Chapter 413: Chapter 325: The Upcoming 73 Wins!
However, the course of the game was completely under the control of the Nuggets.
Zeng Xingyang was like the commander who controlled the whole situation on the court, his breakthroughs easily tearing apart the Minnesota Timberwolves’ defensive line.
When passing, his vision was broadened, and he could always accurately find teammates in open positions.
During defense, teammates under his leadership continuously pressured the Minnesota Timberwolves into making mistakes.
Then Jokic showed powerful dominance inside the paint, frequently executing back-to-the-basket plays, using solid footwork and a strong body to score time and again.
The likes of Pope and Butler from the outside were also in hot shooting form, making each opportunity count.
This game was without any surprises, as the Nuggets defeated the opponent 141-101, winning their 33rd consecutive game.
The fans watching the game back home were thrilled.
The players were back in the locker room popping champagne to celebrate.
To tie the Lakers’ 33-game winning streak was a proud moment in each player’s career.
But after defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves, bad luck quietly descended, as the Nuggets fell into a wave of injuries.
First, during training, Butler made a breakthrough move crashing into Zeng Xingyang and suddenly clutched his shoulder with a pained expression, with the team doctor rushing to inspect him—his shoulder was injured.
Next, Pope accidentally twisted his ankle at home, consequently unable to play.
Then, Jokic contracted the flu, feeling weak and feverish.
The intensity of the Nuggets’ games had been high all along, with players’ bodies constantly tense.
Though they rested for two days during Christmas, it wasn’t nearly enough to restore everyone’s physical conditions to their best.
The decline in physical condition led to a high probability of injuries, and then the flu spread among the Nuggets, with players like Siakam and Gordon showing symptoms, though not to the extent of being unable to play.
Despite the increasing number of injuries, fortunately, the Nuggets had a deep roster.
Zeng Xingyang also stood up in critical moments, showcasing incredible leadership skills on the court.
In the game against the 76ers on December 30, the arena in Philadelphia was filled to capacity, with the 76ers fans eagerly anticipating their team to defeat the mighty Nuggets.
As the game began, the 76ers launched a fierce offensive, but Zeng Xingyang wasn’t fazed at all. He exhibited a strong offensive desire right from the start, constantly responding...
Throughout the game, Zeng Xingyang played like a warrior possessed, racking up a triple-double with 62 points, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds, leading the Nuggets to defeat their opponents 132-112.
After the game, the 76ers’ home arena was completely silent as the fans witnessed the Nuggets’ astonishing 34-game winning streak record.
In the January 1 home game against the Hornets, Zeng Xingyang once again dominated the game.
He was omnipresent on the court, offensively breaking through from time to time, using speed and skill to tear apart the opponent’s defense; other times, he hit long-range shots from the outside, scoring threes as if equipped with a guided missile.
Defensively, Zeng Xingyang actively contested rebounds, frequently delivering key blocks and steals.
In the end, he recorded another super triple-double with 67 points, 13 assists, and 11 rebounds, leading the Nuggets to victory.
In the January 3 game against the Grizzlies, within the FedExForum in Memphis.
The Grizzlies also displayed tenacious fighting spirit during the game, engaging in intense combat with the Nuggets.
Zeng Xingyang continued to be the core pillar of the Nuggets.
In the game, he repeatedly performed high-difficulty shots, in one instance, facing a triple-team from the Grizzlies in the paint, he swapped the ball from his left hand to his right in mid-air and scored with an incredible maneuver, leaving everyone astounded.
Ultimately, Zeng Xingyang put up 60 points, 10 assists, 10 rebounds, achieving an extraordinary 3 consecutive 60+ triple-doubles.
In more than two months, the Nuggets made all teams feel afraid; some fans even thought the Nuggets would achieve an impossible 82-game winning streak since they seemed completely unbeatable.
But in the 37th game, an unexpected turn of events occurred.
The Nuggets faced a home-game loss due to Westbrook’s buzzer-beater, with the final score being 131-130.
In this game, Thunder’s Oladipo and Adams gave all-star level performances, and every offensive, every defensive play between the two teams was filled with tension.
Zeng Xingyang led the surging rookie group of the Nuggets.
Throughout the game, he consistently attacked Thunder’s interior, causing multiple fouls on the opponent. He also hit clutch threes from the outside consecutively, and even in the last moments of the game, the Nuggets were leading by 5 points, with the fans already beginning to celebrate thinking the streak would continue.
However, Westbrook stood out. In the last 15 seconds, with his hands blistering hot, he hit consecutive threes.
Facing tight defense from two Nuggets defenders, he jumped and shot forcefully, swishing a three-pointer to catch up in score.
Then, he made a critical steal off Harris, quickly pushing to the front court, and with one second left in the game, he shot over Zeng Xingyang’s defense, finally banking the ball into the net! Ending the Nuggets’ winning streak.
In this game, Zeng Xingyang scored 53 points, had 14 assists, and grabbed 8 rebounds, breaking the miraculous streak of 3 consecutive 60+ triple-doubles. "Zeng Xingyang only scored 53 points, marking the end of the Nuggets’ historic winning streak!"
"Westbrook’s miraculous buzzer-beater stops the Nuggets!"
"Crazy Westbrook, Super Thunder Turtle!!"
"Nuggets’ injury wave still caused trouble, narrowly losing to Thunder!"
After the game, major media outlets reported extensively, with headlines filled with the shock over this game.
Once the Nuggets lost a game, the entire league seemed to begin celebrating.
But Zeng Xingyang didn’t mind the team’s winning streak being halted; he knew that after breaking the 33-game winning streak record, this day would come inevitably.
In these few games, the morale of the Nuggets had decreased quite a bit, and the winning streak had become more of a burden.
After the winning streak was ended, the number of games the Nuggets lost began to slowly increase.
However, as players gradually returned, the Nuggets maintained a very high winning percentage.
wins, 2 losses!
wins, 3 losses!
wins, 4 losses!
wins, 5 losses!
wins, 6 losses!
The Nuggets mostly lost games due to factors like schedule, luck, and their own complacency.
During this period, the Nuggets swept the Warriors, Spurs, Knight, and Raptors in the regular season!
The Nuggets became a nightmare for playoff-level teams, and no one wanted to encounter them.
During this period, Zeng Xingyang maintained his personal data consistently, becoming the leading vote-getter in the All-Star selection, receiving various weekly and monthly best recognitions, and averaging 32 points, 15 assists, 8 rebounds, 4 steals, and 2 blocks, leading the MVP rankings by a wide margin.
At this point, the Nuggets were one step away from the season’s 73 victories.
Nuggets fans went wild; since the beginning of the season when they achieved a 36-game winning streak, they had envisioned this scene, and now it finally reached them.
As long as they win one more game, they will surpass the Bulls’ 72 wins.
Outside the arena, fans have begun to gather, holding signs.
"Go Nuggets, make history!"
"73 wins, here we come!"
"Zeng Xingyang MVP!"
"Nuggets for the championship," among other slogans, with Nuggets fans full of anticipation for the team to create glory.