On the plane, Zeng Xingyang didn’t care about the external evaluations, instead, he tried to rest and recover his energy as much as possible.
After consecutive victories against strong opponents, he felt the Nuggets had the chance to win more games.
The plane quickly landed in Boston, and they boarded the bus to the hotel with his teammates.
Around nine the next morning, Zeng Xingyang got up to train.
For Zeng Xingyang, no matter how crazy it was at night, as long as he had enough rest, he would immediately throw himself into training.
Hard training was something he had always insisted on, and under his influence, Jokic and Pope also came to train very early.
The three trained until the evening, then returned to the hotel to rest.
When they woke again, it was game day.
The atmosphere among Boston fans was great; fans had started lining up early to enter their home venue.
The Celtics are a playoff-level team in the East, ranking fifth. This season’s performance under the leadership of Little Thomas was a bit surprising.
Last season, after Little Thomas was traded from the Phoenix Suns to the Celtics, he became the main playmaker for the Celtics, averaging 22 points, 3 rebounds, and 6 assists per game this season, a very eye-catching performance.
If such statistics might not seem impressive for a star, what about when his height is only 175? Little Thomas is also called the "strongest 175 on the surface."
Little Thomas’s height is very close to that of ordinary people, making his survival in the NBA much more difficult than others, but he tenaciously played a core-level performance.
It was also because of Little Thomas’s presence that such a lineup of the Celtics became a playoff-level team.
For the Nuggets, wanting to defeat the Celtics on the road is very challenging.
The forecast for this match between the two teams is a fifty-fifty chance of victory.
In terms of overall roster depth, the Nuggets certainly have the advantage, but this is an away game, and having just gone through a fierce battle with the Thunder, their consumption is enormous, putting them at an absolute disadvantage in terms of stamina.
It’s very difficult for the Nuggets to beat the Celtics again.
Pre-game interview before the warm-up.
Little Thomas boldly told the reporters: "Although their perimeter defense is strong and famous, I’m confident I can break through their perimeter."
"Zeng, I will defeat you tonight!"
Little Thomas mentioned Zeng Xingyang by name.
No matter how strong the opponent is, Little Thomas always has complete confidence in himself.
This inflated self-confidence has helped him become a better and stronger version of himself, which is also the root of his belief that he can survive in the NBA and become the team’s leader.
Little Thomas believes that if he continues to play , the next contract he should get from Angie will be a max contract.
"Click, click, click!"
Reporters love this kind of inflated Little Thomas, always a hot topic.
He boldly spoke his mind.
But this season, many have spoken boldly against the Nuggets, and most did not end well.
Challenge the Nuggets’ perimeter?
Defeat Zeng Xingyang?
Can Little Thomas fulfill his promise tonight?
Regarding the Nuggets’ interview, the team maintained a very calm demeanor.
The questions were mainly focused on Zeng Xingyang’s miraculous 12 points in 31 seconds the previous night.
The "Xingyang Moment" has been spreading and fermenting these past two days, leading to a surge in followers on Zeng Xingyang’s Twitter and Weibo.
This news has indeed broken through, with more and more people outside the basketball field recognizing Zeng Xingyang’s name as a representative of a basketball player.
When reporters asked Zeng Xingyang about Little Thomas’s comments.
Zeng Xingyang replied, "He’s very inspiring, and I admire him. I hope he can get a big contract in the future, haha."
Zeng Xingyang naturally knew that after Little Thomas performed well, he rejected a good contract offered by Angie, declaring that Angie needed to bring a truckload of money to sign him.
If confidence goes too far, it becomes arrogance.
Keep maintaining such arrogance.
During the Nuggets’ player introduction.
Zeng Xingyang faced a lot of abuse from Boston fans.
"F*ck, yellow-skinned monkey, go back to your home and climb trees."
"Asians aren’t suited for basketball; we’ll whip you."
"We’ll kick your asses hard, f*ck!"
The racial discrimination here was much more severe than in other places, with various kinds of ethnic attacks being frequent.
Some even wore jerseys with "FUCK, ZENG" on them.
As soon as Zeng Xingyang entered, he felt that this place was very unpleasant.
It wasn’t just Zeng Xingyang facing such treatment; Boston’s racial discrimination is notorious in the NBA.
In the early NBA days, elderly women on the sidelines at Celtics games would use knitting needles to stab black players.
Back when the Celtics won the championship, some black players couldn’t enter the hotel to celebrate and dine.
Bill Russell did not invite fans to his retirement, simply because he was black, and the fans here preferred Cousy.
This place is one of the white elite strongholds, leaning more right, which also created an atmosphere of discrimination against blacks and Asians.
Zeng Xingyang tried his best to stay focused, not getting distracted by these off-court incidents.
Nuggets starting lineup: Point Guard: Nelson, Shooting Guard: Zeng Xingyang, Small Forward: Pope, Power Forward: Grant, Center: Jokic.
Harris sprained his ankle in the last game and was listed on the injury report for this game, prompting Mike Malone to adjust Nelson to the starting lineup.
The Nuggets’ injury list doesn’t feature many players, with DJ Augustine and Nurkic being regulars; they occasionally face various issues necessitating a brief stay, and players like Foye, Faried, and Lavine, who were starters last season, are now placed in the second unit and occasionally fall out of the rotation.
Point Guard: Little Thomas
Shooting Guard: Avery Bradley
Small Forward: Jae Crowder
Power Forward: Jared Sullinger
Zeng Xingyang scanned the Celtics players, recalling their scouting reports and matches he had watched before.
The Celtics’ lineup mainly relies on Little Thomas for offensive plays, with the others focusing on defense.
Little Thomas is typically strong offensively but weak defensively; his penetration and shooting are good, with many defenders unable to keep up with him.
Although short, he isn’t weak when facing offensive confrontations, often managing to score even when heavily contested inside.
Bradley has excellent three-point shooting ability and elite defense, especially known for his tenacious style, making him a key figure on the Celtics’ defense. His marking is shadow-like and hard to shake, often rendering the opponent’s attacking guards ineffective.
Crowder’s defensive value lies in being a tough exterior shield and opponent on the wing, frequently using his physicality to exhaust the opposing core’s energy. His long arms and large hands often create trouble for opponents, excelling in steals and blocks.
Offensively, he also possesses some three-point and mid-range shooting ability!
At 2.03 meters, Sullinger’s defense is somewhat weaker, but his physical prowess is there, with a comprehensive offensive game. He not only scores through strong finishes underneath but also uses his height for long-range shooting, adding to the team’s scoring options, and has demonstrated passing skills!
Amir Johnson is the last high school rookie; after he skipped college and entered the NBA, the league made a rule that all American players must be out of high school for a year before they are eligible for the draft.
Unlike high school entrants like Garnett and Kobe, whose names rose quickly, the 2.06-meter Amir Johnson has always been a hardworking blue-collar player, diligently fighting for rebounds under the basket with his physique, occasionally committing to low-post offense, and being active on defense as well.
From an overall height perspective, the Celtics look more like a combination of a short player and four forwards.
The key offensive initiator is Little Thomas; if this point can be contained, then the Celtics’ offense would have trouble.