On January 13th, Beijing time, today's NBA games were very exciting. Stars like Tatum, Towns, Brunson, LaVine, Westbrook, and Jokic all performed well, making them candidates for today's best player.
The Celtics narrowly defeated the Pelicans 120-119, with McCollum almost scoring a buzzer-beater at the end. Tatum of the Celtics scored 38 points, 11 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 1 block on 14-of-30 shooting, but his long-range shooting was poor, going 2-for-10 from three-point range. Jaylen Brown had 16 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists, Porzingis had 19 points and 11 rebounds, and Pritchard off the bench had 11 points and 4 assists, while Horford had 11 points and 7 rebounds. For the Pelicans, Murphy scored 30 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists, Murray had 26 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block, and McCollum went 5-for-15 to score 13 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists.
The Knicks defeated the Bucks 140-106, securing a significant victory. Brunson of the Knicks exploded, scoring 44 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists on 16-of-26 shooting, including 5-of-10 from three-point range and 7-of-8 from the free-throw line. Towns also contributed significantly, scoring 30 points, 18 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal on 10-of-16 shooting. Hart went 5-for-5 to score 11 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 assists, Anunoby had 11 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists, and 1 block, and Payne off the bench scored 18 points. The Bucks' Antetokounmpo scored 24 points, 13 rebounds, and 2 assists on 10-of-21 shooting, Lillard had 22 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists, and Middleton off the bench scored 16 points. The Bucks currently rank 6th in the East with a record of 20 wins and 17 losses, while the Knicks rank 3rd in the East with a record of 26 wins and 14 losses.
The Kings narrowly defeated the Bulls 124-119, securing their seventh consecutive win. They now have a record of 20 wins and 19 losses, surpassing both the Suns and Warriors to rank 9th in the West, with a great chance of securing a play-in spot. Fox of the Kings scored 26 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 assists, Sabonis had 22 points, 15 rebounds, and 8 assists, DeRozan had 21 points and 3 assists, Monk had 18 points, 8 rebounds, and 9 assists with 2 steals, and Murray had 14 points and 5 rebounds. For the Bulls, LaVine scored an empty 36 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists, Vucevic had 18 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists, Ball scored 15 points and 3 assists, and Kidi had 12 points, 11 rebounds, and 7 assists.
The Nuggets reversed the Mavericks 112-101, with Westbrook's key block and layup in the fourth quarter helping the Nuggets lock in the victory, and he was also the best performing player on the team. Jokic of the Nuggets scored 19 points, 18 rebounds, 9 assists, and 3 steals, Westbrook went 10-of-17 to score 21 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks, Murray had 17 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists, and Porter had 13 points and 4 rebounds. For the Mavericks, Irving and Doncic were absent, Thompson went 9-of-19 to score 25 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists, Dinwiddie had 16 points, 4 rebounds, and 10 assists, and Lively had 14 points, 6 rebounds, 8 assists, and 2 blocks. Although the lineup was not complete, the Mavericks have been playing quite well recently.
When it comes to today's best player, Brunson scored 44+5+6 with impressive stats, Towns also scored 30 points and 18 rebounds, Tatum achieved a double-double with 38 points and 11 rebounds, and Jokic nearly achieved a triple-double with 19+18+9. However, today's best should go to Westbrook. The Nuggets were able to reverse the Mavericks, and Westbrook played the biggest role. It was a tough game, and Westbrook demonstrated his ability to perform under pressure, leading the Nuggets to a big comeback in the final quarter with a key block and layup. While the other players also had good stats, Westbrook's performance was more impressive, and he deserves to be named today's best player.
In recent games, the 36-year-old Westbrook has once again delivered All-Star level performances, earning millions but playing like he's worth thirty million. The Nuggets have made a great acquisition, and Coach Malone is indeed skilled, having found the manual for using Westbrook effectively. By having two playmakers, Westbrook and Jokic, on the court at the same time, they are able to produce a greater effect than the sum of their parts, showing that the coach has some real skills.