NBA Western Conference Latest Rankings: Kings Create NBA Miracle, Nuggets Aim for 3rd, Warriors Drop to 11th On January 13, 2025, Beijing time, there were 9 NBA games today, involving the Nuggets, Mavericks, Suns, Thunder, Kings, Pelicans, and Jazz. After the games, the Western Conference standings have changed. The Thunder played away against the Wizards. Although they were missing Chet and Caruso, they had a huge advantage and did not give the Wizards any chance. They won by 12 points in the first quarter, 12 points in the second quarter, and 11 points in the third quarter. The suspense was lost after three quarters, and the Thunder eventually won by 41 points. Alexander scored 27 points with 5 of 17 shots, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists, while Wiggins scored 23 points with 7 of 12 shots, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists. On the Wizards' side, Kispert scored 17 points with 6 of 9 shots. After the win, the Thunder remained at the top of the Western Conference with a record of 32 wins and 6 losses, leading the Rockets by 6.5 games. The Kings played away against the Bulls, and this game was very close. Both sides took the lead several times, with the largest gap being only 8 points. With 2 minutes left in the game, the gap was only 1 point. In the last 2 minutes, the Kings performed better and eventually defeated the Bulls by 5 points, securing their seventh consecutive victory. Xiaosa scored 22 points with 8 of 10 shots, 15 rebounds, and 8 assists, while…

The Nuggets' locker room was buzzing with applause and cheers as Malone, for what seemed like the umpteenth time, hung a large gold chain around Westbrook's neck to symbolize victory and recognize his efforts in the game. This marked another explosive performance by Westbrook, who led the Nuggets to a comeback victory against the Mavericks, securing their position in the Western Conference's fourth seed battle. The Nuggets achieved a three-game winning streak, with Westbrook once again delivering an outstanding performance. The game proved to be more challenging than expected, despite being an away match and with the absence of key players from the opposing team. Thompson, leading the Mavericks, managed to create a significant 15-point difference. However, Westbrook, known as the "Defensive King of the Fourth Quarter" in the league, limited opponents to a shooting percentage of just 29.8%, a feat unmatched by any other player. His relentless defense on Thompson in the final quarter effectively silenced him, while the Nuggets collectively intensified their defensive efforts, restricting the Mavericks to only 12 points in the entire fourth quarter. On the offensive end, Westbrook's chemistry with Jokic was remarkable, with their aggressive defense and intuitive plays quickly turning the tide in the Nuggets' favor. Westbrook's impressive block on the over 2-meter tall Leveri and his continuous penetration through the Mavericks' defense showcased his tenacity. The Nuggets ultimately secured a 112-101 victory, completing a remarkable comeback. Westbrook's performance was nothing short of spectacular, with 21 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks, following his triple-double in the previous game.…

The Nuggets defeated the Mavericks 112-101 on the road, securing their third consecutive victory. With a record of 23 wins and 15 losses, the Nuggets have firmly established themselves in fourth place in the Western Conference. After today's win, the gap between the Nuggets and the fifth-placed Mavericks has widened to 1.5 games. Additionally, the Nuggets are 1.5 games behind the third-placed Grizzlies and 2 games behind the Rockets. Overall, the Nuggets still have a chance to compete for second place in the West this year, as the Rockets and Grizzlies face challenging schedules ahead. It must be said that the acquisition of Westbrook has been a success. In the games where Westbrook started, the Nuggets had a record of 13 wins and 4 losses, with a win rate of 76.5%. Since entering 2025, Westbrook has averaged an impressive 17.9 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 8 assists, with a shooting percentage of 52%. Over the past four games, Westbrook has scored a total of 91 points, grabbed 36 rebounds, and dished out 31 assists, leading the Nuggets to a record of 3 wins and 1 loss, narrowly missing a perfect 4-0. Moreover, Westbrook excels in playing against the wind, and the Nuggets have the most come-from-behind victories this season. What surprises the Nuggets the most is that Gordon has returned from injury, making the team whole again. Given Westbrook's current performance, Malone is reluctant to bench him. It is likely that Braun will move to the bench, and Gordon will return to the starting lineup after adjusting. This lineup features Westbrook…

On January 13th, Beijing time, today's NBA games were very exciting. Stars like Tatum, Towns, Brunson, LaVine, Westbrook, and Jokic all performed well, making them candidates for today's best player. The Celtics narrowly defeated the Pelicans 120-119, with McCollum almost scoring a buzzer-beater at the end. Tatum of the Celtics scored 38 points, 11 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 1 block on 14-of-30 shooting, but his long-range shooting was poor, going 2-for-10 from three-point range. Jaylen Brown had 16 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists, Porzingis had 19 points and 11 rebounds, and Pritchard off the bench had 11 points and 4 assists, while Horford had 11 points and 7 rebounds. For the Pelicans, Murphy scored 30 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists, Murray had 26 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block, and McCollum went 5-for-15 to score 13 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists. The Knicks defeated the Bucks 140-106, securing a significant victory. Brunson of the Knicks exploded, scoring 44 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists on 16-of-26 shooting, including 5-of-10 from three-point range and 7-of-8 from the free-throw line. Towns also contributed significantly, scoring 30 points, 18 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal on 10-of-16 shooting. Hart went 5-for-5 to score 11 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 assists, Anunoby had 11 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists, and 1 block, and Payne off the bench scored 18 points. The Bucks' Antetokounmpo scored 24 points, 13 rebounds, and 2 assists on 10-of-21 shooting, Lillard had 22 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists, and Middleton…

On January 13, 2025, Beijing time, the 22-win and 16-loss Mavericks hosted the 22-win and 15-loss Nuggets. On paper, the Nuggets had a clear advantage as Doncic and Irving were not playing, while all the main players of the Nuggets were present. However, the Mavericks had defeated the Lakers and Trail Blazers in their absence to achieve a two-game winning streak. Could they create another miracle today? The Mavericks' starting lineup was Dinwiddie, Thompson, Marshall, Washington, and Lively, while the Nuggets had Gordon returning from injury, coming off the bench. The Nuggets' starting lineup was Westbrook, Murray, Braun, Porter, and Jokic. In the first quarter, Lively and Marshall scored 6-0, followed by Jokic's layup. Marshall hit a three-pointer, and the Mavericks led 9-2. Jokic made one of two free throws, and Marshall scored again, with Thompson adding eight points, extending the Mavericks' lead to 19-3, a 16-point advantage. Jokic and Porter responded with points, but Washington and Gafford kept the gap at 16 points. Porter, Westbrook, and Gordon scored for the Nuggets, while Dinwiddie and Hardy replied, maintaining a 15-point difference. Jokic scored with a hook shot, but Graham and Gafford responded, keeping the lead at 17 points. Gordon made a jumper, and the first quarter ended with the Mavericks leading 32-17. In the second quarter, Jordan and Gordon scored four points for the Nuggets, reducing the gap to 11 points. Thompson hit a three-pointer, and Hardy made free throws, extending the lead to 16 points. Westbrook, Jordan, and Strus brought the deficit down to nine points. Lively scored with…

The NBA regular season schedule is nearing its halfway point, and the Western Conference is in chaos. The top spot is held firmly by the Thunder, while the bottom three teams - the Trail Blazers, Jazz, and Pelicans - are content with tanking. The middle 11 teams have formed a chaotic group, with not much difference between them. According to StatMuse, the threshold for the top six in the West this season is estimated to be around a 58% win rate, and the play-in tournament threshold is expected to be around 52%. This would be enough to secure a playoff spot in the East. For a long time, the East has not received much attention, but in the past six seasons, three Eastern Conference teams have won championships: the Raptors in 2019, the Bucks in 2021, and the Celtics in 2024. They have indeed benefited greatly from their divisional advantages, with many teams being easy wins. To be precise, starting from the eighth-placed Pistons in the East, the overall competitiveness is not very strong. This includes the Nets and Bulls who are preparing to tank, the Raptors, Hornets, and Wizards who are on the way to tanking, and the 76ers who do not want to tank but have been mediocre. To be honest, the rise of young teams like the Thunder, Rockets, Grizzlies, Cavaliers, and Magic proves that tanking and rebuilding is not necessarily a bad thing. It may only take a 2-3 year cycle to complete a framework reshuffle. However, there is one team that cannot even tank because…

On January 13th, Beijing time, the Denver Nuggets made a remarkable 19-point comeback against the Dallas Mavericks in an NBA regular season game. Nikola Jokic finished the game with 19 points, 18 rebounds, and 9 assists on 6-of-13 shooting. Russell Westbrook contributed 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists on 10-of-17 shooting. The Nuggets' double MVP combination combined for 40 points, 28 rebounds, and 16 assists, leading the team to their third consecutive victory and maintaining their position as fourth in the Western Conference with a record of 23 wins and 15 losses. In the first quarter, Jokic played all 12 minutes, scoring 7 points, grabbing 5 rebounds, and dishing out 2 assists on 3-of-7 shooting. However, the Nuggets started the game trailing by 16 points at 3-19 and were consistently suppressed throughout the quarter. They ended the first quarter down by 15 points with a score of 17-32. The Nuggets struggled from beyond the arc, going 0-for-6 in three-point attempts, while the Mavericks shot an impressive 5-of-7 from three-point range. In the second quarter, the Nuggets turned up the heat, outscoring the Mavericks 41-29 and clawing back 12 points. Westbrook displayed his aggressive playstyle with multiple fast-break layups, and at halftime, the Nuggets were only down by 3 points. Jokic had 12 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists at the half, while Westbrook had 10 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists. The third quarter saw the Nuggets and Mavericks engage in a seesaw battle. However, the Nuggets experienced a power outage, allowing Klay Thompson to lead the Mavericks on…

A Rising Star Emerges in the Nuggets! Averaging 8.8 Points and 1.1 Blocks, Filling Team's Weaknesses, Could He Be the Next Butler? Unlike the Lakers and Celtics, who are considered major league teams, small-market teams like the Nuggets primarily enhance their competitiveness by cultivating new players. The team's core players, Jokic and Murray, both joined the team as rookies and gradually grew into stars. Among the current batch of young players in the Nuggets, the one most likely to become a star is not Braun, who started this year, but Watson, who has performed well off the bench. Although Watson has not played much in recent years, he has shown his physical talent and defensive abilities in limited playing time. He also possesses the same fighting spirit as Westbrook. Watson was selected by the Nuggets with the 30th pick in the first round of the 2022 draft. When he first entered the league, some saw him as the next Butler. Because Butler was selected by the Bulls with the 30th pick in the first round of the 2011 draft. Although Watson is far inferior to the young Butler in terms of strength and game performance, the two players were positioned identically when they first entered the league, both as defensive specialists. Watson had little playing time in his rookie season, and the Nuggets, who were strong in 2023, eventually won the championship. Watson could only learn slowly on the sidelines as a newcomer. Last season, Watson began to receive playing time, but due to his youth, his game performance was…

On January 8th, Beijing time, the NBA 2024-25 season regular season welcomes a focus battle between the East and West, with the Denver Nuggets hosting the Boston Celtics. This is the first matchup between the two teams this season. Last season's two encounters were won by the Nuggets, indicating that their playing styles are somewhat incompatible. However, the Nuggets have been struggling this season, relying heavily on Jokic to carry the team, with his personal statistics reaching the maximum. As NBA weekly MVP rankings writer Sean Powell said, "Why has Alexander performed so well yet still not ranked first in the MVP list? It's only because Jokic's performance this season is completely historical!" It is worth noting that Jokic has ranked first in the MVP list for nine consecutive periods, which has also caused some controversy. However, this can also reflect Jokic's dominant performance this season from the side. In contrast, the Celtics have a deep lineup. They not only have the most luxurious starting five-man group in the entire league, but more importantly, their bench lineup also performs excellently. Pritchard, who is almost guaranteed to win the Sixth Man of the Year award, can even compete for the Most Improved Player award this season. As a substitute player, Pritchard has hit 5+ three-pointers in multiple consecutive games, the only one in the league; he has hit 100+ three-pointers in the first 26 games, surpassing Walker to become the fastest player in Celtics history. The most interesting thing is that the Celtics average 50.2 three-point attempts per game this season,…

Translation: "An MVP from the West and an Eastern 'laughingstock,' what sparks could these two ignite?" When the Nuggets signed Westbrook, almost everyone had doubts and questions. Some fans even jokingly questioned whether the Nuggets' management had a short-circuited brain, how could they think of pairing the "nearly scrapped" Westbrook with the already busy Jokic? But reality is often more exciting than fiction, and this seemingly mismatched pair used their chemistry and strength to lead the Nuggets to a triumphant march. From on-court statistics to off-court interviews, they not only silenced doubters but also became the biggest contributors to the Nuggets' strong record this season. The Nuggets' performance this season fully deserves the words "steady and solid." In the first 20 games of the season, they won 14 games, ranking fourth in the West. This achievement is not explosive, but considering that the team experienced an injury wave at the beginning of the season, with Murray and Gordon missing some games, it is quite surprising to achieve such a win rate. More importantly, the team's playing style and chemistry are becoming increasingly mature, especially when Westbrook and Jokic play together, the fluidity of the game is visibly apparent. In fact, saying that Westbrook joining the Nuggets was "highly controversial" is no exaggeration. At the beginning of the season, the outside world generally did not favor this move, after all, Westbrook's performance last season with the Lakers could be described as a "disaster." Whether it was on-court decision-making or public perception, Westbrook became the target of public opinion. Yet the Nuggets…