On January 22nd, Beijing time, with the Nuggets defeating the 76ers 144-109 and the Lakers easily beating the Wizards 111-88, let's take a look at the latest changes in the Western Conference standings!
The latest standings in the West
The Nuggets had an easy game against the 76ers at home, with Embiid continuing to miss due to injury. In the first half, both teams engaged in an offensive battle, with both scoring over 40 points in the second quarter. At halftime, the Nuggets maintained a lead of 77-67; in the third quarter, the Nuggets continued to have multiple players contribute, with Jokic achieving another triple-double with 9 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists in just three quarters. By the fourth quarter, the game had already entered garbage time early, and the Nuggets eventually won a big victory over the 76ers with a score of 144-109, securing their third consecutive win. With a record of 27 wins and 16 losses, they continue to rank fourth in the West, only one game behind the third-place Grizzlies.
The Nuggets remain firmly in fourth place
Jokic shot 10 for 15, easily scoring 27 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists, marking his fourth consecutive triple-double and 19th of the season; Struthers shot 8 for 14 with 5 three-pointers, contributing 23 points, setting a new season high; Braun shot 8 for 11, contributing 20 points; Westbrook shot 4 for 5, scoring 11 points, 7 rebounds, 9 assists, and 5 turnovers; Porter Jr. scored 19 points and 6 rebounds. The 76ers suffered their seventh consecutive loss, trailing the tenth-place Bulls in the East by three games. Maxey shot 11 for 21, scoring 28 points and 10 assists in vain; George shot 5 for 11, scoring only 11 points and 9 assists; Yabusele scored 22 points.
The 76ers suffered a crushing defeat
Shifting our focus to the Lakers and Wizards game, the Wizards are at the bottom of the East, with both James and Davis playing. There was not much suspense in the outcome, as the Lakers won each quarter, with LeBron even delivering a spectacular dunk over Valanciunas. Ultimately, the Lakers defeated the Wizards 111-88, improving their record to 23 wins and 18 losses, maintaining their sixth place in the West, just half a game behind the fifth-place Clippers.
LeBron achieved another triple-double
LeBron set another record, shooting 8 for 18 and 3 for 3 from the free-throw line, contributing a triple-double of 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 13 assists, making him the only player in the league to achieve a triple-double with over 40 points; Davis shot 14 for 22, contributing 29 points, 16 rebounds, and 5 assists; Reeves and Finney-Smith both contributed 16 points; Bronny received 2 minutes of playing time but missed his only shot, scoring no points and grabbing only 1 rebound. Up next, the Lakers will face the Celtics and Warriors. The Wizards suffered an 11-game losing streak, with their record still at the bottom of the entire league.