NBA: Rising Superstar!

Zeng Xingyang easily achieved a versatile stat line of 34 points, 10 assists, 4 rebounds, 3 steals, 1 block, and 0 turnovers.

While this performance did not break any records or count as particularly efficient, it was enough to help the Nuggets win.

The Nuggets were in good shape overall, with Pope scoring 13 points and 3 rebounds, Harris with 10 points, 2 assists, and 2 rebounds, Jokic with 16 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists, Nelson with 11 points and 2 assists, and Grant with 14 points and 6 rebounds.

With six players scoring in double digits, their widespread firepower made it tough for the Clippers.

On the Clippers' side, Crawford, who was promoted to the starting lineup, performed excellently, securing 26 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists.

Paul managed to get 21 points and 12 assists, Griffin bounced back with 22 points and 9 rebounds, and Little Jordan contributed 12 points and 11 rebounds.

Paul and Griffin both played well, but compared to Zeng Xingyang and Jokic's efficiency, it was still somewhat lacking.

"With the series going this far, it's basically certain that the Clippers can't beat the Nuggets."

"It's not that the Clippers are lacking in strength, but the Nuggets happen to have many positions that counter the Clippers."

"The Nuggets have a solid depth in the frontcourt with Jokic and Nurkic, making it tough for the Clippers to attack the basket, while their perimeter steel defense has always been the Nuggets' advantage."

Barkley summarized in the commentary room.

"In fact, the Clippers made some decent adjustments in this game, closing the gap with the Nuggets. However, it seems that this is as far as it goes; I can't think of any more adjustments the Clippers can make," added Kenny Smith.

From what we've seen in the first two games, the Nuggets hold the initiative in the series.

Of course, being 2-0 up at home doesn't guarantee anything, as the NBA has plenty of cases of comebacks like this.

It's just that the commentators seem quite pessimistic about the Clippers' prospects.

The young Nuggets are showcasing their dominant power, while on the other side, the Warriors are caught in a tough battle.

The Warriors, ranked first in the West, faced the eighth-seeded Rockets, and the first seed in the West didn't have as easy a time as expected.

The Warriors struggled to win the first game, but then lost at home in the second game.

The entire Rockets team made 21 three-pointers in Game 2, extinguishing the enthusiasm of the fans at Oracle Arena, bringing the series score to 1-1.

The Spurs and Mavericks were much the same, with the Spurs suffering an even more shocking moment as they lost the first game at home to a buzzer-beater by King Nowitzki. Fortunately, they adjusted in time in the second game, beating the Mavericks by a 32-point margin.

The Thunder and Blazers series mirrored the Nuggets, with a 2-0 outcome, as the Thunder's explosive duo continued to exert their superior power, leaving the Blazers unable to retaliate.

The Lillard and McCollum combo clearly lacked the toughness compared to Durant and Westbrook.

Lillard and McCollum have inherent flaws in defense, whereas Durant and Westbrook aren't too weak on the defensive end.

...

In the post-match press conference, Rivers left with the words, "We will be back here!" taking Paul and Griffin with him.

With two consecutive victories, the Nuggets forced the Clippers into a desperate situation. The next game essentially determines the success or failure of their season; if they go down 0-3, the Clippers will likely have to consider rebuilding.

A rebuild wouldn't require a championship coach like him, and players like Paul, Griffin, and Little Jordan who can be traded for draft picks might be moved.

Nobody wants to leave Los Angeles to go to an unknown place.

Next, they will be fighting for their careers.

The Nuggets players also went through the routine post-match interviews.

Faried stated, "They aren't our opponents; we're already preparing for the next round."

Galinarli said, "All of us are united right now, and we are not afraid of any opponent."

The entire Nuggets team displayed ample confidence in advancing.

In the post-match media, the trend was overwhelmingly supportive of the Nuggets.

Los Angeles Basketball News: "2-0 is not a hopeless score, but the way the Clippers are being beaten without any ability to fight back is heartbreaking. Even this once-strong team doesn't have the chance to fight to the last moment against the Nuggets."

Open-Air Stand Newspaper: "This series doesn't seem as close as their regular season standings suggested; the Nuggets are playing a very mature game, which is related to their leaders. Whether it's Zeng or Nikola, their intelligent play is consistent on the court."

Several major media outlets have expressed their support for the Nuggets when discussing this series.

They believe the focus now is on the third game; if the Clippers lose again, they will likely get swept.

Two consecutive games of overwhelming performance give the Nuggets an absolute upper hand, and no expert believes the Clippers can defeat the Nuggets in this series.

This praise creates a delightful atmosphere in the Nuggets' locker room, as everyone enjoys hearing compliments.

However, some players remain level-headed, reminding everyone not to relax and let their guard down.

Coach Mike Malone, well aware of Los Angeles's temptations, issued a curfew.

After arriving in Los Angeles, no player is allowed to leave the hotel without permission, preventing anyone from using visiting friends as an excuse to hit the clubs.

After two days of rest.

The game between the Nuggets and the Clippers moved to the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

The Lakers and Clippers both share this arena, which creates an obvious downside: the Clippers, with an already smaller fan base, struggle to gather their loyal fans.

In Los Angeles, claiming to be a Clippers fan generally evokes laughter from most people.

Lakers fans are the mainstream in this city.

However, this year, the Lakers didn't make the playoffs, so Los Angeles fans have no other choice.

If they want to watch playoff games and feel the intense playoff atmosphere, they have to watch the Clippers' games.

Many top celebrities have already informed the Clippers that they will attend the games.

The presence of Hollywood stars adds to the spectacle.

90 minutes before the game, the seats in the Staples Center were gradually filling up, with many Chinese fans visible in the crowd.

Flying to Denver from China is problematic, but Los Angeles is much more accessible, with direct flights from several major cities.

This allows some fans with visas and the financial capability to watch the intense playoffs here.

However, this is still Los Angeles, and Clippers fans occupy the majority of the arena, their loud cheers and chants leaving a strong impression on many first-time attendees from the media and China.

"The feeling here is different than during the regular season." Pope frowned, expressing his distaste for the environment.

"It's the playoffs now, after all, and it can't be compared to the regular season atmosphere. This is an away game, and they won't make it easy for us," said veteran Nelson.

"Relax, we have Zeng, we have Nikola, the two of them will silence these annoying guys," Faried said boldly.

"Just don't take it lightly," Nelson advised.

Jokic and Zeng Xingyang both nodded; they were curious to see whether the road playoff atmosphere differed from that of the regular season.

Everything proceeded in an orderly fashion!