NBA Western Conference Latest Rankings: Rockets Create NBA Miracle, Clippers Receive Big Gift, Suns in Peril
Beijing Time January 6, 2025, Today there are 6 NBA games, involving the Lakers, Warriors, Rockets, Thunder, Kings, Jazz, and Pelicans. After the games, the Western Conference rankings have changed.
The Rockets hosted the Lakers at home, missing two key players, Smith and Ison, which significantly reduced their combat effectiveness. The Lakers have been in excellent form recently, winning 7 out of their last 9 games. On paper, the Lakers had the advantage. In the first quarter, the Rockets were full of vitality, with Jalen Green and Thompson teaming up to overwhelm the Lakers, winning the quarter by 14 points. In the second quarter, the Rockets continued to suppress the Lakers, with the lead reaching 22 points at one point. At halftime, the Rockets led by 18 points. In the third quarter, the Rockets extended the lead to 20 points at the start, but then the Lakers' three-point shooting heated up, and they quickly closed the gap. By the end of the third quarter, the lead was down to just 2 points. In the fourth quarter, the Rockets started with a fierce offensive, extending the lead to 13 points. Then the Lakers began to catch up, and with 7 seconds left in the game, the lead was down to 2 points. However, the Lakers made two consecutive turnovers in the final moments, and the Rockets ultimately won by a 4-point advantage. The Rockets created an NBA miracle by defeating the Lakers, who were in great form recently, despite being without two key players.
Jalen Green scored 33 points with 12 out of 24 shots, grabbed 6 rebounds, and provided 4 assists. Thompson scored 23 points with 11 out of 19 shots, grabbed 16 rebounds, and provided 3 assists. Davis scored 30 points with 10 out of 18 shots, grabbed 13 rebounds, provided 2 assists, and had 5 blocks. James scored 21 points with 8 out of 16 shots, grabbed 13 rebounds, and provided 9 assists.
After the victory, the Rockets have a record of 23 wins and 12 losses, continuing to rank second in the West, leading the third-place Grizzlies by 0.5 games. The Lakers, after the loss, have a record of 20 wins and 15 losses, continuing to rank fifth in the West. However, their record has been caught up by the Clippers and Mavericks, with all three teams having the same record. The Mavericks have recently seen a decline in performance due to injuries, while the Clippers have a bright future as Leonard has returned, greatly enhancing their combat effectiveness. Their ranking is expected to surpass the Lakers.
The Thunder hosted the Celtics at home, missing Chet and Caruso, while the Celtics had all their main players present. On paper, the Celtics had the advantage. In the first half, the Celtics had a significant advantage, leading by 10 points at halftime. In the second half, the Thunder increased their defensive intensity, making it difficult for the Celtics to score. The Celtics only scored 15 points in the third quarter, with the Thunder closing the gap by 6 points. In the fourth quarter, the Thunder's defense was even more formidable, with the Celtics only scoring 12 points. The Thunder won the quarter by 17 points, completing a stunning comeback, and ultimately defeated the Celtics by a 13-point advantage, achieving a 15-game winning streak.
Alexander scored 33 points with 11 out of 23 shots, grabbed 11 rebounds, provided 6 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks. Tatum scored 26 points with 7 out of 17 shots, grabbed 10 rebounds, provided 1 assist, and 2 steals. Brown scored 21 points with 8 out of 19 shots, grabbed 3 rebounds, and provided 3 assists. After the victory, the Thunder have a record of 30 wins and 5 losses, ranking first in the West with a significant advantage.
The Warriors hosted the Kings at home, with Kuminga absent from the Warriors and Fox absent from the Kings. The Warriors were playing back-to-back games (having beaten the Grizzlies the previous day), so their energy was not as good as the Kings. However, Curry did not play the previous day, so his energy was sufficient. It was thought that this game would be closely contested, but unexpectedly, the Kings established a 15-point lead in the first quarter. In the second quarter, the Warriors once narrowed the gap to 4 points, but then the Kings launched a terrifying offensive, quickly extending the lead to over 20 points. At halftime, the Kings led by 24 points. In the second half, the Kings continued to extend the lead, and by the end of the third quarter, the game had lost its suspense. Ultimately, the Kings defeated the Warriors by a 30-point margin. Xiaosa scored 22 points with 10 out of 13 shots, grabbed 13 rebounds, and provided 7 assists. Monk scored 26 points with 9 out of 14 shots, grabbed 3 rebounds, provided 12 assists, and had 4 steals. Curry scored 26 points with 8 out of 12 shots and grabbed 7 rebounds. Wiggins scored 18 points with 7 out of 13 shots and grabbed 4 rebounds.
After the loss, the Warriors have a record of 18 wins and 17 losses, dropping from eighth to ninth in the West, with the Spurs becoming the new eighth. The Kings, after the win, have a record of 17 wins and 19 losses, continuing to rank 11th in the West. They lead the Suns by 0.5 games, and the Kings are currently on the rise, having won four consecutive games after today's victory. This makes it even harder for the Suns to climb up the rankings.
In addition to the above games, the Jazz defeated the Magic by a 13-point advantage today. After the win, the Jazz have a record of 8 wins and 25 losses, continuing to rank 14th in the West. The Pelicans defeated the Wizards by a 12-point advantage, and after the win, they have a record of 7 wins and 29 losses, remaining at the bottom of the West.
After today's games, only the Warriors and Spurs have swapped ranks in the West, with no other changes in the rankings. Below is the latest ranking situation in the West:
Western Conference Standings:
- Oklahoma City Thunder (30-5)
- Houston Rockets (23-12)
- Memphis Grizzlies (22-13)
- Dallas Mavericks (20-15)
- Los Angeles Lakers (20-15)
- Denver Nuggets (19-16)
- Portland Trail Blazers (18-16)
- San Antonio Spurs (18-17)
- Golden State Warriors (18-17)
- Minnesota Timberwolves (17-19)
- Sacramento Kings (17-19)
- New Orleans Pelicans (7-29)
- Utah Jazz (8-25)
- Phoenix Suns (16-20)