If Zeng Xingyang needs to score, then Zeng Xingyang will step up, and many of these 21 points are crucial shots.
Zeng Xingyang’s scoring ability is very stable in key moments.
Jokic performed excellently, achieving a triple-double with 22 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists, breaking the rookie records for triple-doubles.
Jokic is becoming more confident on the court, and almost every play involves the Nuggets giving him the ball to organize.
His presence makes the Nuggets less desperate for a point guard.
Many commentators from ESPN and TNT believe Jokic will become a new-age playmaking center.
On the Lakers’ side, Kobe scored 24 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists, but the 24 points came from 30 attempts, which is quite damaging to the team.
Russell, the second overall pick, continued to receive boos from the fans, only managing 6 points, 4 assists, and 3 rebounds, with a high 5 turnovers and 3 blocks against him, cementing his nickname "Shui La" among Lakers fans.
Post-game interview reports.
Kobe said with frustration: "Our strength is very different from theirs, although the score gap is small, we have no hope of winning."
Kobe is a bit angry with the management; he wanted them to select Zeng Xingyang this summer, but they didn’t choose him and picked Russell, who turned out to be a bust.
If Zeng Xingyang had joined the Lakers, he could have fully been seen as a successor.
After playing against the Lakers, the Nuggets continued their road trip to face the Warriors.
The last time these two teams met, the Nuggets won.
This match, the Warriors aimed for revenge.
The Nuggets players were very exhausted, and after resisting for three quarters, they surrendered.
Zeng Xingyang and Jokic were crazily double-teamed, and the Warriors overwhelmed the Nuggets with their rapid transitions and three-pointers.
Curry and Thompson combined to make 14 three-pointers, breaking the Nuggets’ perimeter defense.
The final score was 92 to 112, with the Nuggets losing by 20 points at the Warriors’ home.
After losing to the Warriors, the Nuggets returned to their home court to face the Jazz, Kings, Celtics, and Brooklyn Nets.
They surprisingly lost only against the Kings, securing the other three games without difficulty.
It’s worth mentioning that against the Celtics, Zeng Xingyang once again exploded with 47 points and 12 assists for a major double-double in front of Little Thomas.
Originally finding some form recently, Little Thomas struggled against Zeng Xingyang, only managing 12 points and 6 assists, far below his average standard.
Because he often bullied Paul, Little Thomas, and others on the court, Zeng Xingyang was jokingly dubbed the "Dwarf Slayer" by fans.
So far this season, Zeng Xingyang averages 27.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 7.5 assists, 3 steals, 1.5 blocks, and 3 turnovers per game.
He is currently fourth in the scoring rankings, and tops the steals leaderboard.
These stats are quite exaggerated for a rookie.
The only one comparable to Zeng Xingyang during a rookie season is the basketball god.
Jordan, in his rookie season, achieved 28.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 2.4 steals.
Jordan’s average scoring was higher, and while he didn’t have as many explosive high-scoring games as Zeng Xingyang, his scoring was more stable.
However, Jordan was slightly behind Zeng Xingyang in assists and steals.
Zeng Xingyang’s explosive performance has driven basketball fans in both China and the U.S. into a frenzy.
In his home country, fans gave Zeng Xingyang the nickname "Zeng Ritian."
This nickname comes from part of Zeng Xingyang’s name and is related to his extremely flamboyant playing style.
So far this season, Zeng Xingyang averages 4.5 three-pointers per game, conquering opponents and fans with his accuracy and overall performance.
You could say that, in NBA history, Zeng Xingyang is among the most sensational rookies.
This performance also helped him become the West All-Star starter without suspense.
Besides being an All-Star starter, Zeng Xingyang also signed up for the Skills Challenge, Three-point Contest.
And he will participate in the Rookie Challenge game.
This upcoming All-Star Weekend is destined to be a busy one for Zeng Xingyang.