On January 14, 2025, the NBA regular season continued with the Houston Rockets hosting the Memphis Grizzlies. The two teams were closely ranked, with the Rockets at 25 wins and 12 losses, ranking second in the West, while the Grizzlies were third in the West with 25 wins and 14 losses. This game was not only a battle for position but also a focal matchup. Ultimately, the Rockets narrowly defeated the Grizzlies 120-118 after four quarters of intense competition, further solidifying their second place in the West. Game Review The game started with the Grizzlies taking the lead first, with Morant and Bane's offense helping them gain an advantage. Although the Rockets gradually responded through the offensive efforts of Jalen Green and Amen, the Grizzlies still led 30-23 at the end of the first quarter. In the second quarter, both teams had low shooting percentages, and the Grizzlies once expanded their lead, but the Rockets gradually narrowed the gap through the outstanding performances of Whitmore and Jalen Green, trailing 57-60 at halftime. In the third quarter, both sides engaged in a back-and-forth defensive battle, with the Grizzlies maintaining a slight lead. At the end of the third quarter, the Rockets trailed 87-92. Entering the fourth quarter, the Rockets gradually turned the tide, with Jalen Green's personal outburst and Amen's strong performance in the paint helping the Rockets overtake the score in the final moments. Eventually, the Rockets won a narrow victory over the Grizzlies 120-118, thanks to Jalen Green's two successful free throws. Houston Rockets Player Ratings:‌ Jalen Green (Perfect…

The Houston Rockets announced before their home game against the Memphis Grizzlies that their forward Tari Eason would continue to miss the game. Although Eason has now resumed training, and coach Udoka has increased the intensity of his training on non-game days, it must be said that Eason is still plagued by injuries. He may not be able to play for the Rockets for a while. Although Eason's current injury is not serious, last season's serious injury left him with psychological scars, and he still occasionally feels pain in his left leg. Udoka said he doesn't know when Eason will be able to officially return to the team and play, so Eason has now missed 12 games, and no one knows if he will be able to play in the next game. The Rockets' small forward Jabari Smith has also been out for a week, and may have to miss another month or so before he can play again. The Rockets' schedule in January was already quite tough, with a dense schedule and facing many playoff-level strong teams. However, surprisingly, the Rockets did not fall into a losing streak as a result. Under Udoka's leadership, this team not only had a very good record in January, but after defeating the Grizzlies, they also welcomed a four-game winning streak, maintaining their position at second in the West, with their lead over the third-placed Grizzlies expanding to two wins. This was unexpected by everyone, as many people thought that with the Rockets' weakened lineup and facing so many strong teams, they were…

Recently, Westbrook has been performing exceptionally well. Since entering 2025, he has been averaging 08+8+8, compensating for Murray's subpar form. Although he still occasionally makes mistakes, overall, Westbrook has returned to being an MVP-level player. Due to his outstanding performance, there has been widespread attention on whether he can stay with the Nuggets. Because of Westbrook's excellent state, it has recently been reported that the Nuggets management has offered him a contract extension. This is a two-year contract worth between 28millionand28 million and 28millionand30 million, with a trade penalty clause included. For the Nuggets, this offer is full of sincerity, as they have no salary cap space left; this is the largest contract they can offer. However, if Westbrook signs such a contract, it will make it even more difficult for the Nuggets to strengthen their team next season. In terms of amount, this contract offer may not fully match the immense value Westbrook brings to the team. But considering Westbrook's age and that his aspirations do not lie in big contracts, this contract still feels respectful to him. Whether Westbrook stays or not has absolutely nothing to do with the contract amount. Westbrook has found a new sense of belonging with the Nuggets. He has good chemistry with Jokic, and the team has the potential to compete for the championship. For a veteran aiming to win a title, the allure of a championship might be more important than money. Therefore, whether Westbrook stays with the Nuggets largely depends on the team's performance this season. If the Nuggets win the…

The game between the Rockets and the Grizzlies was quite lively, as we all saw. In terms of the game's progress, it was a fast-paced rhythm, but in this game, the Rockets were the team chasing points. The victory was crucial for the Rockets. So, what are the key points to analyze from this game? Winning twice in four days has solidified their position as second in the West. How did the Rockets win, and what were the five correct decisions? In fact, the Rockets and the Grizzlies have played each other quite a bit recently. Just four days ago, they had a match where the Rockets won by a small margin of 4 points. Today's game also ended with a narrow 2-point victory for the Rockets. However, this doesn't diminish the significance of the Rockets winning twice against the Grizzlies in four days. Moreover, after these consecutive victories, the Rockets have firmly maintained their second place in the West, increasing their number of wins to 26. How did the Rockets manage to win this game? It was mainly due to five correct decisions. The first decision was to give the ball to Green. Since entering January, Green has been performing exceptionally well. As a result, Udoka ensured that Green received ample ball possession. Everyone could see in this game that the Rockets' victory was largely due to Green's contributions. He scored 42 points and provided 4 assists, playing a crucial role in closing the gap when the team was trailing, stabilizing the Rockets' foundation. The second decision was to…

The NBA league is always full of unexpected events, as it is a commercial stage where all team owners aim to make money, and players come here as workers. Therefore, we should not be surprised by anything that happens. The Golden State Warriors are undoubtedly one of the most successful teams in the 21st century, having won four championship trophies after the year 2010. Stephen Curry has also risen to become one of the top 15 players in history, and some fans and media even believe he has become the gatekeeper of the top 10 in history. However, the Warriors have recently been experiencing difficulties, suffering from the aftermath of winning championships, and they may even fail to enter the playoffs. After winning the championship in 2022, the Warriors retained their starting lineup, but they let go of many role players who were indispensable. Once these players left, it was difficult to replace them. Last season, the Warriors did not make it to the playoffs, which put them under intense scrutiny. Many fans believed that Curry's NBA career would not yield a fifth championship, and this season has seen a cliff-like decline for Curry, losing his peak sharpness. At this critical moment, American media proposed a trade plan for the Warriors: sending Andrew Wiggins, Bjelica, and a first-round pick to acquire Jimmy Butler. This trade plan is quite feasible, as the Heat need young talent, while the Warriors need immediate combat power, making it a win-win situation. Butler averages 17.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.2 steals per game,…

The Golden State Warriors have fallen to 12th place in the Western Conference after a 101-104 loss to the Toronto Raptors, dropping out of the playoff qualification zone with a record of 19 wins and 20 losses, which is now below a 50% win rate. If Warrior fans are feeling particularly disheartened, they might find some solace in looking at their neighbors, the Lakers fans who have to wear masks when they go out due to the Los Angeles wildfires. The Lakers, who had a five-day break because of the fires, were expected to be well-rested but instead performed poorly, losing 102-126 to the San Antonio Spurs with a disastrous fourth quarter where they only scored 13 points while conceding 37. Not all Lakers players were underperforming, however; Anthony Davis stood out with an impressive performance, scoring 30 points and grabbing 13 rebounds (including 8 offensive rebounds) along with 2 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks, although it wasn't enough to save the team from defeat. Despite their current struggles, the Lakers are still in a slightly better position than the Warriors, holding the 7th spot in the West with a record of 20 wins and 17 losses. However, they need to be cautious as they could easily slip out of the playoff qualification zone if they're not careful. It's clear that both these high-profile teams need to make changes to improve their current situations. What changes are needed? During the season, the best way to improve is often through recruitment. Both the Warriors and the Lakers currently lack a…

The Golden State Warriors currently have a record of 19 wins and 18 losses, ranking 9th in the Western Conference. This ranking is not ideal for them, as they started the season with a remarkable 12 wins and 3 losses, even ranking second in the West at one point. However, they have now fallen to the position of the play-in tournament, which is quite frustrating for the Warriors. The main reason for this is that the team lacks players who can consistently score and assist Stephen Curry, failing to provide more support for the team. In the highly competitive Western Conference, if the Golden State Warriors want to succeed, they must obtain some excellent star players through trades. Based on this, American media "Fadeaway World" suggests that the Golden State Warriors and the Brooklyn Nets reach a five-for-two trade to enhance the team's competitiveness. Cameron Johnson and Dairon Sharpe were acquired by the Golden State Warriors. The Brooklyn Nets successfully acquired the following personnel and draft picks: Jonathan Kuminga, Gary Payton II, Kevin Looney, and Jisantos. Additionally, the team also has a top-3 protected first-round draft pick from the Golden State Warriors (GSW) in 2027. The Golden State Warriors obtained a forward player through a trade, who is at the peak of his career. His arrival will assist Stephen Curry in the game and help the team achieve better results in subsequent events. The Golden State Warriors should really plan carefully now, as Stephen Curry is at the end of his peak career. Now is the time to find outstanding…

NBA regular season continues, with the Clippers hosting the Heat today. Despite a good start by the Heat, the Clippers suddenly picked up momentum in the second half, putting up a 36-20 run in the third quarter, winning the quarter by 16 points. In the final quarter, the Clippers also managed to suppress the Heat's counterattack, eventually securing a comfortable 109-98 victory at home. Harden continued his excellent performance, with his scoring steadily increasing. He is now only 9 points away from breaking Wilkins' scoring record, and the top ten in history is not far off. Hiro has been performing like a superstar this season, going 9 for 20 in this game, scoring a comprehensive 32 points, 11 rebounds, and 7 assists. Rozier delivered 11 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 assists, while Haismith scored 9 points and grabbed 5 rebounds. Little Melo Harks took down 10 points and 5 rebounds. Veteran Love started and contributed 9 points and 3 rebounds. Coming off the bench, Veil exploded with a double-double of 19 points and 13 rebounds, but the other players were unremarkable, with the team's offensive efficiency being low, making the loss reasonable. On the Clippers' side, Leonard started and scored 6 points and 5 rebounds before leaving the court to rest. Harden continued his dominant performance, going 9 for 17 from the field, scoring a comprehensive 26 points, 5 rebounds, and 11 assists. Dunn only managed 2 points, mainly contributing on the defensive end. Powell was hot, efficiently scoring 29 points and grabbing 6 rebounds. Center Zubac also dominated Love,…

The Lakers and the Suns are competing for the Hornets' 213cm frontcourt player! The trade assets have been revealed, and he performs steadily with a low salary. After acquiring the 3D wing Finney-Smith at the end of last month, the Lakers have not made any new moves recently. Journalist Siegel recently disclosed that the Lakers and the Suns are vying for the Hornets' 213cm frontcourt player, Richards, as both teams want to strengthen their frontcourt lineup. Phoenix wants to use Richards to replace Nurkic, while Los Angeles hopes to enhance their frontline rotation depth. Richards was selected in the second round, 42nd overall, in the 2020 draft. This season marks his fifth year in Charlotte. In his first two seasons, he did not have much playing time, averaging less than 8 minutes per game in both seasons. However, in the past two seasons, he has become a key rotational player thanks to his rebounding ability and strong performance in the paint. Last season, he started 51 games, averaging 9.7 points, 8 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks, which was the best year of his career. So far this season, Richards has played 20 games, starting in 9 of them, averaging 9.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.3 blocks, with a high shooting percentage of 56.4%. In the Hornets' 115-104 victory over the Suns on the 8th, he efficiently scored 15 points, grabbed 12 rebounds, and had 3 blocks with 6 out of 4 shots, showing an excellent performance. This 213cm frontcourt player has a salary of only $5 million for both…

NBA once had a slogan that went "Where Amazing Happens," which essentially means it's a place where miracles occur. This applies not only to team competitions but also to the personal growth of players. There was Jokic, who rose from a second-round pick to become a back-to-back MVP, and now there is a forward who was passed over nine times in the draft and didn't get a response even after actively courting the Spurs, known as the "newcomer's Whampoa Military Academy." However, this season, at only 23 years old, he has averaged an impressive 19.8 points, 10 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.1 blocks, achieving a "phoenix-like rebirth." When I list these stats above, some of you may already know who this young star is. Yes, he is none other than Jalen Johnson, the Hawks' starting forward who made a remarkable comeback from the 20th pick. Johnson was once a five-star high school player and one of the top three forwards in the country. For a long time, he was predicted to be selected within the top eight picks. Even in the last mock draft before the actual event, he was projected to go as high as the 11th pick. However, his repeated locker room controversies during his college days and his insistence on changing teams raised doubts about his future professionalism, earning him the nickname "runaway forward." Due to such external doubts, NBA executives hesitated. In the 2021 draft, nine teams among the top 19 picks had focused on him, but they all ultimately chose other players. Jalen…