Translation: The NBA Draft is always a grand event that captures the attention of many, with young rookies often exploding onto the scene, quickly rising to become promising stars. For instance, players like Wenyen Gabriel and Josh Huestis are breaking out and becoming core members of teams like the Spurs and Thunder. Sometimes, when the overall talent of the rookies isn't particularly outstanding, that year is referred to as a "draft down year." The 2021 NBA Draft was considered a down year, but these young players have been impressive, each breaking through their own talent ceilings. Averaging 28+4+4, the No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3 draft picks are all setting new highs, who says this year's draft quality isn't good? Experts and journalists from ESPN in the United States have summarized the first half of the NBA season, selecting the most surprising players of the season. Knicks center Towns ranked first, Pistons Cunningham second, and Spurs Wenyen Gabriel third. Cunningham has always been a relatively low-profile No. 1 pick. He plays for the rebuilding and tanking Pistons, so he hasn't received much attention. However, Cunningham has made tremendous progress this season, not only improving his personal statistics comprehensively but also significantly enhancing his leadership abilities, impressing everyone. Cunningham is the No. 1 pick of the 2021 draft. This season, he averages 24.3 points + 6.5 rebounds + 9.4 assists (third in the league) + 0.9 steals, with a shooting percentage of 45%, a three-point percentage of 36.8%, and a free-throw percentage of 80.5%. Not only can Cunningham score steadily,…

This season's NBA regular season schedule is halfway through, and many teams have been surprising. Typical underrated teams in the West include the Clippers, who were projected to rank 13th in the West before the season but have climbed to fifth at the halfway point. The Rockets were expected to be in the top 8 in the West before the season, but they actually made it to second place. On the other hand, teams like the Pelicans were projected to finish seventh in the West, but are actually second-to-last; the Timberwolves were projected to finish second in the West, but are actually eighth. Simply put, having a star player who can set a floor is rare and hard to come by, such as Harden of the Clippers, who can maximize the value of everyone around him, even bringing out 120% of their potential. Players who leave him often easily reveal their weaknesses, like Paul George. Additionally, youth is a major trend, as the era of James, Durant, and Curry has truly passed. When American media predicts the playoff standings for this season's Western Conference, they generally do not favor the Suns and Warriors, with even the Kings and Spurs having a higher probability of making the playoffs. The Suns' problems are obvious; they struggle against weak teams, excessively extend Durant and Booker's playing time, deplete their one-on-one abilities, and are helpless against strong teams. From defense to tactical systems, the Suns no longer count as a strong team. Meanwhile, the Warriors, who started the season with a 12-3 record as…

Translation of the article content into English: Why write about Booker? Many fans believe that the shooting guard closest to Kobe now is Booker, and Booker is only 28 years old this season. Booker was born in December 1996, so how does Booker's strength compare to that of Kobe and James at the same age? 28-year-old Booker Booker can be considered one of the strongest shooting guards currently active, excelling in both offensive and organizational abilities. His highest personal score of 70 points speaks for itself. He is particularly skilled in step-back shooting, with excellent mid-to-long-range shooting capabilities and top-tier basketball IQ, able to effectively connect the team. His best leadership achievement was reaching the finals. This season, he played 33 games for the Suns, with an average of 24.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 6.9 assists per game. So far, his best individual honor has been one All-NBA First Team and one All-NBA Third Team selection. 28-year-old Kobe Before turning 28, Kobe had already won three championships in his career, which was no big deal for him. The only regret was that he hadn't led a team to a championship. Kobe was born in 1978, and in the 2006 season, he was exactly 28 years old. Shaquille O'Neal left the Lakers in the 2004 season, which was two seasons after O'Neal's departure. Without O'Neal, things didn't seem to go well, especially in the first season when the Lakers failed to enter the playoffs under Kobe's sole leadership, ranking only 12th in the West. Everyone knows Kobe's personality; he was very…

The Phoenix Suns have gone all-in, trading their valuable 2031 first-round pick to the Utah Jazz in exchange for three first-round picks. These include the worst first-round picks from the Cleveland Cavaliers and Minnesota Timberwolves in 2025, as well as the worst picks from the Cavaliers, Timberwolves, and Jazz in 2027 and 2029. Essentially, the Suns have acquired three strictly protected first-round picks, which can only be the worst available. But why would the Suns make such a move? It's no secret that they want Jimmy Butler. However, the specifics of how this might happen are unclear, with multiple US journalists reporting that a potential trade involving Butler could involve four teams. The Miami Heat are not interested in acquiring Bradley Beal, who has a trade veto power and is only willing to waive it for the Lakers, Clippers, and Bucks. Among them, the Bucks are the team Beal wants to join, as he wishes to team up with Damian Lillard. Regardless, the Suns have made it clear that they are not backing down. Their options are limited, as both the Houston Rockets and the Jazz have cut off their retreat. US journalist Trevor Lane commented after the Suns' trade, suggesting that the Jazz engaged in the trade because, like the Rockets, they do not have high hopes for the Suns' future. They believe that after the Kevin Durant era, the Suns will fall into darkness, making their draft picks highly lucrative. Currently, the Rockets own the Suns' draft picks in 2025, 2027, and 2029, with the 2029 first-round pick…

NBA All-Star Game Voting Results Announced: Stars Shine, Fans Celebrate Hey, basketball fans! Did you know that there's a super dazzling event in the world of basketball called the NBA All-Star Game? It's not just any game; it's like a grand party in the basketball world, gathering all the top players from the league, with eyes from fans around the globe fixed on it. On January 17th, Beijing time, the much-anticipated third phase of the All-Star Game fan voting results were released, instantly injecting a shot of adrenaline into the fans, causing their enthusiasm to skyrocket. Let's start with the vote king, Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Milwaukee Bucks, who is incredibly impressive. He seems to be on a whole other level, shining like a super bright star in the voting, almost blinding others with his brilliance. Can you imagine? He is the only player to receive over 3 million votes, with an astonishing total of 3,489,956 votes. On the court, he's like an unstoppable basketball machine. His physique is so robust that it feels like a wall, combined with his superb athletic ability, making him a dominant force in both offense and defense. When he breaks through for a layup, it's like a gust of wind, quickly rushing to the basket and scoring. During inside play, opponents are pushed around by him. His games are filled with magic, making Bucks' matches particularly exciting, driving fans wild with support. Looking at the West, Nikola Jokic from the Denver Nuggets is also outstanding. With 2,924,436 votes, he stands out among the Western…

On January 20th, Beijing time, the NBA 2024-25 season regular season staged a Western Conference focus match, with the Los Angeles Lakers challenging the Clippers. This is a city derby. This season marks the first meeting between the two teams, with the Lakers holding a slight advantage over the Clippers in their four encounters last season, winning three out of four games. Obviously, these two teams are always the focus of the event. Compared to the Clippers, the Lakers have a significant advantage in terms of lineup this season, but they have not been able to meet expectations, with extremely fluctuating form, often experiencing multiple consecutive losses after several victories, which is really regrettable. The key point is that this game is an important positioning battle. The Lakers currently have a total record of 22 wins and 17 losses, and have achieved 2 consecutive victories, ranking 6th in the West; while the Clippers have a total record of 23 wins and 17 losses, having won 3 consecutive victories, ranking 5th in the West. Obviously, neither team wants to lose in this game. Before the game, American media ESPN predicted the win rate for the day's game: the Lakers' win rate is only 36.0%, while the Clippers' win rate reached 64.0%. Obviously, the American media leans more towards the Clippers winning this derby. In terms of the starting lineup, on the Lakers' side, Wood, Vanderbilt, and Hood-Scheffino were unable to play, and James was likely to play. Redick's latest starting lineup is James, Davis, Hachimura, Christie, and Reeves; on the Clippers'…

As we all know, the NBA is the top league in the basketball world with the highest exposure. Here, we not only witness talented players showcasing their basketball skills on the court but also see many celebrities and beautiful internet celebrities off the court, adding a touch of beauty to the NBA games. During a recent home game of the Lakers, there was such a beautiful female fan among the audience who became popular online for her delicate features and impressive figure. She not only sat in the front row to watch the game but also appeared in the broadcast camera frame alongside LeBron James. It is worth mentioning that shortly after the game, the identity information of this beautiful female fan was uncovered by netizens. It turned out that she is a Chinese internet celebrity actress named Zhou Linjia. After the game, she also posted a photo with James on her account, captioning it that she is a big fan of James. From the photos, we can see Zhou Linjia wearing a hat with the China Resources logo and a white tank top, exuding a youthful and vibrant aura. Netizens also discovered that this was not the first time Zhou Linjia had come to watch an NBA game. Earlier, she also appeared at the NBA arena to watch the game, and her slender and fair long legs made countless netizens exclaim: "Who wouldn't be dazzled by these long legs and this figure!" In addition, Zhou Linjia also appeared at the Paris Olympics last year, watching the opening ceremony while…

The Lakers faced off against the Wizards at home, with the Lakers starting lineup consisting of Reeves, Christie, Hachimura, James, and Davis; while the Wizards started with Carrington, Poole, Culver, Kuzma, and Sar. In the first quarter, the Wizards surprisingly took the lead as visitors. After Poole scored a three-pointer and completed a 2+1 play, Davis responded with a three-pointer and a mid-range shot, allowing the Lakers to take the lead. Kuzma also scored consecutively, and the two teams exchanged points, entering a timeout with a score of 12-13. Returning to the game, Davis sent a big block on defense, and Smith hit a three-pointer, prompting the Wizards to call a timeout with a score of 15-18. After the timeout, Smith hit another three-pointer, and the Wizards responded with a three-pointer. Davis and Hayes took turns dunking, and after James scored on a breakthrough, the Lakers extended their lead. However, the Wizards quickly responded with a 5-0 run to stop the bleeding. Reeves was fouled on a buzzer-beating three-pointer, but the Wizards successfully challenged the call, ending the first quarter with the Lakers leading 29-23 by six points. In the second quarter, during the rotation phase, James came in and immediately hit a three-pointer, then assisted Reeves in hitting another three-pointer. However, the Wizards quickly responded with a small scoring spree, with Kuzma hitting a three-pointer to close the gap to 33-36, only three points behind, forcing the Lakers to call a timeout. Returning to the game, James led a 9-2 scoring run to re-establish the lead, but Culver's 2+1…

On January 22nd, Beijing time, in an NBA regular season game, the Philadelphia 76ers suffered their seventh consecutive loss at the hands of the Denver Nuggets. The 76ers were suppressed by the Nuggets from the start of the game, with the score difference widening to over 20 points by the end of the third quarter, and the fourth quarter quickly turned into garbage time. Without Embiid, they have lost 8 out of 9 games. Currently, the Philadelphia 76ers have five players on the injury list: Martin, Lowry, Embiid, Little Martin, and McCain. Embiid's injury report on January 17th showed that he needed another 7-10 days of rest, and his swollen knee would be re-examined after 7-10 days. Due to this away game, Embiid continued to miss playing against the Nuggets. His last appearance in Denver was back in 2019, nearly 2000 days without playing a game at the Nuggets' home court. The last time Embiid played here, Harden was still with the Rockets. However, in Embiid's last three games against the Nuggets, he averaged 40.7 points, 11.3 rebounds, and 6.3 assists. Philadelphia fans defended him, believing that it was unnecessary for Nuggets fans to mock Embiid. Despite this, Nuggets fans printed missing person flyers to mock the Emperor. Without Embiid, the 76ers were already trailing by 10 points at halftime. Jokic easily scored 18 points with 6 out of 9 shots, adding 5 assists, 3 rebounds, and 2 steals. It felt like Jokic hadn't even broken a sweat. Porter Jr. had 11 points, Braun had 12 points, and Strus had…

On January 22nd, Beijing time, the NBA regular season continued. In today's focus game, the Nuggets defeated the 76ers at home, achieving a three-game winning streak. Facing the 76ers without Embiid, Jokic made an all-round performance with 11 points and 4 assists in the first quarter, helping the team score 35 points in a single quarter and establish an 8-point lead. In the second quarter, both sides scored a total of 82 points, and the Nuggets expanded their lead to 10 points. At the beginning of the third quarter, the Nuggets quickly scored 27-17, expanding their lead to 20 points. It should be noted that the Nuggets scored over 100 points in just two and a half quarters. Although the 76ers tried to catch up later, the Nuggets did not give them any chance and easily won at home. Jokic once again achieved a triple-double today. In the entire game, Jokic played for 30 minutes, shooting 10 of 15, including 2 of 3 from beyond the arc and 5 of 5 from the free throw line, totaling 27 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists. This is Jokic's 19th triple-double this season, and he has also achieved a triple-double in four consecutive games, continuing to rank first in the league. At the same time, this is also Jokic's 149th career triple-double, continuing to rank third in NBA history, only behind his teammate Westbrook and Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson. It should be noted that Jokic's career triple-double ratio reached 20.8%, ranking first in NBA history! Westbrook continued to start today, playing…