On December 30th, Beijing time, the NBA regular season continued with a one-sided matchup between two Western Conference powerhouses, as the second-place Grizzlies suffered a 106-130 defeat at the hands of the first-place Thunder. The Grizzlies only managed to hold on for one quarter before falling into a passive position, with the point difference widening continuously, reaching a maximum deficit of 31 points. This quickly made the game lose its suspense, and the final quarter turned into garbage time.
The absence of key players like Morant, Smart, and Aldama had a significant impact on the Grizzlies. Although they started well, they soon found themselves in a passive situation, especially in the second quarter when their offense completely stalled, scoring only 19 points and losing the quarter by 23 points. After that, they were unable to recover, and the game lost its suspense early on.
Due to the lack of personnel, Kawauchi Yūki was recalled by the team and given ample playing time. By the end of the third quarter, the Grizzlies were already trailing by 28 points, and the game had lost its suspense early. Kawauchi Yūki got his chance with 11 minutes left in the fourth quarter. With his impressive performance in the development league, he quickly found his rhythm, not only scoring himself but also assisting his teammates. He played with ease on the court, and his stats continued to rise.
In the final 11 minutes, Kawauchi Yūki performed exceptionally well, shooting 4 out of 5 from the field, including 2 out of 3 from beyond the arc, scoring 10 points, grabbing 3 rebounds, and dishing out 3 assists. His performance was quite eye-catching, and if it were at the Grizzlies' home court, the fans might have been ecstatic. It was also Kawauchi Yūki's first time scoring in double digits in his NBA career, which is a very commendable achievement, considering it's only his first season.
With the 10 points scored in this game, Kawauchi Yūki has now accumulated 24 points in his NBA career, successfully equaling the total points of Chinese player Zhou Qi. Although most of his points were scored during garbage time, it still reflects his abilities and contributions to the team. If he continues to perform like this, there will be opportunities for him to enter the rotation should the Grizzlies encounter further injury issues.