NBA: Rising Superstar!-Chapter 180 - 138: Scarlett and Taylor Swift, face-off against Paul.
"Recently, there’s a Chinese rookie in the Nuggets, very hot right now. Look, they’re playing his highlights now," Taylor Swift, who knows a bit more about basketball, explained to Scarlett, pointing at the big screen.
The big screen was showing the previous game where the Nuggets took down the Knight, featuring Zeng Xingyang’s scoring highlights.
"LeBron got beat, oh," Scarlett was amazed at the fighting power of this young pup, Zeng Xingyang.
"This guy looks pretty handsome, I wonder what he’s like in person," Taylor didn’t answer Scarlett’s comment, but muttered to herself.
Both of them were a bit excited for the game to come.
....
At this time.
The players from both the Nuggets and the Clippers were still being interviewed before the game.
On the Nuggets’ side.
Jokic was asked by a domestic reporter, "Nikola, what do you think about Zeng consistently being at the top of the rookie rankings this season?"
Jokic shrugged and said, "Zeng plays so effortlessly on the court, it shows that everyone can see his impact. I’m not surprised this is happening."
Whenever Jokic talked about Zeng Xingyang to the Chinese media, he would always give high praise.
Just like Zeng Xingyang would give a lot of respect to Jokic in front of the Serbian media.
Mutual admiration in the business world.
The reporter then asked Jokic, "What do you think about the Los Angeles Clippers’ strength?"
Jokic said, "They’re very strong. The combination of Chris Paul and Blake Griffin is very harmonious. We lost to them last time, and we’ll try to win tonight."
Pope was asked by the European media, "Who do you think has stronger game dominance, Zeng or Chris?"
Pope said, "You know, Chris is a great player, but compared to him, I’d rather support my brother."
Pope continued, "Zeng is the player I admire the most since I entered the league. I know how hard it is for a rookie to enter the league, but he has overcome these difficulties."
After joining the Nuggets, Pope witnessed Zeng Xingyang repeatedly score against strong defenses with ease. Watching those shots just looked too easy.
Zeng Xingyang was asked by a reporter, "Zeng, you scored over 40 points against the Knight in the last game. Can you score 40+ again tonight?"
Fans and reporters now are less and less considering Zeng Xingyang as just a rookie.
Zeng Xingyang’s performance is phenomenal, and the outside world is eager to see what kind of performance Zeng Xingyang will deliver this season.
Zeng Xingyang said, "I’m not setting a target for how many points to score; it depends on whether the opponents can push me to that level."
Zeng Xingyang’s words had a subtle air of challenge, but the reporters didn’t find it out of place, because Zeng Xingyang truly has the capability to score 40+.
As a rookie, up until now, his average points per season rank in the top five!
A rare occurrence in history.
The reporter then asked, "Last time you lost to the Clippers, Chris Paul made several crucial plays. Will you defend him yourself this time?"
Zeng Xingyang seriously replied, "Of course, I’ll guard him, and we’ll achieve revenge."
The last loss to the Clippers was basically lost in the critical moments, which made the Nuggets feel unwilling to accept.
On the Clippers’ side.
"Chris, what do you think about tonight’s game?"
The reporter asked.
"Same as last time, I’m going to take them down," Paul said confidently.
Paul’s goal is not just the regular season; he also wants to lead the team further.
At least get to the Western Conference Finals once!
There were many doubts surrounding Paul, but he believes that as long as he keeps moving forward step by step, he can surely shatter those doubts.
"What do you think about Zeng Xingyang’s performance this season?" the reporter continued.
"Zeng is a fantastic rookie, he stands out. I’ve never seen someone perform so excellently in their rookie season, and he will become an NBA superstar in the future," Paul praised.
Building up the opponent high before defeating him, that feeling would be quite satisfying.
"Will you defend Zeng?" the reporter asked.
"Of course, I’ll defend him and give him pressure," Paul said.
Paul knows clearly that this time, winning against the Nuggets won’t be as easy as last time.
The Nuggets’ lineup has changed a lot since their last matchup, making them increasingly difficult to deal with, and this is still their home court at high altitude.
After the pre-game interviews, players returned to the locker room.
They put on their gear and started warming up.
After Zeng Xingyang and Jokic were ready, they went out together.
Passing by Taylor Swift and Scarlett Johnson in the front row, Zeng Xingyang took an extra glance.
These two girls were probably the most heard-of American celebrities in his previous life.
However, they didn’t look as good in person as on-screen or in photos.
Though they both had decent figures, they were all quite short and petite.
Taylor Swift, being close to 180, still seemed short in Zeng Xingyang’s view...
Scarlett Johnson wasn’t as tall as Taylor Swift, but her curves were more impressive than Taylor’s.
"Hi, Zeng, good luck with tonight’s game!" Taylor shouted excitedly upon seeing Zeng Xingyang.
"Alright, thanks for the support," Zeng Xingyang turned and left after speaking.
Zeng Xingyang didn’t stick around to chat with the female celebrities; it was just his curiosity from his past life that made him look one more time.
He didn’t have a good impression of female celebrities in the entertainment industry, as many appeared glamorous on the surface, but who knows what kind of sneaky things they liked to do in private...
Scarlett Johnson watched Zeng Xingyang’s back for a while, thinking this young pup was quite special.
years old, so young and handsome, and so strong...
"Zeng looks more handsome in person than on TV," Taylor said with a smile.
