It is well-known that recently, the Los Angeles Lakers completed a very important major trade this season. They reached a deal with the Brooklyn Nets in the East, with the Lakers acquiring Finney-Smith and Milton in exchange for Russell, Lewis, and three second-round picks (2027, 2030, 2031). This trade marks the Lakers' call to arms before the trade deadline this season, as they will go all out for the second half of the season. After completing this trade, the Lakers will not stop there, because there is still a huge weakness that has not been addressed by the Lakers, which is the lack of a center. This season, the Lakers' three main rotation frontcourt players, Vanderbilt, Wood, and Hayes, have all been plagued by long-term injuries, leaving the Lakers' center position in a vacuum. After obtaining Smith, the Lakers must make another trade to bring in a center player to fill the last piece of the puzzle for the team. The Lakers have been trying to trade for a center, and they previously engaged in trade talks with the Wizards regarding center Valanciunas. According to media reports, both sides have reached a preliminary framework, with only some details left to be finalized. However, as time progressed, the Lakers completed the trade involving Finney-Smith first but failed to reach an agreement on Valanciunas. Today, according to media reports, the trade between the Lakers and the Wizards regarding Valanciunas has basically fallen through. According to Lakers beat reporter Anthony Irwin, sources within the league revealed that the Lakers are still seen as…

NBA regular season, the first day of 2025 game point spread win-loss analysis and prediction: Raptors vs Celtics (-16.5) Pre-game analysis: The Raptors have suffered ten consecutive losses, their strength is weak, and the road to rebuilding is long. The Celtics' home court used to be a devil's home court, but this season they have already lost six home games, making it less intimidating. In the last game, the Green Army lost at home to the Pacers, with Brown shooting 21 for 13 and scoring 31 points, 4 rebounds, and 6 assists, but it was not enough to prevent defeat. The team is plagued by injuries, with Holiday and Porzingis both out due to injuries. The Celtics are strong in both offense and defense, and compared to the Raptors, the two teams have a significant difference in strength. Point spread win-loss prediction: The Celtics are giving too many points, and I favor the Raptors winning on the road with the points. Bucks vs Pacers (-1.5) Pre-game analysis: The Bucks have been in poor form recently, with Antetokounmpo and Lillard both out due to injuries. In the last game, Lillard returned, but the team still lost to the Bulls. Lillard shot 19 for 8 and scored 29 points, 6 rebounds, and 12 assists, but there were issues with the team's tactical execution. After Lillard passed the ball, he couldn't get it back. Middleton has struggled to live up to expectations since his major injury, and his performance in the last game was disastrous, missing shots and committing turnovers in crucial moments.…

Today, all six regular season games have concluded: The Magic narrowly defeated the Nets 102-101, the Timberwolves edged out the Spurs 112-110, the Hawks easily won against the Raptors 136-107, the Pacers pulled off a surprising victory over the Celtics 123-114, the Heat made a comeback to beat the Rockets 104-100, and the Thunder easily defeated the Grizzlies 130-106. At the same time, the Lakers have welcomed a wave of trades today, which has made the Lakers fans unable to sit still! Below is a detailed analysis of four teams: the Thunder, Rockets, and Lakers! The Thunder has achieved an impressive 11-game winning streak and currently stands at 26 wins and 5 losses, ranking first in the West. Notably, this season, Alexander has delivered an MVP-level performance! In 31 games played this new season, he has averaged 30.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 6.4 assists, with an overall shooting percentage of 52%. Moreover, he contributes an average of 1.9 steals and 1.2 blocks per game, making him a versatile guard reminiscent of Jordan, Kobe, and Wade! The Thunder's management indeed has a keen eye for talent, and their team-building strategy is unique in the league! The Thunder was established just 16 years ago and managed to draft three MVPs, three top 75 players, and three future Hall of Famers in consecutive years: Durant, Westbrook, and Harden. In just three short years, they have completed another rebuild. This year, Alexander has a strong chance of winning the MVP, and the team is very likely to advance out of the West, with a…

The selection of the NBA's best lineup in 2006 was a fierce competition that has been fondly remembered by fans for its intensity and the luxurious nature of the lineup. That season, the league was filled with stars who delivered astonishing performances, making the competition for the best lineup particularly intense. Let's take a look at just how luxurious that lineup was! The members of the first team were Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, LeBron James, Dirk Nowitzki, and Shaquille O'Neal. These five were not only superstars but also all had the honor of winning the regular-season MVP award, which was unprecedented in NBA history, demonstrating the strength and luxury of this lineup. Nash averaged 18.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 10.5 assists per game. Under his leadership, the Suns pioneered the small-ball storm and running-and-gunning era, achieving remarkable results in the regular season. He also won the MVP award for the second consecutive year, and his contributions to the team were immeasurable by mere statistics. Kobe Bryant had the highest scoring average of his career, averaging 35.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game, creating numerous scoring miracles such as scoring 81 points against the Raptors and 62 points in three quarters against the Mavericks. Despite the Lakers finishing seventh in the Western Conference, Kobe's personal performance was impeccable. He was the scoring champion of that season and the first player since Jordan to average 35 points per game in a single season. LeBron James gradually became a superstar in the league that year, averaging 31.4 points, 7 rebounds, and…

After the trade of D'Angelo Russell, the Los Angeles Lakers released a statement through their general manager, Rob Pelinka. The statement, shared by the team's communications department, expressed gratitude for Russell's contributions on the court. "We want to thank D'Angelo for his second stint with us, where we celebrated some great moments and achievements on the court. We wish him and Maxwell Lewis all the best in their future endeavors with the Brooklyn Nets." "We are thrilled that Dorian Finney-Smith will bring physicality, toughness, and elite shooting to our core. We also highly value Shake Milton's playmaking abilities. We are excited for our fans to see these two players on the court." ESPN's Shams Charania reported on Sunday about the trade involving these four players. The Lakers traded Russell, Maxwell Lewis, and three second-round draft picks (2027, 2030, and 2031) for Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton. Finney-Smith provides much-needed wing depth, earning 14.9millionthisyearwithaplayeroptionfor14.9 million this year with a player option for 14.9millionthisyearwithaplayeroptionfor15.3 million in the 2025-26 season. This season, he averaged 10.4 points and 4.6 rebounds for the Nets. D'Angelo Russell could only sit on the bench, averaging 12.4 points and 4.7 assists. This is his second career move from the Lakers to the Nets and his fifth overall trade. What's next for the Lakers after trading D'Angelo Russell? Trading D'Angelo Russell and Maxwell Lewis to the Nets could be the start of many future trades. While the full details of the trade are not yet clear, the team retains flexibility for further trades, including one or more first-round draft…

On December 31st, Beijing time, the NBA regular season continues to unfold, with the Lakers showing a recent resurgence, securing two consecutive victories to climb to fifth place in the Western Conference. At this juncture, the team also made a move in the trade market, successfully acquiring 3D player Finney-Smith and a backcourt player Milton, which has indeed bolstered their lineup. In this transaction, the Lakers gave up Russell, Lewis, and three second-round picks, obtaining Smith without parting with a first-round pick, which is quite commendable. This deal has once again earned General Manager Pelinka praise, and in an interview, Pelinka revealed that the recruitment work has not ended here, as there will be further additions, considering they still have a first-round pick available. After the trade was completed, the two newcomers quickly arrived in Los Angeles and will make their Lakers debut in the next game. Smith is the most anticipated addition to the team, as his 3D attributes are what the team needs. He expressed great excitement about joining the Lakers, stating that he now has the opportunity to compete for a championship. Upon joining the Lakers, he will wear the number 17 jersey, though he will not start for the team. Coach Redick stated, "The plan is to have Finney-Smith and Milton come off the bench!" However, Smith still has a chance to challenge for a starting position if he adapts well, as he is deserving of one. Milton, on the other hand, will wear the number 20 jersey, and in an interview, he said, "I'm very…

Translation of the article content into English: This season, Pelinka has lived up to his words. At the beginning of the season, he said that he would use 30 games to evaluate the lineup. Now that the time has come, he has brought in the team's currently scarce 3D player on the trade market. As the core of this trade, new recruit Finney-Smith can average 10.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game this season. He can also make 2.4 three-pointers at a 43.5% shooting rate. Most importantly, he has proven his abilities multiple times in the playoffs. In 2022 when the Mavericks reached the Western Conference Finals, he could contribute an average of 11.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 2.6 three-pointers, with a three-point shooting rate as high as 42.6%. In order to acquire Finney-Smith, the Lakers gave up three second-round picks and Russell, who had been on the trading block all along. Looking at Russell's career now, it can only be described as full of drama. He was selected by the Lakers in the first round as the second overall pick in 2015, but after two years, he was sent to the Nets. Now, nine years later, he has once again been traded by the Lakers to Brooklyn. However, he is no longer the young man he used to be. After leaving the Nets, Russell gradually reduced his value step by step. This season, his annual salary is only $18.69 million, but the Lakers are still eager to get rid of him as soon as possible.…

NBA regular season, the Clippers narrowly defeated the Pelicans 116-113. This game was very close between the Clippers and the Pelicans. The Clippers trailed in the first quarter but managed to catch up in the second half. The final moments were very intense. Fortunately, Powell and Harden continued to exert themselves to lead the team to victory, ultimately securing the win. Two players had excellent performances throughout the game. Powell's performance in the final moments was still effective. He could score continuously, helping the team turn the situation around. In the entire game, Powell scored 35 points with 13 out of 27 shots, which is a huge scoring impact. Every time they reached the decisive period, he could deliver stable output. Harden also had a very high three-point shooting rate in this game, scoring 25 points with 5 out of 10 shots. This level of play was enough. There were also crucial free throws in the final moments that sealed the game, consolidating their advantage. Zubac, Xiao Jones, Dunn, Batum, and Bamba all had passable performances. Zubac protected the rebounds perfectly in this game, scoring full marks for his ability to "eat cakes." However, he was constantly targeted by opponents on the defensive end, and CJ played him very easily. Offensively, Zubac faced some disadvantages against Misi, but a key jump shot helped change the situation. The strengths and weaknesses of Xiao Jones and Dunn were very obvious. Their defense was solid, and both could contribute to the perimeter defense system. Unfortunately, they missed their three-point shots, which was a…

On December 31st, Beijing time, the NBA regular season continued. In today's focus game, the Warriors lost at home to the Cavaliers, suffering a double defeat this season, with their record becoming 16 wins and 16 losses! Facing the Cavaliers, who have the best record in the league, the Warriors led by 1 point in the first quarter. After entering the second quarter, the Cavaliers completed the lead, and after chasing to 36-38, the Warriors completely collapsed, ending the first half with an 8-point deficit. After the start of the second half, the Cavaliers quickly widened the gap to more than 20 points, and the Warriors were unable to reduce the gap, eventually losing at home again to the Cavaliers, twice this season. The Warriors' loss today is directly related to the poor performance of many players. As the star player, Curry had another bad night. In the entire game, Curry made only 4 out of 14 shots, including 3 out of 11 three-pointers, without any free throws, totaling only 11 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal. Curry hit two consecutive three-pointers in the third quarter, which was one of his few highlights in the game, but he was unable to help the team close the gap. Green also had a very poor performance today, making only 1 out of 10 shots, including 0 out of 2 three-pointers and 0 out of 2 free throws, totaling only 2 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks, with 2 turnovers. In the third quarter, Green returned to…

The Clippers have embarked on a three-game road trip, defeating the Pelicans 116-113 today and securing their third consecutive victory. In recent games, the Clippers have won against the Grizzlies away, the Warriors at home, and the Pelicans today. Their next game is against the Spurs, followed by the Thunder. We previously mentioned that for the Clippers, winning one game on this road trip would be satisfactory, two would exceed expectations, and three would be unimaginable. Today's game against the Pelicans was almost a loss, and the Spurs are not an easy opponent this year. Finally, against the Thunder, the Clippers might even rest Harden as it may not be worth the effort. Therefore, for the Clippers, today's win against the Pelicans guarantees them a minimum score, and they should focus on winning against the Spurs in the next game. They can then prepare to welcome Leonard's return at home against the Hawks. This time, it should not be a false alarm; Leonard initially wanted to return against the Warriors but may have been afraid of getting injured. Facing the Hawks, Leonard should be able to play, and now Harden has established a solid foundation for Leonard. After defeating the Pelicans, the Clippers' record surpassed the Lakers, placing them fifth in the West, just one win behind the fourth-placed Mavericks. The Clippers have a 19-13 record, while the Mavericks have a 20-12 record. This means that the Clippers have a chance to climb to fourth place in the West before Leonard returns, which would be a dream start for Leonard…