Paul scored 17 points and 13 assists all by himself, and it’s just the first half. Paul almost achieved the double-double stats that others might not obtain even after playing the full game.
On the Nuggets side, Zeng Xingyang had 16 points and 5 assists in the first half, Jokic scored 10 points, got 5 rebounds, and made 5 assists. Both of them performed reasonably well.
Seeing the Nuggets trailing.
Wang Meng’s mood in the Penguin live broadcast room was not great.
"The Nuggets are unlucky today, catching Paul at his explosive moment."
"The Nuggets’ defense needs to be readjusted; their pick-and-roll defense isn’t good."
"However, I’m always confident in Xingyang. Explode in the second half and strive to come back in this game, which isn’t too difficult."
"In this first half, Xingyang’s spotlight was stolen by Paul. Paul’s strength is truly not to be underestimated."
"It’s a pity Kobe and Paul never teamed up back then, otherwise the entire league’s dynamics would have been changed."
"Xingyang played well in the first quarter but was a bit down in the second."
Fans were also discussing animatedly.
Nuggets fans hope that someone can step up when the team is under pressure.
Zeng Xingyang’s 16 points in the half are already quite strong, but it’s not enough!
The Clippers themselves are strong, plus Paul is in great shape tonight, while the Nuggets are slightly off, causing huge troubles for them.
Now Nuggets fans can only hope Zeng Xingyang and Jokic will explode in the second half and catch up with the score.
"Zeng’s performance wasn’t as good as Chris’s." Scarlett Johnson said.
Paul’s performance in the first half was extraordinary and not as Scarlett Johnson imagined; she initially thought Zeng Xingyang would dominate.
"Chris has been famous for a long time, while Zeng is new to the league. They’re on different levels." Taylor Swift said.
She puckered her cherry lips with a hint of disappointment.
The first quarter was alright; in the second, apart from occasional shooting, Zeng Xingyang often didn’t even have the ball.
This is not the style of a superhero.
"Zeng performed great in the last game; it’s a pity we didn’t come. I wonder if he’ll stand up in the second half." Taylor Swift regretted.
"Let’s watch and hope this guy doesn’t disappoint me as a fan." Scarlett tucked her golden hair behind her ear, revealing her fair neck. Nearby male fans continued to scream...
Scarlett heard the male fans screaming too, but she didn’t care.
If she wanted a man, she’d just beckon, but ordinary men couldn’t pique her interest.
Now Scarlett is very picky, always pursuing quality.
Half-time went by quickly.
Before the game restarted, Mike Malone shouted to Zeng Xingyang, "Zeng, go and unleash your offensive ability, take down the opponent!"
Mike Malone assigned Zeng Xingyang with unlimited shooting abilities, centering the play around him as they prepared in the locker room.
Zeng Xingyang felt the coach’s trust, his gaze turned resolute, as if entering a new state.
As Zeng Xingyang’s time playing point guard increased, Mike Malone noticed Zeng Xingyang’s potential.
Zeng Xingyang’s speed against many guards isn’t slow, and his height gives him an advantage in mismatches on both ends.
Overall, the first half wasn’t that Zeng Xingyang couldn’t defend against Paul’s individual attack but couldn’t defend against his pick-and-roll, which wasn’t his personal defense problem but the lack of team coordination.
Mike Malone decided to adjust defense and assigned Pope, who’s better at fighting through screens, to guard Paul.
Now the Nuggets have plenty of defenders to switch defensively, which brings many variations on the defensive end.
Zeng Xingyang still has a lot of potential to tap and needs continuous opportunities and trust.
The third quarter started quickly.
The Nuggets rearranged their lineup: Zeng Xingyang, Pope, Galinarli, Grant, Jokic.
On the offensive end, the Nuggets need Galinarli to stretch the floor, enhancing their overall height. Now, only Pope’s height is below 2 meters.
On the Clippers side, Rivers felt a headache seeing the Nuggets’ tall lineup. But he shook his head quickly, trusting Paul to handle the situation.
The live fans were excited about the Nuggets lineup.
"The Nuggets now have enough height, let’s see if Xingyang can defend." Wang Meng said.
"I feel Mike Malone won’t let Xingyang guard Paul next; he’ll focus more on offense." Song Xue commented.
Song Xue observed Zeng Xingyang’s eyes were fixated on Redick, which led to her judgment; she’s familiar with many of Zeng Xingyang’s small habits.
"Hmm, it’s possible." Wang Meng nodded.
Song Xue’s professional ability improved quickly, especially her understanding of Zeng Xingyang, knowing many details even he was unaware of.
The Nuggets started their offense.
Zeng Xingyang continued dribbling across half court.
This time, no pick-and-roll was needed; instead, he signaled to spread out.
Zeng Xingyang aimed to wear down Paul on the offensive end.
Zeng Xingyang dribbled to the right side, passed to Jokic at the top of the arc, then backed into the low post against Paul.
Jokic passed the ball to Pope, who quickly gave it to Zeng Xingyang.
Received the ball, Zeng Xingyang leaned in for a post-up.
Paul tried to steal the ball but failed. Instead, Zeng Xingyang seized the chance, adjusted his footwork, turned around, and jumped for a fadeaway shot.