The rules of the summer league are a bit different from the NBA, with each quarter lasting 10 minutes and the overtime being two minutes.
Once the team accumulates 10 fouls, free throws begin, and in the last two minutes, free throws start after two fouls.
The preliminary round is held first, with points determining advancement, followed by knockout rounds.
The total duration of the league is generally around 10 days.
This arena can accommodate about 8,000 people, and it’s fully packed at the moment.
Many NBA stars are present in the front row seats.
The reason this match has drawn so much attention is primarily because the opponent of the Nuggets is the Minnesota Timberwolves, who have a first overall pick, Towns.
Soon, players from both teams came out, and Zeng Xingyang deliberately went over to hug and greet Towns.
Towns chuckled, "Zeng, it’s the first time we’re opponents, I won’t be going easy on you."
Zeng Xingyang pointed to his teammate, Jokic, and said, "Tonight your opponent is him, I hope you won’t be toyed with."
Towns scoffed, "Just the 41st pick in the second round, I am the top pick, I’ll also beat him up along the way."
After being picked first overall, Towns has become somewhat arrogant.
Not every center has such strong talent as this top pick!
Zeng Xingyang smiled and said nothing more.
Jokic’s basketball IQ is definitely higher than Towns’.
Last season, the Minnesota Timberwolves were considered a weak team in the NBA, but in the summer league, they’re seen as strong.
They brought in 4 guaranteed contract players.
Towns, LaVine, Wiggins, Jones
Towns and Jones are this year’s rookies, LaVine and Wiggins are last year’s rookies.
LaVine showed some promise in his rookie season, averaging 10 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists, his excellent physical talent and comprehensive play style giving the Minnesota Timberwolves high hopes for him.
Wiggins averaged 17 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2 assists last season, playing at the level expected of a top pick.
However, Wiggins’ attitude on court has always been questioned.
Aside from when playing against the Cavaliers, he seems lazy against other teams.
This lineup of the Minnesota Timberwolves came to the summer league aiming to win the championship.
Of course, winning the championship is secondary, more important for the Minnesota Timberwolves is developing their players.
The game started quickly.
Towns and Jokic jumped for the ball.
Towns easily tipped the ball over.
As Towns passed by Zeng Xingyang, he chuckled and said, "Your little chubby center can’t do it, he can’t even jump."
Zeng Xingyang glanced and said, "Brag more after you beat him up."
Jokic, who was passing by, didn’t mind losing the jump ball at all.
In the first possession, Wiggins used a large crossover move to break past the Nuggets’ small forward, and gently executed a gliding layup to score.
Wiggins’ talent is unrivaled in the summer league; despite his laid-back attitude, the Nuggets’ current small forward is finding it hard to contain him.
The Nuggets’ offense.
Although Towns kept emphasizing to his teammates how accurate Zeng Xingyang’s threes were, Zeng Xingyang still used an off-ball movement to create an open shot at the right 45 degrees outside the three-point line.
The point guard immediately passed the ball to Zeng Xingyang.
Zeng Xingyang caught the ball, faked LaVine in the air, then moved horizontally and shot a three with a rhythmic jump.
Easily hitting the shot, overtaking the score.
The crowd cheered as Zeng Xingyang made that three-point shot.
The commentator said, "Zeng Xingyang got a very easy chance beyond the three-point line, he shot it in steadily, this is his most accustomed playstyle."
However, the Nuggets’ defense remains loose.
The Minnesota Timberwolves, through continuous breakthroughs and passes by LaVine and Wiggins, got the ball to Towns, who easily scored under the basket, taking the lead again.
The Nuggets’ turn, the point guard dribbling past half court passed the ball to Zeng Xingyang.
Zeng Xingyang is the player with the highest standing in the team, and all these players have been instructed by the coach to play around Zeng Xingyang.
Zeng Xingyang is not good at initiating the attack with the ball in hand.
But with Teacher Yue around, there’s no need for him to facilitate.
Zeng Xingyang waved his hand, and Jokic understood what he meant.
Jokic ran over with his chubby body to screen for Zeng Xingyang.
Zeng Xingyang used the screen to move horizontally with his dribble.
Zeng Xingyang didn’t go for a dribble drive, choosing instead to pass the ball back to Jokic.
No need to explain to Jokic, Jokic knows exactly what to do.
The two of them had a very smooth two-man game.
Jokic then did a handoff back to Zeng Xingyang, moving his feet to use his body as a wall, completely isolating LaVine from Zeng Xingyang.
A gap appeared for Zeng Xingyang at the top of the arc once again.
Shooting again, decisive.
The basketball flew like a sniper bullet.
Precisely hitting the net.
Zeng Xingyang and Jokic high-fived to celebrate.
"Nice screen." Zeng Xingyang said.
Zeng Xingyang really likes this kind of pick-and-roll, back at the University of Kentucky, Towns wouldn’t play .
When passing to Towns the second time, Towns might have just gone for it himself, whereas Jokic, seeing the opportunity, would pass it back to him.
"Your shot is really accurate." Jokic also complimented Zeng Xingyang with a smile.
In these two possessions, Jokic could see that Zeng Xingyang’s shooting was very stable.
For some reason, Towns felt a bit sour watching Jokic and Zeng Xingyang’s two-man game.
Ah, back then Zeng was his teammate.
"Defend his three-pointer," the Timberwolves’ interim coach shouted.
Everyone on the court knows how precise Zeng Xingyang’s threes are, but knowing and defending are two different things.
"That little play was brilliant."
"Beautiful three-pointer."
"The screen quality is very high."
The Chinese fans in the audience screamed.
On the court, the Timberwolves attacked again.
Wiggins took the ball past the half-court.
Zeng Xingyang was the one guarding LaVine, but he had already made two consecutive threes.
LaVine was eager to respond to Zeng Xingyang.
Directly signaled to clear out.
Players from both teams quickly spread out, setting up a one-on-one situation.
Zeng Xingyang lowered his center of gravity, spread his arms, and got into a defensive stance.
LaVine is 1.96 meters tall, weighing 83 kilograms, possesses an outstanding physical talent, excellent athletic ability, amazing bounce, quick launch speed, great explosiveness, and is skilled in driving with the ball and mid-to-long-range shooting!
LaVine is excellent in many aspects, but Zeng Xingyang knows well that this guy is a bit afraid of confrontation.
He clearly has the talent to charge in and draw a foul, but he just prefers shooting jumpers...
Of course, this is also related to his weight; he’s a bit light.
After understanding the opponent’s offensive characteristics, Zeng Xingyang had a strategy to respond, and quickly closed in, initiating body contact.
Continuous confrontation between the two.
Although LaVine has explosiveness, Zeng Xingyang’s wingspan and contact make it difficult for him to initiate the first step.
LaVine continuously dribbled on the spot to adjust his rhythm; if he wanted to break through, he needed to crash hard and create space to accelerate past Zeng Xingyang.
If LaVine went for a strong drive, Zeng Xingyang may not stop him, but LaVine ultimately opted to step sideways, pulling a little space for a three-point jumper.
Zeng Xingyang swung his long arm to contest.
LaVine’s three-point jumper banged hard off the rim.
Towns tried to grab the rebound, but his position was firmly boxed out by Jokic, who barely jumped as he collected the rebound.
Just when everyone thought Jokic would settle the ball down and pass to the point guard to organize,
Jokic instead threw the ball forward forcefully with one hand!
Everyone was surprised by this pass.
What was this big guy doing?
At this moment, they saw Zeng Xingyang sprinting forward at high speed after contesting LaVine, and while running, he raised his hand, adjusting and stepping in front of the three-point line on the left, decisively launching a transition three-pointer.
This three-point shot was very quick.
The basketball bounced off the rim and went through.