Chapter 56

At the end of the third quarter, the score stood at 70:67, with the Pistons only 3 points behind their opponent. Just 3 points—it seemed the fourth quarter wouldn’t be easy, with a fierce battle ahead. For the Pistons to turn things around and secure a win on the Hornets’ home court, it would be no small task. At that moment, John Kuster couldn’t help but glance toward the bench—toward the guy sitting there, head down, lost in thought, having rested for most of the quarter! “Zhou, you’re in for the fourth quarter!” “Understood,” replied Zhou Yi. Soon, the most crucial and intense fourth quarter began. “Catch it!” Zhou Yi threw a pass over Chris Paul’s head into the paint, where Samuel Dalembert, having an advantage in height, grabbed the ball. Ignoring Emeka Okafor pushing hard from behind, he spun around and delivered a thunderous dunk. Emeka Okafor could only watch helplessly as the ball was slammed into the basket, shaking his head in frustration. He had been overwhelmed like this more than once already—without a height advantage, his defensive power was completely ineffective. Watching Samuel Dalembert’s dunk, Zhou Yi felt a bit more at ease, as their team still had an advantage inside. The closer to the basket, the easier it was to score. Once the opponent’s form dipped, it would be their chance to take the lead. Yet, things never went as planned. Trevor Ariza, who had been cold throughout the game, suddenly hit a three-point shot, widening the score gap. Zhou Yi broke through and passed to McGrady, who scored with a layup. Just as the Pistons were gaining momentum, the Hornets dealt them another heavy blow. Karl Landry scored 4 points with consecutive inside shots. Then, the Hornets’ outside shooters stepped up—Marco Belinelli and Trevor Ariza hit two three-pointers in a row. Fortunately, Zhou Yi penetrated inside, passed the ball to Samuel Dalembert, who scored with a layup, then assisted Tyshawn Prince in hitting a three-pointer. The three-point shots became the Hornets’ winning weapon—11 out of 19 attempts so far, a success rate of nearly 58%.

Such a shooting percentage naturally can’t be maintained forever, but as long as they can play at a similar level, winning games doesn’t seem like too big a problem for them. Their goal today was clear: to win at home and end the Pistons’ ten-game winning streak.

4 minutes and 15 seconds left in the game, the Pistons finally caught up, tying the score at 84.

Zhou Yi had already played nearly 8 minutes in this quarter and was now drenched in sweat.

Trevor Ariza’s three-point attempt missed, and Zhou Yi secured the defensive rebound.

As Zhou Yi drove the ball toward the Hornets’ half-court, John Kuester called a timeout.

“Zhou, take a break for now; Will will come in to replace you,” John Kuester said to Zhou Yi.

Zhou Yi wiped his face with a towel and nodded. He was very obedient to the coach’s instructions, which was one of the reasons John Kuester liked him.

After the timeout, the game resumed.

At this point, both teams were playing with their core lineups.

Pistons: Will Bynum, Tracy McGrady, James Posey, Taylor Hansbrough, Samuel Dalembert;
Hornets: Chris Paul, Marco Belinelli, Trevor Ariza, Karl Landry, Emeka Okafor.

After receiving the ball, Will Bynum tried to drive forward but suddenly found the Hornets applying full pressure. However, Will Bynum wasn’t a rookie and handled this tactic effortlessly.

Tracy McGrady came to the top of the key to receive the pass, and Will Bynum promptly passed to him.

McGrady drove, passed to Taylor Hansbrough under the basket. Hansbrough took one step back, then passed inside to Samuel Dalembert. Dalembert yelled, pushed Emeka Okafor aside, and attempted a dunk.

But something unexpected happened—Dalembert’s dunk missed!!!

Fortunately, McGrady grabbed the offensive rebound and passed the ball to Dalembert again. This time, Dalembert made amends by hitting a hook shot.

The Pistons took a 2-point lead!

The game continued for another 2.5 minutes. During that time, the Pistons stayed united and maintained their 2-point advantage. When McGrady hit a mid-range shot, the Pistons widened their lead to 4 points.

At this point, only 1 minute and 35 seconds remained in the game, and Monty Williams finally couldn’t hold back any longer and called a timeout. After the timeout, Zhou Yi came on to replace Will Bynum, while Tyshawn Prince replaced James Posey, and Greg Monroe replaced Tyler Hansbrough. On the Hornets’ side, David Anderson replaced Emeka Okafor. Chris Paul watched Zhou Yi intently; despite being pressured by him, Chris Paul steadily drove the ball across half-court. He scanned his teammates’ positions and strategically directed them on moves and screens. Under Chris Paul’s leadership, the Hornets’ players dispersed. Chris Paul gave Carl Landry a look, who immediately stepped up to set a screen for him. Then, Chris Paul moved to the other side of the three-point line, jumped, and shot a three-pointer. Everyone in the arena held their breath, focusing intently on Chris Paul’s shot. “Swish!” The ball went through the net! “Chris, Chris…” The crowd screamed, calling out to their king. The Pistons led by only 1 point now. Zhou Yi carefully controlled the ball—this was the most critical moment, and no mistakes were allowed. Zhou Yi drove with the ball and passed it to McGrady. McGrady drove and passed again, returning the ball to Zhou Yi. Zhou Yi launched a high arc pass, and the ball landed in Greg Monroe’s hands. He faced up against Carl Landry and took a backdoor jump shot, which scored. With less than a minute left, the game entered its final seconds. Once again, Chris Paul directed the offense, slowly dribbling to control the pace. Suddenly, he drove with the ball and passed behind his back, sending the ball straight to Trevor Ariza’s hands. “Damn it…” Zhou Yi shouted. Tyshawn Prince also showed panic on his face and rushed over. But it was too late—Trevor Ariza had already shot! The ball spun a few times around the rim before going in. The crowd erupted again! It was tied! Time left: 41 seconds. John Kuester called a timeout. After the timeout, the Hornets’ Emeka Okafor replaced David Anderson. Tyshawn Prince served the ball from the sideline, and Zhou Yi ran back and forth before catching it. Zhou Yi moved around the top of the key, carefully looking for an opportunity. Suddenly, his eyes lit up, and he quickly passed the ball.

Taishan Prince cut in from the side, caught the ball, and rushed toward the basket. With a low growl, he dunked with both hands, forcing a foul on Karl Landry. Taishan Prince took the free throw and made it as well. The Hornets called another timeout to finalize their strategy. With only 23 seconds left, it was difficult for the Hornets to decide whether to shoot a three-pointer and go to overtime or take a two-point shot and hope for a steal; if not, they would have to rely on a foul strategy. However, shooting a three-pointer to buy time seemed like a better option for them. The timeout ended quickly, and play resumed! Chris Paul took the ball and drove to the top of the key, clearly aiming for a three-pointer. With 8 seconds left, Chris Paul attacked. He suddenly rushed toward the Pistons’ three-point line, stepped back abruptly, and shot a three-pointer. Zhou Yi had anticipated this move, so he rushed at Chris Paul as he stepped back. But Chris Paul’s step back was too large, and Zhou Yi failed to block the shot. He could only watch helplessly as the ball flew toward the basket, praying it wouldn’t go in. Everyone in the arena held their breath; even heartbeats could be heard clearly at that moment. “Swish”—that sound broke the silence. The Hornets cheered wildly, and the home crowd was even more excited, shouting Chris Paul’s name loudly. Yet, in the next moment, they were stunned. After reviewing the footage, the two referees ruled the shot a two-point shot because Chris Paul stepped on the three-point line while shooting. Immediately, the large screen showed a replay of Chris Paul’s shot. Indeed, he had stepped on the line while shooting. “Wow…” Cheers arose from the Pistons’ bench. Because, in the end, they won. Chapter 214: Zhao Hui Gets into Trouble “We won?!” Zhou Yi bent over, gasping for breath, and asked Maddie beside him in a panting voice. “Hehe, yes, we won. It was a close win!” Maddie walked over slowly, patted Zhou Yi’s shoulder, and smiled. Zhou Yi took a deep breath, stood up straight, and said with a smile, “Hehe, this game was really tough to win!”

“Well, that guy Chris is too good—he almost dragged us into overtime. If he really had done that, things would have been tough for us,” said McGrady, still shaken.
Zhou Yi nodded, his gaze fixed on Chris Paul as he headed toward the Hornets’ bench.
If things went as McGrady said and they were forced into overtime by Chris Paul, the Pistons’ chances of winning would be very slim. Not only was Zhou Yi exhausted, but even McGrady was too tired to perform well. If they had to play overtime, neither of them would be able to carry the Pistons’ offense. And if those two couldn’t drive the Pistons’ attack in overtime, defeat was inevitable!
In the end, the Pistons narrowly won the game 1 point against the home-court Hornets of New Orleans, securing a hard-fought away victory. After this match, they would return to Detroit and, a day later, fly to Minnesota to face the Timberwolves away from home.
Throughout the game, Zhou Yi performed fairly well—7 out of 15 attempts, scoring 17 points, providing 12 assists, 5 rebounds, 3 steals, and 1 block. However, he also had significant flaws: 5 fouls and 6 turnovers. All of this was because he faced Chris Paul.
On the other hand, Chris Paul shot 12 out of 19 attempts throughout the game, hitting 6 out of 8 three-pointers, scoring 36 points, giving 17 assists, 8 rebounds, 7 steals, and 2 blocks. A near-quadruple-double—truly impressive numbers. Chris Paul lived up to his reputation as the “Queen of the Hornets” and as one of the best point guards in the league.
After seeing Chris Paul’s stats, Zhou Yi was speechless for a while.
“Is this the strength of a top-tier point guard? He has all the skills a guard should have—able to help teammates score, maintain a steady shooting percentage at critical moments, and is extremely skilled at breaking through defenses. He’s also great at stealing the ball, playing a vital role in the team’s defense. Plus, his excellent three-point shooting is one of his deadly weapons,” Zhou Yi murmured to himself.
McGrady noticed Zhou Yi’s surprise and patted his shoulder with a smile. “In time, you’ll grow into a player like him, maybe even surpass him. To be honest, you’re not his match right now. It’s not that I’m trying to discourage you, Zhou—your skills are still far from his.”

After hearing Maddie’s words, Zhou Yi nodded reluctantly, feeling displeased. Though he admitted Maddie was right, he was still somewhat depressed.
……
Early the next morning, while Zhou Yi was still asleep, he was suddenly awakened by a phone call. ???
“Who is it?” Zhou Yi asked groggily.
“Hello, Zhou Yi. It’s Xiang Yun. Are you still resting?” Xiang Yun asked softly.
“Mm, yes, but you’ve woken me up. What’s the matter so early in the morning?” Zhou Yi rubbed his eyes and asked.
“Zhao Hui had an accident—he was in a car crash,” Xiang Yun said anxiously.
“What? How did that happen? Zhao Hui was in a car crash? Which hospital?” Zhou Yi also became nervous upon hearing about Zhao Hui’s accident; after all, the two of them were now friends, and he had even visited him last time.
“Zhou Yi, I can only turn to you. I really…”
“Don’t say more. Just tell me which hospital it is,” Zhou Yi said seriously, sitting up straight.
“It’s at XXX Hospital,” Xiang Yun replied immediately.
“Got it. I’m on my way!” Zhou Yi sighed and jumped out of bed.
He quickly washed up. After finishing everything in no time, he didn’t even have time for breakfast. After saying goodbye to Blake, he got into his BMW 745i and rushed to the hospital Xiang Yun had mentioned.
When Zhou Yi arrived at the hospital, he saw only Xiang Yun waiting for him at the entrance. Upon seeing Zhou Yi, Xiang Yun wore a pained smile.
“How is the situation?” Zhou Yi asked calmly after arriving.
Seeing Zhou Yi’s calm demeanor, Xiang Yun felt a bit relieved. If Zhou Yi were too upset, it wouldn’t be good. Seeing Zhou Yi steady his emotions, Xiang Yun led him inside the hospital.
“The situation isn’t too serious, but there are some complications,” Xiang Yun said, leading Zhou Yi toward the ward. After passing through the emergency room and intensive care unit, Zhou Yi finally felt a little more at ease. It seemed Zhao Hui’s injuries weren’t too severe.
“The injuries are serious, but he’s not in life-threatening danger. However, there are indeed some complications. And these complications… I might have to ask you for help!” Xiang Yun looked at Zhou Yi, hesitating, not knowing what to say, and simply led him quickly toward the ward.
“What kind of complications? You need to be clear. This is too vague!” Zhou Yi grew impatient seeing Xiang Yun’s hesitation.

Xiang Yun glanced at Zhou Yi, then clutched the hem of her clothes and said slowly, “You might not know, but I really like racing. Zhao Hui shares that interest. However, Zhao Hui is an excellent driver. Well, I participated in a racing competition and lost—severely lost. I was very upset, and I thought…”
“You thought of having Zhao Hui participate in that racing competition, and he agreed. Then he got injured in that competition?” Zhou Yi interrupted Xiang Yun coldly.
“Huh? How did you know?” Xiang Yun looked like a child caught in the act of wrongdoing, lowering her head and not daring to look at Zhou Yi.
Zhou Yi snorted and said, “How should I know? Even the stupidest person could figure out how Zhao Hui got injured after hearing what you said.”
“Actually, Zhao Hui wouldn’t have gotten injured. But just as he was about to win the championship, the car behind him hit his car hard, that’s why he got injured,” Xiang Yun explained.
“And what about the person who hit Zhao Hui’s car? Did you call the police?” Zhou Yi asked.
“Call the police? For what? They just said it wasn’t intentional. What can you do? Besides, accidents happen in racing competitions. That hateful guy just took Zhao Hui to the hospital, paid the medical bills, and left,” Xiang Yun said angrily.
After hearing Xiang Yun’s words, Zhou Yi nodded and said, “By your account, that guy still has some conscience for taking Zhao Hui to the hospital.”
“What conscience? He did it because he was happy to win the championship,” Xiang Yun said even more angrily.
“Uh…” Three lines appeared on Zhou Yi’s forehead.
“Then why did you ask me to help?” Zhou Yi suddenly asked.
“Zhao Hui’s parents still don’t know he’s injured in the hospital!” Xiang Yun whispered to Zhou Yi.
Hearing this, Zhou Yi widened his eyes in surprise and asked, “How do they still not know? I get it. You want me to help you deceive his parents?”
“Uh, it’s not exactly deception. It’s just a white lie. Besides, as you know, Uncle Zhao really likes you—he really enjoys watching you play. So he’ll definitely believe what you say,” Xiang Yun said arrogantly.
“Uh, okay. Then how do you want me to help you?” Zhou Yi said helplessly.

“In a bit, I’ll call his father. When he arrives and asks us why, we’ll say someone was driving under the influence, and that’s how Zhao Hui got into an accident,” Xiang Yun said.
“What if his father asks why we’re unharmed? How will we answer?” Zhou Yi glared at Xiang Yun and asked.
“That’s easy. We’ll say we suffered internal injuries, nothing serious,” Xiang Yun replied after thinking for a moment.
Hearing Xiang Yun’s answer, Zhou Yi was speechless. He sighed and said to her, “Alright, it’s the only option. But when you explain to his parents, I’ll just assist you.”
“Hmm, no problem. I was worried you might slip up while explaining!” Xiang Yun said with a tongue click.
Three more lines appeared on Zhou Yi’s forehead as he felt so frustrated he almost fainted.
“Oh, by the way, have you discussed this with Zhao Hui? Don’t let anything go wrong,” Zhou Yi suddenly remembered this important issue and asked Xiang Yun.
“I’ve already talked to him. It’s fine,” Xiang Yun replied.
The two discussed it for another while, ensuring their explanation was flawless. Then Xiang Yun picked up the phone and dialed Zhao Hui’s father.
“Hello, is this Uncle Zhao?” Xiang Yun asked politely.
“Yeah, it’s me. Is it Xiao Yun?” Zhao Tianxing said.
“Yes, Uncle Zhao. Zhao Hui’s in some trouble,” Xiang Yun tried to keep her tone calm so Zhao Tianxing wouldn’t worry.
“Oh, what kind of trouble? By the way, didn’t he come home last night? He said it was a class reunion, right?” Zhao Tianxing asked.
“Yes, Uncle Zhao. We stayed up late at the reunion. When Zhao Hui got in the car to go home, he was hit by someone driving under the influence,” Xiang Yun said.
“What? He was hit? How is he now?” Zhao Tianxing immediately became anxious.
“Oh, it’s not serious. Just some minor injuries. He’s at the hospital now. Please come over first. I’ll explain everything in detail when you get here,” Xiang Yun said calmly.
Hearing Xiang Yun’s words, Zhao Tianxing relaxed. From her calm tone, he could tell Zhao Hui’s injuries weren’t that severe. If he had been seriously injured, Xiang Yun wouldn’t have spoken in such a calm manner.
“Hmm, I see. Which hospital is it?” Zhao Tianxing asked.
“It’s at XXX Hospital.”
“Okay, I’ll be there right away.” After hanging up, Zhao Tianxing rushed to the hospital Xiang Yun had mentioned.
Xiang Yun glanced at her phone and sighed in relief.

“You’re pretty good at lying, aren’t you?” Zhou Yi teased.
“Go to hell!” Xiang Yun threw the bag in her hand at Zhou Yi, angrily.
……
Soon after, Zhao Tianxing appeared at the hospital entrance, where Zhou Yi and the others were waiting for him.
“Uncle Zhao,” Zhou Yi and Xiang Yun called out.
“Hey, Zhou Yi, you’re here too?” Zhao Tianxing saw Zhou Yi and asked curiously.
“Uh, yeah. When Zhao Hui had an accident, Xiang Yun called me, and we brought Zhao Hui to the hospital together,” Zhou Yi explained.
“Oh? Is that so? Then I really need to thank you! Xiao Yun, thank you too,” Zhao Tianxing said.
“Hehe, Uncle Zhao, it’s what we should do. After all, Zhao Hui is our good friend!” Xiang Yun said.
“Hmm, fine. Then take me to Zhao Hui’s ward!” Zhao Tianxing changed the subject and said.
“Okay, come with me,” Xiang Yun said.
On the way to Zhao Hui’s ward, Xiang Yun told Zhao Tianxing the fabricated lie she had prepared earlier, with Zhou Yi playing along cooperatively.
After hearing their explanation, Zhao Tianxing didn’t raise any doubts. Seeing that he wasn’t suspicious, Xiang Yun and Zhou Yi finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Zhou Yi and the others stayed in Zhao Hui’s ward for a while before leaving together. Zhou Yi went to the gym to train, while Xiang Yun went to work. Since they were going in the same direction, they left together.
“Thank you, Zhou Yi!” Xiang Yun said, sitting in the passenger seat of Zhou Yi’s car, a bit embarrassed.
“It’s nothing. But this kind of thing shouldn’t happen again. You know, I never lie. I didn’t expect my first lie to be for you,” Zhou Yi said, frowning.
Hearing Zhou Yi’s words, Xiang Yun’s face immediately turned red.
Zhou Yi, not speaking and thinking she might be upset, turned to look at her, only to see her face turn even redder.
“Hey, why is your face red?” Zhou Yi asked curiously.
Hearing Zhou Yi’s words, Xiang Yun’s face turned even redder.
Zhou Yi scratched his head in frustration. Then he realized his earlier words might have been ambiguous, and he also felt embarrassed.
“Uh, well, what I meant earlier wasn’t what you think. It’s…”
“I understand. No need to explain,” Xiang Yun interrupted Zhou Yi’s explanation.
The car fell silent, with neither of them speaking.

Before long, Xiang Yun arrived at his workplace, bid farewell to Zhou Yi, and rushed off. Zhou Yi gave a wry smile and drove toward the gym. Upon arriving at the gym, Zhou Yi realized he hadn’t had breakfast yet. So, after having breakfast at a restaurant near the gym, he went back to the gym to continue his grueling training.

Chapter 215: Continuing the Winning Streak

On December 10th, local time in the United States, the Pistons traveled to Minnesota to face the weaker Western Conference team, the Wolves. After four quarters of play, seven Pistons players scored in double figures as they thrashed the Wolves 103–89, extending their winning streak to twelve games. The Pistons’ formidable offensive power was astonishing, as their key players averaged only 30 minutes of play each. The longest player on the court was Tyshawn Prince, who played 34 minutes, while Zhou Yi rested after 30 minutes, and McGrady played only 32 minutes.

Such combat strength sent shivers down the spines of all teams. Although the game was easy, Zhou Yi performed poorly—scoring just 9 points on 4 out of 11 attempts and providing 6 assists in 30 minutes. The best performer for the Pistons was Will Bynum, who came in as a substitute for Zhou Yi. Bynum played 28 minutes, scoring 21 points and grabbing 10 rebounds, delivering a double-double. The other member of the “Golden Duo,” McGrady, had a solid performance, scoring 16 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists.

After the game against the Wolves, the Pistons returned to Detroit without delay. There, they faced the Toronto Raptors in back-to-back home games. Without Chris Bosh, the Raptors were leaderless, allowing the Pistons to win easily. In the end, the Pistons defeated the Raptors 110–85.

In this game, Zhou Yi continued his poor form from the previous match, playing only 23 minutes and scoring 6 points, 4 rebounds, and 6 assists. John Kuester wasn’t overly worried about Zhou Yi’s poor performance, knowing that any rookie would go through such times and that only Zhou Yi himself could overcome it. So, Kuester merely gave him a reminder without having a detailed talk.

After the game against the Raptors, the Pistons had three days off. However, they only trained on one of those days. The day after the game against the Raptors, Zhou Yi went to the hospital where Zhao Hui had been hospitalized last time.

Zhao Hui’s injuries have mostly healed, and he will be able to be discharged in a couple of days. Upon hearing this news, Zhou Yi was very happy and invited Zhao Hui to go out and have some fun after he was discharged. After visiting Zhao Hui, Zhou Yi went home to train. His performance in recent matches had not been good, so he wanted to use these three days of rest to adjust his form. During these three days, in addition to adjusting his condition, Zhao Hui was also dealing with one matter: finding a place to live after leaving the Blake family. Mo Keer was coming to the United States after the New Year, so Zhou Yi needed to find a place to live as soon as possible. On one hand, it was for Mo Keer’s arrival, and on the other hand, he didn’t want to disrupt the Blake family’s normal life. Having his own place would make things easier for him. Due to his busy schedule, Zhou Yi didn’t have time to look for a house, so he entrusted the task to Xiang Yun. After all, Xiang Yun was very familiar with Detroit, and being a woman, she was meticulous about everything, so Zhou Yi felt confident leaving this task to her. Three days later, the Pistons hosted their rival, the Atlanta Hawks, at home. The Atlanta Hawks caused the Pistons some trouble, holding them off until the last 4.3 seconds. In the end, thanks to a three-pointer by James Posey, the Pistons narrowly defeated the Hawks 91:88. Joe Johnson scored the highest score of the game with 34 points, but it was in vain. In this match, Zhou Yi finally regained his previous form and shook off his poor performance earlier. He played 33 minutes, hitting 6 out of 11 shots, scoring 17 points, providing 9 assists, and stealing 3 balls. His assist to James Posey for the crucial three-pointer was arguably the highlight of the game. By this time, the Pistons had already won 14 consecutive games, shocking the entire league. Next, the Pistons faced the Los Angeles Clippers at home. Led by “The Beast” Blake Griffin and Eric Gordon, the Clippers competed against the Pistons, with their group of young guards clashing fiercely with the Pistons’ young team. Besides both teams being made up of young players, another highlight was the matchup between Zhou Yi and last year’s draft pick, “The Beast” Blake Griffin. However, due to their different positions, the two had few opportunities to face each other on the court.

In this game, last year’s first-round draft pick “The Beast” Blake Griffin was effectively contained, with Ben Wallace and Greg Monroe taking turns guarding him, making his life extremely difficult. As a result, the Pistons defeated the Clippers 100-81, giving the young Clippers a harsh lesson. With 15 consecutive wins, the Pistons extended their streak to 15, becoming the focus of everyone’s attention. On December 17th, local time in the United States, the NBA official website announced the results of the first round of voting for the 2011 NBA All-Star Game. Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard and Lakers star Kobe Bryant led the Eastern and Western conferences respectively, with Bryant also becoming the top voter in the first phase with 722,682 votes. Detroit Pistons’ Zhou Yi ranked second among Eastern Conference guards behind Miami Heat’s Dwyane Wade, while his teammate Tracy McGrady came in third, just behind Wade and Zhou Yi. Zhou Yi’s other two teammates, Tashawn Prince, ranked 11th among Eastern Conference forwards, and Ben Wallace ranked 10th among Eastern Conference centers. Yao Ming of the Houston Rockets had a decisive advantage in the Western Conference center position, while his teammate Luis Scola ranked 8th among Western Conference forwards. In terms of Western Conference guards, Kobe Bryant, the top voter in the first phase, received 722,682 votes, while Chris Paul, in second place, got 386,649 votes. Rockets’ Kevin Martin failed to make it into the top 10. Among Western Conference forwards,Thunder’s star Kevin Durant led with 470,881 votes, followed closely by Paul Gasol with 390,808 votes. In the Western Conference center category, Yao Ming led by a huge margin with 430,984 votes, while Lakers center Andrew Bynum ranked second with 198,044 votes.

Eastern Guards: Dwyane Wade, one of Miami Heat’s trio, and Zhou Yi of Detroit Pistons rank first and second. They received 570,489 and 555,141 votes respectively, with Zhou Yi only about 40,000 votes behind Wade—this is just the result of the first round of voting. It’s only a matter of time before Zhou Yi overtakes Wade, as he has strong support from his family and has earned admiration from many local fans with his outstanding performance. The Pistons’ other player, Tracy McGrady, is in third place among Eastern guards with 490,221 votes, not far behind the top two, but it will be difficult for him to surpass them.

Forwards: LeBron James of the Heat leads by a large margin with 607,994 votes, followed by Celtics forward Kevin Garnett with 456,111 votes.

Centers: Dwight Howard leads the entire Eastern Conference with 611,561 votes, followed closely by Celtics center Shaquille O’Neal with 241,782 votes.

The 2011 All-Star Game will be held in Los Angeles at Staples Center, the shared home of the Lakers and Clippers.

Here are the top 10 players in each position for the East and West:

Eastern Conference
Guards
Dwyane Wade (Heat) Zhou Yi (Pistons) Tracy McGrady (Pistons) Rajon Rondo (Celtics) Derrick Rose (Bulls) Ray Allen (Celtics) John Wall (Wizards) Vince Carter (Magic) Gilbert Arenas (Wizards) Brandon Jennings (Bucks)
Forwards
LeBron James (Heat) Kevin Garnett (Celtics) Amare Stoudemire (Knicks) Paul Pierce (Celtics) Chris Bosh (Heat) Josh Smith (Hawks) Carlos Boozer (Bulls) Andre Iguodala (76ers) Danny Granger ( Pacers) Ron Artest (Bulls)
Centers
Dwight Howard (Magic) Shaquille O’Neal (Celtics) Joakim Noah (Bulls) Andrea Banchini (Raptors) Al Horford (Hawks) Andrew Bogut (Bucks) Brook Lopez (Netts) Javale McGee (Wizards) Roy Hibbert (Pacers) Ben Wallace (Pistons)

Western Conference
Guards

Kobe Bryant (Lakers), Chris Paul (Spurs), Manu Ginóbili (Spurs), Steve Nash (Sun), Deron Williams (Jazz), Jason Kidd (Mavericks), Russell Westbrook (Thunder), Eric Gordon (Clippers), Tony Parker (Spurs), Derek Fisher (Lakers)
Forward
Kevin Durant (Thunder), Paul Gasol (Lakers), Carmelo Anthony (Nuggets), Dirk Nowitzki (Mavericks), Tim Duncan (Spurs), Blake Griffin (Clippers), Lamar Odom (Lakers), Luis Scola (Rockets), Caron Butler (Mavericks), Kevin Love (Wolves)
Center
Yao Ming (Rockets), Andrew Bynum (Lakers), Brandon Haywood (Mavericks), Mark Gasol (Grizzlies), Emeka Okafor (Spurs), Nene Hilario (Nuggets), Chris Kaman (Clippers), Marcus Camby (Trail Blazers), DeMarcus Cousins (Kings), Andris Biedrins (Warriors)
Zhou Yi was thrilled to find himself ranked second among Eastern Conference guards—he could appear in the All-Star game, which was a clear recognition of his skills.
Chapter 216: The Spurs Attack
At 6 p.m. Eastern Time on December 19, 2010, the Pistons welcomed the New Orleans Hornets to their home court, the Auburn Hills Palace.
Twelve days earlier, the Pistons had narrowly defeated the Hornets on their home court by just one point. It had been a tough match, all because of the Hornets’ “queen,” Chris Paul. In that game, Chris Paul posted nearly a quadruple-double and nearly forced overtime at the end.
Although the Pistons won that game, facing Chris Paul again still made Zhou Yi a little nervous.
Chris Paul’s offensive and organizational skills far exceeded Zhou Yi’s expectations. Though he hadn’t been completely suppressed by Chris Paul in their last encounter, he was definitely restricted by him—5 fouls and 6 turnovers were proof enough.
But basketball is a round game; until the whistle blows, the match isn’t over.
The Hornets’ record up to that point wasn’t good—actually, it was quite poor. Although they had started the season with eight consecutive wins, their record before facing the Pistons was 15 wins and 11 losses, which left them outside the top eight in the Western Conference.

The frontcourt duo of Emeka Okafor and David West did not perform as strongly as expected; their frontcourt was often thoroughly dominated by opponents. Previously, they had the strong defensive frontcourt player Tyson Chandler, so they didn’t have to worry too much about defense. Now, Emeka Okafor outperforms Tyson Chandler offensively, but is clearly inferior defensively. In recent games, they have relied on Chris Paul’s all-around support; it’s unclear who would step up if Chris Paul were to fall ill. The Pistons’ starting five remains the same: center Ben Wallace, power forward Greg Monroe, small forward Tashawn Prince, shooting guard Tracy McGrady, and point guard Zhou Yi. This is also the only relatively stable lineup they have had so far. The Hornets’ starting lineup consists of center Emeka Okafor, David West, who returned from injury to start at power forward, small forward Trevor Ariza, shooting guard Mark Bellinelli, and point guard Chris Paul. John Kuester, as usual, sat in the coaching booth watching his players compete. The only difference was that Joe Dumars and Blake were sitting beside him, watching the game together. Soon, the game was about to start. By then, both teams’ starting lineups were already on the court. With the referee’s whistle, the game finally began. Ben Wallace and Emeka Okafor jumped for the ball, with Wallace winning it and passing it to Tashawn Prince. Immediately, Tashawn Prince passed the ball to Zhou Yi to orchestrate the Pistons’ offense. From the start, the Pistons launched a fierce attack. With Zhou Yi’s assists, Greg Monroe and Tashawn Prince helped the Pistons score 4 points quickly and restrict the opponent’s shooting, starting the game 4-0. Zhou Yi was extremely energetic at the beginning, delivering two consecutive assists, which earned praise from John Kuester, Joe Dumars, and Blake. However, the Hornets were also strong, having a top-tier player like Chris Paul, plus David West’s return to the team.

At that moment, Chris Paul stepped forward without hesitation. First, he scored with a mid-range shot, then assisted Mark Bellinelli to hit a three-point shot, adding 3 points. After scoring 5 points in total, Chris Paul helped Emeka Okafor overpower opponents inside the paint to score 2 points, allowing the Hornets to take a 7-4 lead.

However, the Pistons fought hard as well and were far from giving up. After all, this was their home court, and they certainly didn’t want to lose here.

The next phase of the game belonged to McGrady. The 32-year-old veteran, who had been in the NBA for nearly thirteen years, led the Pistons with his impressive talent and extensive experience. McGrady took on Trevor Ariza one-on-one, then launched a backdoor jump shot that swished through the net. Immediately afterward, he received an assist from Zhou Yi and hit a three-point shot from beyond the arc, adding another 3 points. McGrady hit 4 out of his first 5 shots, scoring 10 points on his own. Although the Pistons’ interior players struggled due to David West’s presence, McGrady and Zhou Yi’s performance on the perimeter was enough to counter the Hornets’ full-court attack. But the Hornets had already identified the Pistons’ weakness: their interior play!

“Attack the interior, understand? Shoot from the perimeter if there’s a chance, but if there’s no perfect opportunity, pass the ball to the interior so David West and Emeka Okafor can handle it. Their weakness is right there in the interior!” Taking advantage of a timeout, John Kuester outlined his team’s strategy. It worked well because the Pistons’ interior was indeed weak.

Once back on the court, the Hornets indeed gained an advantage inside the paint and gradually closed the gap created by McGrady’s shots. But at a critical moment, the Pistons’ substitute, Will Bynum, stepped up, scoring 5 points in a row with a three-point shot and a layup, bringing the score back in their favor. However, Chris Paul also hit a three-point shot shortly after, followed by an assist that helped David West score a three-point shot from the perimeter as well.

Fortunately, the Pistons managed to score 4 points in the final 28 seconds, eventually taking back the lead.