Today, all six regular season games have concluded: The Magic narrowly defeated the Nets 102-101, the Timberwolves edged out the Spurs 112-110, the Hawks easily won against the Raptors 136-107, the Pacers pulled off a surprising victory over the Celtics 123-114, the Heat made a comeback to beat the Rockets 104-100, and the Thunder easily defeated the Grizzlies 130-106. At the same time, the Lakers have welcomed a wave of trades today, which has made the Lakers fans unable to sit still! Below is a detailed analysis of four teams: the Thunder, Rockets, and Lakers!
The Thunder has achieved an impressive 11-game winning streak and currently stands at 26 wins and 5 losses, ranking first in the West. Notably, this season, Alexander has delivered an MVP-level performance! In 31 games played this new season, he has averaged 30.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 6.4 assists, with an overall shooting percentage of 52%. Moreover, he contributes an average of 1.9 steals and 1.2 blocks per game, making him a versatile guard reminiscent of Jordan, Kobe, and Wade! The Thunder's management indeed has a keen eye for talent, and their team-building strategy is unique in the league! The Thunder was established just 16 years ago and managed to draft three MVPs, three top 75 players, and three future Hall of Famers in consecutive years: Durant, Westbrook, and Harden.
In just three short years, they have completed another rebuild. This year, Alexander has a strong chance of winning the MVP, and the team is very likely to advance out of the West, with a high probability of winning a championship within three years! This is because even without Chet, the Thunder can still maintain the top spot in the West, and in the future, they will have 13 first-round picks and 19 second-round picks! They own the present and the future! Whether or not they can win the championship will depend on the next five games: against the Timberwolves, Clippers, Knicks, Celtics, and Cavaliers. The Timberwolves are currently on a three-game winning streak, Kawhi Leonard of the Clippers is about to return, the third-place Knicks in the East are on a seven-game winning streak, the second-place Celtics in the East, and the first-place Cavaliers in the East!
VanVleet committed a five-second violation on the sideline throw-in and was subsequently ejected for complaining to the referee.
The reason for Amen's conflict has been exposed, and a major reshuffle is imminent! In the last game against the Timberwolves, they led by 16 points in the fourth quarter but were unable to score for the following five minutes, ultimately being reversed by Edwards' three-pointer to complete the comeback. Today's loss to the Heat followed the same pattern, with an eight-minute scoring drought in the fourth quarter. Due to Van Jordan and Shen Jing's slow-paced play and control of a large number of possessions, they have suffered two consecutive reversals after leading by more than 10 points. Amen himself had no possession and his mentality completely collapsed! The fundamental reason for Amen's outburst today was not Herro's provocation but his dissatisfaction with Udoka and VanVleet! Amen felt aggrieved, and Herro just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, leading to the conflict! This situation is very understandable; the Rockets' defensive efficiency this season is 105.2, ranking second in the league! After all, the Rockets' success this year relies on defense, which is the result of the hard work of Dillon, Amen, Ethan, and Xiao Jia. They do all the dirty work, have no possession, and still get scolded. After this game, the Rockets' record stands at 21 wins and 11 losses, dropping to third in the West. The Rockets will face the following three games: against the Mavericks, Celtics, and Lakers! It will be tough after the game, and considering today's serious on-court brawl between Amen and Green, they are expected to be suspended for at least 4-5 games. The Rockets should prepare for a potential five-game losing streak!
Furthermore, the Rockets are about to face a significant trade! According to statistics: The Rockets' defensive efficiency in the final quarter this season ranks third in the league, limiting opponents to a shooting percentage of 43.5%. However, their own offensive efficiency is the worst in the league, even worse than the Wizards and Jazz who are tanking, with a shooting percentage of only 42%. Therefore, whether it's Jalen Green, Shen Jing, or VanVleet, none of them are up to the task! Today, Udoka revealed a big scoop: The team's shooting percentage in the final quarter is the worst in the league, and the management is looking for different options that can take on important roles. It seems the Rockets are already searching for a new core!
The Lakers have made a significant trade, and here's a brief analysis! Today, the Lakers have announced a significant move! The Lakers have reached a trade with the Nets! They will send Russell, Lewis, and three second-round picks to the Nets in exchange for Finney-Smith and Shake Milton. The main player in this deal is Finney-Smith. Let's evaluate his capabilities: decent defense, normal offense, with the advantage of a forward physique. Most importantly, he provides strong wing defense and can be considered a more comprehensive player than Reddish and Vanderbilt. Notably, this season, Finney-Smith has reduced opponents' shooting percentage within 6 feet by nearly 10%, reduced mid-range shooting percentage by 9.0%, and overall shooting percentage by 5.1%. Besides his defensive skills, he also boasts a 43.5% three-point shooting rate, making him a plug-and-play asset in any lineup! To summarize: he doesn't hog the ball, can defend against inside players, and can provide outside firepower. The Lakers have recently won five out of six games, are in excellent form, and have improved their ranking to fifth in the West. Today's trade is just the first step for the Lakers. After the return of players like Vanderbilt, Hayes, and Wood, they will first observe the team's chemistry, and there is a possibility of a second trade!
