NBA: Rising Superstar!

Despite Zeng Xingyang leading his team to victory, the attacks on his rumored relationships and personal life never ceased.

Many media outlets nitpicked, especially those from cities where teams are contenders against the Nuggets.

"Zeng, will you still go out before important games in the future?"

"Zeng, it's said you have over 20 female companions across Europe, Africa, Asia, and South America, aged between 18 and 35. Is this true?"

"Will you still hang out with female companions before the game against the Warriors?"

Many interviews were obviously trying to set traps, attempting to get controversial statements from Zeng Xingyang.

As long as Zeng Xingyang responded, they could quickly make a story out of any comment.

Even if it meant misquoting or quoting out of context, they didn't care.

Due to Zeng Xingyang's immense fame, some veterans also made jokes about him.

O'Neal joked on a show, "I see racial equality in Zeng. He treats girls of all colors equally, very friendly."

Larry Bird said, "Great players always have great feats, like Chamberlain, and now Zeng."

Chamberlain once claimed he had been with 20,000 women, and Zeng Xingyang seems to have quite a number too.

In today's NBA, talking about Zeng Xingyang often means high attention.

As long as it's related to Zeng Xingyang, no matter the content, it will attract massive traffic.

Seeing the various attacks on Zeng Xingyang online, Scarlett and Taylor Swift called to comfort him one after another.

Scarlett said gently, "Darling, don't mind what they say. I'm very satisfied with our relationship right now. You're the best."

Taylor Swift also encouraged, "Darling, I know you're very capable. Don't be affected by external comments. Keep it up!"

Zeng Xingyang was not distracted by the outside clamor; he remained fully focused on the game.

He clearly understood that those negative voices were tactics used by opponents trying to hinder the Nuggets' winning streak.

When opponents couldn't find a way to beat the Nuggets on the court, they attempted to create distractions off the court.

What he needed to do was focus on playing every game well and let his on-court performance demonstrate that his life was unrelated to basketball.

In the next game after defeating the Clippers, the Nuggets hosted the New York Knicks at home.

The leader of the Knicks, Anthony, had a deep connection with the Nuggets, having parted on bad terms with their management years ago.

The number 15 jersey Anthony wore back then is now worn by Jokic.

Seeing the Nuggets, who are now flourishing and with brilliant records, Anthony felt quite displeased.

In a pre-game interview, Anthony talked about Zeng Xingyang's recent involvement in the media storm.

Speaking as someone who has been through it, he said, "Young people are always easily attracted by external temptations. I don't think Zeng is special. He has excellent teammates, like Nikola and Jimmy. If he wants to achieve more, he must focus more on the court."

Seeing the enthusiastic reactions of the reporters to this topic, Anthony continued, "To become a great player, self-discipline is essential, not indulging oneself. Zeng has immense exposure; he's an excellent player, but to step into greatness, he should do as I say."

Anthony felt thrilled by lecturing Zeng Xingyang from a high perch, as if he regained that sense of control he had back in Denver.

Anthony's words were quickly used as headlines by many media outlets and reported extensively.

"Anthony thinks Zeng Xingyang is leaning on his teammates."

"Anthony claims Zeng Xingyang is no longer focused on basketball."

"Zeng Xingyang didn't go out last night."

Zeng Xingyang ignored Anthony.

There's too much talk about him now; responding to each would be tiring.

Zeng Xingyang preferred to chat and play ball with his female companions to pass the time.

Although Anthony's remarks attracted a lot of attention, everyone was well aware of the strength gap between the Nuggets and the Knicks.

Everyone expected the Nuggets to win effortlessly; however, the Knicks exhibited extraordinary tenacity, staunchly withstanding the early assault of the Nuggets.

Anthony and Porzingis both exploded on the perimeter, both playing with extra effort against their old team, the Nuggets.

In contrast, the Nuggets were in poor form, missing many open shots, and everyone's bricklaying seemed contagious. Zeng Xingyang had an off night from the three-point line, making only 2 out of 9 attempts.

Only Butler, Jokic, and Zeng Xingyang effectively attacked the paint for easier scores; otherwise, scoring seemed unreliable.

Jokic also found himself in foul trouble tonight.

With 2 minutes and 12 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, Jokic drew his sixth foul from Porzingis and was reluctantly sent off.

With 10 seconds left in the game, the score was fixed at 102 to 100, with the Nuggets holding possession.

Zeng Xingyang took the ball at the top, with Anthony defending him personally.

"Bang!"

"Bang!"

Zeng Xingyang observed the Knicks' player positioning and didn't rashly decide to shoot a three-pointer, instead making a sudden sharp crossover, attempting to break through the defense.

Anthony's lateral movement speed had declined, and facing Zeng Xingyang's rapid crossover, he couldn't block him in time.

Zeng Xingyang successfully eluded Anthony and swiftly dashed toward Porzingis under the basket.

He utilized his body for contact, leapt high, and shifted to avoid the layup.

Porzingis made an effort to disrupt, but still failed to prevent the basketball from grazing the backboard and entering the net.

102 to 102, the score was tied.

At this moment, only 1 second remained, and the Knicks had no timeout opportunities left. As Porzingis received the ball and missed an ultra-long game-winning attempt, both teams tied in regular time, and the game went into overtime.

Before the overtime arrangement, Coach Mike Malone assigned Zeng Xingyang, Butler, Siakam, Gordon, and Zubac as the starting lineup.

"There are no absolute underdogs in the NBA arena, and this was fully demonstrated by the Knicks team. Despite the Knicks being ranked only tenth in the East before this game and viewed as an underdog by the public, they successfully dragged the game into overtime due to their tenacious fighting."

"The Knicks deserve respect."

Zhang Weiping looked at Rose and Anthony with great emotion, as if it were the struggle of veterans.

The Knicks' overtime lineup consisted of Derrick Rose, Courtney Lee, Anthony, Porzingis, and Noah.

This lineup could be described as the "League of Regrets," as the starting players had not yet won a championship. Rose's career development was impacted by injuries, and Anthony's career has always been subject to criticism, while Brandon Jennings on the bench was also eager to prove himself.

It must be said, when such a team composed of players eager to prove themselves erupts, it can challenge any strong opponent; the whole team treated defeating the Nuggets as a life-and-death battle.

Joining the Knicks, Rose was performing well this season, averaging 18 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists per game, seemingly regaining his pre-injury prime state.

Porzingis was also contributing an average of 18 points and 7 rebounds per game this season, gradually growing into the core strength of the team.