Chapter 204

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

56 seconds before the end of the game, Zhou Yi dribbled to the center just outside the three-point line, facing the basket directly. His eyes were fixed on the basket ahead, as if Kobe beside him were completely transparent, with no weaknesses at all.

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 for him, and even the slightest carelessness could lead to a fatal mistake.

Zhou Yi took a deep breath, gradually speeding up his dribble, signaling that he was about to attack. Every cell in 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 launched his breakthrough.

He suddenly stepped right, breaking through from the right.

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

Kobe moved immediately, following Zhou Yi’s pace and blocking his path. But Zhou Yi suddenly changed direction, shifting sideways to appear ready to break through from the left. Kobe followed him again, but his balance was already compromised.

Gritting his teeth, Zhou Yi pulled his left hand holding the ball sideways, shifted his body to the right, and completed another change of hand and 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 too late to catch up, as Zhou Yi had already crossed the free-throw line.

At that moment, the Lakers’ paint was empty. The only player close to Zhou Yi, Andrew Bynum, 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 swiftly toward the basket like a glider.

In the air, Zhou Yi raised his right hand holding the ball, while Andrew Bynum jumped from behind, raising his left hand to try and block Zhou Yi. But Andrew Bynum had just recovered from an injury, and his stamina wasn’t as good as it had been at the start of the game. As a result, the height he could jump to wasn’t as great as Zhou Yi’s, who still had plenty of energy, and his speed wasn’t as fast as Zhou Yi’s either. For this reason, Andrew Bynum’s large hand could only swing 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, toward the basket. “Thud!” It was a simple, decisive, and powerful dunk. Zhou Yi had not only dodged Kobe but also completed a dunk right in front of Andrew Bynum! “So amazing, absolutely unstoppable!” Even though Andrew Bynum was no longer the top center who had entered the NBA as the number one draft pick and was revered as the “Emperor” in college days, he was still a key player in the paint. Good heavens! Was Zhou Yi really Chinese? Was he really an Asian? Immediately, thunderous cheers filled the entire stadium—no, every Chinese fan watching the game was shouting, all going wild over Zhou Yi’s performance. However, the Chinese fans seemed to be celebrating a little 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” Kobe couldn’t fully utilize his skills with Zhou Yi closely following him, so he had to pass the ball. “39, 38” Derek Fisher made a mistake after receiving the ball and was stripped by Andre Iguodala, who suddenly moved into action. “37, 36, 35” Andre Iguodala, Zhou Yi, and McGrady launched a fast attack, rushing into the Lakers’ half-court, creating a three-versus-two situation against Kobe and Derek Fisher. “34” Andre Iguodala passed the ball to Zhou Yi, who drove into the Lakers’ penalty area. “33” Zhou Yi took three big steps and jumped, with Kobe right behind him. “32” After jumping, instead of trying to dunk directly, Zhou Yi swung his right hand and passed the ball back to McGrady, who was positioned at the top of the key beyond the three-point line. “31” McGrady caught the ball, adjusted quickly, and immediately shot it. “30”

The basketball soared through the air, and the hearts of all the fans in the arena pounded fiercely with each bounce, too afraid to breathe even slightly, as if worried that their breath might disrupt its trajectory.
“29”
“Swish!”
Maddie wore a satisfied smile, his right index finger pointing straight upward—he had just scored that crucial three-point shot!
117:116, the Pistons closed the gap to just one point again.
“28”
The fans erupted into enthusiastic cheers, utterly thrilled by the Pistons’ unyielding spirit in those final moments.
“27”
The Lakers took possession, and the Pistons quickly retreated to the backcourt to defend against their attack.
“26, 25… 21, 20”
Kobe carefully dribbled across half-court, hesitating to attack and staying just outside the three-point line to waste time.
“19, 18, 17”
As time passed, the fans grew increasingly anxious and panicked. Some couldn’t hold back and started shouting for Kobe to attack sooner.
“15, 14”
With fourteen seconds left, Andrew Bynum rushed out to set a screen for Kobe.
“13”
Seizing the opportunity as Zhou Yi was blocked by Andrew Bynum, Kobe accelerated and used his speed to charge toward the Pistons’ paint.
“12, 11”
The other Pistons players rushed back to help defend, but this time Kobe didn’t try to force a shot inside—he chose the best offensive move. He stopped abruptly at the free-throw line and jumped to shoot.
“10”
It was a high-arcing mid-range shot. The Pistons players, the Lakers players, and every fan watching the game held their breaths at the sight of it.
“9”
“Swish!” The crisp, familiar, yet heart-wrenching sound of the basketball hitting the rim echoed.
The Pistons players and fans froze in shock at that sound. But neither the fans nor the Pistons players gave up, knowing they still had a chance to turn the game around.
119:116, with 9 seconds left.
The Pistons held the ball, and John Kuester didn’t call a timeout. He knew there was enough time for the players to organize an attack, and there were at least two players on the court who could take a final shot.
“8”

McGrady controlled the ball, while the Lakers employed a full-court press to prevent him from moving freely.
“7, 6, 5”
With support from Zhou Yi and Andre Iguodala, the ball reached the Lakers’ half-court. When McGrady rushed to the front court, Zhou Yi, who still held the ball, passed it to him.
“4, 3”
McGrady drove with the ball, reached the top of the three-point arc, and immediately jumped to shoot—two Lakers players were in front of him.
“2”
Instead of forcing the shot, McGrady pulled his hands back and passed the ball to Zhou Yi, who had been waiting at a 45-degree angle on the right side of the three-point line.
“1”
There was no time to think. Zhou Yi caught the ball, jumped right away, and smoothly released it with a powerful wrist motion. In front of him was another Lakers player, Paul Gasol, who rushed over to try and block the shot.
“0”
“Ding~~~” The final buzzer sounded, and at that moment, the ball flew toward the basket.
The ball flew toward the basket, slowly, slowly approaching it, carrying the fate of the game toward it.
“Swish!” A clear, crisp sound—the sound of the ball hitting the net.
Silence, then more silence…
“Wow~~~” Wild cheers erupted throughout the arena.
Fans were shouting, clapping, high-fiving, hugging, and some even shed tears of emotion.
Because Zhou Yi had made it—he had scored that crucial three-point shot! That shot sent the game into overtime and gave the Pistons a chance to win again.
“Great!” Zhou Yi swung his right fist vigorously, his face filled with excitement and joy—because he had succeeded, scoring that vital three-point shot!
The Pistons’ players rushed to Zhou Yi, surrounding him with joyful smiles.
Pistons fans and players were celebrating, but the Lakers were not happy—they had lost a victory they thought they had secured and now had to continue playing overtime against their opponents.
Players from both teams returned to their benches to rest for a few minutes before facing each other again.
Soon, the break ended, and both teams returned to the court.
Greg Monroe and Greg Andrew Bynum jumped for the ball, and Monroe won, giving the Pistons the ball.

It’s Will Bynum who controls the ball and organizes the Pistons’ offense, not Zhou Yi. Zhou Yi is still resting on the bench; although he’s had enough time to rest, he used a lot of energy in the fourth quarter trying to lead the team back into the game. So, John Kuester decided to let Zhou Yi rest a bit longer so he could lead the team to a victory in the final minutes.

The Pistons’ offense failed, and the Lakers secured the defensive rebound.

Kobe held the ball at the top of the key and passed it to Paul Gasol inside.

Paul Gasol took on Greg Monroe alone and scored 2 points with a beautiful backdoor jump shot for the Lakers.

Paul Gasol can be considered the most consistent player on the Lakers, with his mid-range shots and backdoor jump shots always being highly praised by fans.

Andrei Iguodala tried to force his way through with the ball, but ended up trapped in a double team. With no other choice, he passed the ball to Tracy McGrady, who then took a mid-range jump shot.

With a clang, McGrady’s shot missed, and Kobe grabbed the defensive rebound.

The Lakers took advantage of this opportunity to launch a fast break, and Derek Fisher scored by putting it in the basket.

After the Lakers took a 4-point lead, John Kuester called a timeout, preparing to bring Zhou Yi in.

John Kuester wasn’t anxious at all. Even though the Pistons were behind by 4 points, he wasn’t under much pressure and didn’t scold the players. He simply said, “You all did pretty well just now, but we’re still behind by 4 points. It’s not entirely your fault.”

“Greg, your defense was great today. You played well and were very aggressive. And Andre, your defense was also good. You need to be more aggressive like this in the future…” Hearing this, Greg Monroe and Andre Iguodala both felt a bit ashamed, knowing it was during their time on the court that the Lakers took the lead.

At that moment, John Kuester glanced over at Zhou Yi. Zhou Yi puffed out his chest and said, “I’m ready…”

Three minutes remained in overtime when Zhou Yi returned to the court.

Kobe was also on the court. Seeing Zhou Yi come in, he unconsciously frowned slightly—he knew just how strong Zhou Yi was.

Zhou Yi stepped onto the basketball court with a smile, and the Pistons regained possession of the ball.

During Zhou Yi’s absence, the Pistons fans suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of loss, as if something was missing. It wasn’t until Zhou Yi stepped onto the court that they realized, “Ah, that’s it—something is always missing when Zhou Yi isn’t on the court.” So when they saw him return, they started clapping enthusiastically, trying to express all their love for him and the team through their applause. Zhou Yi waved slightly as a greeting before jogging onto the court. The Pistons players on the court now were Zhou Yi, McGrady, Andre Iguodala, Taylor Hansbrough, and Greg Monroe. Zhou Yi controlled the ball and moved across half-court, with Kobe starting to defend him from a short distance away. Zhou Yi tilted his body to the side, pressed against Kobe, and with a strong push, managed to push him aside. Kobe was filled with confusion—how could Zhou Yi’s physical strength be so terrifying? Pushed by Zhou Yi, Kobe immediately created some space. Zhou Yi took advantage of this, pushed forward, stepped forward with his right foot, and his speed suddenly increased as he surged past Kobe effortlessly. Kobe tried to reach out with his right hand to block Zhou Yi, but his speed was nowhere near fast enough. Moreover, Kobe’s stamina was nearly exhausted, while Zhou Yi still had plenty left. In the blink of an eye, Zhou Yi was left behind, his figure disappearing into the distance. Zhou Yi accelerated with several big steps, reaching his peak speed. In just about a second, he was already outside the three-point line, then suddenly jumped up for a shot. This shot caught everyone on the Lakers team off guard—Zhou Yi’s sudden jump shot left them no time to defend. And he didn’t intend for them to defend at all; he simply jumped high, the basketball passing through his fingertips as it went in! “Swish!” It was decisive. Right from the start, Zhou Yi narrowed the score gap with a three-point shot, leaving the Lakers only one point behind. By the time Kobe reached the three-point line, it was already too late—Zhou Yi had already made his shot and stepped back, raising his proud right hand high. Kobe smiled bitterly—it seemed his attempt to defend Zhou Yi alone was a mistake, because once Zhou Yi’s speed was unleashed, no one could guarantee they could catch up to him. As a result, the home crowd poured all their cheers into Zhou Yi, who had brought them their pride back.

The attack turned into defense—Kobe’s timing was impeccable. In the instant Zhou Yi couldn’t react, his basketball had already broken through numerous obstacles and reached Paul Gasol’s hands. Gasol immediately jumped and scored with a layup. The Lakers took a 3-point lead again. The scores of the two teams were closely matched. Once again, Zhou Yi took charge. Looking at the situation, he knew their team had three players with strong attacking abilities: himself, McGrady, and Andre Iguodala. Zhou Yi knew his main task and goal now was to widen the score gap. The tactics he could use included breaking through, passing the ball, and attacking personally—in short, getting the whole team to score while also focusing on defense. Zhou Yi slowly controlled the ball in his hands and tried to get closer to Kobe. Kobe, having just suffered a setback, didn’t want Zhou Yi to get close, so he took measures to prevent Zhou Yi from using his body to drive past defenders for points. Zhou Yi tried to accelerate tentatively, and Kobe quickly kept up. Zhou Yi knew that if he stubbornly rushed into the paint, he would likely get fouled for driving. So after stopping abruptly, he didn’t move again but stared at Kobe, then slowly brought the ball back beyond the three-point line. Kobe naturally followed. Zhou Yi’s three-point shooting was precise, forcing him to be cautious. Zhou Yi couldn’t help but laugh slightly at Kobe’s serious expression. Then he changed direction with the ball in front of his body, quickly passed it to the left, and stamped his left foot hard on the ground! “Whoosh!” It sounded like the loudest wind noise, and Kobe even saw Zhou Yi’s figure gradually blurring in his vision. Kobe was shocked—he hadn’t expected Zhou Yi to show his full speed during the game just now. He immediately became a bit panicked, but his body instinctively started to defend. However, Zhou Yi’s target wasn’t on his right side either. After dribbling behind him, he brought the ball back to his right hand, then accelerated again by shifting his center of gravity, breaking through Kobe’s defense and entering the paint. Facing the defense of the Lakers’ two strong interior players, Zhou Yi jumped and scored with a two-handed windmill layup, even managing to draw a foul from one of them at the last moment. The basketball flew into the hoop. Zhou Yi made both free throws, and the scores of the two teams were tied again.

With Zhou Yi on the team, the Pistons players felt much less worried, as they didn’t have to worry about being overtaken or struggling offensively due to deadlocks—Zhou Yi was there to take care of that. In the next two minutes of play, the Pistons’ offense fully regained its form. Their defense, thanks to Zhou Yi, Greg Monroe, and Andre Iguodala, became a formidable force that completely dismantled the Lakers’ frontcourt and guard lineup. Towards the end of overtime, the score was 127:125 in favor of the Pistons, with them leading by 2 points. Zhou Yi’s performance was crucial to the team’s success; in his three minutes in overtime, he hit a three-pointer, completed a 2+1 play, and provided two key assists. The Pistons’ momentum grew, while the Lakers’ faded. Although Kobe remained fiercely determined, his exhaustion told him he was nearing his limits. In the end, the Pistons narrowly defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 132:127 at home, winning this pivotal game and taking a 3:2 lead in the series. Though the Pistons secured this victory, it wasn’t easy, especially with the advantage of playing at home. In the next game, the Pistons would travel to Los Angeles to face the Lakers away from home. If they won this game, they would claim the championship this season; otherwise, the series would go into a decisive battle. Chapter 441: Traveling to Los Angeles June 15, 2011, Los Angeles. The Staples Center, home of the Los Angeles Lakers, was filled with flowers and banners. Dozens of major TV networks, including FOX and ESPN, broadcasted this sixth game of the finals live. This game was a make-or-break match for the Lakers—winning it would tie the series at 3:3, forcing a seventh game, while losing it would let the Pistons win the championship. Thus, the Lakers entered this game with a firm determination to win. The Lakers’ starting lineup was: center Andrew Bynum, power forward Paul Gasol, small forward Ron Artest, shooting guard Kobe Bryant, and point guard Derek Fisher.

The Pistons’ starting five: center Samuel Dalembert, power forward Greg Monroe, small forward Andre Iguodala, shooting guard Tracy McGrady, and point guard Zhou Yi.
Greg Monroe effortlessly passed the rebound to Zhou Yi. The moment the ball reached his hands, a shadow flashed before his eyes—a dark hand snatched the ball from his grasp at lightning speed. Zhou Yi was slightly startled but quickly raised the ball high, avoiding the desperate steal.
Without even looking, Zhou Yi knew that the only player on the Lakers with such speed and efficient stealing skills was Kobe.
Fortunately, it was him who had the ball; if it were someone else with slightly slower reflexes, the ball might have changed hands.
Seizing the opportunity, Zhou Yi easily dodged Kobe and passed the ball behind his back to McGrady on the right wing, who smoothly dunked it into the basket.
Kobe was the type of player who needed to adjust his shooting rhythm while holding the ball, so he always needed to have possession. Using his teammates’ screens, Kobe quickly moved to the side and shot from beyond the three-point line.
The ball traced a beautiful arc through the air before swishing through the net. “This guy is really in good form today!” Zhou Yi couldn’t help but exclaim.
Rapidly bringing the ball across half-court, Zhou Yi saw that Kobe was still guarding him, and a hint of seriousness appeared in his eyes. He accelerated his drive, feigned a shot before actually passing the ball to Greg Monroe inside. Monroe pushed past Paul Gasol and dunked with one hand.
“Thwack, thwack, thwack”—Kobe’s ball-handling rhythm suddenly sped up. He knew well that once they were face to face, with Zhou Yi’s excellent defensive skills, quick reflexes, and natural explosiveness, it wouldn’t be easy for him to get past his defense. Only when there was still some distance between them could he create a timing advantage, and he had confidence in his initial speed.
With skilled crossover moves, his lean shoulders constantly making feints before breaking through, Zhou Yi remained highly focused, not daring to be careless.
Suddenly, Kobe took a jump shot from beyond the three-point line. Zhou Yi couldn’t react in time; by the time he reached out to block it, Kobe had already shot.
“Swish”—another jarring sound for Zhou Yi.
After hitting another three-pointer, the home crowd erupted into deafening cheers. 6:4, the Lakers led by 2 points temporarily.

Zhou Yi stood frozen in place, staring at Kobe, who was still raising his hand, his face filled with surprise.
“What’s going on with this guy today? Right at the start of the game, he hit two three-pointers in a row?” Greg Monroe said to Zhou Yi as he passed by.
Zhou Yi nodded as well. Though he didn’t say it out loud, he had similar thoughts.
Receiving the inbound pass from Samuel Dalembert, Zhou Yi slowly drove the ball toward the Lakers’ half-court. He broke through with the ball and decisively passed it to McGrady, who was cutting toward the basket from the middle, but McGrady’s layup missed, and Andrew Bynum secured the defensive rebound.
After receiving the pass from Andrew Bynum, Kobe dashed quickly toward the Pistons’ half-court. Outside the Pistons’ three-point line, Kobe tried a shot; Zhou Yi remained unmoved, so Kobe jumped and shot another three-pointer.
“Swish!”
Even with his good temper, Zhou Yi couldn’t help but exclaim a word.
“Damn!”
Seeing Kobe score repeatedly right in front of him, even Zhou Yi, despite his calm demeanor, couldn’t help but curse.
Three three-pointers—9 points in total. In the blink of an eye, Kobe had scored 9 points right in front of him.
Zhou Yi shook his head vigorously, then took a deep breath before receiving the inbound pass from Greg Monroe. As he advanced toward the Lakers’ half-court, his gaze met John Kuester’s.
Seeing John Kuester nod at him, Zhou Yi knew he had to respond—otherwise, it would be unfair to his coach, teammates, and fans who trusted him.
He changed direction, then changed direction again, executing an Iverson-style move—the Butterfly Step. Kobe was certainly aware of this move, and knowing its effectiveness, he understood that stopping this player completely wasn’t easy—no, it was extremely difficult.
The best way to deal with Zhou Yi was to restrict his breakthroughs and cut off his connection with the other players.
To Kobe, Zhou Yi’s slightly crouched posture made it seem as though every one of his movements were under control.
Zhou Yi was the kind of player who grew stronger when faced with challenges. When he first met Kobe in the NBA, although he performed well, his skills were nowhere near Kobe’s.
In Zhou Yi’s eyes, he appeared fragile and weak.
This fueled his fighting spirit. The second time he faced Kobe, he not only racked up nearly a quadruple-double but also led his team to a decisive victory over the Lakers.

Zhou Yi completed his start in an instant—within the blink of an eye. His unparalleled speed was like a bolt of lightning flashing before Kobe; before he could react, Zhou Yi’s ghostly figure had already passed by him.

Zhou Yi executed a quick stop and jump shot; the ball hit the backboard before falling into the basket.

Kobe gave Zhou Yi a deep glance before taking the ball to organize an attack.

Faced with Zhou Yi’s defense, Kobe also relied on speed. With a crossover step, he moved half a body length away from Zhou Yi. A surge of joy rose in his heart—each successful breakthrough felt like creating a masterpiece, bringing him immense satisfaction, especially when facing a player like Zhou Yi who combined defense and speed.

Kobe’s breakthrough made John Kuester stand up anxiously. In the current Lakers team, the only player he truly worried about was Kobe; his fierce breakthroughs were something no one dared to underestimate. In the Pistons’ lineup, only Zhou Yi could keep up with him, but unexpectedly, in their first encounter, Zhou Yi was broken through so easily.

Looking at the basket right in front of him, Kobe attempted another quick stop and jump shot, but the ball slipped from his fingers swiftly.

Suddenly, a tall figure leaped up from behind Kobe. The moment the ball left his hands, a dark shadow enveloped Kobe in mid-air.

“Thwack”—the ball, struck, flew out of bounds even faster.

After giving Zhou Yi another deep glance, Kobe turned and headed toward the top of the key.

His mood was extremely unsettled. He had always been wary of Zhou Yi’s speed, but he hadn’t expected Zhou Yi’s explosive power and jumping ability to exceed his imagination. He had already been half a body length ahead, yet Zhou Yi still managed to catch up and block him from behind.

The Lakers quickly inballed the ball at the sideline. Since the previous attack had taken up a lot of time, little time was left for an offensive play after the inbounds pass.

After catching the ball, Kobe attempted a three-point shot. But Zhou Yi was prepared. Though he couldn’t block the shot, it was enough to prevent Kobe from scoring.

Sure enough, with a “clang,” Kobe’s shot missed the rim.

Greg Monroe pushed Paul Gasol aside to grab the rebound, but just as he did, the referee’s whistle suddenly blew.

The referee signaled to the stats board; it turned out that Paul Gasol pushed Greg Monroe when you were trying to grab the rebound, resulting in a foul for stealing the rebound.
“Bitch, you can’t get a rebound even if you commit a foul!” Greg Monroe muttered under his breath.
Fortunately, his voice was low; otherwise, if Paul Gasol had heard it, it’s likely things would have escalated into a fight.
The Pistons had the ball.
Zhou Yi drove to the basket and passed it skillfully to Andre Iguodala, who then hit a jump shot from the baseline.
9:8, the Pistons were still one point behind.
“Nice… Kobe drives… gets past, and despite Greg Monroe’s block, he manages to shoot from mid-air!” the Lakers’ DJ shouted excitedly.
Zhou Yi ignored Kobe’s provocative gaze and, with a simple screen with Andre Iguodala, easily passed the ball to McGrady, helping him hit a three-point shot.
Zhou Yi stepped back, blocking Kobe’s path. Kobe couldn’t stop; he had tried to change direction to get past Zhou Yi but failed. It was only with Ron Artest’s screen that he got a chance to drive, but Zhou Yi wisely stepped back, anticipating his move and once again preventing him from breaking through.
As time passed, Kobe reluctantly passed the ball. Sometimes he really had to admire Zhou Yi—he always knew where to be in the game and never tried to show off. Yet he was the most crucial player on the team, as defense is something many players are unwilling to do. It’s hard to have outstanding performances in defense, and a defender’s ability isn’t just reflected in steals and blocks. Just like Bruce Bowen of the former San Antonio Spurs, whose average steals and blocks per game never exceeded one throughout his career, but no one could deny his defensive skills.
When superstars like Kobe and McGrady were facing Bowen at their peak, their performance was far from their usual brilliance—almost disappointing.
Chapter 442: Win for the Championship, Lose and Go to Seven (Part 1)
As the saying goes, “Offense wins regular seasons, but defense wins championships.” So, in these crucial finals, defense is even more important.
With no offensive opportunities inside, the ball was passed to the outside. Kobe felt frustrated. If you guys don’t have a chance, I don’t either—that kid keeps following me.

As time neared and his teammates still hadn’t created any space, Kobe resolved to act. With a quick stop and jump shot, he released the ball.
Kobe’s shooting speed was extremely fast, so Zhou Yi still couldn’t block his shot. However, due to Zhou Yi’s interference, Kobe’s shot missed once again.
Andre Iguodala leaped high to grab the defensive rebound and passed the ball to Zhou Yi. Kobe tried to rush over to steal the ball, but Zhou Yi turned his backhand toward him. As a result, Kobe hit Zhou Yi’s backhand, and the referee witnessed this scene. Yet the referee didn’t call a foul. Seeing that the referee wasn’t about to call a foul, Zhou Yi frowned slightly.
But Zhou Yi didn’t show much reaction—after all, this was the Lakers’ home court.
The referee’s whistle blew. Zhou Yi’s aggressive breakthrough disrupted the Lakers’ defense. Even with Kobe’s close marking, he couldn’t fully contain Zhou Yi. With help from other Pistons players, Zhou Yi quickly broke through into the paint, forcing Andrew Bynum into a defensive foul.
After catching his breath, Zhou Yi calmly made both free throws.
11:12—the Pistons took a 1-point lead.
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 the ball 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.
After catching the ball, Kobe immediately bent down, preparing to attack, his eyes fixed on Zhou Yi ahead of him.
Zhou Yi silently watched Kobe, who hadn’t moved yet, with no expression on his face.
Suddenly, Kobe accelerated, breaking through from Zhou Yi’s left with lightning speed, easily bypassing his defensive coverage.
As Kobe passed Zhou Yi, Zhou Yi also moved quickly to follow him, blocking part of his offensive path.
Of course, it was only part of it. Another part of Kobe’s offensive path remained open. To block that path, someone else would need to join Zhou Yi to double-team Kobe. And that person 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 to look for 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 made people 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 hurriedly followed 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 spectacular moment. By then, Zhou Yi’s head had 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 when Greg Monroe passed the ball, Zhou Yi had to not only judge its trajectory but also accurately locate the basket as it flew. 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 coordination and the soul-stirring dunk. The awe, only felt by being there in person, made the fans forget to clap, shout, think about the players, themselves, or anything else. They were utterly stunned, unable to pull themselves away. 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. “Greg, great pass!” Zhou Yi happily ran up to Greg Monroe and high-fived him to celebrate. Greg Monroe smiled and said, “You too—your alley-oop was absolutely amazing this time.” “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! The Lakers’ veteran Derek Fisher assisted teammate Paul Gasol, who missed a mid-range shot, and Zhou Yi grabbed the defensive rebound. Greg Monroe took on Andrew Bynum one-on-one, tried to shoot from behind, but was blocked by Andrew Bynum. Andrew Bynum maneuvered past Greg Monroe, caught a pass from a teammate under the basket, and powerfully dunked, distorting the basket further. McGrady shot decisively from 45 degrees on the right wing beyond the three-point line, hitting the three-point shot as well. In the next two offensive waves, neither team scored.

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 delivering 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 Steve Blake, started a fast break, drove 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.