CHAPTER 110: CHAPTER 101, TOWNS’ MINDSET COLLAPSED, ROOKIE LEADERBOARD TOP.

Zeng Xingyang once again scored over 30 points, which was indeed impressive, but he wasn’t the top scorer on the court.

On the Thunder’s side, Durant scored 42 points, which was the highest in the game, followed by Westbrook’s 38 points.

The Thunder’s dynamic duo showcased their unparalleled offensive power.

With his current ability, Zeng Xingyang could trouble Durant in some possessions, providing slight limitations, but he couldn’t consistently restrain Durant.

When Durant got hot, he even hit four consecutive mid-range shots right over Zeng Xingyang’s defense.

Zeng Xingyang pushed his defense to the limit, but he still got scored on, with no solution in sight, nearly disturbing his mentality.

Zeng Xingyang’s high scoring partly resulted from the Thunder’s lax defense on him, not maintaining high intensity throughout, giving him plenty of shooting opportunities.

The overall pace of the two teams was nothing short of a shootout!

As long as the Thunder ensured their firepower was stronger than the Nuggets’, it was sufficient.

For the Nuggets, aside from Zeng Xingyang’s 32 points, the other players’ scores were relatively even, with Barton scoring 18 points, Galinarli 14 points, and Faried 16 points.

Jokic recorded 11 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 block. The gap between him and his past peak was not insignificant.

However, compared to his rookie season in the past, Jokic got more chances in these three games.

His personal scoring didn’t increase by much, but he coordinated extensively with Zeng Xingyang, significantly boosting his assist numbers.

His assisting and facilitating abilities were on display, leading Mike Malone to consider him differently, believing this guy could be nurtured as a facilitating center.

Zeng Xingyang thought if Jokic now were in his prime, they might be able to compete with the Thunder, but since he wasn’t, the gulf was apparent.

Zeng Xingyang, Barton, and Jokic were all substitutes, having a considerable impact on the court, making the Nuggets’ bench seem stronger than the starting lineup.

After the game, Westbrook specifically came over to greet Zeng Xingyang.

"Rookie, you played well tonight; even though you lost, it wasn’t your fault," Westbrook said with a bright smile.

"Thanks, if you came over to flaunt your victory, then you succeeded." Zeng Xingyang replied helplessly.

Westbrook’s capabilities tonight were entirely different from what they were in 2024; this was genuinely phenomenal.

His fast breaks were unstoppable; one-on-one against Randy Foye and Nelson, he would instantly breeze past them, then go for a dunk instead of a typical layup like other guards.

That visual impact left Zeng Xingyang speechless.

"Hey, let’s swap jerseys," Westbrook suggested, taking off his jersey.

"Alright."

Upon hearing that, Zeng Xingyang immediately removed his jersey to exchange with Westbrook.

Both revealed white compression shirts; their muscle lines were evident, with Westbrook’s pectorals slightly larger.

"If you encounter any problems in basketball or life, you can call me anytime. I’ll have my agent give you my number," Westbrook said.

"Thank you," Zeng Xingyang nodded.

Westbrook was genuinely a warm guy.

The two were just fellow NBA players, yet he still showed such camaraderie.

After bidding farewell to Zeng Xingyang, Westbrook turned back to his teammates, talking and laughing all the way to the locker room.

Durant, on the other hand, was completely different, putting on earphones and walking back alone.

At the post-game press conference.

On the Nuggets’ side, Zeng Xingyang remained the primary interview subject.

"Zeng, you’ve scored over 30 points in two consecutive games, and over 20 points in three consecutive games. How do you feel about it?"

"Honestly, I’m not very happy because my team lost two out of these three games," Zeng Xingyang replied candidly.

Zeng Xingyang felt the fierce competition in the West during these three games.

Scoring high could be simple; typically, players with scoring ability can score well with more shots; however, winning wasn’t that easy.

The Thunder weren’t afraid of his individual shooting, after all, Zeng Xingyang wasn’t Curry, and the Nuggets weren’t the Warriors!

Zeng Xingyang couldn’t simultaneously counter the Thunder duo’s offensive output, while the other Nuggets players clearly weren’t matching up in firepower.

"Zeng, many people believe you should start. How do you see this issue?"

"My playing time is almost like other starters; as for when to be on the court, that’s up to the coach. I don’t really care about the title; I just want to help the team win," Zeng Xingyang said.

Given the team’s situation, Zeng Xingyang was also troubled; it was challenging to avoid becoming an empty-calorie scoring leader.

The road ahead was fraught with challenges!

The reporter continued, "Your scoring in the first three games is higher than other rookies this year. Do you feel underrated in your draft position, for instance, deserving the first overall pick?"

Upon hearing this, Zeng Xingyang earnestly turned to the camera and said, "Did you hear that, Carl? That top pick was originally mine, it’s universally acknowledged. Send me some of that salary quickly, or I’ll start teasing you."

The reporters on-site burst into laughter upon hearing Zeng Xingyang’s words.

Zeng Xingyang’s ability to joke like this showed his great relationship with Towns.

.....

Minnesota.

When Towns heard the news that Zeng Xingyang scored over 30 again, his mentality nearly collapsed.

He averaged 16 points, while Zeng Xingyang was almost averaging over 30 points now.

Timberwolves fans probably regretted selecting him!

Towns’ performance in the last few games wasn’t too bad; it couldn’t be said that he was a bust.

But comparisons could be disheartening; compared to Zeng Xingyang’s frequent 30+ games, Towns felt quite awkward.

Sure enough, on early morning ESPN news the next day, Towns and Zeng Xingyang’s stats were displayed on the big screen for comparison.

Towns averaged 16 points and 9 rebounds, and Zeng Xingyang’s nearly 30 points per game stats crushed him, further compounded by the fact that the Nuggets’ sole victory was against the Timberwolves.

"Zeng Xingyang performs at top-pick level in three games, he should have been the best player this year."

"Among rookies, Zeng Xingyang firmly overshadowed the top pick."

"New scoring club president, 7th pick Zeng Xingyang, club admin, top pick Karl-Anthony Towns."

Towns was shocked by the news.

You could praise Zeng Xingyang, but why always drag me into comparisons with him?

Zeng Xingyang was the highest scorer among the rookies.

How to compare?

Sigh!

While Towns was humiliated by the media, Zeng Xingyang became their darling.

Scoring over 30 points twice consecutively in a rookie season was not trivial, especially given that he was an Asian player.

"The Nuggets’ future, Zeng Xingyang, reveals his superstar quality."

"Zeng Xingyang delivers the most explosive rookie performance in three games, surpassing rookie-year Anthony in scoring ability."

"Another 30+ game, after Linsanity, will we see another Zengsanity?"

"Westbrook: Zeng is an incredible rookie; he performed amazingly on the court, posed a huge threat to us and will have a great future."

Fans were heatedly discussing Zeng Xingyang’s performance online.

Despite widespread praise, Zeng Xingyang understood that these accolades weren’t permanent.

Only by maintaining this level of efficiency could he fully attest to his strength.

On November 4th, one day after facing the Thunder, the Nuggets hosted the Jazz, delivering a brick-fest between two teams.

The final score was 89 to 94, with the Nuggets clinching a hard-fought victory.

Zeng Xingyang put in a solid performance, consistently tallying 16 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists, Jokic achieved 12 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists.

The highest scorer was Barton with 22 points.

The Nuggets’ bench officially outscored the starters.