On December 30th, Beijing time, the NBA regular season continues. According to Shams, a well-known journalist, the Lakers and the Nets have reached a trade. The Lakers sent D'Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis, and three second-round picks to receive Finney Smith and Shake Milton! So what are the backgrounds of these two new Lakers players? Finney Smith is 31 years old this year. He entered the NBA in 2016 and played for the Mavericks for 6 and a half years. The 2021-22 season can be regarded as Smith's strongest season. He started all 80 games, averaging 11 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.1 steals, helping the team reach the Western Conference Finals. In the mid-season trade involving Irving in the 2022-23 season, Smith was sent to the Nets by the Mavericks. So far this season, Smith averages 10.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 0.9 steals, with a three-point shooting percentage of 43.5% (a career high, previously highest at 39.5% in the 2021-22 season), averaging 2.4 three-pointers per game. Throughout his career, Smith has played 548 games, averaging 8.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.4 assists, with a three-point shooting percentage of 35.9%. From the above data, we can see that Smith's three-point shooting will be the foundation of his standing in the Lakers. More importantly, Smith also has an impact on the defensive end. He can defend multiple positions, from point guard to center. His defensive ability and basketball IQ make him a key figure on the team's defense. In this regard, NBA Central wrote: According to Second Spectrum statistics,…

On December 30th, Beijing time, the NBA regular season continues. According to Shams, a well-known journalist, the Lakers and the Nets have reached a major 2-for-5 trade, which the Lakers quickly announced as completed. The details of this trade are as follows: Lakers receive: Finney-Smith, Shake Milton; Nets receive: D'Angelo Russell, Lewis, 3 second-round picks (2027, 2030, 2031, all from the Lakers). The contract situations of the players involved in the trade are as follows: Finney-Smith's salary for this season is 14.92million,withaplayeroptionworth14.92 million, with a player option worth 14.92million,withaplayeroptionworth15.38 million for the 2025-26 season; Milton's salary for this season is 2.88million,withasalaryof2.88 million, with a salary of 2.88million,withasalaryof3 million for the 2025-26 season and $3.29 million for the 2026-27 season; Russell's salary for this season is $18.7 million, and his contract will expire at the end of this season; Lewis' salary for this season is 1.89million,withasalaryof1.89 million, with a salary of 1.89million,withasalaryof2.22 million for the 2025-26 season and a team option worth $2.41 million for the 2026-27 season. The Lakers officially announced the completion of the trade and welcomed Finney-Smith and Milton to the team. So far this season, Finney-Smith has averaged 10.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 0.9 steals, with a three-point shooting percentage of 43.5% (a career high, previously highest was 39.5% in the 2021-22 season), averaging 2.4 three-pointers per game. Throughout his career, Smith has played in 548 games, averaging 8.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.4 assists, with a three-point shooting percentage of 35.9%. So far this season, Milton has appeared in 27 games for the Nets,…

The game between the Lakers and the Kings is just around the corner, but things are getting complicated. It's quite a coincidence that James suddenly announced his absence due to illness and ankle pain. This isn't good news, considering he's the brain of the team. Without him on the court directing, those smooth offensive combinations could instantly become chaotic. As for Davis, he hasn't been idle, but the problem is that his ankle is still injured. However, this guy is stubborn by nature and insists on playing through the pain. When I heard this news, I wondered if the Lakers could withstand the pressure? Can they handle a well-performing Sabonis? James' absence not only worries the fans but also gives the coaching staff a headache. What's his current condition? The official explanation is simple: he's sick, and his old injury - the ankle - is acting up again, so he has to take a temporary break. This sounds casual, but upon closer thought, it seems more complicated. He's already 38 years old, and playing high-intensity games at this age is already pushing the limits, especially with a series of old and new injuries taking turns to bother him. Moreover, without James in command, it's like losing a stabilizing force. Whether it's connecting the whole team or stabilizing critical situations, he's always been the one in charge. Now, he's offline, and you can see that the Lakers' overall strength visibly diminishes. Of course, with James out, Davis naturally becomes the focus. But let's not forget that he's just crawled out from…

This NBA game was quite dramatic, with the Kings losing at home to the Pistons by a narrow margin of 113-114, which was quite unexpected. The game was full of variables from the start, especially in the final quarter, where the Pistons made an astonishing comeback. They ultimately secured victory with a 3+1 buzzer-beater by Ivey, snatching it right out of the Kings' grasp. After watching this game, one can't help but be impressed; it's truly a great show in the basketball world! Looking at the overall progress of the game, both teams' performances were inconsistent. At the beginning, they went back and forth, playing fiercely and evenly matched. In the first quarter, the Kings and Pistons took turns leading the score, playing particularly close. By halftime, the Kings had a 15-point lead, which seemed like it would be enough to secure the win. However, who could have predicted that the outcome would be so unpredictable and surprising! First, let's talk about the Kings' performance. De'Aaron Fox seemed a bit lost in this game. Although he started off a bit inaccurate, by the third quarter, he regained his form, scoring 14 points in a single quarter. He was still the familiar Fox, and the game rhythm was quickly brought up by him. Especially Lyles on the bench, he really surprised everyone. As soon as he came on in the second quarter, he unleashed a barrage of firepower, scoring 15 points in a single quarter, almost extending the Kings' lead to 15 points. DeRozan and Monk also performed very steadily, stepping…

NBA regular season, the Thunder defeated the Hornets 106-94, the Warriors overturned the Suns 109-105, and the Nuggets defeated the Pistons 134-121. The competition in the West is extremely fierce. Let's take a look at the game overview and rankings. The Thunder won 10 consecutive victories with a score of 106-94 away from home against the Hornets, ranking first with excellent results. Jalen Williams scored 20 points, and Hartenstein scored 12 points and 15 rebounds. Alexander once again saved the team from the fire, contributing 22 points, 4 rebounds, and 6 assists throughout the game. Although there were 4 turnovers in the final quarter, it did not affect the team's pace forward at all. I dare to guarantee that this year's MVP must be Alexander. What do you think? The Warriors narrowly defeated the Suns 109-105 at home to end their losing streak, while the Suns suffered two consecutive losses and dropped to 11th place. Durant scored 31 points in vain, and Beal got 28 points; Curry returned and scored 22 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists, Kuminga performed outstandingly and scored 34 points, and Green scored 16 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists. At the beginning of the game, both sides fought fiercely, and at the end of the first half, the Suns led the Warriors by 4 points. In the final quarter, Kuminga scored 13 points in a single quarter, helping the team overturn the Suns and win the game. The Nuggets defeated the Pistons 134-121 at home. Teacher Yue played bravely and contributed 37 points, 9 rebounds,…

In a recent game, the Clippers defeated the Warriors 102-92 and currently hold the fifth spot in the Western Conference with a win rate close to 60%. This win rate is reminiscent of James Harden's time in Philadelphia, where he led the team to a 63% win rate when Joel Embiid was not playing. However, Harden's performance with the Clippers is slightly lower than his solo efforts in Philadelphia. This could be attributed to the team configuration, as in Philadelphia, when Embiid was absent, Harden had Maxey to rely on for scoring and Harris also had more opportunities due to the absence of the "Emperor." Additionally, Philadelphia had a young defensive specialist like Melton, who was similar to a younger version of Beverley. The difference between Philadelphia and Brooklyn lies in their approach; Philadelphia didn't have grand ambitions and simply focused on building around Harden when Embiid was out. The Clippers, on the other hand, have a purer strategy, combining Leonard's playing style to revolve their tactics around Harden. This is because Leonard's style can fit into any team, making him akin to a cheat code that can be plugged into any system. As Harden mentioned in an interview, Leonard expressed anxiety about his return, fearing it might disrupt the Clippers' established chemistry. Harden reassured him, stating that his playing style naturally complements the current roster, likening it to upgrading Dunn to Leonard. Leonard was immediately pleased and no longer worried. Leonard's return doesn't significantly affect Harden individually; he remains the tactical core but may see a slight decrease in…

On December 29th, Beijing time, the NBA regular season continued with the Warriors facing off against the Suns at home in a back-to-back game. In this match, Curry and Green made their return, and both teams were locked in a seesaw battle, with the Warriors taking the initiative and leading by some points. Beal and Durant led the Suns in catching up on the score, and after that, both teams were in a seesaw battle, with the point difference never widening. In the end, the Suns couldn't hold on in the crucial moments. Ultimately, the Warriors defeated the Suns 109-105, ending their three-game losing streak. In this game, Curry and Green returned, and Schroder continued to start. Beal started hot, while the Warriors relied on Curry and Kuminga to continuously score points, successfully overtaking the point difference and leading by 7 points in the first quarter. In the second quarter, the Suns began to exert themselves, and the Warriors made consecutive mistakes. The Suns unleashed a 26-7 run, directly overtaking and widening the point difference. Fortunately, Green hit a three-pointer to stop the bleeding, followed by Curry hitting a buzzer-beater, and at halftime, the Warriors narrowed the gap to 61-65. After changing sides for the second half, neither team could continue their fiery shooting from the first half, both falling into a stalemate, with the point difference never widening, and the third quarter ended with the Warriors trailing by 5 points. Entering the final quarter, the Suns still held the initiative on the court, but in the crucial moments, Kuminga…

According to well-known media personality Zheng Zhipeng: Daryl Macon has flown to Shenzhen. Zheng Zhipeng is a team reporter for the Shenzhen basketball team and is well-informed about changes in the team's personnel. Currently, the Shenzhen Marco Polo team has four foreign players: Tilmon, Thompson, Johnson, and Weems. These four foreign players are not outstanding in strength, and Weems is on the older side, lacking a super foreign aid capable of leading the team. The team has so far achieved 5 wins and 18 losses this season, ranking 18th, making it difficult to advance to the playoffs if they continue at this rate. Last season, Shenzhen ranked 8th in the regular season standings and had home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. However, this season's ranking has dropped significantly, with Shen Zijie and Salinge joining Beikong, severely impacting the team's frontcourt strength. Similar to Shanghai's second-stage 10-game winning streak, which has brought them to 12th place in the standings. If Shenzhen wants to compete in the playoffs, they must make changes and secure a winning streak. Daryl Macon can effectively solve the team's scoring problems. He joined Shenzhen last season but only played 17 games for the team. During a match against Shandong, guard Zhang Hui intentionally pushed him, causing Macon's knee to twist, resulting in a loud cry of pain on the court. After the game, he was diagnosed with an anterior cruciate ligament tear and immediately went to the United States for treatment. Macon is still very capable. In the game between Shenzhen and Shanxi, he…

The Lakers managed to defeat the Kings without James, which has made things difficult for the Clippers as they have now dropped to sixth in the Western Conference. However, with Leonard set to return to play soon, the Clippers' future looks promising. The recent performance of the Lakers has been puzzling. Despite James being unable to play due to a cold, they managed to defeat the Kings at home. After this game, the Lakers' record caught up with the Clippers, and because they have performed better against Western Conference teams, their ranking is now ahead of the Clippers. The Clippers have not been playing smoothly recently. In their last few games, their offense has seemed off, especially in critical moments when they struggle to find someone to score. Although Harden has joined the team, he appears to have not fully adapted to the team's style of play, making the Clippers' offense appear disorganized. In fact, the Clippers' defense has always been solid, with a top-five defensive efficiency in the league, indicating that they are quite capable on the defensive end. However, the current issue is that the offense is too reliant on individual ability. When Leonard is not on the court, the team's offensive options become particularly limited. Leonard is finally returning to play. Previously, there were reports that he could return before Christmas, but it has been delayed until now. However, it has now been confirmed that he will make his comeback in the game against the Hawks on January 5th, which is a timely boost for the Clippers.…

At 1 a.m. Beijing time on December 30th, according to Shams, a well-known reporter from ESPN, the Lakers and the Nets have reached a trade deal, with Russell and Finney-Smith swapping teams. The details of the trade are as follows: The Lakers send Russell, Lewis, and three second-round picks in a 5-for-2 trade to acquire Finney-Smith and Shake Milton. Russell returns to the Nets! Russell's contract is worth 36millionovertwoyears,expiringinthesummerof2025,withasalaryof36 million over two years, expiring in the summer of 2025, with a salary of 36millionovertwoyears,expiringinthesummerof2025,withasalaryof18.7 million this season. Finney-Smith's contract is worth 56millionoverfouryears,expiringinthesummerof2026,withasalaryof56 million over four years, expiring in the summer of 2026, with a salary of 56millionoverfouryears,expiringinthesummerof2026,withasalaryof14.4 million this season. Milton earns 2.8millionperyear,whileLewisearns2.8 million per year, while Lewis earns 2.8millionperyear,whileLewisearns1.9 million. The total salary of the two players sent away by the Lakers is higher. The Lakers have always wanted Finney-Smith, and through this trade, they saved 15millioninluxurytax,leavingthem15 million in luxury tax, leaving them 15millioninluxurytax,leavingthem3.5 million short of the second-highest tax line. So what does the Nets get out of this? 1. Russell's contract is expiring, allowing the Nets to free up salary space next offseason; 2. The three second-round picks from the Lakers are also worth a few million dollars. In June 2017, Russell was traded by the Lakers to the Nets. During his time with the Nets, Russell was selected to the All-Star team. It has been more than seven years since then, and Russell has once again been sent to the Nets by the Lakers. Throughout his Lakers career, Russell played a total of 265 games, averaging…