Chapter 213

The second quarter is about to start soon, with players from both teams getting ready at the bottom of the court. In the first quarter, the Clippers lost by three points to the Pistons, which was quite serious for them, as they had already planned to win this game before it even began. They thought that although the Pistons were also a strong team now, they wouldn’t have much of a chance against their aggressive offense.

However, things didn’t develop as they had expected after the first quarter. The Pistons played excellent basketball and built a lead through their scoring. Coupled with Zhou Yi’s strong performance, it’s not easy for the Clippers to catch up now.

Still, the Clippers quickly ordered a comeback, placing high hopes on their bench players. To be honest, the Clippers’ bench is indeed one of the strongest among teams—some of their bench players might even be better than some teams’ starting lineups. So, the Clippers have high expectations for their bench, but the Pistons’ bench is also no pushover.

Chapter 457: The Christmas Battle (End)

Since the start of the new season, Spencer Hawes has gradually shown his talent in controlling rebounds and his potential on defense. Opponents can’t easily score in front of him. In this situation, Spencer Hawes has become a key defensive force for the Pistons. On the other hand, Spencer Hawes can switch between the power forward and center positions, allowing him to rotate with Greg Monroe and Samuel Dalembert to some extent. This way, the three of them avoid wasting resources and maintain their fighting strength.

So, the Pistons’ bench is still quite strong right now.

The Clippers quickly realized the strength of the Pistons’ bench players. They had planned to find an advantage among the Pistons’ substitutes, but their hopes were unfulfilled—despite their good intentions, they failed to turn them into reality. The Pistons’ bench players played with great tenacity, and not only that, but they also possessed strong combativeness. Under the combined effect of the Pistons’ bench’s fighting spirit and strength, the Clippers were unable to achieve their goal of catching up and giving the Pistons a thorough beating before the start of the second quarter. In fact, they might even end up falling further behind. In this situation, the Clippers’ coach became impatient, wishing he could go out and coach his own players himself, and Chris Paul was also a bit restless.

So, the Clippers didn’t keep their team on the court for long and soon sent in their starting lineup, with Zhou Yi joining the Pistons’ starting team as well. At this point, the two teams resumed a fierce battle. Zhou Yi continued to perform strongly throughout the second quarter, using his rebounds, assists, and opportunities created by defensive help to help the Pistons build a lead.

By the end of the first half, Zhou Yi had 18 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block, while Chris Paul’s stats were much lower—only 15 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists, with no steals or blocks. Although Zhou Yi didn’t completely overwhelm Chris Paul today, he still left him helpless, and his defense against Chris Paul was highly effective.

Now, Zhou Yi is becoming more familiar with Chris Paul’s offensive patterns, while Chris Paul is also getting better at defending against Zhou Yi’s tactics. Thus, the two will likely continue to engage in this back-and-forth struggle.

At the end of the first half, the score was 49:45, with the Clippers falling behind by four points. Although this deficit wasn’t a big deal for the Pistons, it was clear the Clippers were frustrated by the score, as they had expected to be ahead after the game started. Under this psychological pressure, the Clippers looked displeased.

The second half began, and the Clippers were eager to perform well, determined to quickly establish a lead and reverse the Pistons’ advantage. From the start, they played aggressively, and despite their intensity, the Pistons couldn’t fully stop their attacks. They seemed stunned by the Clippers’ pace and failed to close the gap in time.

The Clippers tried to capitalize on this to widen their lead, but Zhou Yi wasn’t having it. He easily disrupted their attacks with a three-pointer and a breakthrough, further demoralizing the Clippers. Then, he provided an assist and coordinated with Samuel Dalembert to regain the lead and even expand it. The Clippers were furious, but by the end of the third quarter, the Pistons still led.

Many found this outcome unexpected but not entirely unforeseeable. After all, the Pistons are a strong team this season and currently rank high in the league. Some had assumed their good record was due to avoiding tough schedules, but now they realized they might need to reevaluate that view—after all, the Pistons could still hold their ground against the Clippers and even take the lead.

Chris Paul was also annoyed. He had prepared himself to lose stats but win the game, but it now seemed he would indeed lose stats, and winning the game wasn’t easy either.

At this thought, Chris Paul’s brows also furrowed slightly—Zhou Yi was truly too tough. Even with his current scoring skills, he still couldn’t gain much advantage against Zhou Yi. Chris Paul was a bit frustrated, but the most crucial part was the fourth quarter. If they didn’t fight back in the fourth quarter, the Clippers wouldn’t have many chances left. In this quarter, Chris Paul would surely give it his all. Under these circumstances, the Clippers were ready to go all out again.

However, in the fourth quarter, they failed to overwhelm the Pistons as they had hoped, but the Pistons also didn’t widen their lead. With two minutes and 21 seconds left in the game, the score was 87:84, with the Pistons leading by 3 points. Although only two minutes remained, the Clippers still held the ball, but a three-point lead seemed insufficient.

Chris Paul got the ball and stood in front of Zhou Yi, carefully performing crossover moves. His eyes were sharp, as if determined to break through Zhou Yi directly. Zhou Yi could sense Chris Paul’s firm resolve, but he wasn’t afraid. With only two minutes left, as long as they held on and resisted the counterattack, they could win the game. Zhou Yi defended Chris Paul meticulously, and the two faced off just outside the three-point line.

Chris Paul’s plan now was to either break through Zhou Yi or take a jump shot—he wouldn’t allow himself to fail at such a critical moment. He wanted to disrupt the Pistons’ strong position with a score and leave them with little ability to resist. Of course, the first step was to close the score gap before planning further. Chris Paul continued to move the ball under his legs, time and again, seemingly impossible for Zhou Yi to steal. He was determined to take responsibility at this moment; he had always done so, and he would do the same this time.

Chris Paul focused entirely on breaking through Zhou Yi. Suddenly, the ball passed under his legs and ended up in his right hand. Zhou Yi immediately moved his left leg to his left to block Chris Paul.

“This kid’s reaction speed is really fast!” Chris Paul couldn’t help but marvel inwardly, but that didn’t stop him from moving forward. Just then, an expressionless Odom suddenly appeared beside Zhou Yi in front of Chris Paul, blocking Zhou Yi’s path. Seeing this, Chris Paul realized it was a screen set for him, so he immediately changed direction, planning to break through Zhou Yi on his left to take advantage of Odom’s screen and close the score gap!

However, the moment Chris Paul made this change, he suddenly sensed something was off—perhaps it was his years of hard training that gave him an intuitive sense about basketball, telling him something wasn’t right. The next second, as he prepared to catch the ball with his left hand, he realized it was too late, as he could no longer locate the ball’s direction.

“Damn, it’s been stolen!” Chris Paul reacted quickly, realizing he had been stripped. He turned around and chased after it without hesitation, knowing that Zhou Yi must already be in full sprint with the ball.

As expected, the moment Zhou Yi got the ball, he immediately ran toward the other half of the court, pushing his speed to its peak. Even Chris Paul couldn’t keep up with Zhou Yi’s speed at that level.

Moreover, Zhou Yi’s ball-handling skills had improved even further, allowing him to perfectly coordinate his full-speed charge. Thus, he quickly crossed half-court. Thanks to his timely steal and decisive action in rushing across the court, his opponent didn’t have time to block him, and Zhou Yi ended up outside the three-point line. At that moment, he felt like a fish in water, his body accelerating to its absolute limit!

Like a blue lightning bolt, Zhou Yi instantly reached the paint, just one step inside the free-throw line, before leaping into the air!

“He’s going for a dunk!” Many people thought, staring intently at Zhou Yi. His body soared higher and higher into the air!

It was still that sense as if time and space could be crossed. After a long yet brief flight, Zhou Yi’s body finally reached near the basket. At the same time, his body spun, and then he faced the basket as his entire body flew backward! Then, the basketball rose again from beneath him. After this distance, it gained even more force, and Zhou Yi slammed it at the basket with both hands! In the blink of an eye, the basket roared, and Zhou Yi descended from the sky like a war god. The entire backboard and basket were still trembling. As he fell, he felt a slight tingling in his hands. From the steal to the dunk, it was all done in one smooth motion—Zhou Yi’s series of actions were fast, decisive, and precise. The ball went back to the Clippers. Chris Paul had just had it stolen by Zhou Yi. However, this man wasn’t used to taking too much blame for his failures. He believed that although his mistake wasn’t inevitable, it was still within the bounds of what could happen, and no one else had the right to criticize him. So he didn’t feel guilty toward his teammates; instead, he was filled with coldness—coldness toward Zhou Yi. Zhou Yi’s actions had angered him. With only 2 minutes and 3 seconds left, the Clippers were still 5 points behind. Chris Paul still decided to take a shot. This time, he was prepared to prevent being stolen, so he immediately rushed toward the paint. With Odom’s help in setting a screen, Chris Paul quickly reached near the free-throw line, and soon the Pistons players came to defend him. “Hmph!” Chris Paul snorted coldly, showing his disdain for the Pistons’ defense with a nasal tone. Then he gathered the ball, his agile body weaving through the Pistons’ defenders. He quickly passed Samuel Dalembert, and everything became clear—he just needed to throw the ball slightly forward, and it would bounce off the backboard, allowing him to close the gap to two points. In that case, dealing with the Pistons properly might even secure a victory in this game. With such thoughts, Chris Paul threw the ball, imagining it bouncing off the basket.

“Be careful!” Blake Griffin’s voice, tinged with frustration and urgency, rang loudly in Chris Paul’s ear. The next moment, a long, pale right hand appeared above Chris Paul’s basketball, slapping it hard with a force utterly at odds with its delicate appearance—thus knocking the ball away by Zhou Yi!
“Blocked!” Chris Paul’s mind went blank as Zhou Yi knocked the ball down into Samuel Dalembert’s arms, adding another block to his stats.
With McGrady in control of the ball near half-court, Chris Paul was already furious, his heart chilled. Watching the Pistons’ situation and recalling Zhou Yi’s steal and block just now, his anger grew further.
Now, Chris Paul had truly turned into an ice block, standing on the court with an aura that felt icy and soul-chilling. Even Zhou Yi could sense the coldness emanating from him. Silent and resolute, Chris Paul seemed ready for a desperate charge, which was somewhat terrifying.
Yet Zhou Yi remained unfazed. He suddenly rushed toward the paint, and Chris Paul, determined to stop him, followed inside as well. He kept his eyes fixed on Zhou Yi’s back, refusing to let him get away. This tactic proved effective—Zhou Yi didn’t escape Chris Paul’s defensive range. Zhou Yi led Chris Paul into the paint, then used deceptive dribbling moves—first with his legs, then with his body. It seemed like he was flashing left, but in reality, he was moving right.
Through countless such deceptive moves, Zhou Yi’s figure seemed to create multiple illusions. Chris Paul struggled to keep up. Then, Zhou Yi accelerated to his peak speed and rushed to the farthest edge of the court. With those deceptive moves combined with his top speed, Chris Paul could no longer catch up. By the time he tried to pursue Zhou Yi, McGrady’s pass had already crossed the distance and landed in Zhou Yi’s hands.

Chris Paul charged at Zhou Yi with blood-red eyes, but it was already too late. Zhou Yi caught a pass from McGrady, soared into the air, and executed a even simpler and more elegant backstep move than Chris Paul’s to dodge him, then hit the three-pointer! With this three-pointer, the Los Angeles Clippers completely lost their chance to turn the game around. In the end, the Pistons won this Christmas showdown 98:89.

In this game, Zhou Yi outperformed Chris Paul completely, recording a triple-double with 29 points, 12 rebounds, and 14 assists, along with 6 steals and 3 blocks. On the other hand, Chris Paul scored only 21 points, had 5 rebounds and 9 assists, plus 4 turnovers, while Zhou Yi had just 2 turnovers.

Among the Pistons’ other players, McGrady performed adequately with 18 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists; Spencer Hawes excelled defensively with 13 rebounds and 4 blocks; Andre Iguodala also had a solid performance with 13 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals.

On the Clippers’ side, “The Beast” Blake Griffin posted a double-double of 24 points and 10 rebounds; Chris Bosh scored 12 points with 8 assists; and Morris Williams hit four three-pointers for 15 points.

In this game, Zhou Yi not only secured his team’s victory but also his own, bringing the match to a perfect conclusion.

Chapter 458: The Second Time as All-Star Vote Leader

As Zhou Yi’s performance grew more and more outstanding, the Pistons once again achieved an impressive record of 15 wins and 3 losses. With averages of 28.4 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 12.3 assists—essentially a near-triple-double—Zhou Yi became the hottest superstar in the NBA.

Before long, the All-Star Game was approaching. A week before the event, it was no surprise that Zhou Yi would become the vote leader for the All-Star Game, and his position was entirely well-deserved. His impressive statistics made it impossible for anyone to resist voting for him. Even before the All-Star Weekend began, Zhou Yi had broken historical records, becoming the player with the most votes in history. Of course, no one questioned the votes coming from China, as Zhou Yi’s performance truly warranted his status as the vote leader.

The league is currently grappling with another issue: Zhou Yi’s participation in this year’s All-Star games. There was strong demand for him to compete in the Three-Point Shootout, as his three-point shooting percentage this season reached an astonishing 56%, even with 4.3 attempts per game. However, many also wanted him to take part in this year’s Dunk Contest. Throughout the season, Zhou Yi has demonstrated highly entertaining dunking skills that provide a unique viewing experience—his dunks give people the feeling of traveling through time and space, a sensation that captivates audiences. As a result, some quickly suggested he should compete in the Dunk Contest as well. In addition to the Dunk Contest and Three-Point Shootout, Zhou Yi was also invited to participate in the Rookie Challenge. Currently, there is significant advocacy for him to compete in the All-Star Dunk Contest, the Rookie Challenge, and the Three-Point Shootout; some even want him to defend his title in the Skill Challenge as well. But with three such expectations placed on one person, it’s quite overwhelming for Zhou Yi. Thus, some quickly proposed that he compete in both the Dunk Contest and the Three-Point Shootout, giving up the Rookie Challenge since he has already been selected for the main All-Star game. At first, this idea faced strong opposition, as nothing like this has ever happened since the inception of All-Star Weekend—no player has ever received such treatment, combining the Three-Point Shootout and the Dunk Contest. As a result, many criticized and doubted this proposal, though they were in the minority. The majority still wanted Zhou Yi to participate in both events.

Soon, there were growing calls for Zhou Yi to participate in both competitions, with more and more people advocating for it. Many hoped that Zhou Yi would compete in both events, which sparked intense discussions. After all, this was a departure from tradition. Although there was no explicit rule stating that someone who participated in the dunk contest couldn’t also compete in the three-point contest, over time this had become an unspoken rule, one that everyone quietly adhered to. Participating in the All-Star Game was a recognition of a player’s abilities and a great honor. To allow more players to enjoy this honor and to make the All-Star Weekend more exciting, there were so many events and participants. However, if Zhou Yi were to compete in both events, it would not only be a break from tradition but also a threat to the opportunities of other players. As a result, the league’s executives have been struggling with this decision, unsure whether to agree or not.

Amidst this dilemma, the event was about to start, yet the executives still hadn’t made a decision. After much deliberation, David Stern finally made the decision to let Zhou Yi compete in both the dunk contest and the three-point contest, giving up the Rookie Challenge. This decision was the result of careful consideration—allowing Zhou Yi to join might offend some people, but not allowing him to join would offend even more. After extensive thought, David Stern reached this decision. Zhou Yi’s fans cheered excitedly at the prospect of him competing in both events.

Zhou Yi had already made some adjustments for this honor, which was enough to fill him with surprise and pride. Competing in both events also gave him extra motivation to move forward. They didn’t handle this matter discreetly; instead, they spread the news globally, going to great lengths to promote it. Soon, many people learned about the changes and adjustments made for Zhou Yi.

At the press conference, David Stern said with a smile, “This was a difficult decision for us, but in the end we decided to give young players more opportunities. Zhou Yi is still young and has endless potential. We hope this competition will give him valuable experience to help smooth his path in basketball. At the same time, we hope fans will enjoy a true All-Star spectacle—you won’t come empty-handed; you’ll have a great time.” It’s unclear how many applause and cheers his words received.

In fact, any talk about giving priority to young players is nonsense. What’s at stake are interests—specifically, the benefit of having Zhou Yi participate in two competitions at once as a reward for his contributions to the league so far. Everyone can see Zhou Yi’s contributions to the league, so it’s only fair to give him some recognition. Additionally, it’s purely for profit: by having him participate, they can create hype, and who knows how many people will watch his three-point shooting and dunk contests? The hype can also further boost Zhou Yi’s already high popularity.

So, after considering all these factors, they made the right choice—to have Zhou Yi participate in two competitions to bring more benefits to them.

When interviewed by the media, Zhou Yi said, “Thank you to the league for their support and everyone for their understanding. Being able to participate in two competitions at once is a great honor. I’m proud of myself, so I’ll give my best effort and attitude in these two competitions to show everyone the real me and bring them as much joy as possible.”

Zhou Yi had somewhat anticipated that the league would let him participate in two competitions. Sure enough, his prediction has come true—he can indeed participate in both. Of course, he’s prepared for this. There’s not much he can do to prepare for the three-point shooting contest; even with preparation, he might still perform poorly and have to give up his spot. The dunk contest is different—he needs to prepare thoroughly. It’s a competition that values creativity, and creativity isn’t easy to achieve; it requires a lot of practice. Naturally, Zhou Yi also needs to practice more.

Soon, the All-Star game arrived.

This is a truly generational shift in the format of the game—the 2012 All-Star Game may well signal the beginning of a new era for the league. Unfortunately, Kevin Garnett wasn’t just left out of the starting lineup but also the bench lineup. His teammate Paul Pierce made it to the Eastern Conference bench, while Ray Allen, like Garnett, missed out on this year’s All-Star Game. Tim Duncan from the Western Conference also didn’t make the cut. This is the change of era—everything happens so naturally, quietly evolving around us. Though disappointing, this is just how times change; new talents emerge, and progress must continue gradually. It seems the league has quietly completed its generational transition, and the sense of change brings a touch of melancholy. Zhou Yi is now unbeatable in popularity. Since the league announced that he would compete in both the three-point shooting contest and the dunk contest, his fame has soared, and no one can resist his charm. As the league undergoes this generational shift, Zhou Yi also feels a bit sad, but it’s inevitable. What everyone can do is build on the shoulders of their predecessors. As per tradition, All-Star Game coaches cannot serve consecutive terms, so this year’s head coach for the Eastern Conference team is Erik Spoelstra of the Miami Heat. Under Spoelstra’s leadership, the Heat have had an impressive record, losing only eight games so far, making it logical for him to be the head coach of the Eastern Conference All-Star team this year. The Pistons’ lineup for this year’s All-Star Game is still strong, with Zhou Yi competing in the main event, along with Tracy McGrady and Andre Iguodala, though the latter two will play as substitutes. Of course, the greatest expectations rest on Zhou Yi, for whom the league made an exception, to see if he can win both the shooting contest and the dunk contest. … Zhou Yi had just arrived in Orlando when reporters approached him. He quickly expressed his confidence in winning both the dunk contest and the shooting contest. Satisfied with his answer, the reporters left, and soon Zhou Yi faced the All-Star shooting contest.

The three-point shooting contest was held quickly. Those competing in this event were James Jones from the Miami Heat, aiming to defend his title; Kevin Love from the Minnesota Timberwolves; Anthony Morrow from the New Jersey Nets; Mario Chalmers, also from the Miami Heat; Ray Allen from the Boston Celtics; Joe Johnson from the Atlanta Hawks; and Zhou Yi from the Detroit Pistons.

In the preliminaries, James Jones was the first to shoot. He missed his first attempt but performed well afterward, hitting all five of his last shots to score 14 points. Anthony Morrow, clearly lacking experience, hadn’t finished shooting by the time it was over, scoring only 13 points. Kevin Love had a decent performance, but his last shot was taken after time ran out and shouldn’t have counted. However, since the All-Star Game is mainly for entertainment and there’s no replay, the shot was still awarded 2 points, giving him a total of 15 points. Ray Allen scored only 2 points on his first attempt but improved as the game went on, hitting all his shots in the middle round and finishing with 19 points. Joe Johnson had a poor performance, scoring only 12 points. James Jones’ teammate Mario Chalmers had an average showing, missing all five of his last shots and scoring 12 points.

Zhou Yi was the last to shoot. His appearance was met with cheers from fans everywhere. As of the All-Star Game at the start of the new season, Zhou Yi’s three-point shooting percentage was 56%, and he also held the Pistons’ record of scoring at least one three-point shot in 50 consecutive games. There were high expectations for him to win the title. Before starting to shoot, Zhou Yi took a deep breath. He performed well on his first round, hitting all five of his shots cleanly. Overall, he was quite solid, hitting 12 out of 15 shots and missing only one free throw. With 20 points already, it was no problem for him to make it to the final round. He shot more casually in his last attempt, ending up with 23 points.

James Jones, Mario Chalmers, Joe Johnson, and Anthony Morrow were eliminated, while Ray Allen, Kevin Love, and Zhou Yi advanced to the final round. Ray Allen did well in the middle round but scored 0 points in his last attempt, bringing his total to 15 points, which looked quite unfavorable. Kevin Love was the next to shoot. He performed bravely, hitting 8 out of his first 10 shots and scoring 13 points after the first three rounds. Although he struggled in his last attempt and missed his final free throw, he still scored 18 points, hitting 15 out of 25 shots in that round.

The last to take the court was Zhou Yi. His outstanding performance in the preliminaries had earned him widespread optimism. As teammates, McGrady and Andre Iguodala were his biggest supporters, standing in their seats and cheering him on constantly. In fact, it was Zhou Yi himself who had the most confidence now—the performances of the previous two players hadn’t put much pressure on him. In the preliminaries, he had already saved some strength for later, and now he had enough confidence to achieve even better results. He would no longer hold back in this round.

When he stepped to the shooting spot, his mind was entirely focused on the game. As the referee’s whistle blew, he gently pushed the ball forward with smooth, effortless movements—without any hesitation. With a “swish,” as the first shot went in, Zhou Yi regained a steady rhythm, continuing to shoot. At that moment, all he saw was the ball in his hands and the small basket.

Seeing Zhou Yi’s determined expression, McGrady couldn’t help but laugh. He knew the title of “Three-Point King” was likely to stay with Zhou Yi. His expression now was just like during regular practice. McGrady had always admired Zhou Yi’s astonishing three-point shooting accuracy during training. But according to coach John Kuester, Zhou Yi’s success in three-point shooting was thanks to his hard work, and his shooting now had its own distinct rhythm. As long as he played according to this rhythm, his three-point shots would become a formidable weapon that would intimidate all his opponents.

The Amway Center was quiet. All noise disappeared once Zhou Yi got into his rhythm. Watching him skillfully repeat his shooting movements, the fans were immersed in the moment, as if they were the ones shooting on the court, their thoughts following the ball as it flew through the air. “Swish, swish…” By now, Zhou Yi had forgotten how many shots he had taken. In the repetition of the rhythm, he kept shooting according to his own pace. He even had the illusion that each shot took exactly the same amount of time.

A cool sensation came from his fingertips, and Zhou Yi finally woke up from his trance. He realized the fifth basket was already empty—he had finished his 25 shots. Yet the scoreboard still showed ten seconds left. He hadn’t expected to shoot so fast.

With a puzzled look, Zhou Yi nodded at the referee to signal that he had finished shooting, though he wasn’t sure how many he had made.

After just a short while, Zhou Yi’s shooting results appeared on the central screen: 30 points, the full score, with no misses out of 25 attempts. Roaring applause erupted as Zhou Yi secured the title of Three-Point King by a huge margin. TNT covered the All-Star Weekend games throughout, and of course, Barkley was there to commentate. After Zhou Yi won the three-point title, the camera quickly switched to the TNT studio. Everyone thought Barkley would start talking nonsense again, but to everyone’s surprise, he stayed quiet—even a picky critic like Barkley couldn’t find anything wrong with Zhou Yi’s performance. After winning the title, Zhou Yi received a prize of $35,000. He said, “This is my style. Passing comes first, followed by shooting. But that doesn’t mean my shooting is inferior to my passing.” Though honored, Zhou Yi wasn’t overly excited, as he focused more on this year’s dunk contest, for which he had prepared for a long time. The dunk contest attracted a lot of attention from fans. Zhou Yi had shown off his dunking skills without reservation in regular games, and everyone saw a truly exceptional version of him. So, for his first dunk contest in his career, many people came to watch, eager to see his amazing performance. Chapter 459: Dunk Contest (Part 1) After the three-point shooting contest, Zhou Yi rested for a short while before discussing the dunk contest with McGrady and Greg Monroe. This year’s participants in the dunk contest were Derek Williams from the Minnesota Timberwolves, Chase Bardinger from the Houston Rockets, Russell Westbrook from the Oklahoma Thunder, Zhou Yi from the Detroit Pistons, Dwight Howard from the Orlando Magic, and Nate Robinson from the Boston Celtics. These players made up this year’s dunk contest lineup. The dunk contest is the most popular event during All-Star Weekend, second only to the actual All-Star games. Of course, the dunk contest isn’t just about a player’s dunking ability; it also takes into account their sense of humor, creativity, and ability to be playful. Many creative ideas from previous dunk contests have already been used, so creativity has become increasingly important in recent years.

This year’s dunk contest has attracted a lot of attention, with three key players standing out. The first is Zhou Yi. Zhou Yi is not a familiar face in dunk contests; in fact, his dunking talent only began to shine this season, and many people have come to appreciate the sheer power and beauty of his dunks. This season, Zhou Yi has already won the All-Star Three-Point Shootout, and with his participation in the dunk contest, his performance was naturally highly anticipated. Many of his fans are hoping he can achieve an unprecedented grand slam this season—winning the All-Star Three-Point Shootout, the All-Star Dunk Contest, and the MVP of the All-Star game. However, Zhou Yi’s competitors are also very strong. Another player who has drawn attention is Dwight Howard. One of the NBA’s funniest players, Howard is also considered one of the best dunkers in the world. A few years ago, he donned a Superman cape, bringing laughter to everyone and earning him a dunk contest championship. Many people are expecting great performances from Howard this year, hoping he can succeed again in his Superman costume, while others are looking forward to even more creative moves from him. Creativity is something that’s in short supply in dunk contests, and audiences want to see something fresh. It’s unclear what surprises Dwight Howard, often dubbed the “Shark,” can bring after Shaquille O’Neal, so many are eagerly awaiting his performance, hoping he can bring more laughter. The last remaining player is Nate Robinson, nicknamed “Little Potato.” At 1.75 meters tall, he has already won the dunk contest three times, making him a strong contender for the championship. Thus, Zhou Yi’s decision to compete in the dunk contest after winning the Three-Point Shootout doesn’t seem so surprising anymore, and many people’s attention has shifted to Howard and Nate Robinson. The other three dunk contest participants this year have also received attention, but despite showing solid control in dunking, they pale in comparison to the focus on Zhou Yi, Howard, and Nate Robinson.

The first to attempt a dunk was Russell Westbrook, the Thunder’s star point guard. He had discussed the move with Kevin Durant for a long time, and after whispering together about the actions, they began to coordinate.
“Go!”
Many people shouted from the sidelines, hoping that this energetic player from the Thunder would bring some freshness to the performance. Russell Westbrook ran onto the court amid the crowd’s cheers, then, with the audience’s support, caught a pass from Durant and ended the act with a fierce dunk.
Russell Westbrook was quite proud of his performance. But as soon as he landed, the crowd’s boos followed without hesitation, startling the Thunder’s star player. He shrugged sheepishly, and then the referees raised their cards: three sevens and two twos, resulting in an average score of just 34 points. This score left Russell Westbrook somewhat embarrassed. Kevin Durant, who passed the ball to him, also had a pained expression and shrugged his shoulders.
Under these circumstances, everyone’s enthusiasm for the All-Star game dipped a bit. The second player quickly took the court—Chase Budinger of the Rockets. Due to Russell Westbrook’s underwhelming performance, people placed their hopes on him and cheered loudly, saying, “Go! Go! You’ll do a great move!”
So, Chase Budinger stepped onto the court excitedly. Amid everyone’s anticipation, he attempted a dunk after catching the ball off the backboard. Then, the crowd’s boos grew louder, forcing him to end the dunk awkwardly as he landed back on the court amidst more boos.
“That dunk has been used by so many people—it’s completely overused,” Zhou Yi commented indifferently.
Next was Derrick Williams of the Wolves. Since the audience had already felt disappointed by Chase Budinger and Russell Westbrook, they didn’t clap as enthusiastically for Derrick Williams, merely watching to see if he could deliver something good.
Derrick Williams still used no props; he simply brought a basketball onto the court. After receiving the signal to start, he rubbed the basketball in his hands and rushed onto the court.

Everyone was watching his new move, after all, this guy’s usual dunks were incredibly spectacular. He ran to the center of the court and then threw his basketball right out! The basketball traced a straight line through the air before bouncing perfectly off the side of the backboard, right on that narrow edge. It was clear he was lucky—he found the right direction on the first try, and the ball bounced back just right for Derek Williams, who jumped high to catch it. He easily grabbed the ball, his body soaring forward endlessly before he firmly caught it again and flew near the basket, spinning his arms in front of him! “Bang!” The basket shook violently as he descended from the sky, still shaking, while the crowd’s cheers erupted like a tsunami. “Amazing!” The crowd’s applause grew louder, and Zhou Yi couldn’t help but applaud Derek Williams’s dunk—it was truly outstanding. His body glided through the air, combining power with grace, and the spinning motion exuded simplicity, violence, and ferocity. After Derek Williams’s dunk, the judges raised their cards, giving it 45 points—short of a perfect score. This puzzled Zhou Yi a bit, but after thinking about it, he understood: the next three players—himself, Howard, and Nate Robinson—were all top-tier, so the judges couldn’t give Derek Williams too many points. Otherwise, if he got a perfect score, how could the playoffs proceed? Although some criticized the judges for unfair practices, not many complained because what they wanted was an exciting match, and the judges hadn’t done anything wrong in that regard. The next player to take the court was Howard, who was full of fighting spirit today as well. His jersey had turned into a tight-fitting undershirt, covering his explosive muscles. This time, Howard pulled out another trick—he brought out his phone booth and put on a Superman cape inside it.

“We love you! You’re awesome, Mr. Howard!” The crowd erupted in cheers. Howard, who had already surprised everyone at the start of the game, enjoyed the support and came onto the court, raising his hand to enhance the atmosphere. Then, the basketball hoop was slowly removed. “What’s this guy up to?” Many spectators were puzzled, but thinking of Howard’s quirky and creative personality, they sat back down, waiting for his next move. The standard hoop was gradually taken away by equipment, and then a taller hoop was brought onto the court. “Oh, damn… this is so cool!” Some fans exclaimed, realizing Howard’s idea—he wanted to dunk through a higher hoop, which was at least 30 cm taller than a standard hoop. Thus, they were excited about his dunk attempt. Howard, amid the crowd’s cheers, went onto the court, grabbed a basketball, and dribbled toward the hoop. His cape fluttered high behind him as he approached the hoop, grabbed the ball, pushed off the ground with all his strength, and jumped! “Great!” The crowd’s cheers grew louder. For someone who could even reach the top of the backboard, dunking through a higher hoop wasn’t difficult at all. He effortlessly descended from the air, and as the non-standard hoop was taken away, the judges awarded Howard a perfect 50 points amidst the crowd’s applause! A perfect score! Actually, many of the judges liked Howard; otherwise, his dunk wouldn’t have been comparable to Derek Williams’ in terms of difficulty—it was just more creative. Zhou Yi heard Derek Williams mutter beside him, “Come on… this isn’t fair at all!” Zhou Yi pretended not to hear it. Then Howard, still wearing his cape, returned to his seat and taunted Nate Robinson, “Hey, kid, you’re going to get completely outdone by me today!” “Is that so?” Nate Robinson laughed and headed onto the court.

“Don’t worry, buddy… it definitely won’t be too far…” Nate Robinson saw Howard as his only enemy. Ironically, Howard didn’t consider Zhou Yi his enemy either; they were just competing against each other.
Amidst the crowd’s cheers, one of Nate Robinson’s teammates lay down in front of his jumping path. The crowd naturally wondered what he was up to, knowing Nate Robinson was good at pranks—this must be some clever trick.
Nate Robinson quickly answered their question. He drove in from beyond the three-point line, stepped on his unlucky teammate’s back, then rose again to attempt a dunk.
Unfortunately, a dunk rarely succeeded—this was one of Nate Robinson’s quirks. Just as he neared the basket, he suddenly felt his strength waning, forcing him to drop the ball and fall back down.
“I knew it… this guy tries ten thousand times for every dunk,” Howard laughed loudly, clearly amused. Zhou Yi didn’t want to disturb his joy and continued to watch Nate Robinson’s attempts.
Soon, Nate Robinson persevered and tried again. He drove in once more, stepped on his unlucky teammate’s back, and jumped high.
This time, the commentator laughing in the studio quipped, “Let’s pray for Nate’s poor teammate—pray he doesn’t need a hundred tries to succeed!”
But perhaps God was on that guy’s side, as Nate Robinson succeeded this time. He proudly spread his arms in an arc, ran along the court, and even did some impromptu street dancing, drawing cheers and screams from the crowd.
The referee gave him 50 points—showing great leniency toward him, which made Derek Williams even more upset.
With Nate Robinson and Howard’s dunks completed, only Zhou Yi remained in today’s trio of spectacular acts!

Zhou Yi took off his jacket and put on his Pistons’ No. 37 jersey before stepping onto the court. Under everyone’s gaze, he smiled slightly and waved at them. He grabbed a basketball, and more importantly, his teammates Tracy McGrady and Greg Monroe also stepped onto the court.
What creative idea does this guy have? Many people’s eyes lit up.
The audience instantly fell silent, all waiting for the performance Zhou Yi would deliver. With a basketball in his hands, he quickly drew various reactions from the crowd—whistling, applause, cheers, and more—everyone eager to see his amazing skills.
At this point, what made things even more curious was that McGrady and Greg Monroe each held a basketball, one on each side of the basket. The crowd’s cheers and whistling grew louder as everyone expressed their anticipation for Zhou Yi’s performance. It seemed Zhou Yi intended to keep everyone on edge by doing something they’d long awaited, so he waited for a moment, rubbing the basketball in his hands, before suddenly speeding up with his legs!
Once Zhou Yi’s leg speed reached its peak, it was no longer a joke—using such bursts in games often made it impossible to defend against. This was the wind-like power that defined Zhou Yi, the source of his “wind god” reputation. Holding the ball, he accelerated even faster, reaching just inside the free-throw line, before jumping high into the air!
“Is this it? The dunk?” Everyone guessed in their minds. But Zhou Yi was completely unpredictable at this point. His entire body soared upward, getting higher and higher. His two teammates, McGrady and Monroe, also held their basketballs tightly, ready. At that moment, Zhou Yi’s body was completely in the air!
“Oh, my god!” A few spectators covered their chests, watching the bizarre scene on the court. In the sky, Zhou Yi used his incredible body control and strong aerial ability. With such power, his body resembled a terrifying eagle in the sky, completely suspended in midair!

This sense of stillness conveyed a chilling sense of control, as well as an eerie feeling that even Hollywood’s most advanced special effects could not replicate. Everyone saw the limits of human strength in Zhou Yi—his body perfectly embodied the ultimate beauty and power of humanity. Every cell, every movement, every muscle, and even his clothes were filled with tension, exuding a desire to burst forth. The basketball was passed back and forth between Zhou Yi’s hands in mid-air, ending up in his left hand. Only then did his previously still body gradually come back to life, and he slammed the basketball into the basket with force!

“Bang!” The sound of the dunk seemed to awaken everyone from their dazed dream of Zhou Yi soaring high above the heavens. Amidst this powerful dunking sound, the audience’s earlier fantasy shattered like broken glass, beyond repair. Zhou Yi hung from the basket, and the crowd’s cheers erupted wildly. Yet they suddenly remembered Greg Monroe and McGrady were also there.

Chapter 460: Dunk Contest (Part 2)

“Good heavens… that dunk was absolutely stunning.” As if they had witnessed the most terrifying thing in the world, some elderly people with mild heart conditions covered their chests. Their eyes shone with a mix of anticipation and fear, their pupils filled with determination.

“Go, go!” Cheers in Chinese rang out repeatedly. There were also some Chinese people who had traveled thousands of miles, giving up their New Year’s Eve reunion meals to come to Dallas for this spectacle. Although they missed the most important festival of the year, they undoubtedly received an unforgettable visual feast. At that moment, they had the illusion that Zhou Yi was approaching the sky, pulling their vision upward endlessly, making them feel as if they couldn’t breathe from the closeness to the heavens!

Sure enough, Zhou Yi didn’t stop. As the sound of his successful dunk shattered the world’s tranquility and revealed the irresistible beauty of dawn, McGrady on the left side of the basket picked up the basketball and threw it straight toward Zhou Yi.

This was the essence of countless training sessions—Madison’s basketball moved along a seemingly inevitable trajectory, as if the Earth orbited the Sun, straight toward Zhou Yifei.
“It’s insane…” Many had already figured out Zhou Yifei’s intentions, but understanding them didn’t bring them even a moment of peace or satisfaction; instead, it made their hearts pound even harder, like a raging fire threatening to burst out of their chests!
Shortly after Madison passed the ball, Greg Monroe also passed his basketball. The moment Madison passed it, Zhou Yifei’s body, which had just exerted its strength once, ignited like an unstoppable wildfire, instantly reigniting. His hands gripped the sturdy basket firmly, giving his body renewed upward momentum as he soared into the air. With a gentle motion of his right hand, and at the last moment before his body succumbed to gravity, Zhou Yifei’s left hand received the pass from Greg Monroe, generating an indomitable force to resist gravity. Then his right hand reached the basket first—under the influence of his broad hand and powerful grip, the basketball easily sank into the basket. At the exact same moment his right hand completed the dunk, his left hand’s basketball also hit the basket!
“Bang!”
“Bang!” The two sounds were as thunderous as the creation of the world by Pangu, reaching everyone’s ears. After a complete silence, as if the world had come to an end like in 2012, a deafening noise erupted, almost lifting the ceiling!
“It worked!” Zhou Yifei breathed a sigh of relief. His right hand felt a slight pain, but he couldn’t care less—he just wanted to enjoy the cheers from the audience.
Zhou Yifei had thrown three basketballs into the basket in just two seconds, a swift and decisive move that stunned everyone with his confidence, precision, and deep understanding of dunks.
“It’s insane… Can you really do that, Superman?” Nate Robinson muttered to Dwight Howard, who shook his head. “I definitely can’t…”

Zhou Yi fell from the sky, spreading his arms wide. Instantly, the sounds of the arena surged around him like waves, focusing on him as if trying to melt him into this world of glory. After a moment of excitement, the judges also raised their scorecards—sure enough, they all gave him full marks!
Full marks! No one could argue against Zhou Yi’s perfect score. Whether in terms of creativity or the difficulty of his dunk, it far exceeded human imagination. Everyone could only watch as Zhou Yi descended like a god of war, unleashing a dazzling light as if from a galaxy that could encompass everything.
Now, the fans around the world also erupted in excitement, and all their admiration was directed at Zhou Yi.
“I can hardly believe the reality of this dunk… I struggle to believe this isn’t part of a fantasy movie—it’s Zhou Yi doing it all by himself… This is astonishing… He’s given us an unparalleled visual experience…” the commentator stammered in awe.
At that moment, one of the judges commented on Zhou Yi’s dunk from a completely opposite perspective: “I think even if he hadn’t done the simultaneous dunks with both hands, I would still give him full marks… He’s simply incredible—he’s shown us that humans have no limits!”
Nate Robinson and Dwight Howard were also stunned. The three who advanced to the next round were naturally the towering, muscular Dwight Howard, the short, tattooed Nate Robinson, and Zhou Yi, who had just shown them a glimpse of greatness.
“It seems we’re under a lot of pressure…” Nate Robinson said, shrugging, to Dwight Howard.
“Yes, a lot of pressure…” Dwight Howard agreed.
After witnessing Zhou Yi’s dunk, which embodied the essence of human excellence, the audience now wondered how he could do even better—rather than wasting all his talent on just one such dunk.
The second round of matches began. Some fans, like clouds trying to swallow the dawn, were eager for Dwight Howard and Nate Robinson to turn things around. Sure enough, Dwight Howard didn’t disappoint them. To counter Zhou Yi’s astonishing dunk, he decided to go all out!

A dunk off the free-throw line! This is a signature move for many players standing around 2 meters tall. Back in the day, Jordan’s dunk off the free-throw line shocked the entire basketball world, and that photo remains in everyone’s memory to this day. It has also been carefully preserved to prevent it from yellowing over time.

Dwight Howard is set to repeat this feat. He starts by taking control of the ball near the midcourt, runs to a spot outside the three-point line, and gathers the ball. At that moment, Dwight Howard’s face loses its usual childlike innocence, and his lips tightly cover his normally visible white teeth, showing how serious he is.

Yet, unfortunately, despite Dwight Howard’s graceful leap into the air, his body exuding a sense of rapid momentum as if flying forward, and his cape billowing behind him like an irresistible force, his restless right foot makes a mistake at the moment of jumping—his heel lands on the free-throw line.

This might just be—his heel lands on the free-throw line.

This might just be called a dunk off the free-throw line, and some might even called a dunk off the free-throw line, and some might even consider it a miracle. For a man 2.1 meters tall like Dwight Howard, pulling off such a move is no easy task, nor is it simple to bring his large frame directly under the basket.

Still, he ends up making a mistake. Although he throws the ball hard into the basket, it’s too late to fix the error caused by his impatient right leg. The judges give Dwight Howard a score of 45, effectively eliminating him from the competition.

“Oh… poor Dwight… come back next year,” Nate Robinson says mockingly, which provokes a reaction from Dwight Howard, who replies, “Well, you’ll end up getting beaten by Zhou Yi too!”

Then, Nate Robinson stepped onto the court. He had now become the only hope to defeat Zhou Yi. In this sacred world of dunks, Nate Robinson needed to use dunks to defend his dignity. He charged straight in from beyond the three-point line, followed by an extremely complex crossover move combined with a powerful front-facing dunk. Perhaps driven by the desire to beat Zhou Yi, his dunk was a sure thing. However, the audience, which had hoped for some innovative moves from him, was disappointed. The game seemed to return to silence after the excitement. The judges gave their opinions on Nate Robinson’s dunk, saying his performance deserved full marks. Nate Robinson waved his fist in victory once again and shouted at the audience.

Zhou Yi returned to the court. The man who had just created a miracle was immediately cheered by everyone. All shouted the words “Wind God,” which held special significance, hoping that Zhou Yi would come up with even more brilliant ideas and stunning dunks.

This time, Zhou Yi clearly intended to go for creativity. Standing in the middle of the court, he exuded a cuteness that didn’t match his usual demeanor at all.

Yes, Zhou Yi looked really cute now, mainly because of the hat on his head—a golden hat with an animal’s head clearly visible on it. That animal was a dragon!

Many people were confused, but some Chinese fans couldn’t help but smile. They were impressed by Zhou Yi’s thoughtfulness. It was the Chinese New Year, and the following year would be the Year of the Dragon. Zhou Yi was celebrating in this way. He also held a strange object in his left hand—a red stick, whose purpose was unclear.

“What new thing will this versatile guy bring to us?” Many fans wondered about what Zhou Yi might do. After guessing for a long time, they still couldn’t figure out his intentions. All they could see on the big screen was Zhou Yi with a dragon hat on his head, his gentle facial features highlighting his youth—he was still under 22.

Then, Zhou Yi went outside the three-point line. The strange stick in his left hand suddenly disappeared into his mouth as he bit it horizontally. Meanwhile, holding the basketball in his right hand, he charged straight into the paint from beyond the three-point line!

Zhou Yi’s grace naturally stemmed from his speed and swift movements. Now, Zhou Yi truly flowed like a gentle breeze, with astonishing speed. A determined expression flashed on his face as he reached near the free-throw line. Then he tucked the basketball under his arm with his right hand and took a bold step forward!

Next, Zhou Yi leaped high into the air, executing yet another breathtaking dunk that was both exhilarating and awe-inspiring. His body seemed to pause in mid-air for a moment before reaching its peak, as if flying straight toward the basket. His head and mouth even ended up above the basket. At that point, Zhou Yi spat out the stick he had in his mouth, which obediently rested across the basket, with a string running through the center.

The moment of victory arrived. Zhou Yi threw the basketball forward with both hands, sending it straight into the basket. The barely visible string was also struck by the basketball, causing what seemed like a hidden mechanism to activate. The mysterious stick then ejected two cloth-like strips, which hung on either side of the basket, while Zhou Yi’s body hung suspended from it.

“It’s couplets!” Some observant spectators noticed the two paper strips with inscriptions hanging from the basket and saw the two lines clearly on the big screen.

“Spring breeze in spring, vast and boundless; Year of the Dragon, dragons soar high.”

The words weren’t particularly profound—just common festive greetings. Yet, delivered effortlessly by Zhou Yi during his seamless dunk sequence, they carried an undeniable charm.

The commentator on site received an explanation from a staff member and quickly read out the meaning of the couplets, also providing a brief overview of Chinese New Year couplets.

Instantly, the crowd erupted in cheers. Chinese fans were thrilled to the point of goosebumps, while foreign spectators marveled at Zhou Yi’s creativity and cheered for him. After all, his dunk was extremely high and beautiful, worthy of applause.

Under these circumstances, the judges also gave Zhou Yi a perfect score!

Thanks to this perfect score, Zhou Yi advanced to the final round.

As Zhou Yi advanced to the final, fans across the venue erupted in excited cheers. They were eager for this Chinese teenager, filled with legendary stories, to bring them yet another miracle and excitement.

The finalists for this year’s Guanlan Tournament were Zhou Yi and Nate Robinson. These two would become the ultimate winners and needed to defeat each other to claim the title. Unusually, this year’s NBA came up with a twist: they decided to use audience voting to determine who among the two would win the Slam Dunk Contest.

The United States is a country where individual heroism thrives, and superheroes are their favorites. But as we all know, in this finely balanced world, superpowers do not exist. As a result, Americans shift their expectations and desires to ordinary people. What people truly love in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest is the sight of humans seemingly defying gravity, soaring high into the sky in a breathtaking display.

In such a context, everyone votes for their favorite player. This is also a way for the NBA to generate additional revenue through a different approach.

The finals have begun! Now, the ultimate showdown features two players with a height difference of nearly 15 cm. Although Zhou Yi is much taller than Nate Robinson, his graceful and agile style, as if floating on clouds, gives off a refreshing and captivating aura. Meanwhile, Nate Robinson’s dunks convey a powerful and explosive energy.

While there were high expectations for their clash, Zhou Yi’s creative and skillful dunks had already provided the audience with a wonderful experience. In his final dunk, he didn’t attempt to showcase creativity again; instead, he decided to prove his strength head-on.

The finals of the dunk contest officially began. Amidst the roaring cheers of the audience, Nate Robinson stood in the middle of the court with his hands raised. Although Dwight Howard didn’t hold any grudges against Zhou Yi, Zhou Yi never gave Dwight Howard any chance to maintain the dignity of his glamorous center dreams during the regular season, so Dwight Howard still resented him. Of course, he didn’t dare openly show his disapproval of Zhou Yi, as the Eastern Conference teams were largely dominated by the Pistons in the upcoming All-Star game, and offending Zhou Yi was definitely not a wise move—he wasn’t just there to take a casual look at the All-Star event.

However, that didn’t stop him from doing a little favor for Nate Robinson to annoy Zhou Yi a bit. So, Dwight Howard stood under the basket. Though he had already been eliminated, he hadn’t taken off his “Superman cape” and still stood there under the basket wearing it. Then, Nate Robinson took control of the ball and charged toward the paint. In the blink of an eye, he reached near the paint line. When he reached the free-throw line, he put down the ball, took two heavy steps forward, and then firmly gripped the ball in his right hand.

Chapter 461: Dunk Contest (Part 2)

Howard’s mouth gradually spread into a smile. After all, if he failed to dunk, it wouldn’t be him who fell but Nate Robinson, so he wasn’t stressed about the consequences of failing. You know, that crazy Nate Robinson once tried to celebrate his victory by pouncing on Pierce, only for Pierce to laugh and run away, leaving Nate Robinson falling to the ground.

Such madmen always received a lesson from fate. But this time, it seemed fate favored Nate Robinson, as everyone could see him jumping higher and higher. Against Howard’s massive and tall frame, Nate Robinson looked as if he were about to fly out of the arena. The watching fans instinctively bit their hands in shock.

It all seemed rather logical, though conquering Mount Everest has never been that easy after all; otherwise, humanity wouldn’t still be in the tenth year of the 21st century, merely shouting on Earth about landing on Mars. Nate Robinson almost failed to make his dunk at the end—to prevent it from failing, he placed his left hand on Howard’s shoulder, regaining the strength to overcome gravity, then swung his right hand in a wide arc to slam the basketball into the hoop.

Nate Robinson’s triumphant mood evaporated any minor annoyance caused by his accidental reliance on Howard’s shoulder, like water droplets dried by fire. He immediately started dancing street dance in front of everyone. Carelessly overconfident, he pointed in Zhou Yi’s direction. Though it wasn’t as irreversible as showing Zhou Yi the middle finger, it was enough to anger him.

“Alright!” Zhou Yi stepped onto the court, a cold smirk clearly on his lips. Holding the basketball, he entered the court. The lights above seemed to eagerly shine on him like greedy perverts staring at a naked beauty, while the audience’s gazes expressed intense anticipation—everyone hoped Zhou Yi would bring them more surprises. He carried the basketball to near the center of the court, wearing nothing but an orange basketball, seemingly determined not to use any tricks.

Yes, Zhou Yi wanted to defeat Nate Robinson with his true strength alone, without relying on any other tactics. All he intended to do was use pure power to leave Nate Robinson speechless.

If we talk about the countless brilliant All-Star Dunk Contests, where a group of arrogant dancers used their superb skills and physical prowess to defy gravity and dance tango in the sky, the greatest dunkers in history have ultimately been recognized. Among the most iconic moments were the free-throw line dunks, as well as those created by players like Wilkins, who left an impressive legacy in the sky.

At this moment, Zhou Yi gradually lost his smile. The basketball bounced back on the ground, the sound growing clearer and clearer. Then, like a wild horse freed from restraint, his body surged forward at full speed.

For Zhou Yi, who has exceptional ball control, rushing forward with the ball isn’t hard to imagine. In fact, the ball itself can’t hinder his progress. As Zhou Yi’s body surged forward, reaching the three-point line, he immediately released the basketball.
“As expected!” many thought. Indeed, by releasing the ball outside the three-point line, it proved that his final dunk would definitely be a jump from the free-throw line. After releasing the ball, he took a huge step with his right leg toward the inside of the three-point line—a step so heavy as if a massive hammer were striking the ground, just as heavily as Sun Wukong’s swing that shattered Laozi’s alchemy furnace into chaos. Following this heavy step, Zhou Yi’s body soared completely into the air!
In that instant, Zhou Yi drew the strongest power from the earth, transforming it entirely into lift for his ascent. His body cut through the sky, leaving a trail of brilliance so intense it seemed to tear the air apart, as he charged straight forward!
Through high-speed footage captured by high-definition cameras, the audience saw exactly where Zhou Yi jumped—just a few centimeters outside what some considered the boundary of the free-throw line. This made his strength appear even more extraordinary.
Many have agreed that the free-throw line is like a chasm for dunks; those who can overcome it seem to break through the distance between heaven and earth, reaching heights once unimaginable. Others, like those blocked by the sound barrier, remain trapped outside, unable to reach them their entire lives. Yet now, Zhou Yi jumped just a few centimeters outside that chasm!
A faint smile played on Zhou Yi’s lips. He felt there was no need to worry—his body already had the powerful force from his right leg. With that strength, he seemed ready to break through the gym, break free from the boundaries set by humans, and soar toward those brilliant stars that humans can only gaze up at in imagination!
Zhou Yi’s body raced through the air, reaching its highest point in an instant. At that moment, everyone felt as though their souls were crushed by the sky, their backs about to break, their fragile hearts and lungs about to burst, because Zhou Yi was so close to that vast expanse of the heavens!

“Oh……Damn it……Is this really just a dunk?” someone muttered, holding their chest. Another player, seemingly suffering from heart problems, was breathing heavily, gasping for air in ragged bursts while whispering to himself, “Maybe I’m going to die here, but I’ll never regret it…” There were countless such people; everyone was in awe of Zhou Yi’s move. Zhou Yi’s face remained as calm as ever. Even at the highest point, even after surpassing all the glory associated with the term “dunk,” he wasn’t satisfied! “I won’t be satisfied!” Zhou Yi knew this would cause even more pain to his body, but at that moment, he couldn’t afford to consider such trivial matters. He wouldn’t give up until he achieved something that would show future generations just how far humans could go. He struggled to pass the basketball from his right hand under his body. “Oh……What’s he doing?” “What an arrogant guy!” people thought, as Zhou Yi managed to complete a behind-the-back pass at the highest point in the sky—something that seemed to break free from all the limits of human imagination. His basketball was now in his left hand, and his body was almost at the backboard. He tried to lift his left hand, but realized that if he continued on that trajectory, all that awaited him would be a failed dunk. “That’s not going to happen!” At that moment, Zhou Yi’s calm expression turned into a fierce one, like a crime-ridden stone suddenly thrown into a lake, causing massive waves. With a loud roar, his body seemed to gain the strength to do the seemingly impossible. After that roar, his coordination and air control reached their peak. Just like the miracle they had witnessed before, Zhou Yi’s body once again stopped mid-air! Or rather, his body continued moving forward, but in a straight line. At that moment, it was as if he had thrown off heavy shackles, breaking free from the grip of gravity, tearing apart all obstacles as he glided straight ahead!

It felt as if a century had passed, yet it seemed like just the blink of an eye—Zhou Yi’s body finally reached the basket. The basketball was in his left hand as he brought it above the basket before slamming it in with fierce determination!
“Bang!” Zhou Yi had finally completed what seemed utterly impossible—a dunk after jumping from the free-throw line. This dunk made it seem as though he had surpassed human limits; in that instant, all the world’s perfect strength, speed, control, and coordination seemed to converge in Zhou Yi alone.
“Thud…” As he landed from the basket, he was slightly unsteady for a moment, but he quickly regained his balance and stood firmly on the ground. Then he let out a loud roar, expressing all his joy and excitement through his cry. Standing at the center of everyone’s attention, Zhou Yi himself was almost driven mad.
Because he had just performed an action that others couldn’t even imagine. Originally, the free-throw line was already an insurmountable barrier for humans, but Zhou Yi had raised that barrier even higher, pushing human capabilities far beyond what was thought possible!
The entire audience fell into silence, as quiet as a frozen wilderness, with not a sound to be heard. After about a second, the audience erupted into excitement—everyone stood up to cheer for Zhou Yi, shouting their support. Seeing Zhou Yi on the court, everyone went wild.
Nate Robinson stepped forward and stood beside Zhou Yi, but he already knew his fate, so his face showed disappointment. All his previous celebratory gestures now seemed meaningless, as compared to Zhou Yi’s dunk.
Soon, the audience’s voting results were announced. The woman reading them was Black, with dark skin, full lips, and bright white teeth. She glanced at the numbers in her hand and was surprised: “Oh my goodness… such unexpected results!”
She finally captured everyone’s attention and declared loudly, “I announce the final voting results! Nate Robinson’s support rate is 5%, while Zhou Yi’s is 95%!”
“Oh… that’s it!”
“That’s right—this is what it’s supposed to be!”

“He truly deserves so much support.” The audience finally snapped out of their daze after Zhou Yi’s dunk that seemed capable of tearing through the sky, and they cheered loudly. Zhou Yi thus achieved his goal of winning his first Dunk Contest championship in his career!
Whenever someone else won the championship, the person competing with them for the trophy usually would complain afterward, but Nate Robinson didn’t dare say anything. Zhou Yi’s feat of jumping from about ten centimeters outside the free-throw line and dunking while switching hands in mid-air completely impressed him. Though he didn’t like the person who took his trophy, he had to admit that Zhou Yi’s dunk was far more skillful than his own move, which still relied on Howard’s help.
“What an unimaginable shame…” Nate Robinson muttered, complaining, “I lost to him! Damn it!” As he grumbled, he went to his assigned spot, while Zhou Yi earned two championship trophies. If he could win MVP in the All-Star game, he would become someone unprecedented in NBA history—likely unmatched even in the future.
In fact, he had already accomplished something that many others could never do: winning both the Dunk Contest and the Three-Point Shootout. That was already an achievement beyond comparison.
After winning those two trophies, Zhou Yi’s only goal left was MVP. Actually, he wasn’t averse to achieving a grand slam either. Moreover, with other Eastern Conference players subtly or explicitly hinting that they would pass the ball to him, Zhou Yi trusted them quite a bit.
The All-Star game soon began.
Compared to this year’s somewhat weak lineup, the Eastern Conference All-Stars seemed much stronger. From Zhou Yi to Greg Monroe to McGrady, this year’s Eastern team was essentially the Pistons—only no one dared say it outright.
Now, no one would dare offend Zhou Yi and his teammates, so the Eastern Conference All-Stars were practically completely under the control of the Pistons.
Zhou Yi saw nothing wrong with this situation. After all, he was now the best in the NBA. With so many players in the Eastern Conference and their head coach as well, it was only natural to enjoy everyone’s agreement.

This year’s All-Star Game was rather dull, as many of the popular players from the West attended, while Kobe didn’t play due to a finger injury and Paul didn’t play because of a knee injury… All of this weakened the West’s strength significantly. Of course, they weren’t easy to beat either, so the East still needed to be cautious.

The main matches of this year’s All-Star Game have begun. The West basically no longer has any strong players left and can only rely on a few to barely secure a victory. In contrast, the East is exceptionally strong—Zhou Yi, LeBron James, and Howard form a very powerful lineup.

This is the second time Zhou Yi has met LeBron James this season. A few days ago, the Pistons faced the Heat, and the Pistons thoroughly defeated the Cavaliers. On that day, Zhou Yi indeed saw a different LeBron James—seemingly a changed person. In the middle of the court, he no longer showed his usual domineering attitude but instead exuded an air of inclusiveness. Zhou Yi felt that LeBron James had made some kind of breakthrough, as he seemed to have reached the legendary state of returning to simplicity. Such a LeBron James seemed more approachable, but in the eyes of players, especially Zhou Yi, he was completely different from before and needed to be reinterpreted.

LeBron James has truly changed completely. Once, Zhou Yi tried to greet him, but LeBron simply pretended not to see him, as if it were during the Olympics. The relationship between Zhou Yi and LeBron James is still far from friendly, but at least LeBron speaks to Zhou Yi in a calm tone, like a gentle flowing river, giving people a sense of peace. Zhou Yi senses the change in LeBron’s demeanor and also feels an opportunity for him to make the next breakthrough as a basketball king.

Today, Zhou Yi and LeBron James will fight side by side once again. In last year’s All-Star Game, the East’s players intended to give the All-Star MVP to LeBron, but he didn’t manage to win it peacefully—Zhou Yi forcefully took it away from him. Zhou Yi scored high points in the All-Star Game and sealed the victory, taking the MVP that should have belonged to LeBron.

During the training before the game, James had no objections to Zhou Yi at all; such practice was merely for show, and it was impossible for them to truly coordinate tactical moves. In a game like this, pleasing the fans through offense was the ultimate goal. Thus, Eric Spoelstra’s expertise finally came in handy—he developed some precise offensive tactics for his players, which had already been tested and proven effective in practice.

On the day the game was about to start, as Spoelstra explained today’s tactics, James listened quietly. He handed almost all offensive control in the East to Zhou Yi, and there was nothing anyone could do about it. After all, Zhou Yi had been delivering terrifying triple-doubles this season, along with many seemingly masterful assists, which helped boost the team’s strength. So they raised no objections to Zhou Yi taking control of the ball.

A few troublemakers were angry that the Pistons dominated the entire East All-Star team, so they were ready to criticize Eric Spoelstra. But thinking it was unnecessary to offend those arrogant guys, they gave up on it. Instead, they placed their hopes on James. Unfortunately, James wasn’t interested in that at all. On the contrary, he acted like a well-behaved child, nodding along as Spoelstra outlined the tactics, showing no sign of dissatisfaction whatsoever—not just seemingly, but truly none at all.

So those who wanted chaos had to restrain themselves, as it seemed James was not on their side at all.

Zhou Yi naturally witnessed all of this. He always felt that something had changed about James—just like now, he never raised any objections and only wanted to do his job well. Such James wasn’t as annoying as the arrogant and domineering guy he used to be. Zhou Yi also planned to find a time to talk to James; perhaps they could reach some understanding. After all, there were hardly any players left in the league who could truly be considered pillars. Both Zhou Yi and James were among them, and Zhou Yi didn’t want their relationship to become too strained. As for Wade, he had no hopes—his hatred toward Miami had grown deeper, and it was impossible for Wade to become his friend. But there was still a possibility with James.

The game officially began. This year’s Western Conference starting lineup wasn’t very strong. Without Paul and Kobe, there were quite limited players to rely on. It was mainly Westbrook and Anthony who held things together. Of course, Deron was also a player not to be underestimated, along with the expressionless Duncan in the paint, and Pau Gasol, the tall, agile center from Spain who acted more like a guard. All of these could make the West a formidable force.

However, the East was absolutely full of talent. A lineup as elite as Zhou Yi and James could only be assembled for the All-Star Game. As the players from both sides stood in the middle of the court ready for the jump ball, the crowds on both sides surged forward, as if their shouts could blow off the roof of the arena. Their roars grew louder, and the basketball gradually left the referee’s right hand, flew into the air, and then slowly descended.

“Go!” The whistle blew, and the two jump ball players leaped high. Howard’s face was filled with confidence as he reached into the air, touched the basketball, and threw it down toward the side with more Western players.

“It seems we lost the jump ball…” Zhou Yi thought to himself. In the direction where the basketball landed, a figure suddenly jumped out, reached the spot, and grabbed the basketball with his right hand. The two Western players who had been standing there stared at each other in shock, their faces gradually showing anger as they watched James suddenly appear and snatch their basketball away.

Zhang Chen saw James grab the rebound and didn’t hesitate at all—he rushed straight toward the half-court. By this point, James had the ball in his hands deep in the half-court, and his ball-handling skills were unsurpassable. He reached the center of the court, stopped with the ball, pointed with his left hand toward the paint, and used his body to shield himself from the basketball bouncing off his right hand and the ground. Then, Zhou Yi went into the paint, ready to grab the rebound. He knew James probably wouldn’t pass to him, so he came here to try and secure a rebound.

Since this was an All-Star exhibition game, and without Kobe’s obsessive intensity, the atmosphere between the two teams was relatively relaxed. Suddenly, James’ gaze sharpened slightly, and he spotted Zhou Yi in the paint. The defender next to Zhou Yi had gone after Howard, leaving Zhou Yi with an open space.

Seeing this opening, James passed the ball without hesitation.

Zhou Yi, still thinking he had secured a great position and feeling proud, was suddenly hit by a basketball flying toward his head. At first, he was surprised, but his instincts kicked in—he jumped and caught the ball mid-air, securing it with both hands. Realizing he still had energy left, he rushed straight toward the basket.

“Bang!” The basket echoed loudly, and immediately, the cheers from the crowd in the middle of the court erupted. Zhou Yi had successfully scored a dunk, starting with an alley-oop—something that thrilled the audience.

Zhou Yi landed back on the ground, glanced at James in surprise, and saw that James was smiling at him. Zhou Yi smiled back as well. It was true—James had changed a lot. In the past, such a play would have been unimaginable. Moreover, James had passed the ball perfectly; Zhou Yi caught it easily in mid-air and smoothly dunked it. There was still a certain understanding between James and Zhou Yi.

James saw that his smile had worked, and he felt a bit more relaxed. Thinking back, the process of forming a feud with Zhou Yi seemed rather inexplicable to him. The growing hostility later on was often due to his own inferior skills. Now, James’s playing style had become more calm and composed, and his personality had also gradually settled down. When facing Zhou Yi, he naturally wouldn’t maintain an adversarial attitude as before.

Of course, competition with Zhou Yi was still necessary—after all, they might become lifelong enemies. As Zhou Yi’s dominance grew stronger, James hoped to become someone who could take him on.

Chapter 462: The Tournament

The ball went back to the Western team, and Westbrook received the pass from the perimeter. His defender now was Zhou Yi. With a somewhat joking tone, Westbrook said to Zhou Yi, “Hey, man, considering I’ve worked so hard to make it to the All-Star game! You shouldn’t be so ruthless with me… Go defend Cameron instead; he’d be a better choice for you…” Everyone knew how terrifying Zhou Yi’s defense was, so although Westbrook was joking, there was some truth to his words.

Zhou Yi laughed. “That won’t do… Cameron belongs to LeBron.” At that moment, Westbrook laughed heartily, then changed direction and accelerated, rushing straight into the paint. His speed became almost unstoppable in an instant. Although Zhou Yi could keep up with Westbrook, he didn’t want to obstruct him too much in this friendly All-Star game, so he stepped aside to let Westbrook through.

Westbrook quickly reached the paint, dodged two defenders, and slammed the ball through the hoop from above. Chaos ensued as the ball went in, and Westbrook scored two points.

He knew Zhou Yi was intentionally holding back, but this was still an All-Star game—there should be reciprocity. He wouldn’t have to be that strict from now on. But then again, Westbrook wondered if even if he defended Zhou Yi with all his might, Zhou Yi really couldn’t get into the paint? He truly lacked confidence.

At this moment, the ball came into Zhou Yi’s hands. He controlled the ball and moved past the halfway line, prompting both the inside and outside players of the Western team to pay closer attention. Of course, they still relaxed their defense a bit, but after all, Zhou Yi had left them with too many bad impressions, so they couldn’t help but think of stopping him whenever they saw him.

Faced with this situation, Zhou Yi didn’t have many options and decided to launch a brilliant offensive move. The basketball was tapped against the ground repeatedly in his hands, while his gaze remained fixed on the inside of the court. Suddenly, his right leg pushed forward with force! His body instantly reached its peak speed, reaching its maximum velocity in an instant. Zhou Yi dodged Westbrook’s defense, and even before Westbrook could relax his defense, Zhou Yi had already rushed past him. He reached near the free-throw line and stopped the ball, with Nowitzki now in front of him.

This was the Mavericks’ home court, so this year’s Western All-Star players also hoped to award the MVP to Nowitzki. However, with Zhou Yi around, they knew the chances of that happening were slim. Still, Nowitzki didn’t slack off in defending Zhou Yi, as he himself wanted to win the MVP this time, so he defended Zhou Yi seriously, hoping to annoy him as much as possible. But Zhou Yi wasn’t much affected. Facing Nowitzki’s defense, he still jumped to his highest height. Many people had seen Zhou Yi’s impressive dunking skills, so they weren’t surprised by his height. Zhou Yi jumped high toward Nowitzki, but instead of crashing into him, he slightly bent his right shoulder, instantly changing direction and seemingly slipping inside Nowitzki.

Thanks to this shoulder bend, Zhou Yi completely avoided Nowitzki’s defense. Meanwhile, his hands kept moving, spinning the basketball in a large circle in front of him. Then his body moved closer to the basket, bringing him right under it. By this time, he had completely dodged Nowitzki and positioned himself under the basket, using this “windmill” move to bypass his opponent and successfully dunk!

“Nice shot!” The crowd immediately erupted in cheers. Zhou Yi’s shot was truly impressive—he used his coordination, excellent jumping ability, and control in the air to dodge his opponent’s block, then completed the dunk with a perfect windmill move. Such a dunk was not only visually pleasing but also showcased Zhou Yi’s physical fitness and skill, earning admiration from everyone.

Zhou Yi descended from above, giving the Eastern Stars a four-point lead—all thanks to his dunks. The ball went back to the Western Stars, and after a series of passes, it reached Dirk Nowitzki in the paint. Chris Bosh, who was matched up against Nowitzki, was completely overwhelmed. Nowitzki simply took a jump shot and effortlessly scored two points, finally getting on the board. His accuracy was truly remarkable.

Once again, Zhou Yi controlled the ball for most of the half. He moved outside the opponent’s three-point line, observing their defense in the paint. Seeing LeBron James wander around in the paint before coming back out, Zhou Yi felt it was necessary to show some goodwill, so he passed the ball to James.

This prompted some fans to imagine various scenarios, as many were aware of the complex relationship between Zhou Yi and LeBron James. Seeing the two interacting so closely seemed somewhat unbelievable. Just moments earlier, LeBron had assisted Zhou Yi in scoring with a alley-oop dunk; now, Zhou Yi had passed to LeBron. Many fans concluded that the two must be close friends!

LeBron was slightly surprised upon receiving the pass, but he quickly accepted the gesture of goodwill. He held the ball close, then bounced it on the ground. After a crossover move, he drove into the paint. Even if Cameron Anthony wasn’t guarding tightly that day, LeBron still had plenty of ways to get past him.

LeBron quickly bypassed Anthony’s defense and reached the paint. Not far from the free-throw line, he gathered the ball, then launched himself into the air. Just before his opponent could block him, LeBron glided forward and completed a spinning windmill dunk, dodging the defense.

Such techniques were relatively rare in the previous James, but now James often changes some of his playing styles. For example, in this play, he uses his gliding ability and a short flight to throw the basketball into the basket; that layup with the small windmill move was also perfectly timed and quite impressive.

As James fell from the air, Zhou Yi’s pass didn’t end up in empty space. The ball went back to the Western team, who stubbornly passed it to Nowitzki. But it seemed even God wasn’t on Nowitzki’s side today—his jump shot missed, and Zhou Yi, who rushed into the paint, grabbed the rebound and immediately charged toward the other end of the court.

Zhou Yi was fast; after grabbing the rebound, he charged straight toward the other end. The Western players tried to defend, but Zhou Yi outmaneuvered them with his changes of direction and bursts of speed. Then he reached the paint. Instead of attempting a layup or dunk himself, he threw the basketball high into the air behind him. It soared upward and was caught by Howard, who suddenly rushed into the paint behind Zhou Yi, slamming it hard into the basket.

With one rebound and one assist, Zhou Yi showed off the power of a triple-double king.

The game continued at this pace. This year’s All-Star game lacked several popular stars, and without players like Kobe, it basically turned into a real exhibition game. Players from both sides played to entertain the audience—dunks, beautiful assists, fancy plays—all of which left everyone in awe. Cheers and screams could be heard from the stands from time to time. In short, today’s game was like a feast where everyone had a great time.

Of course, Nowitzki was sad and depressed today because he originally thought he had a chance at winning MVP, as this was his home court. Many people passed the basketball to him, and this year’s Western All-Stars coach even kept him on the court until the audience started to feel bored. Yet, even with all this support and attention, it didn’t help Nowitzki much, because there was Zhou Yi on the other side. This meant Nowitzki had little hope of winning MVP. Zhou Yi’s performance was outstanding, and the Pistons were now dominating the Eastern Conference. So Nowitzki was furious but could do nothing about it.

In the first quarter, Nowitzki played for a total of 9 minutes, scoring 7 points and grabbing 2 rebounds with 3 successful shots out of 6. Those numbers were actually quite good, but Zhou Yi was far more aggressive. Throughout the entire first quarter, Zhou Yi received support from his teammates and grew more and more determined, making it impossible to stop him. Zhou Yi played for 8 minutes in the first quarter, but his efficiency was much higher than Nowitzki’s—he scored 10 points, had 3 assists, and 2 rebounds, with each assist drawing cheers from the audience. Most importantly, Zhou Yi also blocked a shot on Nowitzki in the first quarter. Although Nowitzki was quite annoyed by the block, he had no way to change the situation; Zhou Yi’s dominance left him completely helpless.

As the first quarter progressed, by the end of it, the score between the East All-Stars and the West All-Stars was 34:30, with the East All-Stars leading by 4 points. In fact, the East All-Stars were still holding back and not giving their all. Compared to a one-sided game, the audience preferred matches where both sides were evenly matched and the real battle started until the last second. Thus, amid the cheers, both teams scored high points, after which everyone returned to the bench. Immediately, many people couldn’t stay still and started greeting the players.

Zhou Yi also received attention from several people, including some famous Hollywood actresses, and some even made sexual advances at him, which made him feel embarrassed. Of course, he wasn’t going to be distracted by such things.