In the first half, Wang Yi shot 18-for-22 on his own. Including free throws, he scored a total of 44 points.
He missed only four three-pointers; every other shot he made was a mid-range jumper.
Since the Raptors weren't hitting their threes today, the Kings packed the defense in tight, with almost everyone huddled around the paint. That made it very difficult for Wang Yi to drive inside.
And with his own three-pointer off today, all his shots came from mid-range.
He made all 18 of his mid-range attempts!
But nearly every one of those chances came after he made repeated backdoor cuts, ran around screens, and shook off his defender before shooting.
Even when he managed to get open, without a good playmaker to get him the ball right away, the opportunity was often lost. He had to make another backdoor cut and run around another screen.
All of that took a greater toll on his stamina than when Zhang Jiacheng was on the court.
As the first half ended, Wang Yi headed toward the Player Tunnel. His face was slick with sweat, and his normally flowing long hair was plastered damply against it.
The commentators on the sidelines couldn't help feeling for him.
"Wang Yi has been doing almost all the work himself in the first half. The team scored 58 points, and he scored 44 of them. He's really exhausted."
Director Zhang spoke with concern.
Yang Yi nodded. "The rest of the Raptors haven't had a good shooting touch today, so Wang Yi has had to drag the team forward by himself. But he can carry them for two quarters, even three. Can he do it for four?"
"The Raptors' roster just isn't strong enough," Director Zhang said. "Aside from Wang Yi, Zhang Jiacheng, and Pang Bo,