Artest lunged at him. “Hmph, that’s exactly what I was waiting for,” Posey sneered. “Ron, be careful not to fall for it,” Kobe said immediately, realizing Posey was feigning an action, and warned Artest. But reality is cruel. As Artest leaped at him, Posey quickly darted to the other side, adjusted slightly, and shot a three. True guts—absolute guts, because Posey’s three-pointer went in again! Again! The Pistons’ bench erupted in celebration, hugging each other, while John Kuester also clenched his fists in excitement. If they won this tough game, the Pistons’ morale would surely soar even more, bringing them closer to the championship. 117:116, the Pistons took a 1-point lead! With 1 minute and 31 seconds left in the game, as Kobe received the inbound pass from Artest at the baseline, the Lakers’ coach, Phil Jackson, called the team’s second-to-last timeout. After just 20 seconds of the timeout, both teams returned to the court.

The Lakers’ lineup remained unchanged, but the Pistons made adjustments, ones that puzzled many, as John Kuester replaced James Posey, who had just hit two three-pointers, with Andre Iguodala.
The game resumed with the Lakers’ offense. After “The Beast” Ron Artest broke through to the paint, he passed the ball to Andrew Bynum, but just as Bynum reached for it, a large yellow-skinned hand snatched the ball away before he could touch it.
Another steal—this was Zhou Yi’s fourth steal of the game. After the steal, Zhou Yi took off at full speed. Even “The Beast” Ron Artest, who had started first, could only follow behind him in defeat.
Zhou Yi rushed to the Lakers’ basket and completed the fast break with a straightforward layup.
119:116, the Pistons led by 3 points. With 1 minute and 16 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
“That’s it, that’s it!” John Kuester jumped up excitedly from the bench, waving his fists frantically without caring about his image.
Meanwhile, “The Zen Master” Phil Jackson wasn’t in such a mood at all. He called a timeout, their last timeout of the game.
“Do you want Detroit to take the win from our home court? Do you want that yellow-skinned kid to beat us alone?” “The Zen Master” Phil Jackson asked his players with a frown.
“We absolutely cannot lose, understand?” he demanded sternly.
“Understood,” the Lakers’ players, led by Kobe, replied loudly.
20 seconds was a very short time. By the time the Lakers returned to the court, Zhou Yi and the others were already inside.
With a whistle, the game resumed.

“Ladies and gentlemen, there are only 1 minute and 16 seconds left until the end of the game. At this critical moment, the Pistons have taken the lead, ahead of the Lakers by 3 points. Zhou Yi has already scored 27 points, grabbed 9 rebounds, provided 14 assists, and made 4 steals. Additionally, Greg Monroe has recorded a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds, while McGrady has scored 23 points. In the final moments of the fourth quarter, the Pistons performed excellently on both offense and defense, allowing the Lakers to score only 2 points in the last three minutes, while scoring 9 points themselves. The Lakers will surely make adjustments in the final stretch to find ways to score. Whether the Pistons can hold their ground and maintain their scoring momentum will determine the outcome of the game.”

At this moment, tens of millions of eyes in China are watching intently what’s happening at Staples Center. Everyone’s heart is pounding fiercely, everyone is trembling with excitement, all waiting in anxiety and anticipation.

Everyone knows that once the timeout ends, the final sprint will begin.

The timeout passed quickly, and the strongest lineups of both teams stepped onto the final battlefield with a determination to win. The countdown officially started.

The Lakers gained possession and started at midcourt; the ball went to Derek Fisher. It was then passed to Kobe.

Kobe tried several times to break through but failed, passing the ball to Ron Artest. McGrady quickly tried to steal the ball from Ron Artest, but unfortunately, after hitting it, the ball flew out of bounds.

The Lakers moved as a unit, and finally, Ron Artest passed the ball to Kobe. After catching the ball, Kobe turned and jumped from 1 meter outside the three-point line.

Zhou Yi also jumped, but he couldn’t stop Kobe—the ball was shot, tracing a high, graceful arc through the air before falling into the basket after 2 seconds of flight.

Kobe’s long-distance backdoor three-pointer was successful.

119:119, tied.

The teams were tied again!

The game officially entered the countdown phase!

The Pistons quickly started playing, but the Lakers used a full-court press, causing the ball to go through several passes before crossing the midline and reaching Zhou Yi.

Zhou Yi dribbled horizontally to the top of the key and, from 2 meters outside the three-point line, suddenly threw the ball toward the basket with his right hand.

The ball flew vertically toward the backboard and was caught by Greg Monroe, who had leaped up in a sprint, before hitting the backboard. He then drove it forcefully into the basket with both hands.
121:119, the Pistons led by 2 points again.
After landing, Greg Monroe let out a roar and celebrated by bumping chests with Zhou Yi.
Kobe missed a three-point shot, but Andrew Bynum grabbed the rebound and passed it back to Kobe. After catching the ball, Kobe shot again decisively; the Pistons’ defenders were too slow to react, and the three-point shot finally went in.
121:122, the Lakers took the lead by 1 point.
“Ding,” the Pistons called another timeout.
At this moment, the hearts of the Pistons’ fans were pounding with tension, anxiety, and urgency. With less than a minute left, the scores of both teams kept changing.
This intense, tense, and anxious atmosphere caused many people’s heart rates to rise continuously. Such suffocating tension was definitely beyond what people with heart problems could endure.
“Listen up, there’s less than a minute left now…” John Kuester said gravely. “The outcome depends on how we perform in these final moments. I think everyone understands that. As for tactics, I’ve already told you everything I can. You all know how to play. But I still want to remind you not to be careless in these last moments. Just play as you know how. Work together and play steadily. Absolutely no silly mistakes—everyone should understand that mistakes in these final moments can be fatal.”
“Yes, coach.”
After John Kuester finished speaking, the players rushed to regain their strength, while McGrady sat down next to Zhou Yi and said softly, “Zhou, be more decisive in offense in these final moments. Don’t be afraid. Trust me, and trust everyone else. Even if you miss, we’ll do our best to grab the rebounds.”
Zhou Yi was stunned for a moment before silently nodding. From McGrady’s words, he felt McGrady’s trust and support in him. So, to live up to everyone’s expectations, he would give it his all in these final moments.
The players from both teams returned to the court. As Kobe passed by Zhou Yi, he shouted at him, “Zhou, give up. You can’t win this game.”
“Heh, give up? Stop joking.”
Zhou Yi said, his smile disappearing instantly.
Chapter 437: Overtime?!

There’s no way to make Zhou Yi give up the game. The reason Zhou Yi has been so successful in his rookie season is not only due to his talent for basketball but also his determination to win games. He would never give up before the outcome of the game is decided. As long as he’s on the court, he fights for victory. Soon, the whistle sounded again, and the countdown began anew. After receiving the ball, Zhou Yi controlled it and moved outside the three-point line, calmly looking for an opportunity to attack, slowly wasting the remaining time, as if it weren’t they who were behind and as if there was still plenty of time. The fans were all anxious, wondering why Zhou Yi continued to waste the limited time left. Of course, no matter how anxious they were, they wouldn’t shout loudly, because every Pistons fan feared their voices might disturb the players on the court. When the number on the 24-second shot clock dropped to 10, Zhou Yi finally took action. He suddenly sped up, like an unstoppable blade, using his speed to cut through from a 45-degree angle on the left side of the three-point line into the paint. Kobe, who was defending him, couldn’t keep up, allowing Zhou Yi to easily reach the Lakers’ interior and approach their basket. At that critical moment, the Lakers’ starting center, Andrew Bynum, rushed in to block Zhou Yi’s path at the basket. This time, Zhou Yi didn’t try to avoid him but stepped directly into the paint and, as he did, used one foot to leap high into the air. “You won’t succeed.” “Ah~~~” Andrew Bynum also jumped up with a roar, raising his arms to block Zhou Yi’s shooting path. With his path blocked, Zhou Yi wasn’t anxious, because his goal was to get Andrew Bynum to jump. He slammed the ball hard onto the floor, and after bouncing, it landed perfectly in Greg Monroe’s hands. After catching the ball, Greg Monroe gritted his teeth, jumped up with all his strength, and used his strong hands to slam the ball into the basket. “Bang!” The brilliant teamwork ended with Greg Monroe’s powerful dunk. “Great job,” Zhou Yi said, clapping hands with Greg Monroe in agreement—their coordination was indeed top-notch. Cheers echoed throughout the court, and the shouts stirred the hearts of Pistons fans around the world. 123:122, the Pistons took a 1-point lead.

Actually, the Pistons’ offense shouldn’t have been this easy to score through, but ‘The Little Shark’ Andrew Bynum lacked experience too much and didn’t pay attention to Greg Monroe behind him.
29 seconds left!
The Lakers moved around calmly and passed the ball back and forth; after several breakthrough passes, the ball ended up in Paul Gasol’s hands.
However, when he attracted the attention of the Pistons players surrounding him, he passed the ball to Kobe, who had just moved to the outside. After catching the ball, Kobe immediately adjusted his stance and shot.
“Swish.” The ball went in—score! Everything was perfect and smooth.
At that moment, Kobe once again became that ruthless and cold king of game-winning shots.
123:125, the Pistons were 2 points behind.
18.3 seconds left—18.3 seconds for the Pistons.
John Kuester called the last timeout of the game to prepare for a final comeback.
“The last shot—I won’t specify who has to shoot. Whoever has a chance at the end can shoot; even if they miss, I won’t blame you. But I hope you can deliver a fatal blow to those guys. Do you understand?” John Kuester said to his players.
“Understood!” Zhou Yi and the others replied.
The timeout ended quickly, and the game resumed.
Andrea Iguodala stood at the free-throw line to shoot, with Ron Artest in front of him, ready to disrupt his shot.
Zhou Yi kept moving through the crowd until he found an open space and caught Iguodala’s pass.
Zhou Yi growled and used all his strength to accelerate and break past Kobe.
But Kobe stuck closely to Zhou Yi, leaving no chance for him. Zhou Yi pulled back sharply and then used a crossover to get past Kobe from the right.
Kobe was left behind!
After getting rid of Kobe, Zhou Yi headed straight toward the basket, forcing Paul Gasol in the paint to divert his attention to defend him.
But Gasol was already tightly covered by Greg Monroe, so by the time Zhou Yi reached the paint, he was essentially unguarded.
However, at that moment, ‘The Beast’ Ron Artest came in to help.
But instead of panicking upon seeing Artest approaching, Zhou Yi was actually pleased.
With a flick of his hand, the ball flew straight to Andrea Iguodala, who was now unguarded.

Andre Iguodala was standing just outside the three-point line at the bottom corner. He glanced at the basket, then jumped and shot the ball. At that moment, the whistle signaling the end of the game sounded. Everyone held their breath once again, watching the shot more intently than before, for it would determine the outcome of the game. If it went in, the Pistons would win on the road; otherwise, the Lakers would claim a home victory. Time seemed to slow down at that instant! The basketball wasn’t far from the basket, but it seemed to take an extremely long time for it to fly through the air. With a sharp “swish,” a clear sound broke the silence in the arena! Did the ball go in?! Under everyone’s watchful eyes, the ball did go in, producing a “swish” as it swished through the net. Everyone was stunned, their faces filled with disbelief. “We won? We really won?” someone from the visiting team shouted, and soon similar exclamations came from various parts of the arena. Greg Monroe swallowed hard, rushed up to Zhou Yi, bumped into him, and laughed loudly, “We won! We really won.” Zhou Yi was also frozen in place, not noticing Monroe’s bump, and stumbled almost to the ground. “We won?” Zhou Yi said in disbelief. “Yes, we won, haha…” McGrady also gathered around Zhou Yi, patting his shoulder and laughing. Cheers from the visiting fans filled the arena, while the home fans sat quietly. The Pistons’ bench was also in an uproar, cheering wildly, including head coach John Kuester. The bench players rushed onto the court, heading toward Zhou Yi. Zhou Yi was surrounded by his teammates on the ground, their joy evident on their faces. However, what happened next disappointed everyone on the Pistons’ team. The referee raised two fingers toward the crowd, indicating that Andre Iguodala’s shot was actually a two-point shot. “How is that possible? It was clearly a three-point shot!” said a Pistons fan frustratedly. “Damn referee, do you even have eyes? That was clearly a three-point shot!” yelled a visiting fan angrily. … But the arena was in chaos, with everyone discussing the situation.

But the referees ignored the Pistons fans’ complaints and played a replay of Andre Iguodala’s shot. On the big screen, Andre Iguodala indeed received the ball outside the three-point line, but what happened next silenced the Pistons fans. After catching the ball, Andre Iguodala habitually took a step forward before shooting. At the moment of his shot, his foot was indeed on the three-point line. “Haha, I told you—he’s no way capable of pulling off a game-winning shot,” said a Lakers fan triumphantly. “Yeah, the Pistons’ strength is obvious; how could they possibly beat us?” added another Lakers fan. “In my opinion, the Pistons’ success this year is purely luck, and reaching this point is already their limit.” … The home team’s fans began to mock the visiting team, not realizing that their own team had almost lost the game. Even if Andre Iguodala’s final shot had been a two-point shot, the Lakers still wouldn’t have won. All the answers would come after overtime ended. “Coach, everyone, I’m sorry about that last shot!” Andre Iguodala said dejectedly to John Kuester and his teammates. “Heh, Andre, it’s okay. Besides, everyone must be happy that you were able to shoot that shot. Right, guys?” John Kuester didn’t criticize Andre Iguodala, as he really hadn’t done anything wrong. “Yes, Andre, stop blaming yourself. Maybe if it were us shooting, we wouldn’t have made it either!” Will Bynum said to Andre Iguodala with a smile. “That’s right, Andre. Will’s right. If he shot, he’d definitely miss it, haha…” At that moment, Zhou Yi also teased Will to ease the tension. “Alright, Andre, stop blaming yourself. Now we’re tied with them. Next is overtime. I hope everyone can go all out in overtime and beat them. I know everyone is tired now, but since we’ve fought this hard, I hope you can hold on and leave no regrets. Even if we lose in the end, as long as we gave it our all, I believe there won’t be any regrets…” … Soon, overtime began. Chapter 438: The Battle for Victory

As the game started, Andrew Bynum outjumped Greg Monroe and passed the ball to his teammate Derek Fisher, giving the Lakers the first possession. By the time Derek Fisher drove across half-court, the Pistons’ players were already in position, ready to defend. Derek Fisher glanced at Andrew Bynum in the paint, intending to pass to him. But when he saw that Andrew Bynum was still engaged in a fierce struggle with Greg Monroe, he changed his plan and passed the ball to Kobe instead. As soon as Kobe caught the ball, he bent down, preparing to attack, his eyes fixed on Zhou Yi ahead of him. Zhou Yi stood with his arms outstretched, watching Kobe quietly, eerily still, like a lurking beast that seemed harmless and unhostile, but would lunge with its claws and fangs the moment its prey moved. Kobe felt an invisible pressure pressing down on him, trying to tear him apart, destroy him, overwhelm him. Zhou Yi silently watched Kobe, who remained motionless, his face expressionless. Suddenly, Kobe accelerated, breaking through from Zhou Yi’s left with lightning speed, easily slipping past his defense. As Kobe passed Zhou Yi, Zhou Yi also moved, closing off part of Kobe’s offensive path. Of course, it was only part of it. Another part of Kobe’s path remained open, and to block it, someone else would need to join Zhou Yi in surrounding Kobe. And that person appeared—Greg Monroe in the paint! Greg Monroe came to help Zhou Yi trap Kobe, but just as Kobe was about to be surrounded, he suddenly changed direction, dribbling the ball behind his right hand and sending it to his left, using that maneuver to slip through the gap between Zhou Yi and Greg Monroe. With no defenders ahead, Kobe hesitated not for a moment and immediately jumped, catching the ball high in the air. He stretched out his body, holding the ball above his head. “Swish!” The crisp sound of the basket echoed throughout the court, in the ears of the fans, and in the minds of the players. “Damn it…” Greg Monroe cursed under his breath, turned, went to the sideline, took the ball from the referee, and passed it to his teammate Andre Iguodala so he could take over the offense.

At this point, Zhou Yi hadn’t even reached halfway across the court; he was still jogging slowly toward the front court. Zhou Yi received a pass from his teammate, bent down to protect the ball, and got ready to attack—his opponent was none other than Kobe. Zhou Yi dribbled outside the three-point line, keeping his eyes fixed on his rival Kobe, while his teammate kept moving around in search of an opportunity to support him. After more than ten seconds outside the three-point line, Zhou Yi gave a subtle signal to Greg Monroe inside the court. Understanding immediately, Greg Monroe rushed toward Zhou Yi’s location. In the past, seeing Greg Monroe move like this would have led people to think he was setting up a screen for Zhou Yi. But this time, Greg Monroe didn’t set up a screen for Zhou Yi—he caught the ball instead. When Greg Monroe reached outside the three-point line, Zhou Yi immediately passed the ball to him and then rushed inside the three-point line. “What on earth is he doing?” Kobe was stunned by Zhou Yi’s actions and quickly followed him, but by then, Zhou Yi was already a meter away from him. Zhou Yi, who had rushed inside, turned back to look at Kobe behind him, then gave another subtle signal to Greg Monroe. Greg Monroe understood again, threw the ball toward the basket, and by then, Zhou Yi had already entered the Lakers’ undefended paint. “Ah!” With a loud shout, Zhou Yi seized the chance that Kobe hadn’t caught up with him, pushed off with both feet, leaped into the air, and caught the flying basketball head-on, with his back to the basket. “Oh my God! Is this…?” At that moment, all the Pistons fans in the arena held their breath, their blood boiling, hearts pounding, not daring to blink, because none of them wanted to miss the next amazing moment. By now, Zhou Yi’s head had touched the backboard; his muscles tensed instantly, and with a powerful reverse dunk, he sent the ball through the basket. “Thud!” A catch in mid-air, followed by a powerful reverse dunk. This aerial pass-and-dunk was extremely difficult, as when Greg Monroe passed the ball, Zhou Yi not only had to judge the ball’s trajectory but also accurately locate the basket mid-air. He used a reverse dunk with his back to the basket, unable to see the basket clearly. Silence—complete silence! All the Pistons fans were conquered by this brilliant coordination and that soul-stirring dunk.

The awe that can only be felt by being there in person made the fans forget to clap, forget to shout, forget about the players, forget about themselves, forget everything. They were all utterly overwhelmed by this sensation and unable to extricate themselves from it. The Pistons fans present felt a surge of boiling passion rushing into their brains, spreading throughout their bodies, making their entire being, even their souls, boil with excitement. “Wow~~~” All the fans there went wild—some shouting, some clapping, some howling. The fans expressed their excitement, enthusiasm, frenzy, and joy through the simplest words and actions. Overtime score: 2-2, a tie between the two teams. “Great pass, Greg!” Zhou Yi happily ran up to Greg Monroe and high-fived him to celebrate. Greg Monroe smiled and said, “You too. That alley-oop was absolutely amazing.” “Hehe…” Zhou Yi wiped his nose and returned to the backcourt with his teammates. Of course, once back, he made use of the time to conserve his energy. Pass, pass, pass again! Lakers veteran Derek Fisher assisted teammate Paul Gasol, who hit a precise mid-range shot. Overtime score: 4-2! Greg Monroe took on Andrew Bynum back-to-back, spun around, and scored with a backshot. Andrew Bynum maneuvered past Greg Monroe, caught a pass from a teammate under the basket, and dunked with great force, deforming the basket in the process. McGrady took a decisive shot from 45 degrees outside the three-point line and hit it. In the next two offensive attempts, neither team scored. The Pistons attacked; Zhou Yi and McGrady completed an alley-oop, with McGrady soaring into the basket after catching the ball. The Lakers still failed to score, and the Pistons’ subsequent attacks also went unanswered. Kobe grabbed a rebound in the backcourt, initiated a fast break, and completed a stunning alley-oop dunk with Andrew Bynum—Kobe assisting Andrew with a powerful two-handed dunk. Zhou Yi missed a three-point shot, but forward Greg Monroe grabbed a rebound in the frontcourt and dunked with one hand. After driving across half-court, Zhou Yi didn’t go straight to his partner Ben Gordon as usual but immediately passed the ball to Andre Iguodala and quickly maneuvered to create space for him to drive through alone, indicating that the Pistons had adjusted their tactics.

John Kuester once again made Andre Iguodala the team’s offensive core.
Andre Iguodala vs. Ron Artest!
There’s a gap—just a gap!
Without any doubt, though Ron Artest is a decent player, there’s still a huge gap between him and Andre Iguodala. Offensively, he’s even less competitive compared to someone like Andre Iguodala with outstanding offensive skills! Although Ron Artest’s defensive abilities are unquestionable, as he ages, his defense isn’t as formidable as it once was.
Everyone believes that if Andre Iguodala wants to, he can easily score against Ron Artest.
Now, Andre Iguodala has once again been positioned as the team’s offensive core, and with the help of his teammates, he no longer has to worry about being double-teamed. Thus, Andre Iguodala can fully unleash his strength as the true core of the 76ers.
Andre Iguodala did two dribbles under his arm, then suddenly pulled to the left, breaking through Ron Artest’s defense from the right in an unconventional move.
Ron Artest wasn’t quick enough to react and was immediately bypassed by Andre Iguodala.
Using cover from teammate Tyler Hansbrough, Andre Iguodala drove straight into the Lakers’ basket and dunked powerfully with both hands.
“Wow…” The crowd erupted in enthusiastic applause and cheers. It seemed like Andre Iguodala had regained his sense of being the leader of the 76ers.
Steve Blake drove past half-court. This time, instead of passing, he decided to attack on his own. He used his teammate Paul Gasol to set up a pick-and-roll, seizing the moment when the defense was distracted to shoot a solid three-pointer.
The Pistons still had the ball, with Andre Iguodala in possession.
Andre Iguodala slowly moved to the 45-degree angle outside the three-point line, where he dribbled slowly, neither attacking nor passing, seemingly deliberately wasting time.
As the 24-second timeout approached, with eight seconds left, Andre Iguodala took action.
He accelerated suddenly, using his speed and strength to slip past Ron Artest’s defense from the left, charging like an unstoppable sword straight into the Lakers’ basket.
“Whoa!”

Ron Artest felt a chill in his heart and quickly turned to chase Andre Iguodala. But by now, there was already a meter between him and Iguodala, making it impossible to catch up. Iguodala entered the Lakers’ paint, with the Lakers’ basket and their backup center, Joe Smith, right in front of him. Iguodala gritted his teeth, his face showing determination, holding the ball in his right hand as he leaped above Joe Smith, stretching his body in the air and raising his right hand high. Seeing that Iguodala was not afraid of him at all, the former first-round draft pick Joe Smith became furious. He jumped up right after Iguodala, raising his arms high in the air, trying to block him. Iguodala frowned, staring intently at the basket behind Joe Smith’s strong, massive hands, driven by an unstoppable resolve. Relying on his incredible explosive power and air control, he flew toward the basket. Iguodala collided with Joe Smith in mid-air, and the impact caused him to lose his balance and fall backward. Yet, instead of giving up on his attempt, he used his long right arm to slam the ball into the basket right as he collided with Joe Smith. “Bang!” The basket let out a pained groan, and the ball went through the net with a loud thud. “Awesome!” The fans erupted in excited, frantic cheers once again. Iguodala’s dunk over two defenders was truly astonishing—the force and impact were undeniable. After landing, Iguodala couldn’t steady himself and kept stumbling backward. Of course, he didn’t fall, as Taylor Hansbrough, who had rushed over, caught him. “Impressive!” Taylor Hansbrough gave Iguodala a thumbs up. Iguodala smiled, patted Zhou Yi on the back, and ran back to the backcourt with him. In the rest of the game, since Iguodala became the Pistons’ offensive core, he found himself trapped in double-team situations. However, this didn’t mean the Pistons would be defeated. Because when Iguodala was double-teamed, it meant other players had a chance to shoot.

Ben Gordon, Taylor Hansbrough, and Spencer Hawes all scored off passes from Andre Iguodala. In the following play, Zhou Yi did not perform well as Kobe applied intense close defense on him. Time passed by, with only 2 minutes left before the overtime ended, and at that moment, it was the Pistons who held the ball. Zhou Yi controlled the ball, moving outside the three-point line, while Kobe defended him, moving slowly alongside him. The two talented young players faced off—Zhou Yi did not attack, nor did Kobe try to steal the ball from him. As a result, the cameras on the court kept focusing on them, capturing every subtle movement they made. All the fans in the arena were on edge, with tens of thousands of anxious and eager eyes fixed on the two players, cheering for Zhou Yi who held the ball. After both Zhou Yi and Kobe reached the 45-degree angle on the right side outside the three-point line, they stopped moving and stared intently into each other’s eyes, filled with fighting spirit. Time continued to pass, and Zhou Yi’s rhythmic ball-handling speed gradually increased. As his rhythm changed, Kobe’s vigilance also heightened. A sharp glint appeared in Zhou Yi’s eyes, and he moved. He suddenly accelerated, using the purest, simplest, most direct, and perfect “speed” to take his first step to the right, followed by quick subsequent steps, aiming to use his speed to break through Kobe’s defense. As Zhou Yi moved, Kobe also started moving. He accelerated almost simultaneously with Zhou Yi, staying closely behind him, tightly surrounding him to prevent him from reaching his maximum speed or getting a chance to shoot. After entering the paint, seeing that he still couldn’t shake off Kobe, Zhou Yi stopped and turned his back on him. After dribbling the ball a couple of times with his back to Kobe, Kobe relaxed slightly and loosened his defense. But it was precisely this relaxation that led to a severe consequence for him. Zhou Yi moved again—he quickly turned right, using his body and subtle movements to block Kobe behind him, then increased his speed to the highest level in the shortest time, heading straight for the Lakers’ basket. Seeing Zhou Yi approaching the basket, the Lakers’ closest forward, Paul Gasol, had no choice but to release Greg Monroe and rush back to defend, trying to stop Zhou Yi.

Zhou Yi rushed up to Paul Gasol without hesitation. With a strong push from his right hand, he sent the basketball toward the floor beneath Gasol’s legs, causing it to bounce off the ground and land in the hands of Greg Monroe, who now had a chance to shoot.
“Great pass, Zhou!” Greg Monroe exclaimed in ecstasy after catching the ball. As he said this, he jumped up and slammed the ball into the basket with fierce intensity.
“Thud!” The sound of the basket echoing along with Monroe’s fierce roar filled the entire court, making the fans’ hearts race even more and prompting them to erupt in loud cheers.
All sorts of shouts came from the fans—old and young, men and women—all excited by this brilliant teamwork between Zhou Yi and Greg Monroe.
“Zhou!” Swift rushed over to Zhou Yi with a triumphant smile, using a simple gesture to express his joy and high-fiving him in celebration.
Kobe stared intently at Zhou Yi’s retreating figure, his face expressionless and calm.
Kobe received a pass from teammate Paul Gasol just outside the three-point line, facing the basket. After catching the ball, he immediately lowered his center of gravity, ready to attack, while his other teammates moved around to create space for him, giving him ample room to showcase his skills.
Zhou Yi once again spread his arms, watching Kobe like a lurking predator, his face expressionless.
Kobe narrowed his eyes briefly before widening them suddenly, shooting two icy glances at Zhou Yi. At the same time, he made a move that surprised Zhou Yi—with a flick of his right hand and a step forward, he broke through Zhou Yi’s defense along with the ball, leaving Zhou Yi staring in shock.
That’s because Kobe simply threw the ball onto the floor beneath Zhou Yi’s legs, allowing it to easily pass under him.
Kobe moved past Zhou Yi’s defensive range on the left side, caught the ball, and drove toward the Pistons’ empty paint.
This breakthrough by Kobe was similar to the quick pass Zhou Yi had made to Greg Monroe earlier—except that Zhou Yi had passed the ball, while Kobe drove through the defense on his own.
“Damn it, I was careless…” Zhou Yi cursed under his breath and quickly turned to chase after Kobe. Meanwhile, the other Pistons players also rushed toward the paint, trying to stop Kobe.

But how could Kobe, who had already made a breakthrough, easily let others catch up? So, by the time the other Pistons players started moving, Kobe had already accelerated to his maximum speed, crossed the free-throw line, and headed straight for the Pistons’ basket. The only person close to Kobe was Zhou Yi, who had reached his right side. Kobe casually glanced at Zhou Yi out of the corner of his eye, a cold smirk forming on his lips. Gritting his teeth, Kobe took three big steps, leaped into the air beneath the basket, and raised his hands to grab the ball as he soared. At this point, it was impossible for Zhou Yi to block Kobe with ordinary means; the only way to stop him was by committing a foul. Thus, Zhou Yi, who hadn’t committed a single foul yet, chose this option without hesitation. Zhou Yi jumped up along with Kobe, raised his arms high in the air, and pressed his body against Kobe’s. “Bang!” Their bodies collided in midair, and both Kobe and Zhou Yi lost their balance, falling to the ground. The basketball in Kobe’s hands also flew out of bounds due to the impact. After landing, neither could stand steadily, but their fates differed. Kobe was supported by Andrew Bynum and didn’t fall; Zhou Yi, having no one to support him, simply collapsed to the ground. “Ding!” The referee blew his whistle and made the call. “Home team player number 37, foul!” Fifty-six seconds before the end of the game, Zhou Yi dribbled to the center outside the three-point line, facing the basket, staring intently at it as if Kobe beside him were transparent, revealing every weakness. Yet even though Zhou Yi deliberately showed vulnerabilities, Kobe didn’t dare act rashly. He knew it was a critical moment—Zhou Yi wouldn’t be stupid enough to deliberately expose weaknesses—and even the slightest carelessness could lead to a fatal mistake. Zhou Yi took a deep breath, gradually speeding up his dribbling rhythm, signaling that he was about to attack. Every cell in Kobe’s body began to pulse in rhythm with the dribble, ready to confront Zhou Yi at any moment. Zhou Yi shifted his gaze to the left. Detecting this slight movement, Kobe 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 started his breakthrough. He suddenly took a step to the right, attempting to break through from that side.

“Don’t think you can get past so easily!”
Kobe moved immediately, keeping up with Zhou Yi’s pace and blocking his path. But at that moment, Zhou Yi suddenly changed direction, shifting his body sideways to attempt a breakthrough from the left. Kobe followed him again, but his balance was already compromised.
Zhou Yi gritted his teeth, pulled his left hand holding the ball sideways, shifted his body to the right, and once more completed a change of hand and a directional breakthrough, returning to the right side.
“Damn it!”
The series of difficult directional dribbles left Kobe unable to keep up with Zhou Yi. His balance failed, and he nearly fell to the ground. By the time he regained his footing, it was already too late to catch up—Zhou Yi had already crossed the free-throw line.
At that point, the Lakers’ paint was empty. Andrew Bynum, the only player close to Zhou Yi, was nearly two meters away and running toward the paint. But could Andrew Bynum really stop Zhou Yi, who had reached top speed?
“Ah~~~” With a loud roar, Zhou Yi leaped as soon as he entered the paint, gliding toward the basket like a glider.
In mid-air, Zhou Yi raised his right hand holding the ball, while Andrew Bynum jumped from behind, raising his left hand to try and block him. But Andrew Bynum had just recovered from an injury, and his stamina wasn’t as good as at the start of the game.
Thus, the height he could jump reached nowhere near Zhou Yi’s soaring height, and his speed was far inferior to Zhou Yi’s.
As a result, Andrew Bynum’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!” Simple, decisive, and dominant—his thunderous dunk was completed.
Instantly, deafening cheers filled the entire court. No, every Chinese fan watching the game was shouting, all ecstatic over Zhou Yi’s performance.
However, the Chinese fans seemed to be celebrating too early, as the game wasn’t over yet.
“44, 43, 42”
Kobe drove forward with the ball, but Zhou Yi kept pestering him, preventing him from easily carrying the ball to the front court.
“41, 40”
Unable to fully showcase his skills with Zhou Yi constantly surrounding him, Kobe had no choice but to pass the ball.

“39, 38”
Derek Fisher made a mistake after catching the ball, and it was stolen by the suddenly aggressive Andre Iguodala.
“37, 36, 35”
Iguodala, Zhou Yi, and McGrady launched a rapid attack, rushing into the Lakers’ half-court, creating a three-versus-two situation against Kobe and Derek Fisher.
Chapter 439: The Decisive Battle
In the end, the Lakers held on to win the game. Although the Pistons lost, they did so without regret, as they had given their all. Though the outcome wasn’t what they wanted, it was the reality they had to accept.
Instead of becoming disheartened after losing, the Pistons seemed relieved. Indeed, they had been under too much pressure earlier, which made it hard for them to breathe.
After this game, the Pistons would return to their home court and, after a three-day rest, face the Lakers again.
This was the fifth game between the two teams and a crucial decisive battle.
……
“Guys, come here. Let’s plan today’s tactics. I’ve already sent over today’s starting lineup: center Samuel, power forward Greg, small forward Andre, shooting guard Tracy, and point guard Zhou. For today’s game, our strategy will revolve around Zhou. Their number one player is a weakness—neither Derek Fisher nor Steve Blake is a match for Zhou. As for the tactics, we’ll use what we practiced yesterday. Tracy, your task today is very important. You need to defend against Kobe’s drives. If he tries to shoot three-pointers, let him. But no quick stops or inside jump shots—I believe you can handle that. Andre, the opponent guarding you today is that beast. I think you know better than I do how to deal with him. Figure it out yourself. Also, you need to help Tracy defend Kobe, and we also need your scoring support. Be careful with Samuel Dalembert in the paint—Paul Gasol isn’t easy to deal with. He’s a technical player inside. Understand?” After analyzing all aspects of the Lakers, John Kuster carefully instructed his players before the game.
“Understood!” Zhou Yi and the others replied loudly.
The commentators for this game were none other than the familiar faces Yu Jia and Coach Zhang, also known to fans as “Zhang Lihe”.

Yu Jia looked at the camera in front of her, which was live broadcasting, and smiled. “Good morning, viewers! Welcome to the fifth game of the 2010–2011 NBA Finals, where the Detroit Pistons host the Los Angeles Lakers at home. After the first four games of the finals, the two teams are tied 2–2. This game is another clash between the two teams, and it will be a decisive match. Whoever wins will gain the upper hand. There are two key focuses in this game: one is the showdown between the Pistons’ frontcourt, led by the rising star Greg Monroe, and the Lakers’ frontcourt, led by the well-known Paul Gasol; the other is the competition between Kobe and Zhou Yi. As we all know, Zhou Yi is the MVP of this season’s regular league and was the one who led the Pistons to the finals. In the first game of the finals, Zhou Yi scored a quadruple-double, helping his team defeat Kobe’s Lakers. As for Kobe, there’s no need to elaborate—he’s the face of the NBA today.” At this point, Yu Jia glanced at the audience in the stadium, chuckled lightly, and said to Coach Zhang beside her, “Coach Zhang, have you noticed? Although this is the Pistons’ home court, there are quite a few fans wearing Lakers jersey number 24!” Coach Zhang glanced at those fans and said, “It’s actually quite normal. Even though McGrady and Zhou Yi are on the Pistons, it doesn’t mean all fans only support the Pistons. After all, there are many strong teams and stars in the NBA, and fans have their own preferences. It’s normal for this to happen! Besides, Kobe is the best player in the NBA now, so it’s natural to have so many fans.” “Yes! That’s true,” Yu Jia agreed, nodding, before turning her attention back to the camera. “Well, with almost half an hour left before the game starts, let’s take a look at highlights from the first four games of the finals between the Pistons and the Lakers…” As soon as Yu Jia finished speaking, the screen immediately switched to an NBA broadcast, showing highlights from those four games. It was 7:05 p.m.—only 25 minutes left before the game began—but the players from both teams still hadn’t shown up. However, this didn’t cause the fans to complain, as most of them had already been waiting for nearly a month and weren’t bothered by waiting a little longer. Of course, deep down, they were still very eager and anxious.

Inside the locker room, Zhou Yi closed his eyes and leaned against the wardrobe, his expression eerily calm, as if he cared nothing about the game about to begin. Like Zhou Yi, the other Pistons players were also relaxed, showing no signs of anxiety about the tough match ahead, each busy with their own things. Then, the door to the locker room opened, and John Kuester stepped in, silently scanning his players before saying, “It’s time! Let’s go!”
Is it finally here? Then let’s go! We must win this game!
Zhou Yi suddenly opened his eyes, clenched his slightly sweaty palms, and silently left the locker room with his teammates, heading toward the court with a determination to win.
In the Lakers’ locker room, the players were also joking and playing around casually, without any pre-game tension, as if what lay ahead was just a fun outing rather than a game.
The Lakers’ head coach, Phil Jackson, entered the locker room and smiled at everyone inside. “How about it? Are you all ready?”
“We’re ready,” they replied, all wearing relaxed smiles.
“Huh, really?” Phil Jackson chuckled. “Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go! Let’s crush the Pistons with our effort!”
“Yes!” The Lakers players responded with full confidence, heading to the court with a strong belief in victory.
“Roar~~~” As the players from both teams entered the court, over 20,000 fans in the stadium erupted in loud cheers, calling out the names of their favorite players, including Kobe Bryant of the Lakers!
At that moment, Zhou Yi and McGrady walked up to Kobe, and the attention of all the fans immediately focused on the three of them.
McGrady and Kobe looked at each other without saying a word, but they conveyed their feelings through their actions. Both smiled and hugged each other, showing respect for one another and their fierce desire to win.
Then, Kobe and Zhou Yi also made eye contact, reading in each other’s eyes that burning determination to fight.
At 7:30 p.m., the pre-game warm-ups were over.
The whistle signaling the start of the game blew, and the starting players from both teams stepped onto the court.
The game that fans had been waiting for finally began.

The Pistons’ starting five: point guard Zhou Yi, shooting guard Tracy McGrady, small forward Andre Iguodala, power forward Greg Monroe, and center Samuel Dalembert;
The Los Angeles Lakers: center Andrew Bynum, power forward Paul Gasol, small forward Ron Artest, shooting guard Kobe Bryant, and point guard Derek Fisher.

At the start of the game, Andrew Bynum outjumped Greg Monroe and passed the ball to his teammate Derek Fisher, giving the Lakers the first possession.

As Derek Fisher dribbled toward the half-court, the Pistons’ players had already taken their positions, ready to defend. Derek Fisher glanced at Andrew Bynum in the paint, intending to pass to him. But when he saw Andrew Bynum still engaged in a fierce struggle with Greg Monroe, he changed his plan and passed the ball to Kobe instead.

Upon receiving the ball, Kobe immediately bent down, preparing to attack, his eyes fixed on Zhou Yi ahead of him.

Zhou Yi stood with his arms outstretched, watching Kobe quietly, utterly still, like a lurking beast that might seem harmless and unthreatening, but would lunge with sharp claws and fangs the moment its prey moved.

Kobe felt an invisible pressure pressing down on him, trying to tear him apart, destroy him, overwhelm him. This feeling reminded him of battles against stars of his own caliber. Before him was a beast, ready to tear him apart at any moment.

Yet he wasn’t afraid. As the best player in the league, if he couldn’t handle such pressure, how could he be considered the best?

Zhou Yi’s defensive style had changed, something John Kuester and those familiar with him were well aware of.

In the past, he always stayed close to his opponent, trying to prevent them from getting the ball or shooting, a strategy that was effective but also drained his energy quickly. Now, he didn’t push himself as hard as before, though perhaps this was the proper defensive approach.

Throughout previous games, Zhou Yi had one major weakness: his stamina. Since he had to defend and attack at full intensity from the start, he often couldn’t play the full 40 minutes, failing to contribute in critical moments and affecting the team.

Zhou Yi was utterly frustrated by this situation. He simply couldn’t understand why, despite having decent physical strength, he couldn’t play for over forty minutes like other star players. For this reason, he was determined to find ways to conserve his energy. So, he rewatched all of Michael Jordan’s game recordings carefully, observing how this basketball legend gave his all in every game yet still managed to play for over forty minutes, thereby gaining insight into Jordan’s understanding of basketball. After watching them repeatedly, Zhou Yi finally, thanks to his keen basketball intelligence, understood why Jordan could excel in both offense and defense in every game while still remaining energetic and often playing the full forty-eight minutes. Does a game require constant intensity at all times? Does one have to keep running and engaging in offense and defense on the court? Of course not, but this is indeed the case for beginners lacking game experience. Besides being nervous, the biggest problem is that they make too many moves, not knowing what their most effective actions are or what to do. The result is excessive energy consumption, quickly leading to an anaerobic state. Then, their movements become awkward, they lose track of the basket and teammates, and mistakes occur. In this regard, Zhou Yi was no different from those rookies. In fact, there are many idle moments and dead time periods in a game—these are times for rest and adjustment. This time can be summarized in one word: “safe time,” meaning a period when a player’s inaction doesn’t negatively affect the game’s outcome. Zhou Yi silently watched Kobe, who hadn’t made any move yet, with no expression on his face. Suddenly, Kobe started moving, accelerating rapidly and breaking through from Zhou Yi’s left side at lightning speed, easily bypassing Zhou Yi’s defense. As Kobe passed by Zhou Yi, he also immediately moved to follow him, blocking part of Kobe’s offensive routes. Of course, only part of them. There were still other offensive routes left open for Kobe, and to block those, another player would need to join Zhou Yi to double-team him. And that player appeared—Greg Monroe in the paint!

Greg Monroe came to help Zhou Yi double-team Kobe, but just as Kobe was about to be trapped between them, he suddenly changed direction with his dribble, moving the ball behind his right hand and then to his left, using that maneuver to slip through the gap between Zhou Yi and Greg Monroe. With no defenders ahead, Kobe hesitated not for a moment and immediately caught the ball and jumped high. He hovered in the air, stretching his body with the ball in both hands. “Swish!” The crisp sound of the basket echoing filled the court, the ears of the fans, and the minds of the players. “Damn it…” Greg Monroe cursed under his breath, turned, went to the sideline, took the ball from the referee, and passed it to his teammate Andre Iguodala so he could take over the offense. Meanwhile, Zhou Yi hadn’t even reached the halfway line; he was still jogging slowly toward the front court. Receiving a pass from his teammate, Zhou Yi bent down to protect the ball, ready to attack, with Kobe as his opponent. Zhou Yi dribbled outside the three-point line, keeping his eyes on his rival Kobe, while his teammates kept moving around in search of an opportunity to support him. After more than ten seconds outside the three-point line, Zhou Yi gave a subtle signal to Greg Monroe inside. Greg understood immediately and rushed toward him. In the past, seeing Greg Monroe move like this would have led people to think he was setting up a screen for Zhou Yi. But this time, Greg didn’t set up a screen for Zhou Yi—he caught the ball. When Greg Monroe reached outside the three-point line, Zhou Yi quickly passed the ball to him and then rushed inside the line. “What the hell is he doing?” Kobe was stunned by Zhou Yi’s actions and hurried after him, but by then, Zhou Yi was already a meter away. Zhou Yi, who had rushed inside, turned back to look at Kobe behind him, then gave another subtle signal to Greg Monroe. Greg understood again, threw the ball toward the basket, and by then, Zhou Yi had already entered the Lakers’ undefended paint. “Ah!” With a loud shout, Zhou Yi seized the chance that Kobe hadn’t caught up with him, used his legs to leap into the air, and caught the flying ball head-on, with his back to the basket. “Oh my God! Is this…?”

At that moment, every Pistons fan in the arena held their breath, their blood boiling, hearts pounding, too afraid to even blink—none of them wanted to miss the next thrilling moment. Zhou Yi’s head had already touched the basket; his muscles tensed instantly as he powerfully dunked with both hands, sending the ball through the net. “Bang!” He caught the ball in mid-air and dunked with both hands. This alley-oop was extremely difficult, as Zhou Yi had to not only judge the ball’s trajectory but also accurately locate the basket while it was in flight. He used a reverse dunk, with his eyes unable to see the basket clearly. Silence—absolute silence! All the Pistons fans were captivated by this brilliant play and the soul-stirring dunk. The awe, only felt by those present, made them forget to clap, to shout, to think about the players, about themselves, about everything. They were utterly stunned, unable to recover. The Pistons fans felt a surge of boiling passion rushing into their brains, spreading throughout their bodies, making their entire being, even their souls, boil. “Wow~~~” All the fans went wild—some shouting, some clapping, some howling. They expressed their excitement, enthusiasm, madness, and joy through the simplest words and actions. 2:2, a tie. “Greg, great pass!” Zhou Yi happily ran up to Greg Monroe and high-fived him to celebrate. Greg Monroe smiled and said, “You too. That alley-oop was absolutely amazing.” “Hehe…” Zhou Yi wiped his nose and returned to the backcourt with his teammates. Of course, he used the time to conserve his energy. Pass, pass, pass again! Lakers veteran Derek Fisher assisted teammate Paul Gasol, who hit a precise mid-range shot. 4:2! Greg Monroe took on Andrew Bynum one-on-one, spun around, and scored a shot—4:4. Andrew Bynum maneuvered past Greg Monroe, caught a pass from a teammate under the basket, and powerfully dunked, deforming the basket further—6:4. McGrady shot from 45 degrees outside the three-point line and hit a three-pointer—6:7. The next two offensive attempts by both teams failed.

The Pistons launched an attack, with Zhou Yi and McGrady executing a aerial pass-and-move; McGrady caught the ball and smoothly dunked it. The Lakers’ attempts to score failed, and the Pistons’ subsequent attacks also went unanswered. Kobe grabbed a rebound in the backcourt, initiated a fast break, and completed a stunning aerial pass-and-dunk with Andrew Bynum. Kobe assisted Bynum in a powerful two-handed dunk. Zhou Yi missed a three-point shot, but power forward Greg Monroe grabbed a rebound in the frontcourt and dunked it with one hand. The first quarter was fiercely contested. Zhou Yi and Kobe showed great fighting spirit, taking on their opponents alone multiple times and delivering several impressive dunks for the fans. Five seconds before the end of the first quarter, Will Bynum stole the ball from Rudy Fernandez, started a fast break, rushed into the Lakers’ paint, and passed behind him to James Posey, who then stopped abruptly outside the three-point line and shot. “Swish!” With the end of the first quarter signaled by the whistle, the basketball smoothly landed in the basket. 29:32 — the Pistons ended the first quarter with a 3-point lead.