On December 30th, Beijing time, a total of 6 NBA games were played, involving the Rockets, Grizzlies, Thunder, Spurs, and Timberwolves. As a result, the Western Conference has become chaotic, which can be summarized as follows: The Lakers have received big gifts, the top spot has achieved an 11-game winning streak, and the Warriors have overtaken the Spurs.
The Thunder defeated the Grizzlies 130-106, with Morant absent. This game was completely one-sided, with the Thunder winning the second quarter by 23 points, and the Grizzlies collapsing in the second half. In terms of data, Alexander scored 35 points with 6 rebounds, 7 assists, and 4 blocks on 14 of 19 shooting, truly aiming for the MVP. Jalen Williams had 14 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 assists. Currently, the Thunder has won 11 consecutive games, leading the Grizzlies behind them by a whopping 5.0 games. It is basically impossible for the Thunder to be surpassed, not to mention that Holmgren has yet to return.
According to NBA's big data statistics, the 11-game winning streak is the second-longest in Thunder history. They achieved a 12-game winning streak in the 12-13 season, which was still the era of Durant and Westbrook. Alexander has performed at an MVP level this season, averaging 30.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 1.9 steals, and 1.2 blocks with a 51% shooting percentage. His main opponent in the MVP race is Jokic, but Jokic's record is at a disadvantage, and the league may experience aesthetic fatigue, so Alexander has a high probability of winning the MVP.
The Rockets narrowly lost to the Heat 100-104. The game was full of ups and downs, with the first half's score remaining close, the third quarter continuing to be tight, and the Rockets making mistakes in the fourth quarter. Van Vleet was ejected for being dissatisfied with the refereeing decision, followed by a large number of players from both sides getting into a conflict. Players from the Rockets, including Amen, Green, Udoka, and an assistant coach, as well as Herro and Rozier from the Heat, were ejected. Ultimately, the Rockets lost the game. In terms of data, Shen Jing had 18 points, 18 rebounds, 6 assists, and 5 blocks, Dillion had 22 points and 4 rebounds, and Van Vleet had 16 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, 2 blocks, and 3 turnovers.
Jalen Green struggled, scoring only 19 points with 3 rebounds and 2 assists, while Amen had 5 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists. After this game, the Rockets suffered their second consecutive loss, remaining in third place in the West with a record of 21 wins and 11 losses. It should be noted that the Rockets have been swept by the Heat for four consecutive seasons, with their next matchup scheduled for March next year. With both the Grizzlies and the Rockets losing, who is the happiest? The answer is the Lakers, who have received big gifts. The Lakers currently have a two-game winning streak, ranking fifth in the West, and continue to narrow the gap with the Rockets and Grizzlies, presenting an opportunity for the Lakers to improve their ranking.
The Spurs narrowly lost to the Timberwolves 110-112. Both teams played fiercely, with the Spurs taking the lead in the first quarter, the Timberwolves winning the second quarter by 20 points, the Spurs catching up in the third quarter, and both teams engaging in a tug-of-war in the fourth quarter. At a critical moment, the Spurs were only down by 2 points, but unfortunately, Wembanyama missed one of his two free throws, resulting in the Spurs' loss. In terms of data, Wembanyama scored 34 points with 8 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 blocks, Barnes had 24 points and 5 rebounds, Vassell had 22 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists, and Paul had 6 points, 14 assists, and 4 steals.
After the loss, the Spurs (16 wins, 16 losses) were overtaken by the Warriors and dropped to tenth in the West, while the Warriors (16 wins, 15 losses) rose to ninth. The Timberwolves (17 wins, 14 losses) remained unchanged at eighth. The final five teams are the Suns, Kings, Trail Blazers, Jazz, and Pelicans. The Suns strengthened their lineup during the offseason but ended up performing worse. The Kings faced a similar situation. However, what disappoints us the most is the Pelicans, who have a good roster on paper but ended up with the worst record in the league. According to the latest reports, the Pelicans want to get rid of Ingram and Zion and start rebuilding completely.