Chapter 92: Monroe's Contributions
In a blink of an eye, the first half ended, and the Thunder led the Pistons with 11 points 65:54, led by Durant and Westbrook. Durant scored 27 points in the first half, and Westbrook also performed amazingly, scoring 15 and sending 7 assists. The Pistons' best performance was veteran Durham Porter. At the end of the first half, he plundered 18 points and 10 rebounds, and used the half-time game to get a double-double, which was astonishing.
Brooks was also quite helpless about this. After all, no one was available in the inside line. In the first half, Zhou Yi played 11 minutes and 31 seconds, and all five shots ended in a blacksmith, not even 1 point. However, he was able to play for so long in the first half. He gave 7 assists and 2 rebounds, with the same number of assists as Westbrook, which is why Kuster left Zhou Yi on the court.
Fifteen minutes later, the second half began. Zhou Yi did not play, but was still sitting on the bench, holding his chin with both hands, watching the game on the court depressedly.
Home teams: Durham Porter, Hansbru, Monroe, Prince and Bynum; away teams: Ibaka, Green, Durant, Sovlosa and Westbrook.
After the start of the second half, the Thunder once expanded their advantage under the leadership of Green and Westbrook. Although Sovlosa and Durant have maintained good efficiency since then, Durham Porter and Prince began to lead the Pistons to narrow the gap. The two teamed up to score 13 points. The Pistons, who were once 14 points, were able to trail eight points from 71-79 in the middle of the third quarter.
The Pistons' pursuit continued in the second half of the third quarter. Although Green and Westbrook's internal and external offenses demonstrated the stability of the Thunder, two young players, Bynum and Monroe, scored 7 points in a row, became the vanguard of the pursuit. The two scored 7 points in a row, once left the team only 6 points behind. After that, Durant hit a three-pointer again, and the Thunder further widened the score difference to more than double digits. Prince immediately hit a three-pointer. When the Pistons saw hope of chasing, the substitute
James Harden, who was on the court, became the Thunder's surprise. After he scored 9 points by himself, the Thunder once gained a 15-point advantage. With 3 minutes and 53 seconds left in the third quarter, Pistons head coach Kuster called out a 100-second timeout, and the Thunder still led by 12 points at this time with 93-81. Both sides' offenses were very fierce, with almost no defense. With 2 minutes and 53 seconds left in the third quarter, the Thunder had already scored 93 points.
After the timeout, Zhou Yi volunteered and got Couster's approval, Zhou Yi walked towards the court. McGrady also replaced Prince, Ben replaced Durham Porter, Villanueva replaced Hansbru. The Thunder also made adjustments to the lineup. Durant was replaced by Dai Quinn Cook and rested, and Westbrook was also replaced by Eric Meno.
After the game started, the Pistons' situation did not improve much and was still suppressed by the Thunder. At the critical moment, this year's rookie Greg Monroe played a crucial role. He frequently scored 9 points in the inside and scored 9 points in less than two minutes, while the Thunder's offensive firepower became much weaker during this period. With Monroe's outstanding performance as if he was a god, the Detroits gradually reversed the passive situation. At the end of the third quarter, the Pistons approached the score with 94:100 to only 6 points behind.
Entering the fourth quarter, the battle between the two teams became even more intense. The situation on the field was in a stalemate and the score was stalemate. The Pistons, who fought at home, were naturally unwilling to sit in front of their hometown elders. They launched a fierce counterattack in the last quarter. Bench players Zhou Yi and McGrady teamed up to score 8 points to help the team quickly tie the score. Faced with the opponent's fierce counterattack, the Thunder's condition fluctuated. Not only did they have few ways to do it on the defensive end, but there was also a 3-minute and 11-second scoring drought on the offensive end. The Pistons became more and more brave. McGrady and Villanuva made three consecutive long-range shots, helping the team take the initiative in the game in one fell swoop.
Scott Brooks had to call a timeout, replacing Durant, Westbrook and Jeff Green in advance, while the Pistons replaced Monroe with Dayer to rest. During this period, Monroe's outstanding performance sounded the horn of the Pistons' fierce counterattack. At this moment, there are 7 minutes and 46 seconds left before the end of the game.
After the game started again, the Thunder scored only two points in 2 minutes, while Austin Dayer, who came on the bench on the bench, made two three-pointers, so the Pistons once overtook the opponent with 109:107 for 2 points.
After adjusting midfield time, Zhou Yi's condition improved again. Although he suffered a big loss in front of Westbrook in the first half, the game was far from over and he still had time to prove himself. At 5 minutes and 13 seconds in the fourth quarter, Zhou Yi hit a hook shot and caused Westbrook to make a defensive foul and free throw, winning a 5-point lead for the Pistons.
Brooks stood anxiously on the sidelines. Seeing that the Thunder, which had a ten-point advantage in the third quarter, was 5 points behind, and was about to call for another timeout. However, Custer took the lead and called for a timeout. Custer noticed that Zhou Yi's physical strength had declined a little, so he replaced him without hesitation. Will Bynum, the one who replaced him was Will Bynum. Prince also replaced McGrady to enhance the team's defensive strength. Monroe once again took the game and partnered with Durham Porter in the inside, and the shooting guard position was topped by James Percy.
After the game restarted, Jeff Green, who had been silent for a long time, scored 8 points in a row and the Thunder overtook the opponent by 1 point. The two sides gradually fell into a stalemate again. However, in the next two minutes, Westbrook scored 6 points by himself. 3 minutes before the end of the fourth quarter, the Thunder once took a 5-point lead. But then the Pistons began to stabilize the situation. Prince and Monroe scored 8 points in a row, and the Pistons once led their opponent by 3 points 121-118. After Durant made a jump shot, Monroe was not panicked and scored two consecutive strong attacks in the interior. After that, Westbrook, who performed well in the whole game, took advantage of the opportunity to get two free throws, but he only made two free throws. However, Ibaka grabbed the offensive rebound and handed it to his teammate Durant, who not only made a layup but also caused Prince to foul.
Kuster quickly called for a timeout, with only 1 minute and 57 seconds left before the end of the game.
After the brief timeout, Kuster struggled for a while and finally decided to let Zhou Yi replace Percy on the field and partner with Bynum in the backcourt, while McGrady failed to play.
After Durant made a free throw and hit the free throw, the Pistons led the opponent by only 125:124 by 1 point. Zhou Yi organized the Pistons' offense. At this time, Westbrook's physical strength dropped a lot, and Zhou Yi used his rest state to almost rise to the peak. Zhou Yi used Monroe's pick-and-roll to break through to the paint area near the bottom line, and then used Durham Porter's cover to jump shot. With a "swish", the basketball came into the net.
The Thunder will naturally not be willing to give the victory away. Durant made an unreasonable three-pointer outside the three-point line and told the Detroiter that it is difficult to take the victory from him!
The two sides once again tied, and Zhou Yi passed the ball to Bynum, who rushed into the opponent's basket with the ball in his arms, and made a layup in the face of the defensive players' pursuit and intercepting the layup.
The game completely entered the countdown stage, and Westbrook was sweating profusely, but at this moment he ignored it. The breakthrough pass was given to Durant on the outside, and Durant took a deep breath and made a three-pointer again, "swish", and made another move.
The home fans all held their breath at this moment. Now it was the most critical moment. Even the two commentators sitting on the sidelines closed their mouths and watched the game with all their attention.
Kuster once again called for a timeout, the Pistons were already 3 points behind, but the game was only 53 seconds left.
After the timeout, at this critical moment, Monroe stepped forward. Monroe decisively scored two consecutive goals, narrowing the gap to 1 point. Westbrook missed two free throws at the critical moment, giving the Pistons a chance to attack for the last attack, but Prince missed a three-pointer in the last 5 seconds. However, Monroe once again became the savior of the Pistons. He completed a fatal tip-in on everyone's heads, and the Pistons overtook by one point.
However, the Thunder still had 1.8 seconds left, and Brooks called out the last timeout of the game in time.
The time-out time came, Green served on the sideline, Prince kept interfering, but the ball was still sent out smoothly. After Durant received the ball, he only transported it for a while and then shot it. Just as the ball was spinning in the air, the whistle at the end of the game also rang. Everyone stared at the ball and held their breath. The whole game was terrifyingly quiet.
"Bang", the Thunder showed disappointment, and in the end the Pistons narrowly defeated their opponent with 1 point. In the first two games of this season, the Pistons narrowly defeated their opponent with 1 point, which has to be said that the Pistons' luck is really good.
Chapter completed!