On January 2nd, 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: The Rockets defeated the Mavericks 110-99, sending them to their third consecutive loss; the Nuggets defeated the Hawks 139-120 for their third consecutive win; the Kings reversed the 76ers 113-107; and the Pelicans lost to the Heat 108-119, suffering their eleventh consecutive loss.
The competition in the West is very fierce, and the rankings can change every day. The Thunder and Grizzlies did not play today and remain in the top two spots. The third-placed Rockets won 110-99 at home against the Mavericks without Doncic, ending their two-game losing streak and improving their record to 22 wins and 11 losses, just half a game behind the Grizzlies and 5.5 games behind the Thunder. The losing Mavericks suffered their third consecutive loss with a record of 20 wins and 14 losses, falling out of the top four to fifth place.
In fact, the teams ranked fourth to seventh, the Nuggets, Mavericks, Clippers, and Lakers, have a maximum difference of only one win between them. The Nuggets played a 41-24 offensive wave at home in the third quarter, defeating the Hawks 139-120 for their third consecutive win. Jokic shot 8 for 16, easily scoring 23 points, 17 rebounds, and 15 assists. Murray and Porter Jr. scored 21 points each, and Westbrook shot 5 for 6, scoring 16 points and 11 assists with only 1 turnover. Although the Nuggets are currently without Gordon, their chemistry is good, and they have scored over 130 points in the last four games, showing significant improvement in offensive efficiency. The Clippers lead the Lakers by only half a win, temporarily ranking sixth, while the Timberwolves, Spurs, Warriors, and Suns are ranked eighth to eleventh.
The Kings made a strong push in the final quarter, scoring 33-18 in a single quarter to eventually reverse the 76ers 113-107, welcoming their second consecutive win. Fox shot 13 for 16, scoring 35 points, Sabonis contributed 17 points, 21 rebounds, and 7 assists, and DeRozan scored 18 points, improving their record to 15 wins and 19 losses, two wins behind the tenth-ranked Warriors. Prior to this, the Kings suffered a six-game losing streak, and coach Brown was fired, with rumors of Fox being traded. Only victory can relieve the pressure.
The Jazz and Pelicans, two bottom teams, continue to be in a losing streak. The Jazz lost 103-119 to the Knicks, suffering their fifth consecutive loss, with Sexton and Clarkson scoring 25 points in vain, and Markkanen shooting only 6 for 22 with 16 points and 10 rebounds. The Pelicans lost 108-119 to the Heat, suffering their eleventh consecutive loss, having already lost 29 games this season, the most in the league.