This season, the performance of the Phoenix Suns has been quite surprising. In theory, the combination of stars like Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal should have caused a stir, especially after Durant joined, everyone thought the Suns could at least make it into the top five in the West. But what happened? The Suns are currently not even in the top five in the West, and their playoff qualification is not stable. What's going on? The combination of Durant and Booker seems to have failed to produce the expected chemistry. Everyone knows that Durant is a formidable player, but which path did he take? It seems that after winning the championship with the Warriors, he started to focus on the concept of "brotherhood basketball," paying more attention to relationships with teammates on the court rather than individual performance. There were rumors recently that Durant might consider retiring while playing for the Suns, which was quite surprising. After this news came out, many fans were stunned, thinking it was unlikely. However, Durant does seem a bit lost, as his partnership with Booker has never quite lived up to expectations. The Suns' injury problems are also a headache. Both Durant and Booker have been injured, which has had a significant impact on the team's overall efficiency. Especially Durant, whose injury history is somewhat long, although his form is still good, he is not as impressive as before. Moreover, the Suns' inside-outside cooperation always falls short, making the whole team look scattered, and the coaching staff's management is also being questioned.…

Kevin Durant has once again become the focus of the NBA offseason. The Phoenix Suns have offered him a two-year, $120 million top-tier contract, including the rare inclusion of a trade veto clause, demonstrating their immense sincerity. However, the Los Angeles Clippers are not to be outdone, with their offer of a max salary plus special treatment making the competition even more unpredictable. How will Durant make his decision? Durant's battle for the top salary sees the Suns going all out, while the Clippers refuse to back down. This time, the Suns have put a $120 million contract on the table, along with a "tyrannical clause"! What is a tyrannical clause? It means that as long as Durant agrees and signs, the Suns won't even have the right to trade him; no one can persuade them otherwise! This is true love! But the Clippers aren't to be underestimated either, with owner Steve Ballmer directly stating: "Come to me, and I'll give you a max contract, teach you business, and help you earn more money than you could ever make playing basketball!" This isn't just about recruiting; it's an outright grab! Durant now has a tough decision to make, torn between the Suns and the Clippers. Earlier, the Suns tentatively offered Durant a "trial contract": 52millionforoneyear!Durantglancedatitanddeclined,implying:"I′mnotinterestedinsmall−timedeals.Lookatmypastperformances;amIworththisprice?"TheSunsquicklyadjustedtheirstrategy,comingupwitha52 million for one year! Durant glanced at it and declined, implying: "I'm not interested in small-time deals. Look at my past performances; am I worth this price?" The Suns quickly adjusted their strategy, coming up with a 52millionforoneyear!Durantglancedatitanddeclined,implying:"I′mnotinterestedinsmall−timedeals.Lookatmypastperformances;amIworththisprice?"TheSunsquicklyadjustedtheirstrategy,comingupwitha120 million deal for two years, complete with…

Today, the Clippers without Harden faced off against the Thunder, who had already won 12 consecutive games before the match. In the first half, the Thunder did not perform well, perhaps due to the common occurrence of underestimating their opponent when a strong team faces a "weak" one. At halftime, the Clippers were still in the lead. However, at the start of the third quarter, the Thunder launched an offensive spree with a 17-5 run. The third quarter alone saw them score 42 points to the Clippers' 20, winning the quarter by a margin of 22 points. Ultimately, the Thunder secured a decisive victory over the Clippers with a final score of 116-98, achieving their 13th consecutive win and setting a new team record for consecutive victories! In all honesty, given the Clippers' lineup today, if they were able to defeat the Thunder, the latter should give up their status as the top team in the West. Some people previously claimed that with Chet's injury, the Thunder would be finished. However, they have Harten! In today's game, Harten played for 23 minutes, shooting 5 out of 9 attempts, scoring 11 points, grabbing 9 rebounds, and dishing out 6 assists. The depth of the Thunder's roster is truly enviable. With both depth and star power, they have a perfect roster structure. Now, what level does Shai Gilgeous-Alexander occupy in the NBA? MVP material, perhaps?! In today's game, Alexander played three quarters, shooting 9 out of 17 attempts, making 2 out of 5 three-pointers, and converting all 9 free throws, accumulating 29…

In a game where the Rockets trailed by 6 points in the first quarter, they still managed to secure a comfortable home victory against the formidable Western Conference team, the Mavericks. After this win, the Rockets remain in third place in the West, continuing to pose a threat to the Grizzlies and Thunder. Meanwhile, the Mavericks' loss dropped them to fifth place, while the Nuggets' victory, assisted by the Rockets, propelled them to fourth in the West. It can be said that the Rockets' performance in this game was quite stable, as they turned the tide from an initial deficit. Not only did the Rockets' defense perform at a top level in this game, holding the high-scoring Mavericks to under 100 points, but their offense also flourished. Despite the absence of two key scorers, Ethan and Amen Thompson, who average over 10 points each, other Rockets players such as Shen Jing, Dillon, and Jalen Green stepped up to maintain a strong offensive presence. The team's substitute power forward, Whitmore, once again delivered an outstanding performance. In just 24 minutes, Whitmore scored 18 points on 9 shots, making 7 of them, including 3 out of 4 three-point attempts. This is a significant improvement from his initial 6% three-point shooting percentage at the start of the season, demonstrating his growth into a reliable shooter. In addition to his 18 points, Whitmore contributed 3 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal, solidifying his role as the second unit's most dependable scorer. Whitmore seems to have recaptured the form of last season when he was…

As we enter the new year of 2025, the trade deadline for the NBA season is drawing closer. Prior to this deadline, the Los Angeles Lakers, a team under close scrutiny, are planning significant moves. Just a few days ago, the Lakers completed a trade that garnered attention across the league. They traded Russell and others to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for two exceptional role players, Finney-Smith and Milton. This trade marked the beginning of the Lakers' efforts to strengthen their roster this season. Following this, the Lakers will focus on trading for a center to address their last remaining weakness. The Lakers have been in discussions with the Wizards about a trade for center Valanciunas, with a deal framework already largely agreed upon. However, according to recent media reports, negotiations between the Lakers and the Wizards have been temporarily put on hold. The reason for this is that the Wizards are seeking at least a first-round draft pick from the Lakers, a proposal that the Lakers find difficult to accept, leading to a stalemate in negotiations. Despite this, the Lakers have not given up on the possibility of acquiring Valanciunas. A center like Valanciunas, who possesses height and excellent skills, could provide significant assistance to the team. Shortly after media reports revealed the temporary halt in trade talks between the Lakers and the Wizards, negotiations between the two sides were restarted within a day or two. Recently, Michael Scotto, a well-known journalist from Hoopshype, discussed the Lakers' latest developments in his column. "After securing a wing defender like…

Certainly, here is the translation of the article content into English: It's no secret that Curry's recent form hasn't been quite right. Take the last game as an example, where the Warriors suffered a crushing 95-113 defeat at home to the Cavaliers. The loss wasn't surprising, considering the Cavaliers had the best record in the league. However, Curry's performance was particularly out of character, shooting only 4 for 14 from the field, 3 for 11 from three-point range, without any free throws, scoring just 11 points, 2 rebounds, and 3 assists. In the first half alone, Curry was completely off his game, shooting 1 for 6 and scoring only 2 points. In the third quarter, despite increasing his attempts, he managed only 2 for 6, scoring 6 points. By the start of the fourth quarter, the Warriors were trailing by nearly 20 points and needed to quickly close the gap, but Curry failed to step up, playing half a quarter and only managing to sink one three-pointer. With 4 and a half minutes remaining, the Warriors still trailed by 19 points, and Coach Kerr substituted Curry out, signaling the end of the game as garbage time. It's worth noting that this isn't the first time Curry has performed so poorly recently. Prior to the crushing defeat against the Cavaliers, the Warriors won 109-105 at home against the Suns, with Curry scoring 22 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists. However, his shooting was only 9 for 22, 4 for 13 from three-point range, and he made 5 turnovers. Crucially in the…

NBA regular season has passed one-third, and the Rockets are sitting in third place in the West. This young team is experiencing a dilemma about whether to introduce Butler, and this choice may affect their development path for many years to come.‌ The recent performance of the Rockets has impressed the league. The team is proving itself in a special way, playing an eye-catching offensive rhythm that gives opponents a headache. VanVleet is leading a group of young players on the court with surprising chemistry. This chemistry makes the Rockets' offense more diverse, rather than relying solely on individual play as before. Shen Jing's growth rate has exceeded many people's expectations. His performance on the court is becoming increasingly mature, especially in key moments when handling the ball, he is able to take on more responsibility. Green's shooting ability gives the Rockets more tactical options. His threat from beyond the three-point line forces opponents to disperse their defensive attention, giving other teammates more offensive space. This young Rockets team is proving with practical actions that rebuilding does not necessarily require a long time; as long as the direction is correct, the growth speed of young players can exceed expectations. The depth of the Rockets' bench is also an important reason for their current success. The substitute lineup often maintains the score during the rest of the starters, and this rotation advantage is particularly important in the regular season.‌ The current Rockets are no longer the team that only relies on Harden's individual play. Their offense is more diversified, and their…

Oh my, what a tough time for the Warriors! They've just survived a devilish December, only to enter a hellish January! This can't help but make people sigh that fate sometimes really likes to play jokes. Back then, before December 2024, the Warriors were still firmly in the top three in the West with a record of 12 wins and 6 losses, showing a kingly demeanor. But once they entered December, the style changed dramatically, winning only 4 games and losing 10 in a single month, turning directly into a "minnow" team. This win rate is simply astonishing! Now, their overall record is 16 wins and 16 losses, ranking tenth in the West, barely squeezing into the playoff circle. If it weren't for the victories accumulated at the beginning of the season, they might have started preparing for next year's draft conference now! You might think that a monthly win rate of 28% is already bad enough, but looking at the schedule for January, you'll find that there's no worst, only worse! It's like "no comparison, no harm"! For the current Warriors, the schedule in January is called "hell mode". Friends, guess how many games the Warriors will play in January? The answer is 15! Including 10 home games and 5 away games. At first glance, having more home games seems pretty good? But take a closer look at the opponents, and you'll find a big problem. Among these 15 opponents are the 76ers, Grizzlies, Celtics, Lakers, and Thunder, all recognized as strong teams and tough nuts to crack. There…

Facing the Trail Blazers, who are third from the bottom in the West, the Lakers also found themselves in a tough battle, one reason being the absence of "Big Brow" Anthony Davis, their core frontcourt player. However, the Lakers managed to secure a victory without much trouble, with LeBron James showing his enduring prowess and Max Christie delivering the best performance of his career, giving the Lakers a good start to their back-to-back games. Winning the game, the Lakers could be said to have experienced three pieces of good fortune. Firstly, two frontcourt players performed outstandingly, making up for the absence of Davis. Jackson Hayes made his comeback debut, playing only 18 minutes but with very high efficiency, contributing 4 points and 6 rebounds. After the game, Jackson Hayes told the media that he had never been absent for so long in his career, but he was happy to return to the court and help the Lakers win a game while performing well himself. If Jackson Hayes is naturally impressive when healthy, Christian Kolok's performance in this game can be called a trump card. He scored 8 points and grabbed 8 rebounds. As a two-way contract player, Christian Kolok's original advantage lies in his strong defense, but in this game, he also made gains on the offensive end, grabbing as many as 6 offensive rebounds, giving the Lakers plenty of second-chance opportunities. Honestly, even if a typical benchwarmer occasionally performs like this, it's more than enough for the Lakers. Furthermore, after completing a collaboration with the Nets, the Lakers' overall…

Since Cui Yongxi was injured on December 12 last year, there has been little news about him. On the one hand, Cui Yongxi hopes to recover quietly, and on the other hand, it is also the characteristics of professional players - no games, naturally no heat. Such a situation is really good for Xiao Cui, after all, he suffered a serious injury such as anterior cruciate ligament tear, which directly ended the season and may even affect his future career. On December 20 last year, Cui Yongxi updated his personal social media account, released a photo of his leg, and wrote "The surgery went well." According to reports, Cui Yongxi has completed his leg surgery and repaired the torn left knee anterior cruciate ligament. He is currently in good condition and has entered the stage of rest and rehabilitation. Another two weeks have passed, and finally today there is new progress. It is understood that Cui Yongxi's current rehabilitation is going well, and he has gradually gotten rid of the support of crutches. According to the previous plan, after completing the surgery on December 20, Cui Yongxi needs to undergo rehabilitation in New York for about a month, and the doctor helping him is a rehabilitation expert recommended by the Nets. Next, Cui Yongxi will also take a short vacation and return home in mid-January to spend the Spring Festival with his family. Later, Cui Yongxi is expected to return to the United States in March this year to continue rehabilitation treatment. Cui Yongxi's American agent believes that Cui Yongxi…