NBA: Rising Superstar!

The series score has come to 2-0.

In the Oracle Center, the faces of the Nuggets fans who traveled from afar were filled with excitement and pride.

Such a Nuggets team is truly jaw-dropping.

After all, they're up against the Warriors, a team with an impressive record, nearly breaking the Bulls' record.

Who could have predicted that in this series matchup, the Warriors would encounter all sorts of minor issues on their home court?

The Nuggets' tactical arrangements were like a precisely aimed scalpel, completely countering the Warriors.

Mike Malone, facing the powerful Warriors, decisively adjusted the tactics, even going as far as altering Zeng Xingyang and Jokic's playing times, letting them play for a full 58 minutes!

Although such a personnel strategy was heavily criticized, they won.

Winning means he was right.

In contrast, Cole's response to the Nuggets' constant tactical adjustments remained the same old approach, making the disparity quite apparent.

In the arena, the loyal fans who stayed behind were full of anger, clenching their fists and shouting loudly: "Fire Cole!"

"Fire!"

"Fire!"

These voices rose and fell, gradually converging into a unified momentum, echoing in the arena for a long time.

Cole's face was awkward, forcing a slight smile, and after shaking hands with Mike Malone, he hurriedly turned around and walked briskly back to the locker room.

In the Warriors' plan, they initially intended to win their two home games first, then go to the Nuggets' home court to win one more, and finally return home for the fifth game to win the entire series.

But now, everything has completely reversed.

The away-playing Nuggets instead conquered the Warriors' two home games.

Cole knew in his heart that the Warriors' management couldn't possibly change coaches in the middle of the playoffs, but the deafening shouts of the fans still made him break out in a cold sweat.

This was the first time this season that he began to worry about his coaching position.

Curry, Thompson, Green, and Iguodala walked toward the locker room with their heads down, looking serious.

"We need to hold a players' meeting." Green said seriously, frowning.

"Mm, you go call them, lock the locker room, don't let anyone in." Curry nodded slightly, quickly and resolutely.

"I'll go get them too." Iguodala said anxiously, quickly following.

Thompson stood silently beside them, his eyes full of unwillingness.

Losing two home games like this was like a heavy hammer, completely shattering the psychological defenses the Warriors players could accept.

The Warriors were at a critical juncture desperately needing adjustments.

Over on the Nuggets' side, the teammates cheered excitedly, rushing to pull Zeng Xingyang and Jokic up, singing and dancing around them.

Zeng Xingyang and Jokic were smiling broadly, high-fiving and hugging each other, their gazes full of the joy of victory.

This game was really no easy feat.

"Are you cramping?" Zeng Xingyang asked breathlessly, smiling wryly.

"Not yet, why?" Jokic asked with a puzzled look, raising his eyebrows.

"I'm close, support me a bit." Zeng Xingyang's mouth twitched slightly, smiling wryly with helplessness.

Although Zeng Xingyang's stamina is quite good, it's not at the maximum level, and such high-intensity consumption was pushing his limits.

Jokic shrugged, mischievously scanned around, and said, "Where are the reporters? Where did they go? Zeng is about to cramp, he's going to make a fool of himself, come and film it." With that, he swiftly darted away like a playful child.

Zeng Xingyang: "...."

Although a 2-0 lead does not mean advancement, it already shows they have the upper hand in advancing in this series. This lead also exceeded their expectations, with a proud smile visible on the face of every Nuggets player.

After all, the Warriors were the team with the top record in the league, and being able to consistently defeat such a powerful adversary made the Nuggets players feel immensely proud.

Zeng Xingyang wasn't actually cramping, but if they played one more overtime, he might not have been able to hold up.

STATISTICS for both teams.

On the Warriors' side, Curry scored 43 points, with 8 assists and 7 rebounds. Thompson contributed 24 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists. Green notched 18 points, 12 rebounds, and 8 assists. Barnes gained 17 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists. Iguodala also scored 16 points, with 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals.

The Warriors' "Death Lineup" virtually amassed most of the team's points. Their coordination on the court was quite harmonious, delivering exquisite passes and smooth positioning. This rendered the Nuggets' defense quite passive for a time, but with the small lineup, the insides always lacked height, which was seized by the Nuggets.

The Nuggets had 12 more offensive rebounds than them. Bogut's early exit left the Warriors' interior unguarded, with no suitable shot-blocking center, allowing Jokic to dominate inside, seizing numerous offensive rebounds.

Nuggets' stats, Zeng Xingyang exploded with 55 points, 15 assists, 10 rebounds, and 4 steals. Jokic also secured 33 points, 20 rebounds, and 11 assists, with Pope scoring 12 points, and Grant contributing 14 points with 8 rebounds.

This match is also the first time in NBA history for two players from the same team to both achieve triple-doubles.

This record, even without the rookie heading, is enough to be called unparalleled in history.

Barkley was sitting at the commentary desk, exclaiming in excitement: "This is a game worthy of going down in basketball history! Zeng's performance tonight in terms of personal offense and controlling the game rhythm was flawless. While he scored madly, he also ingeniously created scoring opportunities for teammates, also actively fighting for rebounds and contributing significantly. Nikola Jokic, on the other hand, showcased absolute dominance on both offensive and defensive ends, leveraging his excellent scoring prowess, formidable rebound protection, and highly intimidating defensive impact to dominate inside."

Smith chimed in: "It's such an honor to witness such a stellar team performance from two top rookies alongside the fans; just look at Zeng and Nikola's playing time, they gave it their all, and the Warriors' loss was truly justified."

Barkley continued: "The Warriors should conduct a players meeting now, as from their performance, it's apparent that internal problems have already emerged."

Smith nodding, analyzed, "Mainly because these two losses came too suddenly and unexpectedly, they couldn't have imagined the game would turn out this way."

Barkley, touching his chin thoughtfully, said: "Steve Kerr wasn't as bold and ruthless with his players as Mike Malone. If he had let Stephen Curry play 58 minutes too, then the Warriors might have won this game."

Barkley's remark had some basis, as Curry's plus/minus was +12, and many times when the Warriors were caught up and lost points, it happened when Curry was not on the court.

But Cole just didn't have the intrepid spirit of Mike Malone. Even though Curry was playing well, he would still stick to the norm and bench him for a break, rotating in some players who had not appeared on the court.

Back home, countless fans are celebrating and cheering for the Nuggets' playoff victory.

Now the Nuggets have become the favorite team of many fans; watching the Nuggets play is like watching a blockbuster series, making people feel exhilarated with adrenaline.