Chapter 86

After the collapse in the second half of the second quarter, John Kuester wasn’t angry; instead, it calmed his mind completely. The smooth start to the season had made him overly optimistic about the team’s future. But now it seems he was indeed too optimistic. A truly strong team isn’t the Pistons’ current style of play. The team’s current core is indeed impressive, and their record is good for now, but as the season progresses, this success is unlikely to last, especially in the playoffs, where depth on the bench often determines how far a team can go. However, he also knows that making a successful trade isn’t as simple as a one-for-one swap. A successful trade requires both effort and luck. Even if a talented player is acquired, whether they fit the team’s tactical approach is another matter. One of the most classic teams in recent years has been the New York Knicks. After Isiah Thomas took over, they made several big trades, bringing in many talented players, yet their record kept declining year after year—proof of reckless trading without considering the team’s actual situation. In a team, a leader is naturally essential; at critical moments, the leader is the most reliable asset. But what a team can’t do without are players who are hard workers—whose value goes beyond stats, as they appear in key moments of the game. Just like their current opponent, whose starting lineup includes hardworking players like Bruce Rinnes and Khris Kuzma. By stats alone, he’s a player between second and third tier, but even if you’re a top-tier player, the Raptors’ head coach wouldn’t bat an eye at trading for Rinnes or Kuzma. For the current Raptors, their role is irreplaceable. After the start of the second half, John Kuester simply took him off the court to rest. If he doesn’t value the opportunity, why give it to him? After all, there are plenty of others on the bench eager for a chance. Austin Daye got another opportunity.

Although Austin Daye is not a genius player, John Kuester is quite satisfied with his performance on the court. As the new head coach of the Pistons, he is not very pleased with the team’s current lineup, and making any trades in the short term seems unlikely. Identifying talent among rookies is undoubtedly something he is eager to do. Zhou Yi’s outstanding performance has made him persistent in focusing on rookies, so this year all three of the Pistons’ rookies have received considerable playing time.

In the second half, the Raptors still played with their starting lineup and barely managed to gain a scoring advantage. The Raptors’ head coach certainly wouldn’t give up this advantage easily; no matter how good their backups are, starting players are more reliable in critical moments.

Taking advantage of the chaos at the start of the game, Linas Krezia once again executed his tricky three-step layup, scoring easily. Austin Daye, who was defending him, was a step slow; with his speed, he could only watch helplessly as Linas Krezia scored. Since Austin Daye doesn’t get much playing time, he values every opportunity and often gives his all in games. He is well aware that his weakness in offense makes the coach cautious when deciding to use him.

As the team’s spiritual leader, McGrady naturally keeps an eye on the players’ conditions on the court. He didn’t miss Austin Daye’s distracted expression and stepped forward to gently pat his shoulder and comfort him. In fact, McGrady really didn’t take the opponent’s sudden attack seriously. With Linas Krezia’s skills, there are very few players in the league who can truly defend him. Relatively speaking, it was already quite impressive that Austin Daye was able to push him to that extent in the first half.

After resting for most of the first half, Zhou Yi was now full of energy. After catching the ball, he steadily carried it across half-court. From the few encounters earlier, Jose Calderon realized how difficult it would be to steal the ball from Zhou Yi. Moreover, his own fast pace, which he usually relied on, seemed to offer no advantage against him. Just as the Raptors’ head coach had advised him, it was unrealistic to completely shut down a player like Zhou Yi—at least not against him. Instead of worrying about that, it was better to focus on disrupting his passing routes. This year, the Pistons’ strong offensive performance was largely due to Zhou Yi’s playmaking, which kept the otherwise disorganized team together.

As footsteps grew louder, Jose Calderon became highly focused. The first half’s confrontation between the two was evenly matched. Although Zhou Yi tightly defended him, he didn’t make things easy for Zhou Yi either. After hitting two three-point shots, he didn’t ease up on Zhou Yi’s defense at all. Both were among the fastest players in the league. With both sides knowing each other’s strengths, the game naturally favored the Raptors, given their overall team strength. Even without Jose Calderon, they still had several reliable players. On the Pistons’ side, if Zhou Yi was contained, their outside offense would almost come to a standstill, leaving them dependent on Greg Monroe’s inside play.

John Kuester obviously understood the Raptors’ head coach’s strategy. Since Zhou Yi wasn’t very effective on the court, he decided to replace him halfway through the second half. This substitution seemed to abandon their outside offense, but its effects became apparent in the second half. With his energy advantage, Zhou Yi gradually gained the upper hand in the head-to-head battle with Jose Calderon.

This time, Zhou Yi didn’t pass the ball. Nearly a meter from the three-point line, he stopped moving and assumed a shooting stance. Such a sudden attempt at a shot would likely leave other players as mere onlookers, but he was facing Jose Calderon. Even before Zhou Yi stopped moving, Jose Calderon had become alert due to his body language. The moment Zhou Yi raised the basketball, his lightning-fast speed was once again on display before the Pistons’ fans.

For this shot, Zhou Yi chose the right timing and position. Judging from the smile on his lips, it was definitely the right decision. The only thing that could be criticized was his shooting speed. Zhou Yi’s fast shooting speed has gradually been accepted by everyone in the league. During the last match against the Raptors, Leandro Barbosa suffered a setback as Zhou Yi used his speed to shoot several strong shots at him in a row.

However, with such little time left, Jose Calderon naturally wouldn’t think too much. His mind was simple: he must prevent Zhou Yi from making this shot at all costs. When Jose Calderon jumped up trying to block the ball in Zhou Yi’s hands, the smile on Zhou Yi’s face grew even brighter. As his upper body rose higher, it suddenly stopped ascending, with his feet firmly planted on the floor.

Looking up at Zhou Yi, Jose Calderon felt frustrated. He knew he had been outmaneuvered, especially when he saw Zhou Yi jump again. “Ding” — the referee’s whistle sounded just in time. Before his body fell, Zhou Yi gently swung his left hand, and the orange basketball traced a beautiful arc through the air. Although the shot was taken from a difficult position, judging from its trajectory, it was undoubtedly a good shot.

“Thud” — Jose Calderon’s anxious heart finally settled. If Zhou Yi had managed a 3+1, the Pistons’ momentum might have changed. For Zhou Yi, three free throws meant an increase of three points to his score.

Zhou Yi dodged Jose Calderon with two quick changes of direction. This was already his third successful breakthrough of the quarter, each one becoming easier than the last. This time, just two changes of direction gave him the opportunity. The Raptors responded quickly, with Linas Kleiza and Ed Davis both coming forward to double-team Zhou Yi.

Faced with the double-team, Zhou Yi wasn’t nervous at all and didn’t pass the ball. Instead, he continued charging straight toward the paint. The player he encountered first was DeMar DeRozan. Zhou Yi suddenly sent his right hand behind his back. He had done this many times before, using a clever behind-the-back pass after breaking through. DeMar DeRozan quickly shifted his focus to this move, hesitating slightly. That was exactly the opportunity Zhou Yi needed. With a simple motion, he sent the ball back and retrieved it, tricking Linas Kleiza. Now, the only player standing in Zhou Yi’s way was the Raptors’ leader, Andrea Bagnani.

His trust in DeMar DeRozan’s defensive abilities caused Andrea Bagnani to react slowly to the counterattack. Yet this delay turned out to be advantageous—had he rushed in alongside DeMar DeRozan, Zhou Yi’s skill at exploiting chaos would likely have tricked him with a backpass. But by delaying his response, Bagnani was able to keep a clear view of Zhou Yi’s movements.

Zhou Yi also regretted it inwardly. After breaking past Jose Calderon, he noticed the Raptors players rushing to cover him. Of the two defenders, Bagnani seemed a bit quicker. He hadn’t expected Bagnani to trust his teammates so much, which ended up putting himself at a disadvantage.

Instead of attacking decisively, Bagnani stood firm under the basket. At their current distance, Zhou Yi didn’t dare to stop abruptly and shoot—Bagnani could easily block him with a block. With full speed, Zhou Yi seemed unable to slow down, and the tightly guarded basket left no room for him to maneuver. His path seemed to lead straight to the baseline.

Just two steps later, Zhou Yi reached the baseline with no angle left. As his right foot was about to cross the line, the Raptors’ bench erupted in cheers. Zhou Yi’s earlier tactic of drawing fouls had frustrated them for a long time, so seeing him make a mistake brought them great relief.

At the moment he was about to cross the line, Zhou Yi pushed off the floor with his right foot and soared into the air.

Andrea Bagnani was pleased with his successful defense, but Zhou Yi’s move completely surprised him. From Zhou Yi’s position, flying over the baseline was inevitable—unless he could fly backward, which was impossible. Thus, Zhou Yi’s action truly seemed incredible.

With a roar, Zhou Yi unleashed the strength he had built up, and his body suddenly stopped mid-air. Tilting slightly to the right, he extended his right hand holding the ball from behind the basket and threw it lightly.

“Swish”—the ball went through the net!

The entire crowd was stunned. Many people instinctively opened their mouths wide. Even the DJ on site seemed to forget his duties. The Toronto arena fell silent.

No one knew who started clapping first, but soon the arena was filled with applause. Such a bizarre goal thrilled the fans. Although it wasn’t a real match, the fans were there to watch a good game, and they would applaud. Moreover, Toronto’s fans have always been very courteous, unlike some fans at other home venues who can be extremely vicious. The cheering grew louder, with the morale of both teams fluctuating, and the balance of victory gradually tilting in favor of the Pistons. The Raptors’ head coach sighed helplessly and called a timeout—it seemed he had truly underestimated Zhou Yi, who turned out to be a master at creating atmosphere. Thinking of his own team, which also had a player like DeMar DeRozan who excelled at doing the same, he was used to DeRozan disrupting the opponent’s interior play, and he enjoyed the advantages that came from his outstanding performances. Zhou Yi slowly controlled the ball through the first half. Although John Kuester had planned for a fast break, it was Zhou Yi who was the team’s pivot, with the playing style largely determined by his intentions. With a clever spin, he dodged Jose Calderon, who was trying to interfere, and passed the ball to Teyshawn Prince on the right wing, who scored a three-pointer. Due to Calderon’s faulty pass, Zhou Yi made a long pass that helped Greg Monroe score with a dunk. The Raptors quickly called a timeout—Calderon’s poor performance had almost paralyzed the team’s offensive system, allowing the Pistons to gain momentum. “Everyone did an excellent job in those two minutes; the defense was good too. The opponent will definitely make adjustments after this timeout. We still need to stick to our playing style. It’s up to you guys on the court to handle the situation—not only to maintain our own rhythm but also to strictly control the opponent’s offensive power,” insisted John Kuester. Sure enough, the Raptors replaced Calderon with Leandro Barbosa, who had always been his primary backup. A completely different type of player from Calderon, he had played almost as many minutes as Calderon despite being a substitute. Leandro Barbosa was fast and had excellent ball-handling skills. Even with Zhou Yi’s speed, no one dared to act rashly. He made a behind-the-back pass to Andrea Bagnani, who was unguarded, and scored with a hook shot.

In the following matches, the two teams entered a stalemate. The Pistons showed unprecedented defensive intensity; although their offense faced some setbacks, they managed to hold off the opponent’s attacks. By the end of the first half, they still led by about 10 points.

Zhou Yi firmly controlled the ball, stretched his distance from Leandro Barbosa with a crossover, accelerated past him, and scored with a half-court shot.

Leandro Barbosa passed the ball to the ground, handing it to Andrea Bagnani. Andrea Bagnani gripped the ball tightly, first observing his teammates’ positions. The Pistons’ switching was very fast, and none of his teammates had a good chance, so he decided to handle it himself. He pushed past Greg Monroe behind him, stepped back slightly, and scored with a high hook shot using his right hand.

His shooting arc was high, and although such shots are difficult, they are also hard to defend against.

Zhou Yi was outside the three-point line, throwing the ball to Greg Monroe. Greg Monroe kept tapping the ball with his right hand while using his left shoulder to push against Amir Johnson, trying to force his way to the basket. Greg Monroe wasn’t afraid of this approach at all—he was much stronger than his opponent and had never backed down in physical confrontations.

Suddenly, he took a step back, supporting himself on his right foot, pulling his left foot back, and raising both hands as if ready to shoot. Amir Johnson reacted quickly, blocking his shooting angle.

Greg Monroe suddenly flipped his wrist and passed the ball.

Zhou Yi calmly scored a three-pointer from the right wing baseline. During the earlier confrontation inside the paint, he hadn’t seen much determination in Greg Monroe’s eyes. Seizing the moment when everyone’s attention was focused on the inside players, he quickly ran to the baseline. Sure enough, Greg Monroe passed the ball quickly, and with no defender available, Zhou Yi had no reason not to score.

“Nice!” John Kuster jumped up happily. Greg Monroe’s passing awareness was quite outstanding among big players, and John Kuster was very optimistic about his future.

Andrea Bagnani held the ball in one hand, darted past Greg Monroe under his arm, and threw it high. At that moment, Greg Monroe was facing away, leaving no time for him to defend. This shot was almost guaranteed for him.

“Swish”—the ball indeed went in.

Zhou Yi delivered a high hook pass swiftly to Greg Monroe, who found himself with no one in front of him. Fueled by excitement, Greg Monroe accelerated with all his strength, rushing toward the basket. Two steps inside the free-throw line, he unleashed his accumulated power, lifting the ball high with one hand and charging toward the hoop, using his momentum to launch himself into the air. With a loud thud, Greg Monroe executed a powerful spinning dunk. Leonardo Barbosa’s timely block allowed DeMar DeRozan to hit a mid-range jump shot. Greg Monroe attracted the defense inside and promptly passed the ball, leading to a successful mid-range shot by Teyshawn Prince. As time passed, the Raptors’ coach finally couldn’t help but call a timeout. With 8 minutes left in the game and still 12 points behind, he needed to adjust his tactics. While 12 points wasn’t enough to decide the game, it gave the Pistons control, putting them at a significant disadvantage. Seeing the opponent growing impatient, John Kuester let out a long sigh. In fact, the Pistons had also faced some trouble in the earlier clashes. After the timeout, Leonardo Barbosa took advantage of the chaos to score 2 points on a fast break. Zhou Yi accelerated past defenders and hit a quick stop jump shot. His shooting has become more precise—fast release combined with his excellent hanging ability made his backspin jump shots even more lethal. These improvements significantly enhanced his offensive capabilities, allowing him to score even under intense defense. With possession in the Raptors’ hands, Leonardo Barbosa rushed full speed, and even Zhou Yi couldn’t be underestimated; he tried his best to block his path, aiming to disrupt the team’s flow of play. As a versatile inside player, Andrea Banchini excelled not only in his varied offensive moves but also in his playmaking skills. By drawing the Pistons’ attention, he enabled his teammates to move around and look for shooting opportunities. With help from his teammates’ screens, Linas Krezia received a pass inside and quickly scored. So far in the game, under Austin Daye’s defense, Linas Krezia hadn’t performed well, hitting just 6 out of 15 attempts, including 3 out of 4 in the first quarter. In the following moments, Zhou Yi and McGrady combined to score 9 points against the Raptors, stabilizing the game’s momentum.

Seeing this, the Raptors’ head coach quickly called a timeout. The Pistons’ bench players stepped forward to shake hands with Zhou Yi one by one. Zhou Yi’s performance in those two minutes was absolutely outstanding—he not only helped the team tie the score but also delivered two brilliant individual performances that dealt a heavy blow to the Raptors’ morale. The Raptors’ timeout didn’t bring much change to their team, as the Pistons gradually widened the score gap by relying on their outside shooting. In just the third quarter, the Pistons hit eight three-pointers, ultimately winning 109–93 over the Raptors.

Chapter 263: Home Game Against the Kings
In this match, the Pistons had a strong showing across the board—six of their ten players scored in double figures. Greg Monroe led the team with 28 points and also grabbed 15 rebounds. In his matchup against Amir Johnson, he outperformed his opponent in every statistic. Zhou Yi, meanwhile, scored 23 points and provided 7 assists.

At the post-game press conference, the Raptors’ head coach was quite composed about the loss. After summarizing his team’s performance, he praised the Pistons highly. Zhou Yi and Greg Monroe were among the players he commended, especially Zhou Yi’s two outstanding performances in the third quarter, which he called turning points of the game. He also spoke positively about Austin Daye, saying that as a rookie, his fighting spirit on the court was admirable.

After defeating the Raptors, the Pistons will next face the Kings at home on the 15th. The Pistons had already beaten the Kings away from home in mid-November, and with the momentum from their big win over the Raptors, they are determined to win another game at home to extend their winning streak to 28.

The Auburn Hills Palace on the 15th was like a sea of joy. The Pistons’ fans had great confidence in this game. In the arena, more and more fans wore Zhou Yi’s jersey, with number 37 gradually becoming the favorite among Pistons supporters.

The game started quickly. The starting lineups were as follows: Pistons—center Ben Wallace, power forward Greg Monroe, small forward Teyshawn Prince, shooting guard Tracy McGrady, point guard Zhou Yi; Kings—Jason Thompson at five, DeMarcus Cousins at four, Francisco Garcia at three, Terrence Evans and Beno Udrih at two and one, respectively.

Once the game started, Zhou Yi didn’t rush to carry the ball across half-court immediately. The Kings’ defense was still fast, so he slowly moved the ball across and, after handling it a couple of times, passed it to Greg Monroe in the paint. Usually, Zhou Yi’s first target for a pass was either Greg Monroe or McGrady. However, with Samuel Dalembert’s poor form, it also affected Zhou Yi’s confidence in him.

Greg Monroe moved closer to DeMarcus Cousins, trying to push his way in a few times. Realizing DeMarcus Cousins was in a good position and seeing no chance to score, he gently passed the ball back to the outside.

When not holding the ball, Zhou Yi completely shed his role as an organizer and actively moved around the court, which was exactly what John Kuester admired most about him—many opportunities arose from his constant movement.

The moment Greg Monroe passed the ball, Zhou Yi had just gotten past Terrence Evans’s defense. Without hesitation, he caught the ball and shot from beyond the three-point line. The moment the ball was released, Zhou Yi knew it would go in; he didn’t even wait to see the result before returning to defense.

With a “swish,” the sound of the ball hitting the basket echoed throughout the noisy arena, sparking waves of cheers. Watching Zhou Yi’s determined back, Greg Monroe couldn’t help but smile happily. Having such a reliable teammate was truly a blessing for him. As long as Zhou Yi was on the court, he had full confidence in the game.

Before the Kings’ ball even reached half-court, Terrence Evans realized Zhou Yi was already waiting for him. His gaze tightened. After half a season, facing Zhou Yi, he no longer showed the same contempt and disdain as before.

Terrence Evans was the engine of the Kings and a steady scoring threat for the team. He kept the entire Kings team together and was the real controller of the team’s rhythm.

John Kuester’s pre-game strategy was simple: first, freeze Terrence Evans. Once this tactic succeeded, the Kings’ offense would surely suffer greatly. Against the Pistons’ top-tier offensive power, the outcome was no longer in their hands.

Tyrick Evans didn’t try to force things; before Zhou Yi could close in for defense, he decisively passed the ball away—this was his strength. This season, Tyrick Evans has been plagued by injuries; perhaps his physical condition isn’t what it used to be, and even his skills have declined, yet he manages to perform even better, especially in critical moments. His experience often helps him make the most sensible choices.

The ball was sent purposefully toward the baseline. Tyrick Evans knew that, barring any surprises, Beno Udri would be there first. With a swift motion, Beno Udri shot a three-pointer from the baseline, and the ball swished through the net.

Zhou Yi drove quickly across the court. When he reached the top of the three-point arc on the front court, suddenly a dark, large hand appeared in front of his eyes. Tyrick Evans instantly blocked his path. Zhou Yi remained cautious in facing Tyrick Evans’s defense, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t get past it. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Beno Udri approaching.

It seemed the Kings had adopted a double-team strategy against Zhou Yi. Zhou Yi’s sudden leap took Tyrick Evans by surprise, but his instincts kicked in immediately—he leaped up, stretching his arms forward to block Zhou Yi’s shooting path.

In mid-air, Zhou Yi twisted his waist sharply, turning sideways toward Tyrick Evans, and quickly passed the ball horizontally.

The Kings’ head coach, watching everything clearly from the sidelines, shouted, “Watch out for Tracy!”

McGrady had just reached the 45-degree mark on the right wing, with the entire action on the court visible to him. Receiving Zhou Yi’s pass, McGrady immediately shot, swinging his arms gently. The ball traced a beautiful arc through the air. Beno Udri, who was covering him, was still two steps away and could only watch helplessly as the ball flew over his head.

It was now the Kings’ turn to possess the ball. When it reached Tyrick Evans’s hands, he was shocked to see Zhou Yi appear beside him again. Last time it was due to urgent defense in the half-court, but now it was even more extreme—full-court pressure. He inwardly groaned; stamina was now his biggest problem. He hadn’t expected Zhou Yi to go all out from the start.

Beno Udri’s intervention relieved Tyrick Evans’s predicament, but it also dealt a significant blow to the Kings’ offensive strategy.

In the first five minutes of the first quarter, the two teams seemed evenly matched on the surface, but actually the Pistons had a slight advantage. The score was 13:9, with the Pistons holding a slight edge, though appearances could be deceiving—the balance of the game was gradually tilting in favor of the Pistons. Due to Zhou Yi’s deliberate tactics, Terrence Evans was out of breath and underperforming on the court. After the game resumed, the Pistons passed the ball more often to Greg Monroe. Holding the ball in his right hand, he would push back slightly with each bounce, and after three such moves, he had already advanced two steps into the paint—far enough for him. Gathering all his strength, what had been a closely contested battle suddenly saw Greg Monroe use his sudden burst of power to push DeMarcus Cousins out of the basket. He then leaped high and dunked the ball forcefully through the net. A loud thud echoed throughout the arena as Greg Monroe let out a triumphant shout, displaying even more dominance. The Pistons relied on Zhou Yi, McGrady, and Greg Monroe as their offensive core, with almost all attacks coming from the interior. On the Kings’ side, Terrence Evans scored by driving to the basket with help from his teammates. With the shift in play, Zhou Yi slowly drove across the court, while Terrence Evans waited for him just beyond the three-point line. After several dribbles under his arm, Zhou Yi began to break through. After changing directions and shaking off Terrence Evans, he attempted a jump shot from the baseline, but missed—however, it forced Jason Thompson into a defensive foul. Zhou Yi converted both free throws. The Pistons made a substitution, with James Posey coming in for Teyshawn Prince. Terrence Evans caught the ball, stepped back to evade Posey’s defense, and skillfully passed it to DeMarcus Cousins. The pass was both clever and subtle, using the defenders’ bodies to move the ball inside right under Greg Monroe’s nose. DeMarcus Cousins suddenly stopped and pulled back, causing Greg Monroe to stumble two steps forward, allowing him to easily dunk the ball. Greg Monroe smiled helplessly—DeMarcus Cousins had not been in good form earlier, which had made him underestimate him in this game.

Zhou Yi quickly crossed half-court with the ball and then passed it to McGrady. Without the burden of controlling the ball, Zhou Yi felt extremely relaxed, constantly moving around the court and becoming a nightmare for the Kings players, who couldn’t keep up with his speed but also couldn’t give up on defending him.

McGrady’s passes were of high quality, and he had a strong sense of the game. The moment Zhou Yi reached the baseline, McGrady passed the ball, but his target was too obvious, and the pass wasn’t fast enough. By the time the ball reached Zhou Yi, Tyreke Evans had already appeared in front of him, leaving no chance to shoot.

Zhou Yi used Greg Monroe’s screen to break through past Tyreke Evans and enter the paint. Before the opposing player could react, he threw a high pass, and the ball gently landed in the basket.

Jason Thompson tried to attack inside but was blocked by Greg Monroe, and Ben Wallace grabbed the defensive rebound.

Zhou Yi shot from beyond the three-point line and made it. A step away from him, Tyreke Evans looked frustrated. The moment Greg Monroe threw the ball, he realized the target and quickly moved in front of Zhou Yi. Based on past experience, he thought he had enough time to react at such a short distance, but Zhou Yi’s shot was too fast—by the time he tried to defend, Zhou Yi’s three-pointer had already been released, leaving him no time to react.

Tyreke Evans easily passed the ball over Zhou Yi’s head. After catching it, Jason Thompson threw a hook shot to put the ball in the basket.

Greg Monroe’s turnaround jump shot missed, and Zhou Yi, standing above DeMarcus Cousins, effortlessly pushed the ball into the basket.

DeMarcus Cousins’ layup missed, and Greg Monroe easily grabbed the rebound and passed it to Zhou Yi. At that point, he was the only player left for the Kings on half-court, and he scored 2 points with an easy three-step layup.

On the Kings’ offense, Tyreke Evans assisted DeMarcus Cousins, who scored with a layup under the basket.

Zhou Yi’s three-pointer from the right baseline was blocked by Tyreke Evans; the ball hit the rim and bounced out, and McGrady grabbed it. McGrady passed the ball to Zhou Yi, who tried again and finally scored.

Zhou Yi stole the ball in the middle of the court, easily dodged Jason Thompson, and scored by leaning on DeMarcus Cousins, forcing a foul and earning a 2+1.

At 5:23 of the first quarter, the Pistons called a timeout and substituted their starters one by one.

The game continued, but both teams played solid defense today, so there were few spectacular goals. At the end of the first quarter, the Pistons led 23-19 by 4 points. The second quarter started quickly, with most players on the court being substitutes. Pistons: Samuel Dalembert, Taylor Hansbrough, James Posey, Ben Gordon, and Will Bynum; Kings: Karl Landry, DeMarcus Cousins, Omari Cassby, Tyreke Evans, and Beno Udrih. Beno Udrih drove the ball into the Pistons’ half and passed it to Karl Landry inside. Karl Landry’s layup missed, and his follow-up attempt also failed; DeMarcus Cousins grabbed the offensive rebound and scored. Will Bynum shot from beyond the three-point line; the ball hit the rim and bounced back in, landing lucky enough inside the hoop, prompting Will Bynum to wave his fist excitedly. After Omari Cassby entered the game, he posed a threat to the Pistons, scoring a layup and also forcing a foul on Samuel Dalembert. Omari Cassby made his free throw and both free throws.