On January 8th, Beijing time, the NBA regular season continued with a total of 7 matchups scheduled for the day. The specific results are as follows: Rockets defeated the Wizards 135-112, the Suns lost to the Hornets 104-115, the Lakers were badly beaten by the Mavericks 97-118, the Timberwolves narrowly won against the Pelicans 104-97, the Hawks narrowly defeated the Jazz 124-121, the Heat won big over the Warriors 114-98, and the Celtics beat the Nuggets 118-106. Players such as Shen Jing, Jalen Green, Booker, LaMelo Ball, Grimes, Hua Zi, Trae Young, Jovic, Curry, Tatum, and Porzingis 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 the Heat and the Warriors, the Heat played as a cohesive unit with six players scoring in double figures. Among them, Adebayo contributed 19 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists, while Jovic scored 20 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists. The Heat led by as many as 20 points and ultimately secured a 16-point victory. The Warriors could not avoid defeat, leaving Curry once again as a lone hero. He played 33 minutes, shooting 11 for 22 (8 for 17 from three-point range) and 1 for 1 from the free-throw line, accumulating a comprehensive stat line of 31 points, 7 rebounds, 1 steal, and 2 blocks. This marks the 86th time in Curry's career that he has made 8 or more three-pointers in a single game, ranking first in NBA history.
In the game between the Suns and the Hornets, Bridges scored 21 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists, while LaMelo Ball furiously scored 32 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists. The Hornets completed an incredible comeback after trailing by 10 points at the start, overcoming a maximum deficit of 15 points to easily defeat their opponents and avoid an 11-game losing streak. On the Suns' side, Durant scored 26 points and 6 rebounds, and Booker also gave his best effort! Booker played 38 minutes, shooting 14 for 25 (2 for 8 from three-point range) and 9 for 9 from the free-throw line, scoring a luxurious stat line of 39 points, 6 rebounds, and 10 assists. In the first quarter, Booker alone scored 14 points to help the Suns seize the initiative; in the third quarter, Booker scored another 13 points to keep the Suns alive, but he was still unable to save the game, which was too difficult!
In the game between the Timberwolves and the Pelicans, Murray scored 29 points and 6 assists, while Zion, making his return debut, contributed 22 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block. However, they were still once down by 13 points and ultimately suffered defeat, all because Hua Zi was too unreasonable! Hua Zi played 38 minutes, shooting 10 for 21 (7 for 11 from three-point range) and 5 for 6 from the free-throw line, scoring a comprehensive stat line of 32 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals. Especially in the first quarter, Hua Zi hit consecutive three-pointers to score 14 points, setting the tone for the entire game, which was very domineering! According to statistics, in the past 3 games, Hua Zi averaged an astonishing 40.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 7.7 three-pointers, with a three-point shooting percentage as high as 59%, which is simply off the charts!
In the game between the Hawks and the Jazz, five Jazz players scored in double figures, including Markkanen scoring 35 points and 8 three-pointers, Kessler contributing 21 points and 10 rebounds, and Sexton scoring 24 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists. They managed to erase a 16-point deficit but ultimately fell short and were tragically defeated by Trae Young's buzzer-beater! Trae Young played 36 minutes, shooting 6 for 16 (3 for 10 from three-point range) and 9 for 10 from the free-throw line, exploding for 24 points and 20 assists, and completing an incredible half-court three-pointer at the buzzer! According to statistics, this is the third time this season that Trae Young has contributed at least 20 points and 20 assists in a single game, ranking second in NBA history, only behind Isiah Thomas (5 times). At the same time, Trae Young completed a buzzer-beater from 14.95 meters, ranking seventh in NBA history!
In addition to the above, Shen Jing of the Rockets contributed 26 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists, Jalen Green scored 29 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals, Grimes of the Mavericks scored 23 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists, Tatum of the Celtics grabbed 29 points, 4 rebounds, and 6 assists, and Porzingis contributed 25 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 assists. The performances of these star players have left a deep impression, but considering the outcome of the games and the individual statistics of the stars, Trae Young's performance, like a god descending from heaven to complete an epic buzzer-beater, was simply explosive. He ultimately won the title of NBA Player of the Day without any suspense, overshadowing stars like Curry, Booker, and Hua Zi. What do you think about this, basketball fans? Leave me a comment to discuss it.