Chapter 430: Chapter 342: It’s a one-on-one with Paul!
"Awesome, awesome!"
"Just play like this."
"Just take it to him!"
"Well done!!"
The fans on site were shouting, Zeng Xingyang’s play style was extremely bold.
Rivers shouted from the sidelines, "Double-team him, don’t let him get going."
Rivers assigned quite a lot of tasks to the players, making the Clippers feel overwhelmed.
On the court, the Clippers attack.
Paul dribbled to the frontcourt and passed the ball to Bamot.
Bamot initiated a pick-and-roll with Griffin.
After the pick, Gordon was mismatched defending Bamot, making it difficult for Bamot to attack.
Bamot made a bounce pass to Griffin.
Facing Pope’s defense, Griffin decisively crashed the ball and went for a layup.
Griffin clearly underestimated Pope, thinking his weight advantage would let him power through.
But his arms are short.
"Bang!"
Pope’s defensive capability was solid; he wasn’t knocked away and held his ground.
Zeng Xingyang rushed in from the other side, jumped up with full power, and stretched out his long arms, blocking Griffin.
The basketball was swatted away as it was ascending.
Butler swiftly controlled the rebound.
The cheers from the crowd kept rising.
Butler dribbled past half-court and passed the ball to Zeng Xingyang.
Zeng Xingyang got the ball and faced double-team pressure; he quickly passed the ball to Pope on the other side.
Pope hesitated for a moment and didn’t attack, instead, he passed the ball back to Jokic.
At this time, Zeng Xingyang was entangled with Bamot, and without the ball, the Clippers wouldn’t double-team Zeng Xingyang.
Zeng Xingyang called Gordon up, who came to screen.
Zeng Xingyang feinted a run, making it seem like he was seeking an open outside three-point shot, but actually, he was cutting inside.
Jokic has incredibly impressive passing ability; he anticipated Zeng Xingyang’s offensive intent, and as Zeng Xingyang cut in, Jokic made a bounce pass.
After Zeng Xingyang caught the ball, he seamlessly stepped forward and leaped.
Right then, Griffin tried to cover his groin to draw an offensive foul.
But his movements were too slow; Zeng Xingyang used the Euro step past Griffin, then lightly laid the ball into the basket beneath the hoop.
to 17
Clippers attack.
Paul dribbled to the frontcourt.
Paul passed the ball to Griffin.
Although Griffin was just blocked, he still maintained his confidence.
He believed there wouldn’t be much of an issue as long as he wasn’t surrounded by Nuggets defense.
Griffin continued to back down Gordon in the low post.
"Bang!"
"Bang!"
Gordon was impacted repeatedly.
Griffin, after all, is a seasoned All-Star; at this time, he made a pivot fake.
Gordon, being passive, could only jump up.
"Bang!"
Griffin took the chance to lay it up with contact.
"Beep beep!"
The referee’s whistle blew as Griffin made the basket.
This play had the chance for a three-point play.
Griffin stepped to the free-throw line.
Deep breath.
"Swish!"
to 17.
The momentum of the Nuggets slightly quieted down.
Zhang Weiping shouted, "The second round is clearly tougher than the first; the Clippers’ offensive points are very clear."
Xu Jicheng said, "Yes, let’s see how Xingyang handles the upcoming offense."
The camera returned to Zeng Xingyang.
Zeng Xingyang dribbled to the frontcourt.
Paul and Redick quickly double-teamed.
Zeng Xingyang decisively passed the ball to Butler.
Butler grabbed the ball, dashed inside, compressed the Clippers defense, then sent the ball to Jokic.
Jokic received the ball at the free-throw line, took a step out, and returned the ball to Zeng Xingyang.
The Nuggets upper and lower lineup now played very rationally, trying all possibilities to give the ball to Zeng Xingyang first.
After Zeng Xingyang got the ball, he faced defender Little Jordan.
"Bang!"
"Bang!"
Two left-hand dribbles, followed by a crossover through the legs to the right side, Little Jordan’s rhythm was slightly lagging.
Zeng Xingyang retrieved the ball and made two consecutive step-backs, quickly creating space.
Little Jordan’s eyes widened; he’d only seen Harden do such step-backs.
Didn’t think Zeng Xingyang could do it too.
Zeng Xingyang shot a three-pointer jump shot.
The basketball drew a beautiful arc.
"Swish!"
Straight to the heart!!
to 20
"It was a walk." Paul shouted at the referee.
"No walk." The referee shook his head.
Rivers also shouted at the referee, "How is that not a walk?"
The referee ignored Rivers.
Xu Jicheng asked, "Coach Zhang, do you think that was a walk?"
Zhang Weiping said, "Walk? No, you can understand it as a reverse three-step layup."
On the court, Zeng Xingyang merely smiled; since the referee didn’t call it, it wasn’t a walk.
James, Alphabet, Harden, and others did such things often.
The crowd howled.
Clippers attack.
Paul dribbled to the frontcourt.
Paul kept passing the ball into Griffin in the post.
This time Pope double-teamed, Griffin could only pass the ball out to Paul at the perimeter.
Paul called Little Jordan up, who screened Zeng Xingyang.
Paul went one-on-one with Jokic.
"Bang!"
"Bang!"
Continuous low-hand dribbles, Paul quickly threw off Jokic’s rhythm, cutting inside.
Paul’s speed isn’t fast, but as long as it’s faster than Jokic’s, it’s enough.
Paul quickly pulled back, collected the ball, and made a close-range fadeaway jump shot.
"Swish!"
The basketball went straight into the net.
to 20
Rivers clapped his hands; he liked seeing this.
Mismatched lay up Jokic, this is what the Clippers need to execute, otherwise, they can’t compete with the Nuggets.
Nuggets attack.
Zeng Xingyang dribbled to the frontcourt, initiating a pick and roll with Jokic.
After the screen, Paul and Little Jordan double-teamed Zeng Xingyang.
Zeng Xingyang snaked around Little Jordan’s waist, sending the ball to the rolling Jokic.
Jokic received the ball and smoothly went for a floater.
The basketball was easily tossed into the hoop.
to 22
Clippers attack.
Under Paul’s command, they once again set up a mismatch against Jokic.
Paul dribbled through his legs, swiping the ball from left to right, then exploded with speed.
Jokic shifted horizontally trying to stop him, but Paul still slipped past.
Jokic quickly turned to chase, but he couldn’t catch up; Paul changed rhythms, swiping the ball from right to left, leaving Jokic pouncing on empty space again.
Paul then stopped abruptly to shoot; Jokic tried his best to block.
"Swish!"
Could not be stopped.
Jokic once more became the backdrop for Paul’s scoring.
to 22.
The fans’ cheers decreased again.
Jokic’s weakness was fully exposed in this game.
After scoring, Paul shouted at Jokic, "Big guy, you can’t defend me."
Jokic wasn’t angry, just frowned a little as he ran ahead.
Mile Malone on the sidelines frowned, hesitating whether to substitute Jokic.
Nuggets attack.
Zeng Xingyang to the frontcourt, this time the Clippers didn’t double-team.
Zeng Xingyang looked at Paul in front of him, directly motioning to clear out.
"Bang!"
"Bang!"
"Bang!"
Zeng Xingyang rhythmically dribbled combining left and right.
Paul closely followed Zeng Xingyang’s rhythm.
But Paul’s center of gravity quickly got shaken away.
Zeng Xingyang broke to the right side, the Clippers’ defense compressed instantly.
Zeng Xingyang quickly passed the ball to Pope in the right 45° position.
Pope got a massive open three-point shot.
Strike.
"Swish!"
to 25.