On January 1st, Beijing time, the NBA regular season continued with a total of 6 matchups scheduled. The specific results are as follows: Raptors lost 71-125 to the Celtics, Bucks defeated Pacers 120-112, Clippers suffered an 86-122 defeat to the Spurs, Timberwolves lost 105-113 to the Thunder, Cavaliers beat Lakers 122-110, and Grizzlies narrowly won against Suns 117-112. Stars such as Tatum, Antetokounmpo, Wembanyama, SGA, Allen, Reeves, JJJ, and Bane all had impressive performances. So, who will be awarded the title of today's best player? Let's take a look together.
In the game between Cavaliers and Lakers, five Cavaliers players scored in double figures, including Mitchell contributing 26 points + 4 rebounds + 4 assists, Allen scoring 27 points + 14 rebounds + 3 blocks, and Mobley Jr. getting 20 points + 6 rebounds. They once established a 16-point lead and eventually won by 12 points. On the Lakers side, LeBron James scored 23 points + 4 rebounds + 7 assists, Davis contributed 28 points + 13 rebounds + 4 assists + 3 steals + 2 blocks, and Reeves also did his best! He played for 37 minutes, shooting 11 of 20 (1 of 4 from three-point range), making 12 of 13 free throws, and scored a luxurious 35 points + 9 rebounds + 10 assists. According to statistics, 35 points tied Reeves' personal career single-game scoring record.
In the game between Clippers and Spurs, Harden, Powell, and Coffey combined for 46 points + 10 rebounds + 7 three-pointers, but the Clippers still suffered a crushing defeat, trailing by as many as 41 points at one point, ultimately losing by 36 points! On the Spurs side, Keldon Johnson scored 17 points + 6 rebounds, and Wembanyama was even more ruthless! He played for 25 minutes, shooting 10 of 18 (1 of 6 from three-point range), making 6 of 7 free throws, and scored a comprehensive 27 points + 9 rebounds + 5 assists + 1 steal + 3 blocks, with a field plus-minus value as high as +22, leading the team! Especially in the first quarter, Wembanyama scored 17 points alone, setting the tone for the entire game, which was too invincible!
In the game between Bucks and Pacers, six Pacers players scored in double figures, including Masey scoring 25 points + 9 rebounds, Siakam scoring 20 points + 7 rebounds + 4 assists, and Turner scoring 16 points + 10 rebounds. However, they still lost a good opportunity after once leading by 19 points, suffering a reversal, all because Antetokounmpo was too unreasonable! Antetokounmpo played for 34 minutes, shooting 11 of 20, making 8 of 13 free throws, contributing a comprehensive 30 points + 12 rebounds + 5 assists + 2 steals, with a field plus-minus value as high as +12. Especially in the second half, Antetokounmpo scored 26 points alone, directing a big comeback and sealing the victory with consecutive shots and free throws in the decisive moments, which was very domineering!
In the game between Timberwolves and Thunder, five Timberwolves players scored in double figures, including Hua Zi scoring 20 points + 7 rebounds, Conley scoring 16 points + 4 assists, and substitutes Reed and DiVincenzo combining for 29 points + 12 rebounds + 6 assists. However, they still lost a good opportunity after once leading by 12 points, trailing by as many as 14 points at one point, and ultimately failing to avoid defeat! On the Thunder side, Hatten scored 15 points + 10 rebounds + 4 assists, Jalen Williams contributed 14 points + 7 rebounds + 7 assists + 3 steals, but they were not the best performing players on the team; SGA was! SGA played for 34 minutes, shooting 15 of 23 (3 of 5 from three-point range), making 7 of 9 free throws, and scored a comprehensive 40 points + 3 rebounds + 2 assists + 3 steals, with a field plus-minus value of +11. Especially in the third quarter, SGA scored 19 points alone, leading the Thunder to a 20-point net win over their opponents in a single quarter, directing a big comeback!
In addition, Tatum of the Celtics scored 23 points + 8 rebounds + 3 assists, JJJ of the Grizzlies scored 38 points + 10 rebounds + 4 assists, and Bane contributed 31 points + 5 rebounds + 7 assists. The performances of these stars all left a deep impression, but considering the outcome of the games and the individual data of the stars, SGA's performance of exploding for 40 points and blowing out Hua Zi was simply too explosive. He ultimately won the title of NBA Today's Best Player without suspense, surpassing stars like Reeves and Antetokounmpo. What do you think about this, basketball fans? Leave me a comment to discuss it.