The NBA regular season is more than halfway through, and the situation in the West has become increasingly complex. While teams like the Thunder, Rockets, Grizzlies, and Nuggets have relatively stable positions, the gap between them and the fifth-placed Clippers is not significant. Teams such as the Timberwolves, Kings, Warriors, and Suns are all within a maximum of 0.5 wins of each other, and despite the Warriors' and Suns' recent struggles, they could easily return to the top six in the West. On the contrary, the Spurs are slipping, and the Mavericks, without Doncic, lack competitiveness. If Doncic returns during the All-Star period at the earliest, the Mavericks will have to start from 12th place in the West. In the Eastern Conference, the competition this season is also fierce, with a maximum difference of three wins between fourth-placed Bucks and ninth-placed Heat. Although there are many "point-giving" teams in the East, it must be said that young teams like the Pistons, Hawks, Magic, and Pacers have high ceilings. Even the top two teams in the East, the Cavaliers and Celtics, often lose to these mid-tier teams, making it difficult for them to secure victories. When predicting this season, American media generally believes that the Thunder in the West and the Cavaliers and Celtics in the East are the biggest favorites to win the championship. Both the Cavaliers and Thunder have a winning rate of over 80%, with solid rosters, and the regular season does not pose much pressure on them. As for the defending champions, the Celtics, do they still…

NBA regular season, the Rockets defeated the Blazers 125-103. The game remained close in the first half, but a surge in the third quarter of the second half allowed the Rockets to secure a big win. Four players had perfect performances throughout the game. Green checked out early in the second half, playing only 29 minutes across three quarters and scoring 26 points with 5 assists, boasting a team-high +23 plus-minus rating. Green is currently in an unstoppable form, consistently delivering results and being the most reliable player on the team, which is a joy to see. Dillon maintained his perfect firepower in this game, shooting 9 for 18 to score 22 points with 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block. This is the role he should maintain, as his scoring ability is not lacking, and his defense can also be guaranteed. Ethan remains an all-around offensive and defensive presence. He has been able to maintain perfect play in both games, shooting 6 for 10 to score 18 points with 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals. He will be the new king of the Rockets' bench, significantly contributing to the overall momentum of the team. Shenjing finally played normally in this game, shooting 6 for 9 in the third quarter to score 14 points with 5 rebounds. He finished the game with 23 points and 15 rebounds, helping the team pull away in the third quarter. Hopefully, he can toughen up in future games. Holiday and Adams both had passing grades. Holiday managed to maintain his shooting…

On January 10, 2025, the Houston Rockets faced off against the Memphis Grizzlies in an NBA regular season game. After four quarters of intense competition, the Rockets narrowly defeated the Grizzlies with a score of 119-115, securing a valuable away victory. Both teams are currently ranked high in the Western Conference, making this focus match crucial for playoff rankings. Despite inconsistent performances from the Rockets as a whole, several key players' outstanding displays ensured the team's victory. Game Progression: The Rockets fought back tenaciously, leading by three quarters to secure the win. The game began with the Grizzlies holding the home advantage, but the Rockets quickly took control thanks to Jalen Green's efficient scoring and Shen Jing's excellent inside play. By the end of the first quarter, the Rockets led 45-36, with Green and VanVleet's three-pointers continuously widening the gap. Although the Grizzlies attempted to catch up through Morant's breakthroughs and Jackson's inside scoring, the Rockets' defense made it difficult for the Grizzlies to score consistently. In the second quarter, the Grizzlies managed to close the gap somewhat through their two core players' efficient offense, but at halftime, the Rockets still led 68-63. In the second half, the Rockets continued their strong performance, with a 33-29 run in the third quarter. By the end of the third quarter, the Rockets were ahead 101-92. Despite the Grizzlies' comeback attempt in the fourth quarter, the Rockets held on under pressure and ultimately won 119-115. Player Performance Ratings: Jalen Green: Perfect Score Shen Jing: Perfect Score VanVleet: Perfect Score Amen: Passing Dillon: Struggling…

NBA regular season, the Rockets defeated the Grizzlies 119-115. The Rockets maintained their lead throughout the game, but it was a tough battle as the Grizzlies kept biting at them in the final moments. Fortunately, the Grizzlies failed to seize the opportunity to overtake, and the Rockets managed to stabilize the situation and ultimately secured the victory. Three players from the Rockets had perfect performances. Green displayed remarkable stability on the offensive end, having been on a continuous rampage, and he is also an all-around player capable of both offense and defense. He scored 27 points, made 3 steals, and had 1 block, with another 8 points in the final quarter, demonstrating the core strength of the Rockets. Tate remained the strongest point on the bench, although his attention has not been particularly high. In the past month, he has gradually gained recognition from the coaching staff. He made both free throws in the closing moments, contributing to the team's defense and scoring, finishing with 12 points. VanVleet maintained a stable output, shooting 8 for 13 to score 22 points, 1 rebound, 4 assists, and 4 steals. He also made a crucial mid-range shot in the final moments, helping the team to further extend the lead. Throughout the game, VanVleet played very reasonably, maintaining a stable shooting percentage, showcasing a performance that matched his salary. Amen, Adams, and Holiday all had passing grades. Amen had a less-than-ideal shooting percentage, but excelled in other areas. He scored 10 points, grabbed 7 rebounds, had 5 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block without…

This season, the Houston Rockets' three-point shooting percentage ranks among the lowest in the league, which has been a stumbling block for them to win more games. However, it seems that their three-point shooting ability has improved recently. Despite the absence of their power forwards, Ethan and Jabari Smith Jr., due to injuries, many players have stepped up to help the Rockets win games with their three-point shooting. For example, third point guard Aaron Holiday has a three-point shooting percentage of 38% this season. Last season, Holiday had the highest three-point shooting percentage on the Rockets, and after returning to the rotation this season, he continues to assist the team with his defense and three-point shooting. Although another shooter, Shepard, has been temporarily demoted to the developmental league's Vipers, the Rockets' core guard Jalen Green has stepped up, scoring a total of 111 points in the last four games. In the last three games, the Rockets achieved a record of two wins and one loss. In these games, Jalen Green scored over 25 points each time, and in the three games, he attempted 40 three-point shots, making 17 of them. Over the three games, Jalen Green's three-point shooting percentage was as high as 42%. It's worth noting that before these recent games, Jalen Green's average three-point shooting percentage this season was just over 30%, but with his excellent performance in the last few games, he has raised his three-point shooting percentage to 33.1%. More importantly, in these three games, Jalen Green made the most three-point shots among the Rockets, not…