The Golden State Warriors narrowly defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 116-115 on the road, improving their record to 20 wins and 20 losses, ranking 10th in the Western Conference and surpassing the Phoenix Suns. At the start of the season, the Warriors and Suns were the hottest teams in the West, once ranking in the top two, while the Thunder had not yet made a push. However, after the Thunder's surge and the rise of young teams like the Rockets, the Warriors continued to decline, and the Suns suffered even more, dropping from first in the West to missing out on the play-in tournament. Now, the Warriors and Suns are truly in a difficult situation. The good thing for the Warriors is that they do not need to pay luxury tax this season, and the team's finances are quite healthy. Naturally, making the playoffs would be great, as it would delight the owner with ticket sales. If they don't make it, it's not a big deal; they can try again next year. The Suns, on the other hand, have paid 188millioninluxurytax,withtotalspendingexceeding188 million in luxury tax, with total spending exceeding 188millioninluxurytax,withtotalspendingexceeding400 million, setting a historical record. Even at their peak, the Warriors never spent that much money, so the Suns are even more anxious than the Warriors. If both teams are really struggling, should they consider merging? Bringing Kevin Durant back to the Warriors would only require the Suns to give up some of the Warriors' assets, which would mean the return of the "Universe Warriors," despite the fact that both Durant…

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…

On January 16th, Beijing time, the 31st round of the CBA regular season continued, with the Guangdong team challenging the Guangzhou team away after a four-day rest. Before the game, Guangdong had won six consecutive victories and was in high spirits; while Guangzhou had suffered two consecutive defeats. One of the highlights of this game was the return of Guo Ailun, so one of the focuses was the dialogue between Guo Ailun and Xu Jie. In the early stages of the first quarter, Guangdong's offense was completely out of form, with low shooting accuracy and many turnovers, allowing Guangzhou to take an early lead of 13-5; then Jilunwote and Zhang Wenyi's consecutive three-pointers helped Guangdong narrow the score to 16-17; later, Guangdong's offense stalled again, and Guangzhou relied on continuous counterattacks to launch an 11-2 climax, ending the first quarter with Guangzhou leading Guangdong 28-18 by 10 points. At the beginning of the second quarter, Guangzhou took the lead to extend the gap to 12 points, followed by Xu Jie scoring two consecutive three-pointers to reduce the gap to 6 points; after several rounds of stalemate, Guangdong's offense in the second half was still a mess, and Guangzhou directly launched a 12-0 offensive wave to extend the gap to 18 points; then Beizeli made one of two free throws, but Guangzhou scored a buzzer-beating layup, ending the first half with Guangzhou leading Guangdong 48-29 by 19 points. At the beginning of the third quarter, Guangdong finally opened up on the offensive end, with Jilunwote finally finding his offensive rhythm, starting…

In the past thirty years, a total of six Chinese players have truly stepped onto the NBA court, and although only Yao Ming has achieved extraordinary success among them, they have shown the style of Chinese basketball on the NBA stage and set an example for future Chinese players. Let's take a look at their total NBA career points. Sun Yue: 6 points With his outstanding performance at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Sun Yue joined the Lakers in the same year to become teammates with Kobe Bryant and won the championship of the 08-09 season with the team. However, due to limited abilities, Sun Yue was cut by the Lakers after only one season, playing a total of 10 games and accumulating 6 points. Zhou Qi: 24 points Zhou Qi fought in the NBA for two seasons, averaging 1.2 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 0.1 assists per game. Due to his thin physique and slow progress, Zhou Qi was ultimately cut by the Rockets in 2018, accumulating a total of 24 points throughout his NBA career. Ba Te Er: 156 points Ba Te Er played three seasons in the NBA, serving successively for the Nuggets, Spurs, and Raptors, and won the championship with the Spurs in the 2002-03 season, becoming the first Chinese player to own a championship ring. Throughout his NBA career, Ba Te Er played 46 games, started 10 times, averaged 1.1 points and 1.1 rebounds per game, accumulating a total of 156 points. Wang Zhizhi: 604 points Wang Zhizhi is the first Chinese player to land in the…

On January 16th, as Beijing time quietly passed, the Knicks embarked on their journey to challenge the 76ers away from home. In this game, both sides experienced the absence of star players. Towns was forced to sit out due to a finger injury, while Embiid remained sidelined with a high-hanging "no battle" sign. However, George and Maxi did welcome their return to action. As soon as the game began, the Knicks showed a momentum of being the hosts, especially beyond the three-point line, where they were hot-handed and accurate, quickly putting the 76ers on the defensive and forcing them to struggle to catch up. Thus, at the end of the first half, the scoreboard clearly showed that the 76ers trailed the Knicks by 13 points with a score of 47 to 60. In the second half, the 76ers, playing at home, finally showed signs of revival on the offensive end. George was like a sharp blade, scoring 11 points in a single quarter; Maxi was even more fierce, racking up 13 points in a single quarter. Moreover, the role players on the team also performed exceptionally well. Take Jeff - Duding for example, who hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer at a critical moment, igniting the atmosphere of the entire arena. In this way, both sides fought fiercely, eventually tying the score at 85 to 85, entering the decisive fourth quarter together. In the final quarter of the game, the Knicks were in high spirits, scoring seven points in a row to take the lead. Faced with such a situation, the 76ers…

The Los Angeles Clippers made an impressive comeback after the California wildfires, delivering an outstanding performance in their first game since the disaster. In their home game against the Miami Heat, the Clippers once again demonstrated their strong defensive capabilities while also showcasing an impressive offensive display. Notably, on the defensive end, the Clippers have already managed to hold their opponents to under 100 points in 11 games this season, boasting a record of 10 wins and 1 loss. In this particular match, James Harden continued to showcase his exceptional playmaking abilities. He scored 26 points with 17 attempts, dished out 11 assists, and added 5 rebounds, 2 steals, and 1 block, perfectly embodying what it means to be an all-around guard. Under his leadership, the Clippers' offensive firepower erupted. The most eye-catching performance came from Ivica Zubac. The Clippers' center dominated the paint, going 10 for 13 to score 21 points and grab 20 rebounds, along with 2 blocks. Remarkably, he achieved this without committing any fouls. According to statistics, the last player in the league to record 20 points, 20 rebounds, and 2 blocks in a game while maintaining a 60% shooting accuracy and zero fouls was the legendary Spurs center, Tim Duncan. Zubac's progress this season is undeniable. Averaging 15.1 points and 12.7 rebounds per game, with his rebound count ranking third in the league, speaks volumes. His shooting percentage stands at an impressive 62%, placing him fifth in the league. These figures represent career highs for Zubac. Harden's arrival has undoubtedly been a key factor in…

Green and Amen are the Jordan Pippen of the Rockets. Amen activates Green, achieving mutual success. I once mentioned that Amen's ultimate template is Batman Pippen, a very versatile small forward. Currently, Amen is indeed playing outstandingly, but what I didn't expect was that after Amen started, there was a very good chemistry between him and Green. Recently, Green has been playing exceptionally well. Honestly speaking, Green's style of play is not the same as Shen Jing's, so they can partner up, but the effect is not always the best. Additionally, the original starting player, Xiao Jiali, is a stationary high-range shooter with much weaker ball-handling skills compared to Amen. Therefore, with Amen in the starting lineup, it's like the Rockets have three ball-handling points: Fan Jordan, Shen Jing, and Amen. This allows Green to play very flexibly, moving around screens, breaking through, shooting threes, and easily getting the ball. It leverages Green's agility and speed advantages, while Amen's cuts inside, defense, and ball-handling skills are also played excellently. Therefore, without Xiao Jiali playing, it actually activated Green. Nerve didn't perform well today, let's adjust for the next game! Shen Jing had a poor performance throughout today's game, feeling not very excited, which might be due to his low shooting percentage! Green made a 3+1 god-level shot but remained expressionless, as if something was on his mind! First of all, I want to clarify that I'm not slandering Shen Jing; Shen Jing and Green have a great relationship, and after Green fell during the game, Shen Jing was the first…

The Clippers achieved a remarkable 59-point victory in an NBA game, with a score of 102-51 at the end of three quarters. The Clippers dominated the Nets at home, leading by double the score after three quarters, which was truly astonishing. While it's understandable that the Clippers scored 102 points, it's surprising that the Nets only managed to score 51 points. Is this still an NBA team? It seems they didn't want to win, but there was no need to perform so poorly; it's too embarrassing. Before the third quarter ended, Tyronn Lue replaced the starters with substitutes, showing great confidence as he knew the opponents couldn't possibly make a comeback. In the fourth quarter, the Nets tried to catch up on scoring, aiming to reduce the margin as much as possible, otherwise, the score would be too unsightly. However, contrary to their hopes, the Clippers' substitutes showed no mercy. They were determined to seize the opportunity and perform well, so they certainly wouldn't let up. The Nets' mentality collapsed, with Cloney being ejected from the game, losing both the game and their dignity. The Clippers continued to score, with the point difference reaching 58, causing everyone to stand up for a group photo to commemorate the moment. Paul, did you see that? It gets worse; the Nets still struggled to score, while the Clippers seemed to score effortlessly, with Coffey hitting a three-pointer and Hyland scoring consecutively, increasing the lead to a massive 64 points. In the end, the Clippers celebrated a significant victory, defeating the Nets 126-67 by…

The Houston Rockets have achieved a remarkable five-game winning streak after defeating the Denver Nuggets 128-108 on the road. The Rockets, who previously secured a victory against the Memphis Grizzlies at home, embarked on a three-game road trip. Among their opponents, the Nuggets and Kings posed the toughest challenges, with the Portland Trail Blazers scheduled for the final match. Having overcome the formidable Nuggets, the Rockets now face the Kings in their next game, with a potential seven-game winning streak within reach. The Rockets currently boast a record of 27 wins and 12 losses, translating to a win rate of 69.2%. With the Boston Celtics experiencing a dip in form this season, the Rockets are only half a game behind them in the standings. This incredible run has propelled the Rockets to the brink of securing the third spot in the league, a feat that seemed unimaginable earlier. The first half of the Rockets' schedule was relatively easy, but the second half presented the third-highest difficulty level in the league. Coincidentally, this is when Jalen Green found his stride, reminiscent of last March when he averaged 28.9 points per game, leading the team to an 11-game winning streak with an 84% monthly win rate. In January of this year, Green has maintained an average of over 30 points per game across seven matches, with only one loss to the Celtics. In today's game against a Nuggets team missing Jokic and Gordon, the Rockets dominated from the outset. Jalen Green started strong with a four-point play and a successful driving layup.…

The controversies surrounding Leonard have always been numerous, with the main issue being that he has not been playing well. Although his strength was indeed among the top five in the league during his peak period, whether Leonard can maintain a healthy and stable performance is also something that fans feel powerless to criticize. Currently, Leonard has started to stir up trouble again shortly after his return. After winning against the Heat, Leonard made a controversial statement. He said, "This time I will take it slow," which made both the fans and the Clippers feel uneasy. It seems that Leonard wants to rest again, as every time he said this before, his body would immediately encounter problems. After the previous long rest due to a major fire, there were already many doubts about Leonard's professionalism. This time, Leonard actually appeared with news of wanting to rest again, which left the fans speechless. Leonard then added, "I need to take it slow now and not rush. I didn't recover well before, which led to my injuries recurring. So this time, I won't lift my playing time restrictions." This statement suggests that fans should not expect him to play for 30 minutes. Leonard will still adopt a more restful and recuperative game rhythm. Whether the Clippers can enter the playoffs does not seem to be a big concern for Leonard. After all, he has already won two championship trophies, and his main focus now in the Clippers is to maintain his health and secure his super high salary.