Zeng Xingyang still maintained a good shooting touch.
Clippers on the attack, Paul dribbled to the frontcourt and this time passed the ball inside to Griffin for a one-on-one play.
Griffin tried to back down Gordon, but Gordon’s physical defense was beyond his expectations. Griffin couldn’t find a good scoring opportunity and had to pass the ball outside to Redick.
Redick quickly shot a three-pointer as Butler rushed over to defend.
"Bang!" The basketball bounced heavily off the rim.
Zeng Xingyang leaped up and steadily grabbed the rebound.
He dribbled past half-court; meanwhile, the Clippers’ defense wasn’t set yet.
Facing Bamot in front of him, Zeng Xingyang performed a behind-the-back dribble from left to right, and then quickly jumped to shoot a three-pointer.
The shot was very tough; even though he hadn’t completely shaken off Bamot’s defense, the basketball still traced a beautiful arc in the air.
It pierced through the net. The crowd of Nuggets fans erupted in thunderous cheers once again.
The score was 8 to 2.
In the next play, the Clippers’ offense was stymied again.
This time, when Redick passed to Little Jordan, an error occurred; Gordon got a hand on the ball, altering its trajectory, and Jokic took control of it.
Jokic dribbled to the frontcourt, waiting at the top of the arc for a moment.
Zeng Xingyang came over to receive a hand-off pass and quickly used Jokic’s screen to successfully shake off Bamot and cut into the inside.
Zeng Xingyang’s drive was as fast as lightning, causing the Clippers’ interior defense to panic instantaneously.
Both Little Jordan and Griffin hurried to double-team Zeng Xingyang.
Zeng Xingyang deftly swung around Little Jordan’s waist, passing the ball to Butler, who was cutting in.
Butler got the ball and easily completed a dunk.
The score was 10 to 2.
"Great job, man!" Butler jumped up, chest-bumping Zeng Xingyang with an excited smile on his face.
Zeng Xingyang blew a kiss to the camera as if to say: Were you doubting my form? Look at this performance. Just Scarlett and Taylor Swift, it’s nothing!
Barkley yelled from the commentary booth: "Zeng effortlessly dismantles the Clippers’ defense, which has been typical during their winning streak. They continuously execute great team strategies on the court."
Smith nodded in agreement: "These strategic plays rely on strong individual skills. Whether it’s Jokic or Zeng Xingyang, they play with such ease."
Rivers couldn’t help but call a timeout after seeing this unfold.
The Clippers were too passive since the start of the game.
After the timeout, the Clippers sent in Crawford, which slightly improved their offense.
It’s been proven many times that when playing against the Nuggets, having just one offensive initiator is far from enough. Multiple attack points are needed to pose a challenge for the Nuggets.
Zeng Xingyang and Jokic rested after playing together for about 7 minutes.
Mike Malone now has a deep roster and employs frequent rotations to ensure the team’s overall stamina stays at a good level.
Mike Malone often makes roster adjustments with future games in mind, rather than just focusing on winning the current match.
Butler continued to lead the second unit on the court.
Brogdon, Dejounte Murray, and others have already proven their abilities. Although their playing time is still limited, they consistently contribute when on the court.
At 7 minutes and 23 seconds into the second quarter, Zeng Xingyang re-entered the game.
At that point, the score was 41 to 33, with the Nuggets holding an 8-point lead, suppressing the Clippers at their home court.
Paul lofted a pass inside to Griffin. Griffin, posting up low against Gordon, tried a turnaround jumper, but Gordon held firm at his waist.
With more injuries, Griffin has increasingly relied on shooting to finish plays.
"Bang!" The basketball bounced high off the rim.
Zeng Xingyang and Paul both jumped to contest the rebound.
Zeng Xingyang, with his excellent height advantage, reliably snagged the ball.
"Great defense!" Zeng Xingyang dribbled with his right hand and high-fived Gordon with his left. Gordon was playing very energetically today.
Zeng Xingyang dribbled past half-court and initiated another pick-and-roll with Jokic.
Jokic effectively screened Bamot, and Zeng Xingyang charged in again, drawing the Clippers’ defense.
At this moment, Gordon made an inner cut along the baseline; Zeng Xingyang sensed it and lobbed the ball up high.
Gordon caught it with both hands, rising higher than the rim to complete a spectacular reverse dunk.
"Bang!!" The Nuggets’ bench erupted in cheers again, and the atmosphere courtside reached a fever pitch.
Gordon often elevates the team spirit with his outstanding dunks.
The score was 43 to 33.
On the next play, the Clippers’ offense faltered once more.
Under Zeng Xingyang’s defensive pressure, Paul was forced to pass to Crawford, but Siakam anticipated the route.
Siakam dashed out to intercept the pass, sending the ball towards the sidelines. Butler dove to save it back to Zeng Xingyang.
By this time, Siakam was already sprinting down the court. Zeng Xingyang promptly passed it to Siakam.
Siakam’s two-handed slam dunk!!
The Nuggets remained in control of the game’s pace.
In the end, the score was 121 to 111. The Nuggets secured the victory on the road and achieved their 29th consecutive win, aiming now for 33 straight wins.
Zeng Xingyang, amidst the Clippers’ encirclement, penetrated and hit from the outside, scoring 32 points and also contributing 20 assists and 11 rebounds.
A 30 + 20 + 10 stat line shattered all pre-game doubts completely.
Whether Zeng Xingyang spent the previous night with women didn’t affect his performance on the court at all.
If it weren’t for needing to rush back after playing the Clippers tonight, Zeng Xingyang might have chosen to spend an unforgettable evening with Taylor Swift and Scarlett.
Although the Clippers lost this game, their players’ overall performance wasn’t bad.
Paul scored 22 points with 12 assists, Griffin had 18 points and 10 rebounds, Little Jordan contributed 14 points and 11 rebounds, and Crawford put up 28 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist. Thᴇ link to the origɪn of this information rᴇsts ɪn NoveI-Fire.ɴet
An unbeaten record of 29 wins and 0 losses would shine brightly in any year.
Now, the only record standing in front of the Nuggets is the Lakers’ 33-game winning streak from back then. If the Nuggets can win five more games, they will break this historic record.
In their next five opponents, four are weaker teams.
However, there is one strong team among them, which is the Warriors. The Nuggets will face the Warriors in the 32nd game, the Christmas showdown!
This means that the Warriors have the best chance of ending their winning streak.
After beating the third place in the West tonight, next it should be time for the second place in the West.
Zeng Xingyang, Jokic, and Butler are all preparing for the upcoming games.