James Harden, Zion Williamson, Jamal Murray, De'Aaron Fox, and Domantas Sabonis. As we all know, each team in the East and West All-Star lineup has 12 players (5 starters + 7 reserves). The starters are usually the high-profile stars with the most popularity, while the reserves are mostly selected by coaches across the league. The selection criteria for reserves are twofold: first, the team must have a good record, and second, the individual's statistics must be impressive. In my understanding, the reserve lineup for the All-Stars typically comes from the top eight teams in both the East and West. The Eastern Conference All-Star reserve list is the fairest, featuring players like Brown, Brunson, Mitchell, Randle, Adebayo, Maxey, and Banchero, all from teams within the top eight in the East. Now let's look at the Western Conference All-Star reserve lineup: Leonard, Edwards, Booker, Paul George, Anthony Davis, Towns, and Curry. Anthony Davis, from the ninth-ranked Lakers in the West, and Curry, from the twelfth-ranked Warriors, both have high popularity and are hot topics, so their inclusion is widely expected. However, their teams' records this year do not command respect, highlighting the essence of the NBA: maximizing commercial interests. To accommodate these two insiders, the league has selectively overlooked the fifth-ranked Kings and seventh-ranked Pelicans in the West, with no star players from either team making the cut! De'Aaron Fox, averaging 27.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 5.5 assists this season, delivered his career-best performance but was surprisingly left out. Sabonis, averaging 19.9 points, 13 rebounds, and 8 assists this season, a versatile…

Recently, Clippers forward Derrick Jones has temporarily left the court due to an unfortunate injury. For this player who is always full of fighting spirit and never slackens in his preparation, the arrival of the injury is like a thorn in life, especially when the team is at a critical moment, he himself is even more frustrated, wanting to contribute to the team but being cruelly restricted. The pain of the injury is not only physical but also a kind of torment on the psychological level. Jones feels extremely frustrated, especially when the team needs him, he is unable to provide help. This sense of powerlessness almost makes him feel unbearable. He once joked: I am a warrior, should be for the teammates in every game to charge, as a result of the injury, I can only stand outside the field, anxious, really angry I want to hit the wall. For a player, the biggest pain is unable to personally stand on the court, see the teammates on the court struggle, and they can only be a spectator, this feeling simply makes people crazy. Jones mentioned that he was originally in a state of full preparation for the season, everything was developing in the best direction. But it was at this time that the injury found him, completely ruining his plan. I have been working hard to maintain my condition, but the injury is like a heavy blow, knocking me from the peak to the bottom. Jones said helplessly. In addition to the pain of the body, the psychological pressure…

On January 22nd, Beijing time, the NBA regular season continued. In yesterday's focus game, the Warriors lost 85-125 to the Celtics at home. After this game, Warriors star Schroder has continuously set multiple career disgrace records, which can almost determine that his combination with the Warriors is wrong. In yesterday's game, Schroder played for a total of 17 minutes, shooting 3 out of 8, including 1 out of 4 three-pointers, without any free throws, totaling 7 points, 0 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 0 blocks. According to statistics, this was the 12th time this season that Schroder scored in single digits in a single game, with 7 of them occurring after joining the Warriors. Yesterday, the Warriors lost by a whopping 40 points, which was the third time Schroder had suffered a defeat with a margin of more than 30 points since joining the Warriors, and he had only been with the team for a month. He never experienced a loss of more than 30 points while playing for the Nets this season. Schroder's plus-minus rating was -29 yesterday, setting the fourth-lowest record of his career, and previously in the game where the Warriors lost by 51 points to the Grizzlies, Schroder's plus-minus rating was -34, setting his worst career record. After joining the Warriors, Schroder averaged only 10.6 points, with a shooting percentage of 35.9%, creating the worst record of his career, and a three-point shooting percentage of 28.4%, which is the lowest since his rookie season. According to statistical data, since joining the Warriors, Schroder's BPM is…

In the game between the Clippers and the Jazz, Clippers star James Harden performed outstandingly, scoring 34 points in the first half and playing a total of 30 minutes. He shot 11 out of 17 from the field, 7 out of 11 from three-point range, and 12 out of 14 from the free-throw line, accumulating an impressive stat line of 41 points, 1 rebound, 6 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block. Notably, Harden scored 34 points in the first half, not only was it his second time this season to score over 30 points in a half, but he also became the only player in the league to achieve this feat twice. Other players have only managed to score over 30 points in a half once, including LaMelo Ball with 40 points, Paolo Banchero with 37 points, De'Aaron Fox with 33 points, Nikola Jokic with 32 points, Karl-Anthony Towns with 31 points, Tyler Herro with 30 points, and Donovan Mitchell with 30 points. Scoring over 30 points in a half, and being the only player in the league to do so twice this season, Harden has shown through his actions that although his athleticism and competitive form have indeed declined, if given a suitable system, he can still bring back the "Rocket Harden" in limited time and has the potential to achieve even better statistics. Just like the 41 points in yesterday's game, if he were to pursue more points, he could easily take more shots in the third quarter, and with his shooting touch from beyond the arc yesterday,…

This season so far, James and Davis have been on the court together for 809 minutes with a net efficiency of 4.4. In comparison, Tatum and Brown have a net efficiency of 9.1; Mitchell and Garland have 8.3; Doncic and Irving have 9.7; Jokic and Murray have 11.1; Durant and Booker have 3.6. From the comparison of these data, James and Davis are still one of the best duos in the league today. However, does the Lakers need a third star player? For this, I believe there are two points to consider: First, Reeves. In the last 10 games, he has averaged 21+5+8, which indicates that Reeves is increasingly resembling a dual-guard and is close to the level of a star player. Additionally, his performance against teams like the Cavaliers, Warriors, and Rockets, where he scored 20+5, demonstrates his ability to perform well in tough matches. However, during crucial moments in the same period, Reeves' shooting percentage was only 33.3%. Apparently, after becoming the team's main offensive player, Reeves has not yet adapted to the high-intensity defense. In other words, despite being malleable, he still has room for growth. Second, Davis. This season, whether it's his mid-range shooting rate of 44.2% or his three-point shooting rate of 31.8%, both are the highest in recent seasons. Potentially, Davis has the possibility of regaining his mid-to-long-range shooting touch from the championship-winning season. In such a situation, how to make Davis play easily and efficiently is the top priority for the Lakers. On one hand, James' age is a factor, and more importantly,…

In an NBA regular season game held on January 22, 2025, Beijing time, the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Washington Wizards at home with a score of 111 to 88. This victory not only solidified the Lakers' ranking in the West but also led to the Wizards' embarrassing 11-game losing streak. The Lakers demonstrated their strong team collaboration and individual abilities, particularly their effective defense that limited the Wizards, making it difficult for them to mount an effective counterattack. The outstanding performances of LeBron James and Anthony Davis were undoubtedly key factors in the Lakers' victory. James achieved a triple-double with 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 13 assists, surpassing Scottie Pippen's career steals record to reach seventh place in history. Davis contributed a comprehensive stat line of 29 points, 16 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 blocks. Other players such as Reeves and Finney-Smith also had commendable performances, scoring 16 points each. Despite some notable performances from the Wizards' Beal, Sar, and Kuzma, the overall gap in strength made it challenging for them to compete with the Lakers. Beal, who was in poor form, still managed to contribute 15 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists. Sar had a well-rounded performance with 10 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 5 blocks. Kuzma contributed 12 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists. After watching the game, we can identify four pleasant surprises: Firstly, James, at the age of 40, is still able to deliver star-level performances. In this game, James played for 35 minutes, shooting 8 out of 18 from the field,…

The Hornets have officially announced that Brandon Miller, the No. 2 pick in the 2023 draft, has suffered a tear in the scapholunate ligament of his right wrist and will be out indefinitely. This means that the Hornets will continue their strategy of tanking. Some may not fully understand the nature of such an injury, so let me provide a brief explanation: The scapholunate ligament connects the scaphoid and lunate bones in the wrist, linking the proximal, palmar sides, as well as the dorsal side of the scaphoid's proximal inner surface and the dorsal side of the lunate's outer surface. This season marks Miller's second year in the NBA after bravely entering the league. He has played in 27 games so far, averaging 21 points in 34.2 minutes, along with 4.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.1 steals, with a shooting percentage of 40.3%, a three-point percentage of 35.5%, and a free-throw percentage of 86.1%. Apart from a slight decline in shooting and three-point percentages, all other statistics have steadily improved. The decrease in shooting efficiency is understandable, as there is no stable scoring point in the team besides LaMelo Ball. As a No. 2 pick, Miller has naturally become a key player for the Hornets to cultivate. With his increasingly mature playing style, Miller has gradually taken over unlimited shooting rights, averaging 18.2 shots per game, significantly higher than last season's 14.6, and his outside shooting has increased dramatically from 6.7 attempts to 10.9! The current issue is that although his tactical status has been elevated, his output and accuracy…

NBA Regular Season Focus Battles: Various Powers Compete, Each with Ups and Downs Hey, basketball fans! The NBA regular season on January 21 was quite exciting, with several focus battles that were as captivating as a series of dramas, making for an enjoyable watch. Let's start with the game between the Rockets and the Pistons. The Rockets have the momentum-driven Jalen Green, while the Pistons have the same-year number one pick Cunningham. It's like two groups of martial arts masters facing off, each with their own signature skills. So far this season, the Rockets have performed quite well, with a record of 28 wins and 13 losses, ranking second in the West. The Pistons, on the other hand, have a record of 21 wins and 21 losses, placing ninth in the East. During the game, the Rockets were at home and should have had the advantage of playing on their home court, but they lost their form completely, as if they had lost their souls. They couldn't hold their ground in both the interior and exterior lines, which is not good enough. Jalen Duren of the Pistons dominated under the basket like a tiger descending from the mountain, almost smashing through the rim. At this point, Jalen Green didn't perform well either, making consecutive turnovers, allowing the Pistons to go on a 14-0 run and fall behind by 11 points in the first quarter. However, in the second quarter, the situation turned around a bit as the Pistons' state dipped slightly. This was when the Rockets' Amen Thompson and Whitmore…

The regular season is nearing its end, and soon it will be time for the playoff teams to compete. Teams that fail to make the playoffs will need to start planning for next season. In recent seasons, many young rookies have emerged in the league, each of them considered a prodigy with the potential to become superstars and rule the entire league together. Among these, there are five young players whose futures are particularly promising. Green: Green's inclusion on the list came as a surprise to many, as his scoring performance over the past three seasons has been inconsistent. However, his average of 27.8 points throughout March alone was enough to generate high expectations. Unlike the other five players, Green is also the most likely to disappoint; his future could either see him become a super scorer or gradually fade into obscurity. For Green, there are issues with both his personal abilities and the way his team has cultivated him. However, based on his performance in the second half of this season and Udoka's experimentation with the lineup, it is believed that a more suitable tactical system will be in place next season, which could lead to Jalen Green truly rising to prominence. Edwards: The number one pick in 2020, Edwards was initially considered a bust during the first half of his rookie season but was later seen as a future superstar by the second half, demonstrating his adaptability to the game and natural talent. This season marks the final year of Edwards' rookie contract, and he has led his…

To be honest, only three active NBA players deserve the title of "superstar," and Jokic falls short. There has always been much debate about what it means to be a superstar, such as the number of championships, MVPs, FMVPs, and first-team selections one should have. Indeed, as a superstar, various honors are indispensable. However, in my personal opinion, there are only three true superstars: LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant. While Jokic has indeed won championships and MVPs, do you feel, like me, that he is just a little short of the mark in terms of influence? LeBron James From his debut to now, LeBron James has won four championships as the core player on three different teams. To this day, it seems that only James could achieve this feat; if anyone else has done so, please remind me. He has won four MVPs, four Finals MVPs, been selected to the All-NBA First Team 20 times, made the All-Defensive Team six times, been the assist leader once, and the scoring champion once. His statistics are even more impressive: he currently ranks first in total points with 41,355, 28th in rebounds with 11,460, fourth in assists with 11,337, seventh in steals with 2,307, and 77th in blocks with 1,133. Looking at these numbers, would you still doubt James? Of course not; he is undoubtedly a superstar. Stephen Curry Curry has played 15 seasons since the 09 season and has accumulated many honors: four championships, one Finals MVP, two regular-season MVPs, eight All-NBA selections, two scoring titles, and one steal title.…