On January 1st, Beijing time, the NBA was bustling with six regular season games. Once these matches concluded, the latest rankings were officially unveiled. Let's talk about the Bucks and Pacers game, where Giannis Antetokounmpo made his return. However, what was unexpected was Damian Lillard's poor performance, shooting only 3 out of 14 for a total of 9 points. The Bucks were once down by 19 points, which had me quite anxious. Fortunately, Giannis Antetokounmpo played exceptionally well, and with the support of Lopez and Trent, they managed to pull off a great comeback. By the end of the game, Giannis Antetokounmpo's stats were impressive, scoring 30 points, grabbing 12 rebounds, and dishing out 5 assists. This victory ended their two-game losing streak, propelling them to fifth place in the East, while the Pacers settled at eighth.
I'm the Celtics, and recently, I've been criticized for my excessive three-point attempts in games, with Jayson Tatum's lackluster performance also drawing harsh criticism. However, today, I finally rose to the occasion with an excellent performance! Tatum also showed signs of recovery, shooting 6 out of 13 for 23 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists. Ultimately, we defeated the Raptors by a record-breaking 54 points, setting a new high for the season. This 54-point margin is the largest of the season, surpassing the Grizzlies' 51-point win over the Warriors on December 20th. After this victory, we remain firmly in second place in the East, while the Raptors suffered their 11th consecutive loss, remaining at the bottom of the East in 14th place.
Today, the Clippers faced off against the Spurs. In this game, the Clippers' Harden was not in good form, and Powell was also out of sorts. Looking at the Spurs, Wen Bananma was unstoppable, like a small tank, with Paul, Barnes, and Johnson all performing well. As a result, the Spurs quickly took control of the game, eventually winning by 36 points over the Clippers. Additionally, the Lakers also faced the Cavaliers today. Although the Cavaliers were exhausted from continuous games, they still put up a strong performance, leading by as many as 16 points. However, the Lakers fought back valiantly, despite the large deficit. Unfortunately, the Lakers' weak three-point shooting prevented them from completing the comeback, resulting in a loss.
Originally, after the Clippers lost, the Lakers were set to rise to sixth place in the West. However, with their own loss, the Lakers inadvertently "warmed" the Clippers, allowing them to comfortably take the sixth spot in the West, while the Lakers had to settle for seventh. Meanwhile, the Spurs remained in ninth place in the West after their victory. Looking at the East, the Cavaliers are formidable, securing an eight-game winning streak to maintain their lead in first place. In today's game, the Thunder faced the Timberwolves. Initially, the Thunder were trailing, but fear not, as Alexander exploded, leading the Thunder to a perfect comeback. By the end of the game, Alexander's stats were outstanding, scoring 40 points, grabbing 3 rebounds, and dishing out 2 assists. Following this game, the Thunder achieved an impressive 12-game winning streak, catapulting them to first place in the West, while the Timberwolves had to settle for eighth.
I'm the Suns, and today, I was eagerly awaiting Booker's return, hoping to make a significant impact in the game. However, Beal suffered an injury and had to leave the court. By the fourth quarter, Booker was also struggling offensively. Looking at the Grizzlies, they were in full swing, ultimately leading to our defeat. After this match, the Grizzlies moved up to second place in the West, while we dropped to eleventh. If we had won this game, we could have caught up to the Warriors, but now, not only did we fail to catch up, but we also allowed the Warriors to solidify their position in tenth place in the West. Currently, we are one game behind the Warriors, and with our current form, it's uncertain when we can stop the downward trend. If this continues, we'll be further away from the playoffs, causing me great concern.
