On January 11, 2025, the NBA court was filled with excitement as a total of 7 intense matches were scheduled. Let's take a look at the highlights of these games and the latest rankings in the Western Conference.
Firstly, in the match between the Golden State Warriors and the Indiana Pacers, the Warriors suffered a defeat with a score of 96:108. This loss caused the Warriors to drop to tenth place in the Western Conference standings. The New Orleans Pelicans also had an impressive victory over the Philadelphia 76ers, winning 123:115. Meanwhile, the Orlando Magic's core player, Banchero, returned from injury, but the team still lost to the Milwaukee Bucks with a score of 106:109. The Oklahoma City Thunder displayed their strength on the road, defeating the New York Knicks 126:101. The Sacramento Kings made a remarkable performance against the Boston Celtics, winning 114:97 and achieving a six-game winning streak, becoming a dark horse in the Western Conference. The Chicago Bulls also won against the Washington Wizards with a score of 138:105. Additionally, the Denver Nuggets defeated the Brooklyn Nets.
In the highly anticipated game where the Warriors faced the Pacers, the Warriors lost on the road with a score of 96:108. Notably, the Warriors' three key players, Curry, Green, and Wiggins, were unable to participate due to various reasons, significantly weakening the team's overall strength. The Pacers, taking advantage of this opportunity with a complete lineup, easily overcame the Warriors and achieved a five-game winning streak. After this game, the Warriors' situation is not optimistic, with a record of 19 wins and 19 losses, dropping to tenth place in the West and being surpassed by the Kings. On the other hand, the Pacers have a solid record of 21 wins and 18 losses, securing the sixth position in the Eastern Conference.
During the game, the Warriors faced a tough challenge with their core lineup absent, and the other players' performances were mediocre. For example, Hield played for 34 minutes but had a low shooting percentage, making only 6 out of 19 shots, including 3 out of 12 three-point attempts, resulting in 17 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists. Schroder's performance was also poor, with 5 out of 13 shots and 1 out of 6 three-point attempts, ending up with 12 points, 2 rebounds, and 4 assists. Davis scored 9 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, while Anderson had 8 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists. Moody, coming off the bench, shot 3 out of 11 times, scoring only 7 points.
In today's game, the Pacers' star player, Haliburton, was one of the focal points. He played for 34 minutes and had an efficient offensive performance, making 8 out of 10 shots and 2 out of 4 three-point attempts, scoring 25 points, grabbing 2 rebounds, and dishing out 10 assists. With Haliburton's hot streak, the Pacers were able to achieve a remarkable five-game winning streak. Other Pacers players also contributed significantly, such as Mathurin scoring 21 points and grabbing 10 rebounds, and Siakam scoring 25 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.
In another intense match, the Pelicans defeated the 76ers with a score of 123:115. Currently, the Pelicans' record is not ideal, with only 8 wins and 31 losses, ranking at the bottom of the Western Conference. However, since the return of Zion, the Pelicans have shown competitive strength, bringing hope and vitality to the team. On the other hand, the 76ers' record dropped to 15 wins and 21 losses after losing this crucial game, slipping to 11th place in the Eastern Conference and missing the play-in tournament.
The Pelicans' victory was largely due to the outstanding performance of their perimeter core, McCollum. He fought for 34 minutes and had a hot hand, making 13 out of 24 shots, including 6 out of 11 three-point attempts, scoring a comprehensive 38 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists. His partner, Murray, also had a notable performance, scoring 17 points, grabbing 10 rebounds, and dishing out 6 assists. Hollins also had an impressive showing, scoring 21 points.
In today's game, the 76ers' star player, Maxey, performed commendably. He attempted 21 shots, made 10, and scored 30 points while grabbing 6 rebounds and dishing out 12 assists. However, his three-point shooting was subpar, making only 2 out of 9 attempts, which was a key factor in the 76ers' inability to overcome the Pelicans. George also had an excellent game, playing for 35 minutes, making 12 out of 22 shots, including 5 out of 12 three-point attempts, scoring 25 points, grabbing 11 rebounds, and dishing out 5 assists. Oubre contributed 21 points and 7 rebounds. Unfortunately, the other 76ers players did not perform well overall, indicating that the team's current strength has been significantly affected by Embiid's absence due to injury, making it difficult for them to pose a substantial threat to other teams.
In another intense match, the Thunder defeated the Knicks with a score of 126:101, continuing to hold the top spot in the West and demonstrating their strong capabilities and excellent competitive state.
In this game, Alexander's performance was breathtaking. In just 29 minutes, he unleashed a scoring spree, making 15 out of 25 shots and scoring an impressive 39 points, along with 3 rebounds and 2 assists. Coming off the bench, Joe also shone brightly, becoming a true hero. He played for 30 minutes, showing an extremely high shooting efficiency, making 11 out of 16 shots, including 8 successful three-pointers, ultimately scoring 31 points and grabbing 2 rebounds. Together, Alexander and Joe scored a combined 70 points, laying the most solid foundation for the team's victory and becoming the biggest guarantee for the win. Besides, the Thunder's second-in-command, Williams, also performed well, contributing 19 points, grabbing 4 rebounds, and dishing out 5 assists. Harten also made contributions, scoring 6 points, grabbing 9 rebounds, and dishing out 6 assists.
In this game, the Knicks' players had varying performances. Brunson attempted 15 shots and made 7, scoring 27 points while grabbing 1 rebound and dishing out 5 assists. However, Bridges' performance was disappointing, as he missed all 9 of his shots and scored no points. Aroluobi made only 2 out of 8 shots, scoring 4 points and grabbing 3 rebounds with 2 assists. On the other hand, Hart's performance was heroic. He attempted 13 shots, made 6, scoring 16 points, and grabbed a whopping 13 rebounds with 2 assists. Tonsill remained in his efficient competitive state, playing for just 29 minutes, attempting 16 shots, making 9, scoring 23 points, and grabbing 10 rebounds with 1 assist. Overall, the Thunder's defensive prowess was not to be underestimated, as they completely suppressed the Knicks' offense. It was this formidable defense that allowed the Thunder to defeat the third-ranked Knicks in the East, demonstrating the Thunder's absolute strength. It is worth noting that once Holmgren returns from injury, the Thunder will have the capital to compete with the powerhouses across the league. Currently, the Thunder has become one of the strong contenders for this year's championship.
In another intense match, the Kings faced the Celtics and emerged victorious with a score of 114:97. This victory marked the Kings' impressive six-game winning streak. With this outstanding performance, the Kings reached a record of 19 wins and 19 losses, surpassing the Warriors and rising to ninth place in the Western Conference.
Since the coaching change, the Kings have been gradually improving, achieving a remarkable record of 6 wins and 1 loss in recent games, and their form is steadily returning to the right track. Currently, the Clippers have a record of 20 wins and 17 losses, leading the Kings by only 1.5 games. In this situation, the Kings have a great chance to enter the top eight in the West. In this game, both the Clippers and the Kings had multiple players showcasing their heroic competitive states. Taking DeRozan as an example, he attempted 26 shots and made 9, scoring 24 points, grabbing 4 rebounds, and dishing out 9 assists. Despite his slightly lower shooting efficiency, he still contributed significantly with his outstanding individual abilities. The Kings' Sabonis dominated the paint, wreaking havoc on the Celtics' interior defense. In 38 minutes of play, he had an efficient shooting performance, making 10 out of 15 shots, including 3 out of 4 three-point attempts, scoring an astonishing 23 points, 28 rebounds, and 3 assists. Murray also had a notable performance, contributing 19 points and 3 rebounds. Monk was not to be outdone, scoring