Chapter 427: Chapter 339: Crushing the Opponent, 15 Three-Pointers in a Single Game!
In the next play, Little Gasol defended Zubac’s one-on-one attack inside the paint.
Zubac still appears a bit immature when trying to go one-on-one against Little Gasol.
Randolph grabbed the rebound, passed it to Carter for a fast break, but Zeng Xingyang fouled during the confrontation.
The Grizzlies resumed their offense with a sideline throw-in, as Conley advanced the ball suddenly facing a double-team from Brogdon and Butler.
Conley, with quick reflexes, swiftly bounced a pass to Carter at the left baseline corner. Zeng Xingyang tried to close in for the chase, but Little Gasol, with his rich experience, set a screen delaying Zeng Xingyang’s pursuit.
The old flyer didn’t let everyone down, catching the ball and immediately shooting a three-pointer, with the basketball brushing the back rim and dropping into the net.
to 62, the Grizzlies regained the lead.
But the cheers from the fans had barely started when they abruptly fell silent, as Zeng Xingyang was already in the front court, facing Tony Allen’s defense. Suddenly, he stopped abruptly with a between-the-legs dribble, then a hesitation move threw Tony Allen off balance, and he quickly dashed towards the basket.
Zubac swiftly set a screen in the paint, and Zeng Xingyang lobbed the ball high to the right side of the backboard.
The trailing Siakam soared into the air, smashing the ball into the hoop with one hand!
to 62, the gap narrowed once again.
On the sidelines, Fizdale stomped his feet repeatedly, knowing the Nuggets’ second unit’s impact was dismantling the Grizzlies’ defensive system, especially with Zeng Xingyang’s sudden uptick in pace, exposing Randolph and Little Gasol’s mobility weaknesses.
The black-and-white bears couldn’t retreat defensively.
The Grizzlies’ offense.
Conley, bringing the ball to the front court, continued to pass to Little Gasol, wanting him to keep posting up Zubac.
This time Little Gasol didn’t score, though Zubac still seemed unable to stop him; it was Butler’s double-team from the other side that disrupted Little Gasol’s shot.
Zeng Xingyang grabbed the rebound, and Conley quickly committed a foul.
Seeing Zubac being targeted, Mike Malone swiftly adjusted substitutions, putting Jokic back in to form a "big-small" core lineup with Zeng Xingyang.
This change quickly yielded miraculous results.
In the next play, Jokic held the ball at the top of the arc, facilitating, while Zeng Xingyang used Butler’s screen to cut out, receiving a hand-off pass from Jokic, who then screened again to block the chase.
Zeng Xingyang, getting the pass from Jokic, quickly shot a three-pointer.
Tony Allen’s defense couldn’t keep up at all.
to 62.
The Nuggets took the lead!
At this moment, both Little Gasol and Randolph were showing fatigue, balancing defense inside the paint while having to guard the perimeter, clearly unable to keep up with Zeng Xingyang’s change of pace.
Especially with Jokic frequently drifting to the perimeter for playmaking, forcing them to often go outside.
This quarter went by quickly, with Zeng Xingyang opening fire from beyond the arc.
The Grizzlies called their second timeout as Zeng Xingyang hit his sixth three-pointer of the quarter.
What’s giving the Grizzlies’ coaching staff headaches is that their starting point guard Conley is already carrying 3 fouls, and Carter and Tony Allen can barely limit Zeng Xingyang’s three-point shooting.
After the timeout, Little Gasol attempted to restore dominance inside but was double-teamed by Jokic and Gordon. The pass to the outside Conley was tightly defended by Butler, leading to a rushed three-point shot that bounced off the rim.
Zeng Xingyang grabbed the rebound and quickly pushed forward, organizing the front court as he saw Jokic set at the left elbow, and Gordon cutting from the right corner to the basket.
He seemingly prepared to break through with a change of direction dribble, then lightly flicked his wrist, and the basketball took a bizarre bounce pass into Jokic’s hands.
The Serbian center feigned a post-up but instead passed low to the cutting Gordon, who finished with a slam dunk.
Randolph and Little Gasol exchanged glances, knowing that if they didn’t show a do-or-die spirit, what awaited them could indeed be a sweep.
As Conley brought the ball across half-court again, Randolph proactively moved high to set a screen for him, while Little Gasol held Jokic’s position under the basket.
Conley used Randolph’s screen to break through Zeng Xingyang’s defense, drawing Butler’s help defense, and in that moment, Conley made a bounce pass to the rolling Randolph.
Randolph, after receiving the ball, attempted a strong layup, but with Jokic’s interference, the ball bounced off the board, yet Little Gasol surged from the crowd to score on a putback!
...
With 1 minute and 12 seconds left before the third quarter ended, Zeng Xingyang once again faced Tony Allen’s defense.
This time, he switched dribbles underneath, then made a quick right step, followed by stepping back with a backward pull to create space for a three-point jump shot.
"Swish!"
The seventh three-pointer of the quarter was made.
Zeng Xingyang’s frenzy hadn’t stopped yet.
With 45 seconds left in the game.
Zeng Xingyang, positioned outside the left three-point line, bent low holding the ball, as Jokic came up for a screen.
Little Gasol and Tony Allen double-teamed Zeng Xingyang together.
Jokic had a gap rolling to the basket, but Zeng Xingyang chose not to pass, instead opting for a forceful jump shot over the double team.
The shot was not reasonable, but!!
"Swish!"
It went in again.
The eighth three-pointer of the quarter.....
The home Grizzlies fans were silenced by Zeng Xingyang.
Zeng Xingyang shouted into the camera: "Nobody can guard me."
Zeng Xingyang’s words were unbearably arrogant, yet nobody at the moment would deny his statement; Zeng Xing was performing too brilliantly on the court.
Zhang Weiping sighed: "Eight threes in a single quarter, and this is the playoffs. Xingyang is indeed Xingyang, decisively standing up to save the team when they were in danger."
Xu Jicheng said: "This kind of firepower is incredibly astonishing, and it looks like the Grizzlies are about to get swept."
The third quarter ended quickly, with the score frozen at 84 to 74.
The Nuggets now led by 10 points.
"Amazing, this quarter the Nuggets went all out."
"Rather than saying the Nuggets went all out, it’s more accurate to say Zeng Xingyang went all out."
"A guy like this is destined to get the MVP!!"
"The MVP announcement is coming soon, and Zeng Xingyang has a good chance of becoming the youngest MVP."
Fans no longer believed there was any hope for a comeback from the Grizzlies in the final quarter.
As the fans expected, Zeng Xingyang hit three more three-pointers in the fourth quarter, effectively putting the game away.
This also completely extinguished the Grizzlies’ urge to counterattack.
Although Little Gasol fought until he got injured, he couldn’t change the final outcome.
to 95.
The Nuggets defeated the Grizzlies once again.
Zeng Xingyang played for 37 minutes today, the most in this series, scoring 15 three-pointers and amassing a total of 54 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds, and 5 steals in a luxurious stat line.
His personal scoring accounted for half of the team’s total, a rarity in the playoffs.
to 0.
Butler, bragging to the home Nuggets fans, realized his words about "see you in the second round."