Today, the Warriors finally welcomed a long-awaited victory on the road, defeating the Timberwolves with a clear advantage and successfully ending their losing streak. This victory was not only due to Curry's excellent performance from beyond the three-point line but also closely related to their outstanding defensive strategy. In the first quarter of the game, the Warriors' defensive performance stood out, allowing the Timberwolves to score only 12 points. This match was extremely rare for the Warriors, as we seldom see them leading by such a large margin in the first quarter; usually, they tend to be behind during the first quarter. It was precisely because of the strong lead established in the first quarter that the Warriors could remain somewhat calm in subsequent games, resisting potential scoring risks. Otherwise, they might have suffered another crushing defeat today. The reason for the Warriors' transformation in defense is the return of Payton Jr., who has been out for a long time due to injury. His appearance in the game had a crucial impact on the team's overall defensive capabilities. His defensive coverage is quite extensive; he can not only guard the opponent's key players individually but also quickly support with his agile and fast-moving speed, making him an excellent choice for blocking the opponent's center in the paint, comprehensively improving the defensive efficiency on the court. Due to Payton Jr.'s outstanding defensive performance, the Warriors were able to restrict their opponents while launching effective counterattacks, thus forming an offensive confrontation with the opposition. Many fans pointed out that Payton Jr.'s importance…

This season's NBA regular season schedule is nearing the halfway point, with fierce competition in both the East and West. The East has nine teams with a win rate above 50%, which hasn't happened in the past five years. Teams like the Pistons and Hawks are just one step away from fourth place Milwaukee, while many so-called weak teams actually have lineups and tactical styles that can counter the Eastern leaders, such as the Hawks' double victory over the Cavaliers this season. Even the defending champion Celtics are on a downward trend this season, with poor integration of Porzingis into the team, aging Horford and Holiday, and the team relying solely on Tatum. In the West, the top-ranked Thunder and second-placed Rockets have relatively stable positions, while the Grizzlies and Nuggets are in competition. From fifth-place Clippers to twelfth-place Spurs, there is only a three-game difference. With Leonard's return and gradually finding his touch, the pressure on Harden has decreased, and the team is slowly entering a new trajectory. The Lakers have no upper or lower limit; they can lose to anyone but also potentially win some games, depending on whether LeBron and Davis can hold up. The Warriors and Suns are hovering around tenth place in the West, with significant issues for both teams. After Kuminga's injury, Curry lacks ball-handlers around him, and his own age is affecting his dominance. The Suns are keen on finding more support for Booker and Durant, but Beal is unwilling to leave, leaving them with minor adjustments that won't change their overall competitiveness.…

Regarding the biggest regret in the NBA, it must be the sudden death of Kobe Bryant, who once played for the Lakers, due to a helicopter accident at the beginning of 2020. Kobe's life was brilliant and dazzling. Whether in his career or family life, he was very enviable. It was just a matter of luck that led to such a tragic outcome. However, Derek Fisher, who entered the NBA at the same time as Kobe, seems to have had luck completely opposite to Kobe's. Although he also experienced many ups and downs in his career and family life, like Kobe, he has five NBA Finals championship rings. In terms of family status, he is similar to Kobe, with a beautiful wife and lovely children. However, in terms of emotional life, he made an extremely outrageous move by "playing with a friend's wife." In the 1996 NBA draft, Fisher and Kobe emerged together. Kobe ranked 13th in the draft that year, while Fisher's performance was slightly inferior, being selected by the Lakers with the 24th pick, thus starting his professional career. He was incredibly lucky. Between 1999 and 2008, the Lakers reached the NBA Finals and won the championship five times, and Fisher participated in these five Finals, earning him five championship rings. However, during these ten years, Fisher did not always play for the Lakers. Coincidentally, in the years when the Lakers failed to win the championship, he was traded away by the Lakers through exchanges, playing for league teams such as the Warriors, Mavericks, and Rockets. It was…

The Houston Rockets faced the Sacramento Kings on the road, with Ethan returning to the lineup while Van Jordan and Smith were absent. The Kings' starting lineup featured DeRozan, Murray, Xiao Sa, Monk, and Fox, while the Rockets started Amen, Jalen Green, Dillon, Jeff Green, and Shen Jing. In the first quarter, both teams struggled initially, with the Kings breaking the deadlock first. The Rockets responded with two three-pointers from Lao Jiefu and Jalen Green, but the Kings also scored through drives to the basket. The score remained close, with a 14-13 lead for the Kings going into a timeout. After the break, Jalen Green's layup forced another Kings timeout. Following this, the Kings hit two three-pointers to take a five-point lead, which Jalen Green countered with three free throws after drawing a foul. Murray then hit another three-pointer, followed by White Magic scoring and Amen making a layup. The first quarter ended with the Rockets trailing 25-26. In the second quarter, during the rotation phase, the Rockets managed to take the lead with White Magic extending it with a three-pointer. However, Murray and Fox hit back-to-back threes to level the score, with Xiao Sa completing a 2+0 play. The Rockets missed several shots and were countered, leading to a 10-0 run by the Kings and a seven-point lead, prompting Coach Udoka to call a timeout. After the timeout, Shen Jing scored four points, but the Rockets' defense faltered, allowing Xiao Sa to make a 2+1 play. Jalen Green was subbed out due to his third foul, while Xiao Sa…

Translation of the article content into English: Yao Ming joined the NBA in 2002 as the first overall pick and signed a four-year contract with the Rockets. After four seasons of training, Yao became a heavyweight center in the league, comparable to Shaquille O'Neal, averaging 22 points and 10 rebounds per game. Such a center was highly sought after in the league. After the 2006 season, Yao became a free agent. What kind of offers did the teams make to get him? Firstly, the Cavaliers, who had LeBron James and could make it to the playoffs, were looking for a strong center and usually stopped at the second round of the playoffs. The Cavaliers really wanted Yao Ming and offered a big contract of $50 million over three years. This contract was quite sincere, but Yao's team did not respond. Secondly, the Mavericks, Cuban at that time hoped to form an inside double tower like the Spurs to win the championship, and the offer was also very good, with a salary of $17 million per year, and the number of years to be decided by Yao's team. However, Yao's team was not interested. Thirdly, the Lakers, where Kobe personally called Yao and invited him to join the Lakers. As head coach, Phil Jackson stated that if Yao came to the Lakers, he would definitely be the starter and could fully display his talent like O'Neal. Even Lakers owner Jeanie told Kobe that they could offer Yao a big contract of 90millionoverfouryears.Forsuchanoffer,Yao′steamwasdefinitelysatisfied,butbecauseoftheloyaltyinherentinChinesepeople,YaofinallychosetostaywiththeRocketsandwasalsogivenagoodcontractof90 million over four years. For such an offer, Yao's…

On January 17th, Beijing time, the NBA 2024-25 season regular season continued with the Washington Wizards hosting the Phoenix Suns. This was the first matchup between the two teams this season, with the Suns winning both encounters last season, showing a clear advantage. However, since the New Year, the Suns have been struggling, currently holding a record of 19 wins and 20 losses, ranking 11th in the West. Additionally, there has been infighting in the team's locker room, with some players expressing frustration over their roles and positions. Subsequently, head coach Budenholzer made drastic reforms, demoting one of the three giants, Beal, and Nurkic to the bench, which had an immediate effect, with the team's recent form improving. In contrast, the Wizards have chosen to tank, currently with a record of 6 wins and 32 losses, suffering a 7-game losing streak and ranking last in the East. The team's core player Kuzma has been put on the trading block, but the market is not good, as his performance has indeed been poor this season due to injuries and other reasons; however, Poole has experienced a resurgence, averaging 21.5 points, 2.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.5 steals per game this season compared to last. Before the game, American media ESPN also provided the latest win probability prediction for today's game, with the Wizards having only a 28.1% chance of winning, while the Suns' win probability stands at a high 71.9%. Obviously, the American media favors the Suns to continue their winning streak against the Wizards. In terms of starting lineups, the…

On January 16th, Beijing time, the NBA regular season welcomed a focus battle! In this game, the Los Angeles Clippers hosted the Eastern weak team, the Brooklyn Nets. Unexpectedly, in this game, the Nets did not fight before they lowered and directly rested all their efforts, which was equivalent to giving the Clippers a big gift! The two biggest highlights of this game were when Harden would score his ninth point to elevate his career total scoring record to 15th in NBA history, and another highlight was what quality of game Leonard could play after three games of testing, especially since this game against the weak team Nets presented a great opportunity! However, as soon as the game started, the Clippers played far worse than expected, and the Nets' third-string players also showed no intention of giving up the game directly. On the Clippers' side, Harden took the lead in opening the situation with inside drives and outside shots, quickly bringing his personal score to 8 points, and the gap between the two sides was not large. Harden seized the opportunity to hit an outside three-pointer during a transition, bringing his personal score for the game to 11 points and officially surpassing Wilkins to become the 15th highest scorer in NBA history! The other protagonist, Leonard, also played commendably in the first quarter. In the first quarter, apart from missing a step-back three-pointer from beyond the three-point line, the remaining two mid-range singles were very impressive! In the first quarter, Leonard shot 3 out of 2 for 4 points and…

NBA regular season, the Lakers faced the Heat yesterday, with the former suffering from three consecutive losses recently and the latter losing to the Clippers in their last game. Butler and Finney-Smith were absent for this match. The game started with both teams engaging in an intense offensive battle, with the score alternating and a total of 72 points scored in the first quarter. Among them, Herro made all 5 shots, scoring 16 points efficiently. In the second quarter, both sides' shooting percentages dropped, but it was clear that the Lakers performed worse, only scoring 7 points in half a quarter. The Heat took advantage of this and launched a fierce 10-0 run, widening the gap to double digits. At halftime, the Lakers trailed by 12 points. Returning in the second half, the Heat's offense encountered major problems, scoring only 19 points in a single quarter. The Lakers, led by James, fought back fiercely, and by the end of the third quarter, the gap was down to just 2 points. In the final quarter, the Lakers continued their strong momentum, launching a 9-0 mini-run to successfully take the lead. In the crucial moments, James scored seven consecutive points, directly ending the game. Ultimately, the Lakers defeated the Heat, ending their three-game losing streak. LeBron James contributed 22 points, 5 rebounds, and 9 assists in this game, scoring 7 points in a row in the key moments to help the team secure the victory. After the game, James said, "I think the team needed my scoring in the fourth quarter. The…

NBA Regular Season: Green Misses Game-Tying Three-Pointer as Rockets Fall to Kings, Houston Trio Scores 69+25 in Vain On January 17th, Beijing time, the NBA regular season saw the Rockets end their five-game winning streak with a close 127-132 loss to the Kings. The Rockets trailed by one point after the first quarter, the Kings led by nine at halftime, and the Rockets were down by five after three quarters. In the fourth quarter, the Rockets briefly took the lead before the Kings hit consecutive threes to regain the advantage. Dillon committed an off-ball foul on Fox, Green made a three-pointer, but his attempt to tie the game at the end of the third quarter was unsuccessful. Team Statistics Kings: Fox had 19 points and 7 assists, DeRozan scored 31 points with 4 assists, Sabonis contributed 20 points, 14 rebounds, and 6 assists, Monk added 28 points and 9 assists, and Murray had 18 points and 11 rebounds. Rockets: Aminu scored 20 points with 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block, Green had 28 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists, Shen Jing contributed 21 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 steals, and 1 block, Jeff Green scored 10 points, Ethan had 16 points, and Dillon added 12 points with 6 fouls, while White Magic scored 9 points. Star of the Game - DeRozan In the fourth quarter, all the key plays were initiated by DeRozan, who also made several crucial shots in isolation. He finished the game with 31 points and 4 assists. Anecdotes On the Rockets' side,…

On January 17th, NBA Clippers owner and billionaire Steve Ballmer donated 15milliontofamiliesaffectedbytheLosAngeleswildfirestohelpthemrebuildtheirhomes.TheNBAannouncedthatit,alongwiththeplayers′union,woulddonate15 million to families affected by the Los Angeles wildfires to help them rebuild their homes. The NBA announced that it, along with the players' union, would donate 15milliontofamiliesaffectedbytheLosAngeleswildfirestohelpthemrebuildtheirhomes.TheNBAannouncedthatit,alongwiththeplayers′union,woulddonate1 million to organizations such as the American Red Cross and World Central Kitchen to support those impacted by the disaster. The NBA also stated its intention to collaborate with the Lakers and Clippers to aid in long-term recovery efforts. Lakers player Anthony Davis contributed 20,000,andteammateJaredVanderbiltdonated20,000, and teammate Jared Vanderbilt donated 20,000,andteammateJaredVanderbiltdonated4,000. On the same day, Steve Ballmer and his wife Connie Ballmer released a statement announcing that the Ballmer Group would donate 15milliontosupportLosAngelescommunitiesaffectedbythewildfires.Inthestatement,Ballmerwrote,"WelovethecityofLosAngelesandwanttohelpcommunitiesaffectedbythedevastatingwildfires.Workingwithlocalpartners,theBallmerGroupwillcontributetoaddressingurgentfoodandhousingneedsandsupportfirstresponders.Wehaveprovidedaninitialemergencyfundof15 million to support Los Angeles communities affected by the wildfires. In the statement, Ballmer wrote, "We love the city of Los Angeles and want to help communities affected by the devastating wildfires. Working with local partners, the Ballmer Group will contribute to addressing urgent food and housing needs and support first responders. We have provided an initial emergency fund of 15milliontosupportLosAngelescommunitiesaffectedbythewildfires.Inthestatement,Ballmerwrote,"WelovethecityofLosAngelesandwanttohelpcommunitiesaffectedbythedevastatingwildfires.Workingwithlocalpartners,theBallmerGroupwillcontributetoaddressingurgentfoodandhousingneedsandsupportfirstresponders.Wehaveprovidedaninitialemergencyfundof15 million to assist those affected by the fires, especially the historically diverse and multicultural community of Altadena." Last year, Ballmer ranked sixth on the global rich list, with a net worth of approximately 157.2billion(about1,152.5billionRMB).Netizensrespondedwithcommentslike,"Theleaguedonates157.2 billion (about 1,152.5 billion RMB). Netizens responded with comments like, "The league donates 157.2billion(about1,152.5billionRMB).Netizensrespondedwithcommentslike,"Theleaguedonates1 million, but you donate 15million?Youreallyhaveguts;don′teventhinkaboutwinningthechampionshiptitle,daringtostealthespotlightfromtheleague.""Lastyearwas15 million? You really have guts; don't even think about winning the championship title, daring to steal the spotlight from the league." "Last year was 15million?Youreallyhaveguts;don′teventhinkaboutwinningthechampionshiptitle,daringtostealthespotlightfromtheleague.""Lastyearwas157.2 billion, so let me round it up for…