The entire Rockets team left the court dejectedly.
They had been in the lead right up until the last moment.
None of them expected the game to end in such a decisive shot.
And it was a rookie who sealed their fate, not giving them any time to retaliate.
Even after the game ended, it still felt somewhat unreal to them.
They thought they would win this game easily tonight.
After all, this was just a rebuilding team without any All-Star players leading it.
Although they were upset, tonight’s result couldn’t be changed, and the regular season score between the two teams this season was now one to one.
What they needed to learn was how to contain Zeng Xingyang the next time they met.
No, and that damned big guy too, they needed to find a way to stop that duo’s pick and roll.
"OMG, what an unbelievable scene, Zeng did it."
"The Nuggets took down the Houston Rockets at home, and it was with a game-winning shot."
"The two rookies of the Nuggets were fantastic, showing their maturity at the critical moment."
"I see the future hope for the Nuggets."
"Zeng Xingyang scored a total of 33 points, 10 assists, 6 rebounds, 4 steals, 3 blocks, and 4 turnovers, an outstanding performance."
"Jokic recorded 14 points, 11 rebounds, and 7 assists, proving himself to be a reliable pillar in the Nuggets’ inside game."
"Even though James Harden scored 47 points, it couldn’t overshadow the Rockets’ slump, as Dwight Howard seemed out of place with the team."
TNT’s Barkley and Smith were shouting excitedly.
Some of the Rockets fans in the stands were extremely frustrated.
James Harden had hit two near game-winning shots in the final moments.
They were already prepared to pop the champagne in celebration, but the Rockets still lost.
They fell at the last moment.
You absolutely can’t celebrate too early.
Two rookies tore apart their defense with the most common pick-and-roll tactic on the court.
Knocking them from the paradise of victory down into the hell of defeat.
Zeng Xingyang and Jokic were surrounded by their teammates, dancing together.
This was a buzzer-beater win that excited the entire team.
Many veterans from last season on the Nuggets deeply felt the difference at this moment.
The team was completely different this season.
The number of wins had increased, and everyone’s unity had strengthened.
As NBA players, the desire to win is almost instinctual; anyone standing on the court loves to win!
Winning generates a kind of exhilarating hormone.
Surrounded by Zeng Xingyang and Jokic, everyone felt a sense of hope.
They all happily ran back to the locker room.
Coach Zhang and Coach Su lost their cool watching Zeng Xingyang’s buzzer-beater in the final moments.
"Game-winner, buzzer-beater, this game cements Xingyang’s position on the team."
"The entire league will be shocked by this rookie."
Coach Su shouted excitedly, his voice trembling.
In the past, he was always rational and calm when watching the games, his voice sometimes making fans drowsy, but at this moment, he was thrilled.
Coach Zhang, needless to say, would have been even more excited if the director wasn’t constantly signaling him to stay calm through the earpiece and behind the camera.
Otherwise, an incident like Huang Jianxiang’s might happen again.
If previously Zeng Xingyang’s steady scoring ability was all about laying the foundation, tonight’s buzzer-beater was a complete triumph.
No matter which media outlet, none could deny the potential of Zeng Xingyang becoming a superstar.
In the past, the voice that China could only produce centers was widely spread abroad, and now, the emergence of Zeng Xingyang also represents a new benchmark in the guard line.
After suppressing his emotions a bit, Coach Zhang said, "Xingyang’s final game-winning mid-range shot reminded me of Jordan, at the time Jordan made the final blow against the Jazz."
"The positions were almost identical."
"The release method was almost the same."
"Jordan’s mid-range counted as a god’s farewell performance, while Xingyang’s mid-range is just the beginning of his NBA career; no one can predict the heights Xingyang will reach in the future."
Both Coach Zhang and Coach Su were very agitated.
Previously, some games of the Nuggets were exciting, some were frustrating.
But in every game, Zeng Xingyang was building up fans’ perception of him, and tonight’s game-breaker finally burst forth those thrilling emotions in the audience.
"Damn, my deskmate stood up in the classroom while watching the game, now he was dragged out by the teacher, and yes, I was dragged out too, we are both outside now."
"This is the most exciting game-winner I’ve ever seen."
"What a crazy scene!!"
"I love Xingyang, I love Jokic, their pick-and-roll is just too cool."
"The most straightforward and consistent pick-and-roll tactics depend on who executes them."
"Jokic has the shooting capability, Xingyang has ball-handling ability, their pick-and-roll at some moments is simply unbeatable."
"In the final moments, those two Nuggets rookies played so damn maturely."
"33 points and 10 assists, under Xingyang’s leadership, the Nuggets are moving further away from the first-place lottery, but Connelly surely doesn’t hate seeing this happen."
Domestic fans were incredibly thrilled, many just hoping to see domestic players enter the NBA and become players in this top professional league.
Zeng Xingyang not only has made his mark in the NBA, but he also has the opportunity to become one of the best, giving domestic fans a sense of hope and pride.
Since 2008, the Chinese Men’s Basketball Team has been going downhill on the international stage.
The World Championships and the Olympics have been a total embarrassment.
Fans who love the country really hope to have players stand out and carry the national team banner like Da Yao!
Visitor’s Locker Room.
Harden was deeply frustrated, tonight he felt a sense of loneliness on the court.
He scored 47 points, and the team still couldn’t win.
Looking at that rookie fat guy on the other side, Harden felt that Howard wasn’t as smart as that fat guy.
How they excel at pick-and-rolls.
Facing reporters, Harden told them, "I’m feeling a bit tired, I hope there’s help to share some of the burden, even just some basic pick-and-roll screens."
"I hope the management takes action, and does not waste time."
Harden expressed to the outside world that he hoped the team would make some changes.
It was clear, he was asking the team to trade Howard.
This kind of burden staying around really disgusted him.
Even if no one comes to execute pick-and-roll, having another scorer to help share even a little would be good.
On the other side, Howard was still complaining to the media that he wasn’t getting enough ball time and that his teammates didn’t trust him enough.
"Click! Click! Click!!"
The media realized that what Harden and Howard were saying might change the situation in the West, and their conflict was laid bare.
This could potentially mean a turbulent time for the Rockets ahead.
On the Nuggets’ side, during the press conference.
Jokic, facing reporters, credited Zeng Xingyang: "My screens weren’t that crucial, winning tonight relied on Zeng; his shooting was incredibly stable."
"Zeng is our finisher in critical moments, we all trust him."
"Zeng will lead us to victories, he is the leader of the team."
Jokic doesn’t enjoy the limelight, preferring to go home and be with his girlfriend after a game than face media praise.
He left it to Zeng Xingyang to deal with the media.
Zeng Xingyang looked at Jokic with a speechless expression, "Is this guy flattering me?"
Could he be using me as a media shield?
Reporter asked Zeng Xingyang, "Zeng, congratulations on the game-winner, could you share your feelings after making the shot?"
Zeng Xingyang said, "It feels great, when I was young, I imagined standing on an NBA court, being the hero who saves the game, and now this scene vividly comes to mind...."