On January 1st, Beijing time, the NBA regular season continues, let's take a look at the performance of the Western Conference teams and the latest standings changes. The main information is as follows: Thunder 113-105 Timberwolves, Lakers 110-122 lost to Cavaliers, Clippers 86-122 suffered a crushing defeat to Spurs, Grizzlies 117-112 defeated Suns.
The latest Western Conference standings
The Thunder, the leaders of the Western Conference, have been winning continuously. At home against the Timberwolves, they were trailing 46-52 in the first half, but in the third quarter, they launched a super attack wave of 43-23 to overtake. In this quarter, Alexander made 7 out of 8 shots and scored 19 points alone. Eventually, the Thunder defeated the Timberwolves 113-105, securing their 12th consecutive victory and firmly occupying the top spot in the West, leading their opponents by at least 5 wins. Alexander played at an MVP level, making 15 out of 23 shots and scoring 40 points with 3 rebounds and 2 assists. Hatten had a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Williams contributed 14 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists. The Timberwolves are temporarily ranked 8th with a record of 17 wins and 15 losses, trailing the Lakers by one win and only leading the 9th-ranked Spurs by 0.5 wins. Edwards made 6 out of 12 shots for 20 points and 7 rebounds, while Reed scored 19 points and grabbed 8 rebounds.
Thunder's 12-game winning streak
The Grizzlies, without key players like Morant and Aldama, narrowly defeated the Suns led by Durant and Booker with a score of 117-112 away from home. In this game, the Grizzlies scored an impressive 69 points in the first half, establishing a 14-point lead; in the third quarter, the Suns narrowed the gap by 9 points with a score of 31-22, but in the final quarter, there were always Grizzlies players stepping up to score, eventually securing a narrow 5-point victory. With a record of 23 wins and 11 losses, the Grizzlies lead the Rockets by one win and are temporarily ranked second in the West. In this game, Jackson delivered 38 points and 11 rebounds, while Bane contributed 31 points, 5 rebounds, and 7 assists.
Suns suffer three consecutive defeats
The Suns have suffered three consecutive defeats and are ranked 11th with a record of 15 wins and 17 losses, trailing the 10th-ranked Warriors by one win. Durant made 11 out of 19 shots for an empty 29 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists, while Booker, who had poor shooting, made only 4 out of 20 shots, converting all 6 free throws for 16 points and 9 assists. Beal made only 1 out of 5 shots and was injured after playing only one quarter.
Cavaliers' 8-game winning streak tops the league
Both Los Angeles teams suffered defeats, with the Lakers losing 110-122 at home to the Cavaliers, who have the best record. The Cavaliers completed an 8-game winning streak and remain undefeated against Western Conference teams. In this game, the Cavaliers dominated, maintaining the lead with their hot shooting, while the Lakers showed resilience. Reeves, LeBron, and Davis performed well, preventing the game from being blown out early, but their overall strength was still lacking, resulting in a loss for the Lakers.
LeBron's return fails to save the day
The Lakers, with a record of 18 wins and 14 losses, are temporarily ranked 7th, trailing the 6th-ranked Clippers by 0.5 wins. Reeves made 11 out of 20 shots for an empty 35 points, 9 rebounds, and 10 assists, while Davis made 12 out of 23 shots for 28 points and 13 rebounds. LeBron returned, making 9 out of 17 shots for an empty 23 points and 7 assists, and Finney-Smith and Milton made their Lakers debuts. The Clippers surrendered early against the Spurs, suffering a crushing defeat of 86-122, dropping to 6th place. Harden scored only 17 points with 5 turnovers, while Powell contributed 15 points and 5 rebounds.