On January 6th, Beijing time, the NBA regular season continued, and all the games for today have been completed. Although there were only 6 games, 5 strong teams from the Western Conference faced off. Due to the fierce competition in the West, the Western Conference landscape has changed after today's games. Although the rankings in the West haven't changed much, there has been a significant change in the number of wins between the teams. Let's take a look.
Thunder's Momentum Continues
The Thunder hosted the Celtics in this game, which the Celtics took very seriously, fielding their full core lineup. At halftime, they had established a 10-point lead thanks to their excellent performance. However, as the Thunder's defense began to dominate in the second half, the Celtics only managed to score 27 points in total for the entire half, ultimately being reversed by the Thunder. In this game, Alexander on the Thunder side scored 33 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks.
After the victory, the Thunder extended their winning streak to 15 games, becoming the second team in the league to reach 30 wins. They remain undefeated against Eastern Conference teams this season. In their next game, they will face the Cavaliers, who are first in the league and have yet to lose to a Western Conference team. This matchup is definitely worth looking forward to. Currently, the Thunder leads the second-place Rockets by 7 wins. Given their stability and strength, it seems that the top spot in the West is almost guaranteed for them this season.
Rockets Maintain Second Place
The Rockets faced off against the Lakers, relying on Jalen Green's outstanding performance in the first quarter, the Rockets had already built a 14-point lead at the end of the first quarter. In the second quarter, the Rockets continued their offensive onslaught, at one point extending their lead to over 20 points. However, the Lakers did not give up. Led by LeBron James in the third quarter, they gradually closed the gap. By the end of the third quarter, the Lakers were only down by 2 points. In the decisive fourth quarter, the Lakers made several crucial mistakes and fouls, ultimately squandering their chance to win, losing to the Rockets 115-119.
In this game, Jalen Green was the best performer for the Rockets, shooting 12 of 24 from the field, including 5 of 12 from three-point range, finishing with 33 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists. Alperen Sengun returned and recorded 23 points, 16 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal. After the victory, the Rockets' record stands at 23 wins and 12 losses, solidifying their position in second place in the West. They currently lead the Grizzlies by half a game, and even if the Grizzlies win their next game, the Rockets will still be ranked second.
The Lakers' LeBron James scored 23 points, 13 rebounds, and 9 assists, Anthony Davis had 30 points, 13 rebounds, and 2 assists, and Dennis Schroder scored 21 points and 10 assists. The Lakers lost this game due to their rebounding, as their opponents outrebounded them significantly. With this loss, the Lakers' record stands at 20 wins and 15 losses. Although they are still ranked fifth in the West, their record is now tied with the sixth-place Mavericks and seventh-place Clippers, trailing the fourth-place Nuggets by half a game.
Warriors Drop to Ninth
In the game between the Warriors and the Kings, the Kings' De'Aaron Fox did not play. It was expected that the Warriors would easily defeat their opponents, but it was they who were easily defeated. In the latter half of the first quarter, the Warriors had already lost the suspense of the game. At the end of the first quarter, they were already trailing by 15 points. In the second quarter, the Kings extended their lead to over 20 points, and by the end of the third quarter, the Warriors were trailing by 30 points, effectively ending the game. Ultimately, the Warriors lost to the Kings 99-129.
Stephen Curry did his best in this game, shooting 7 of 26 from the field and being forced to sit out the fourth quarter. Andrew Wiggins scored 18 points and 4 rebounds, while Draymond Green had 10 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists. Recently, Green's three-point shooting efficiency has been good. After the loss, the Warriors' record stands at 18 wins and 17 losses. Due to their disadvantage in head-to-head matchups with the Spurs, the Warriors have dropped from eighth to ninth place, leading the tenth-place Timberwolves by only half a game. The competition in the West is not just among the top ten teams, but also intense outside the top ten.
On the Kings' side, Monk scored 26 points, 3 rebounds, and 12 assists, Sabonis had 22 points, 13 rebounds, and 7 assists, and Hield scored 16 points and 1 rebound. After the victory, the Kings' record stands at 17 wins and 19 losses, welcoming a four-game winning streak. The team has also started their "Northern Expedition." They had previously fallen to twelfth in the West, but recently they have surpassed the Suns. Now, they are only one game behind the tenth-place Timberwolves.
Latest Western Conference Standings
After today's games, the latest standings in the West are as follows: the Thunder in first place, leading the second-place Rockets by 7 wins; the Rockets leading the third-place Grizzlies by half a game; the Grizzlies leading the Nuggets by two games; and the fourth-place Nuggets leading the fifth-place Lakers, sixth-place Mavericks, and seventh-place Clippers by half a game each. The rankings of these four teams could change after just one game. The eighth-place Spurs and ninth-place Warriors trail the Clippers by two games, while the tenth-place Timberwolves trail the Warriors by half a game.
Currently, besides the top ten teams in the West, the eleventh-place Kings and twelfth-place Suns also have the potential to make a push for the play-in tournament. The competition in the West is more intense than ever, and the Kings have already begun their "Northern Expedition"! What do you think about the current standings? Feel free to leave your comments and join the discussion.