On December 29, 2024, Beijing time, there were 9 NBA games today involving the Lakers, Warriors, Suns, Mavericks, Nuggets, Thunder, Kings, Blazers, and Jazz. After the games, the Western Conference standings saw some changes.
The Lakers hosted the Kings at home with James and Hayes absent, while the Kings had their main players present. The Lakers led by 9 points in the first quarter, but the Kings won the second quarter by 10 points to take a 1-point lead. The Lakers dominated the third quarter, winning by 18 points, and led by 17 points after three quarters. Although the Kings made up 7 points in the fourth quarter, it was not enough, and the Lakers eventually defeated the Kings by 10 points. Davis scored 36 points, 15 rebounds, and 8 assists on 12 of 16 shooting, while Reeves scored 26 points, 6 rebounds, and 16 assists on 9 of 16 shooting. Fox scored 29 points, 5 rebounds, 12 assists, and 4 steals on 12 of 25 shooting, and DeRozan scored 25 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists on 12 of 17 shooting.
After defeating the Kings, the Lakers swept them 4-0 this season. Last season, the Kings were the Lakers' nemesis, sweeping them 4-0 in the regular season. However, this season's momentum has completely reversed, and the Lakers have become the Kings' nemesis. Even without James, the Lakers were able to defeat the Kings convincingly, creating an NBA miracle.
With the win, the Lakers improved to 18-13 and moved from seventh to fifth in the West. The Kings dropped to 13-19 and remained in 12th place in the West, with very slim hopes for the playoffs.
The Mavericks played against the Blazers on the road, with the Mavericks playing back-to-back and missing Doncic, Leffley, Washington, and Marshall, resulting in a significant loss of strength. The Blazers had a clear advantage in the first three quarters, leading by as many as 21 points and ending the third quarter up by 15 points. In the fourth quarter, Irving went on a rampage, leading the team to close the gap to within 5 points, but unfortunately, they fell short, and the Blazers ultimately won by 4 points. Four Blazers scored over 20 points, with Ayton scoring 21 points, 16 rebounds, and 3 blocks on 9 of 15 shooting, and Irving scoring 46 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists on 16 of 26 shooting, but it was not enough.
The Blazers' win kept them at 11-20 and in 13th place in the West. The Mavericks' loss left them at 20-12 and still in fourth place in the West, but their gap with the Rockets widened to 1.5 games. With the Mavericks' core player Doncic out due to injury for more than a month, it is unlikely that the Mavericks will be able to surpass the Rockets, securing the Rockets' top-three spot in the West.
The Thunder played against the Hornets on the road, who were missing many key players and lacking in strength. Despite the Thunder players not being in top form today, they still managed to defeat the Hornets by 12 points, securing their 10th consecutive win. Alexander scored 22 points, 4 rebounds, and 6 assists on 8 of 15 shooting, and Bridges scored 19 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists on 5 of 16 shooting. With the win, the Thunder improved to 25-5 and remained atop the West, leading the second-place Grizzlies by 4 games.
The Nuggets hosted the Pistons at home, also playing back-to-back and missing Gordon, which put them at a disadvantage. However, Jokic, Murray, and Porter Jr. all exploded today, allowing the Nuggets to dominate the Pistons. They won the third quarter by 19 points and led by 25 points after three quarters. In the fourth quarter, the Nuggets became too relaxed, allowing the Pistons to close the gap to 7 points, but Jokic scored 6 consecutive points to seal the game, and the Nuggets won by 13 points. Jokic scored 37 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists on 11 of 17 shooting, Murray scored 34 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 blocks on 12 of 21 shooting, Porter scored 26 points and 3 rebounds on 9 of 14 shooting, and Cunningham scored 17 points, 2 rebounds, and 8 assists on 7 of 18 shooting. With the win, the Nuggets improved to 17-13 and remained in seventh place in the West.
The Warriors hosted the Suns at home, with both teams playing back-to-back. The Suns were missing Booker, Nuki, and Allen, suffering a significant loss of strength, giving the Warriors an advantage on paper. The Warriors took a 7-point lead in the first quarter, but the Suns made a strong comeback in the second quarter, winning by 11 points to take the lead. The Suns maintained their advantage in the third quarter and led by 5 points after three quarters. In the fourth quarter, the Suns once led by 9 points, but the Warriors managed to overtake them in the final moments and won by 4 points. Curry scored 22 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists on 9 of 22 shooting, Kuminga scored 34 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 assists on 12 of 20 shooting, Durant scored 31 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4 blocks on 10 of 24 shooting, and Beal scored 28 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists on 12 of 24 shooting.
With the win, the Warriors improved to 16-15 and moved from 11th to 10th in the West. The Suns' loss dropped them to 15-16, falling from 10th to 11th in the West, with their win rate dropping below 50%. The Suns were once at the top of the West, but with their weak defense and reliance on offense, they struggle to win when their core players like Durant experience efficiency drops or injuries. If they continue to play like this, the Suns may miss the playoffs this season.
In addition to the above games, the Jazz lost to the 76ers by 3 points today, remaining in 14th place in the West with a record of 7-23. Below are the Western Conference standings after today's games.