Victory! Murray with 30+7+8, Jokic's triple-double, Westbrook is amazing, the Western Conference landscape changes On January 18, 2025, Beijing time, the 20-win and 19-loss Heat hosted the 24-win and 16-loss Nuggets. Butler returned for the Heat, while Jokic and Gordon also returned together for the Nuggets. With both teams' core players present, who would win this battle? The Heat's starting lineup was Herro + Deng Luo + Butler + Hayesmith + Adebayor, while Gordon came off the bench for the Nuggets, with the starting lineup being Westbrook + Murray + Braun + Porter + Jokic. In the first quarter, Adebayor dunked, Murray responded with a three-pointer, Herro made a layup, and Murray, Jokic, and Porter scored 7 points in a row, giving the Nuggets a 10-4 lead. Butler cut through for a dunk, and Murray and Braun added another 4 points, extending the Nuggets' lead to 8 points. Herro made a layup, Westbrook responded with a three-pointer, and the Nuggets led by 17-8, forcing a timeout from the Heat. After the timeout, Westbrook made a layup, and the gap widened to 11 points. Herro, Adebayor, and Harkless narrowed the gap to 4 points, but Jokic and Westbrook extended it back to 11 points. After the timeout, Jovic scored 5 points in a row, and the first quarter ended with the Nuggets leading 30-24. In the second quarter, Strasser made a three-pointer, giving the Nuggets a 9-point lead. Well and Herro scored, while Gordon added 6 points, widening the gap to 11 points. Jovic and Rozier narrowed the gap to 6…

On January 18th, Beijing time, the NBA regular season saw the Denver Nuggets face off against the Miami Heat on the road. Jokic made his return to the court, and Butler also returned after serving a seven-game suspension. Jokic once again delivered a triple-double performance, leading the Nuggets to suppress the Heat with a team attack, gradually expanding their lead by over 20 points to secure an early victory. Ultimately, the Nuggets defeated the Heat 133-113, sweeping the season series and consolidating their fourth place in the Western Conference, while the Heat suffered their third consecutive loss, falling to ninth in the Eastern Conference after being overtaken by the Pistons. Statistical Highlights Nuggets: Jokic returned with 24 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists; Murray scored 30 points with 7 rebounds, 8 assists, and 3 steals; Westbrook had 11 points and 7 assists; Porter contributed 14 points and 9 rebounds; Gordon added 16 points, with a total of 7 players scoring in double figures. Heat: Butler returned from a seven-game suspension with 18 points; Adebayo had 16 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 assists; Herro scored 22 points with 5 rebounds and 4 assists; Jovic added 16 points. Firstly, Jokic achieved his 17th triple-double of the season, firmly ranking first in the league. Secondly, this was Jokic's 147th career triple-double, solidifying his position at third in history. Game Recap The Nuggets entered the game with a record of 24 wins and 16 losses in their first 40 games, having suffered a disappointing 108-128 home loss to the Rockets in their previous match.…

On January 11th, Beijing time, the Denver Nuggets hosted the Brooklyn Nets and won a decisive victory with a score of 124-105. The Nuggets had already established a significant lead by the end of the third quarter. Although the Nets have been performing poorly in the Eastern Conference, they showed great resilience in this game, launching a 13-3 run in the fourth quarter to reduce the gap to just 5 points. At the critical moment, Westbrook and Jokic worked together to stabilize the situation. Murray missed the second half due to a knee injury, and we hope for his speedy recovery. The Nuggets are now on a two-game winning streak, ranking fourth in the West with a record of 22 wins and 15 losses, only 1.5 games behind the third-placed Memphis Grizzlies. In this game, both stars of the Nuggets recorded triple-doubles. Among them, Jokic stood out with an impressive performance, shooting 14 of 21 for 35 points, 12 rebounds, 15 assists, and 4 steals, with a plus-minus value as high as +33. It is clear that Jokic has become the top star in the league, with a dominance that can be considered historical, surpassing even Jordan and James in terms of all-around ability. However, in the latest MVP rankings, Jokic dropped to second place, being overtaken by Alexander of the Thunder. If Jokic wants to win the MVP, the Nuggets' record must at least enter the top 3 in the West, which would give him a chance. The 36-year-old Westbrook continued to start, making 8 of 17 shots for…

The Houston Rockets have achieved a five-game winning streak, facing formidable opponents such as the Denver Nuggets, Memphis Grizzlies (twice), Washington Wizards, and Los Angeles Lakers. Among these teams, only the Wizards are considered to be tanking this season, while the other three are serious contenders for the championship. The Rockets' performance this season has been unexpected, and their success can be attributed not only to head coach Stephen Silas but also to the growth of several young players on the team. As they enter the challenging month of January, the team has managed to maintain an impressive win rate, with second overall pick Jalen Green playing a crucial role. During the five-game winning streak, Green scored 33, 29, 27, 42, and 34 points respectively. Including his earlier scores of 22 and 27 points in January, he has averaged 30.6 points over seven games, with a shooting percentage of 52% and a three-point percentage of 42%. These statistics are indicative of a superstar-level player. Despite improvements in consistency this season, Green's sudden and complete explosion into superstardom raises questions about what has changed. Firstly, Green is maturing in his game. At just 22 years old, he was always seen as having more potential than maturity, but after more than three seasons, he is showing signs of growth. Secondly, Green is playing with more aggression. In previous interviews, he acknowledged his lack of aggressiveness and the need to seek better offensive options when shots don't fall, such as driving to the basket instead of staying outside. Since January, he has become…

Recently, the Rockets have been on a strong run. After defeating the Nuggets, they are currently the team with the longest winning streak in the league, reaching five consecutive victories. During this period, Jalen Green, who averaged over 30 points, is undoubtedly the top contributor. The versatile warrior Amen Thompson, who has performed well on both offense and defense, should be credited second. Coming in at third, Whitmore is perhaps a player that must be mentioned. If you watched the Rockets' games a week ago, you would always feel that Whitmore was out of place with all his teammates. At that time, he had just re-entered the rotation not long ago. Even when he scored 27 points against the Pelicans, there was no smile on Whitmore's face. In an interview, he even expressed that his playing time was unstable and he felt very lost. Especially in the game against the Wizards, Whitmore made 6 out of 8 shots to score 17 points, helping the team defeat their opponents. However, after the game, he walked straight back to the locker room without any interaction with anyone. Post-game, he stated that winning against the worst team in the league was nothing to be happy about. Whitmore's dejected body language was also captured by the NBA officials, and it was even made into a highlight reel, suggesting that the Rockets were experiencing a personnel struggle within the team. Even though head coach Udoka had come forward to say that these were intentional provocations and there were no problems within the team, most people…

Despite the Houston Rockets traveling to the high altitude of Denver, the balance of victory tilted in their favor as two key players from the Nuggets, Nikola Jokic and Aaron Gordon, were declared absent. The Rockets indeed took an early lead, especially in the second quarter when they unleashed a 41-25 scoring spree, quickly rendering the game's outcome predictable. They ultimately secured a 20-point victory. Beyond winning the game, the Rockets experienced four pieces of good fortune. First, after easily defeating the Nuggets, the Rockets solidified their position as second in the Western Conference with this five-game winning streak. Considering their upcoming schedule and current form, barring any unforeseen circumstances or minor setbacks, it is highly probable that the Rockets will maintain a top-four spot in the West, or even hold onto their second-place position by the time the All-Star break arrives. The Rockets also managed to secure an early finish, allowing their starters to conserve energy for the second game of a back-to-back. This is crucial as the Rockets have just embarked on a series of consecutive away games. After facing the Nuggets in Denver, the team hurriedly traveled to Sacramento to play against the Kings, who, after a slow start to the season, have transformed under new management. Although the Kings lost their previous game against the Bucks, they had previously achieved a seven-game winning streak and are still in excellent form. Following the game against the Kings, the Rockets will face another challenge on the road against the Trail Blazers, making this period particularly demanding for the…

The Houston Rockets defeated the Denver Nuggets 128-108, with Jalen Green scoring an impressive 34 points and 5 assists in just 29 minutes. He helped the Rockets secure their victory by the end of the third quarter. Despite the absence of Jokic and Gordon from the Nuggets, they still had Westbrook, Porter, and Murray forming a formidable trio. However, the Rockets managed to dominate the game, demonstrating their strength. The Rockets' record is now on the verge of surpassing the Boston Celtics, placing them third in the league, with only a 0.5-game difference separating them from the Celtics. Up next, the Rockets will continue their road trip against the Sacramento Kings and the Portland Trail Blazers. There is a possibility that Ison could return to the lineup, which would be a significant boost for the team. With Amen Thompson already starting, White Magic has taken over Amen's previous rotation time. Ison's playing time was previously allocated to Jeff Green, but once Ison returns, it is expected that Jeff Green will struggle to find playing time. This means that with Ison back, the Rockets will become even stronger on both offense and defense, making them more formidable. Additionally, there has been a sudden explosion in Jalen Green's performance. Since entering the year 2025, Jalen Green has been averaging an impressive 30.6 points per game, with a shooting percentage of 52%, a three-point shooting percentage of 48%, and a free-throw percentage of 94%. These statistics place him at the level of the exclusive 180 Club. It's hard to predict Green's performance sometimes;…

The Rockets defeated the Nuggets 128-108 in an away game today. The Rockets played relatively easily, as Jokic of the Nuggets did not participate. The Rockets maintained control on both offense and defense, leading by a large margin in the first half and maintaining that advantage in the second half to secure a big win. Three players had perfect scores in this game. Among them, Green continued his explosive performance, maintaining his good form throughout the game and finishing with 34 points and 5 assists, demonstrating that his abilities are now without any issues. VanVleet also completed his tasks effectively, showcasing excellent playmaking skills and strong defensive intensity. He shot 4 out of 9 from beyond the arc, finishing with 16 points and 8 assists, solidifying his role on the team. Amen remains an all-around warrior, contributing 11 points, 9 rebounds, 4 steals, and 2 blocks in the game. His current strengths lie in his rebounding and defensive prowess, along with high shooting efficiency, making him the team's absolute core. Shen Jing, Dillon, Whitmore, Jeff Green, Williams, Tate, and Adams all had passing grades. Shen Jing had a flaw in the first half, missing many shots and wasting opportunities. Fortunately, he improved in the second half, making better choices in both playmaking and offensive plays, ultimately recording 20 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists. Dillon mainly focused on defense, not attempting many shots but contributing 6 points and 2 steals. Whitmore dominated in this game, shooting 7 out of 11 for 16 points and 9 rebounds, achieving a very high…

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The Houston Rockets dominated the Denver Nuggets in a regular-season game on January 16th, Beijing time. In this match, Jokic did not play, and the Rockets overwhelmed the Nuggets in the first half. They continued to widen the point difference and ultimately secured a significant victory with a final score of 128-108. During this game, Green was once again the star player, exploding with an impressive performance. He has been able to completely control the game's momentum in recent matches, boasting high shooting percentages both inside and outside the three-point line. This allowed Green to score an impressive 34 points, making 10 out of 16 shots. If he maintains this level of play, Green stands a strong chance of being selected for the All-Star Game. His current scoring ability is already among the top-tier in the league. Amon and VanVleet have become the backbone of the team. Although Amon did not have a massive offensive explosion, he scored 11 points with 4 out of 8 shots. His greatest contribution to the Rockets lies in his rebounding and defensive capabilities. With 9 rebounds throughout the game, he also had 4 steals and 2 blocks. Under his protection, Amon had the highest plus-minus rating on the team. Notably, Amon's performance in the first quarter was quite poor, but he quickly adjusted and improved after the second quarter. VanVleet has found his optimal role within the team. He refrains from taking unnecessary shots and instead passes the ball to his teammates. Although he took more shots than usual today, he recorded 8 assists…