Title: Defeat! The Hawks' Five Tigers Score 77+23, Harden with 10+15, Leonard's Debut Surprise, Western Conference Landscape Changes Content: On January 5, 2025, Beijing time, the Clippers with a record of 19 wins and 15 losses faced the Hawks with 18 wins and 17 losses at home. The Clippers' top star, Leonard, made his season debut after returning from injury. How would he perform? The Hawks were playing back-to-back games, having lost to the Lakers the previous day and suffering their second consecutive defeat. They were eager for a strong comeback, but could they win against the Clippers with Leonard? The Clippers' starting lineup was Harden, Dunn, Powell, Leonard, and Zubac, while the Hawks were without Johnson, starting with Young, Daniels, Krajicek, Risa, and Capela. In the first quarter, Powell scored with a hook shot, Young made a layup, and Risa hit a three-pointer, giving the Hawks a 5-2 lead. Leonard responded with a three-pointer, and Daniels made a layup, leaving the Hawks ahead by 2 points. Zubac, Powell, and Dunn then took over, giving the Clippers a 3-point lead. Capela, Young, and Krajicek scored for the Hawks, but Jones, Powell, Batum, Harden, and Coffey went on a 16-0 run, extending the Clippers' lead to 15 points. Matthews and Young hit back-to-back threes, and Risa dunked, reducing the gap to 1 point. The first quarter ended with the Clippers leading 29-28. In the second quarter, Coffey and Powell scored 5 points in a row, extending the Clippers' lead to 6 points. Matthews and Rody closed the gap to 2 points,…

On January 4th, Beijing time, the Lakers hosted the Hawks. The game started with Davis scoring two points for the Lakers to take the lead, and then both teams were locked in a tug-of-war, with the scores alternating. At the end of the first quarter, the Lakers led by 3 points; in the second quarter, Trae Young was called for a technical foul, and the Lakers took advantage of this to suddenly increase their efforts. Rookie Knick scored 11 points in a single quarter, James continuously attacked the inside to create damage, and the Hawks relied on Capela's two-point shot to stop the bleeding, trailing the Lakers 57-65 at halftime; after changing sides, the Lakers continued to play steadily, Rivers continued his excellent performance from the previous game, scoring 11 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists in a single quarter through inside and outside shooting, and the point difference remained in double digits; in the final quarter, the Lakers firmly controlled the initiative on the court, and James continuously scored to seal the game, and the Lakers finally won a decisive victory over the Hawks 119-102 without much effort. In this game, the Lakers' new recruit Finney-Smith gradually integrated into the game, scoring 8 points and 5 rebounds in 23 minutes with 3 shots and 2 hits, with a plus-minus value of +12. After the game, Davis talked about his teammate Finney-Smith's performance: "It's obvious that he did very well in shooting tonight, and his defensive performance has always been online. Smith has been learning our system, our defense, our…

The Clippers have been eagerly awaiting Leonard's return since the start of the season, but it now appears that this superstar within the team has completely disappointed everyone. So far, Leonard has not made any moves to participate in the games, despite previously promoting his potential comeback multiple times. This operation has left fans utterly speechless, and the Clippers have now revealed a rather shocking message. They are fed up with Leonard and will take action against him. The Clippers are demanding that Leonard make a quick comeback for the game against the Hawks. They hope Leonard can participate, and the team's accompanying journalist has confirmed this, stating that the team will confirm the nature of Leonard's injury in the morning. It is clear that the Clippers are truly fed up with Leonard's behavior, which is why they have made such an arrangement. They want Leonard to provide a genuine explanation for his injury situation and stop using his injuries as an excuse not to play. It is evident that the Clippers also realize that renewing their contract with Leonard was a mistake, which is why they are taking a stricter stance towards this star player. Ballmer has also expressed a desire to terminate the contract with Leonard, as endlessly waiting for his return is clearly not a wise choice. The Clippers' hopes of relying on the aging Harden to lead the team to the championship are not very promising. The team built around Leonard with significant investment in the past now seems to have become a classic case of…

On January 5th, Beijing time, the NBA regular season continued with a total of 9 matchups scheduled. The specific results are as follows: 76ers defeated the Nets 123-94, Suns lost to the Pacers 108-126, Timberwolves lost to the Pistons 105-119, Jazz defeated the Heat 136-100, Trail Blazers narrowly defeated the Bucks 105-102, Knicks lost to the Bulls 126-139, Nuggets defeated the Spurs 122-111, Grizzlies lost to the Warriors 113-121, and Hawks lost to the Clippers 105-131. Stars such as Embiid, Haliburton, Hua Zi, Cunningham, Sensabo, Simmons, Towns, Jokic, Wiggins, Harden, and Zubac all had impressive performances. So, who will win the title of today's best player? Let's take a look together. In the game between the Knicks and the Bulls, three players from the Bulls scored over 20 points, including LaVine with 33 points, 4 rebounds, and 7 assists, Vucevic with 22 points, 12 rebounds, and 3 assists, and Kobe White with 33 points, 2 rebounds, and 3 assists. They completed a comeback after trailing by 11 points, leading by as many as 19 points, in honor of Rose Night! The Knicks missed a good opportunity, with Brunson scoring 33 points and 8 assists in vain, and Towns also did his best! He played for 37 minutes, shooting 17 of 29 (3 of 7 from three-point range), making 7 of 10 free throws, and scored an impressive 44 points, 16 rebounds, and 5 assists. Especially in the final quarter, Towns fought until he was injured and retired, scoring 25 points alone, but it was not enough to save the team,…

The battle between the teams in the Eastern and Western Conference playoff zones ended with the Timberwolves losing 105-119 to the Pistons on the road, suffering their third consecutive defeat. Notably, the Pistons' record has reached 17 wins and 18 losses, close to eighth place in the East, as they have emerged from the gloom of being at the bottom of the league last season. It is clear that the Pistons, like the Rockets last season, are starting to soar and rise. The player who has made the Pistons rise is undoubtedly the number one pick, Cade Cunningham. Currently, CC is indeed the undisputed leader of the 21st session. Cunningham has been steadily improving every year since entering the league four years ago. This year, he averages 24.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 9.5 assists, with a shooting percentage of 45% and a three-point percentage of 37.6%. Obviously, these statistics are very Harden-like; he is a younger version of Harden. Then there's Jalen Green, the second overall pick, who has been stagnant for four years. Evan Mobley, the third overall pick, is quite good, but his strength is indeed not as good as Cunningham's. Fourth overall pick Scottie Barnes is gradually becoming mediocre, Jalen Suggs has reached his ceiling, and Franz Wagner is okay, but he doesn't belong to the Five Kings. Comparing and contrasting, you will find that Cunningham is indeed the strongest presence in the 21st session. We can only say that the Rockets regret choosing Jalen Green with the second overall pick instead of going all-in for the…

Leonard's injury news is full of twists and turns. First, Law Murray, the Clippers' reporter, reported that Leonard would not return against the Hawks at home, with the time being further postponed. However, just a few hours after this news came out, Chris Haynes and Shams suddenly reported that Leonard's status had been adjusted to "probable." Interestingly, the latest injury report from the Clippers also showed that Leonard's status had changed from "out" to "questionable." We don't know if Leonard will play or not, as Rivers said on the "Off Guard" program. He suggested that Leonard should stop creating confusion. Harden is tired; he is working hard now. If he wants to play, he should come back directly instead of making people guess repeatedly. Rivers even mocked, saying that Leonard gives people the impression that he has been injured 1500 times. If, hypothetically, Leonard returns in the next game, it would certainly be a help to Harden. We can't give a definitive answer now, for fear that Leonard might change his mind again. Let's assume Leonard returns; then Harden's pressure would be significantly reduced. This season, Harden averages 22 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists. When Harden plays, the Clippers have a record of 19 wins and 13 losses. In the two games he missed, the Clippers lost both. The performances of Powell and Zubac without Harden have well demonstrated Harden's value. As Tyronn Lue analyzed today, if Harden doesn't make the All-Star team this season, he would be disappointed. Tyronn Lue believes that Harden is undoubtedly leading the team…

NBA Regular Season: Warriors Defeat Grizzlies Without Curry, Wiggins Scores 24 Points, Kuminga Injured and Green Commits Level 1 Foul On January 5th, Beijing time, the NBA regular season continued. In today's Western Conference focus game, the Warriors hosted the challenge of the Grizzlies at home. Both teams' star players, Curry and Morant, were absent due to injuries. The two teams continuously hit three-pointers in the first quarter, with the Warriors leading the Grizzlies by 1 point. The second quarter was very close, with Kuminga suffering an ankle injury and retiring before halftime. Wiggins scored 18 points in the third quarter to lead the Warriors to a stable situation, leading the Grizzlies by 6 points. In the final quarter, the entire Warriors team performed well, holding off the Grizzlies' counterattack and ultimately defeating them at home with a score of 121-113. The Warriors achieved a two-game winning streak, with a record of 18 wins and 16 losses; the Grizzlies suffered a two-game losing streak, with a record of 23 wins and 13 losses. Both Teams' Data:‌ Grizzlies - Bane 22 points, 4 rebounds, 10 assists; Jackson 21 points, 8 rebounds; Wells 8 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists; Idi 5 points, 6 rebounds; Pippen Jr. 12 points, 5 rebounds; Huff 9 points; Laravia 17 points, 4 rebounds, 8 assists; Clarke 10 points; Warriors - Wiggins 24 points; Schroder 17 points, 9 assists; Hield 14 points; Green 9 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists; Davis 11 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists; Kuminga 13 points; Waters 16 points; Li Kairui 7 points. Star of…

Kevin Durant's announcement has caused a seismic shift in the league, with teams like the Rockets and Warriors responding accordingly. In the absence of Booker, the Suns have only managed to secure one win out of six games. Despite Durant's heroic performances, including scoring 37 points against the Pacers, a season-high 43 points against the Pistons, and another 31 points against his old rivals, the Warriors, the team's losses overshadow these individual achievements. The Suns have only won once since Booker's absence, during the Christmas Day game against the Nuggets, with Durant consistently delivering star-level performances but still unable to secure victories. Durant's frustration with the team's situation is evident, as other players fail to provide support on both ends of the court, leaving him isolated in crucial moments. The team's inability to trade the instigator of their losing streak further exacerbates Durant's dissatisfaction, leading to feelings of hopelessness regarding championship aspirations. Following a close loss to the Warriors, Durant openly expressed his desire for a trade, which could potentially trigger significant changes across the league. Teams such as the Rockets, Thunder, Warriors, Mavericks, and even the Suns themselves have shown interest in facilitating a trade, with many willing to offer substantial assets for the 36-year-old veteran. The Rockets, currently second in the West, lack a superstar presence that could elevate them in critical moments. They are prepared to offer multiple first-round picks and young players to entice the Suns, making the acquisition of Durant seem almost inevitable. The Lakers have also publicly declared their willingness to part with anyone…

Today, there were many NBA games with impressive performances from various star players, including Cunningham, Jokic, Edwards, Embiid, Towns, Simmons, LaVine, and White. However, the selection for today's best player is clear-cut. Let's take a closer look at the specific situations. Simmons defeated Lillard in a close victory for the Trail Blazers against the Bucks. In the final moments, Antetokounmpo made two free throws to lead by 2 points, but after a timeout, Simmons broke through with a left-handed layup for a 2+1 to regain the lead and then sealed the win with two more free throws. He played 41 minutes, shooting 9 of 20 from the field, 5 of 12 from three-point range, and 5 of 5 from the free-throw line, scoring 28 points with 3 rebounds and 8 assists. Embiid had an easy win with 28+12+6 in three quarters as the 76ers defeated the Nets on the road. He started strong in the first quarter, playing all 12 minutes, shooting 6 of 9 (1 of 1 from three-point range), and making 2 of 2 free throws for 15 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 assists with a +10 plus-minus. In the third quarter, he scored in double digits again and then rested early in the fourth. In total, Embiid played 29 minutes, shooting 8 of 16, including 2 of 3 from three-point range and 10 of 10 from the free-throw line, finishing with 28 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists with a game-high +22 plus-minus. Towns continued his tough performance with 44+16+5 as the Knicks defeated the Bulls on…

The Lakers defeated the Hawks at home with a score of 119-102, and James set a new record by scoring over 30 points for the 563rd time in his career, surpassing Jordan to become the all-time leader. Notably, James has been in great form recently after some rest. In the past six games, he has averaged an impressive 30.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 8.3 assists per game, despite being 40 years old. Most of these performances have come against strong opponents, such as scoring 32 points against the Kings, 31 against the Warriors, 38 against the Blazers, and 30 in today's game, with the Lakers winning all of these matches. The only game in the last six where James did not score 30 points and the Lakers lost was against the Cavaliers, where he had 23 points, 4 rebounds, and 7 assists. The Lakers managed to hold their own against the league-leading Cavaliers for three quarters but could not maintain it in the final quarter. Over the past period, the Cavaliers and Celtics have demonstrated that they are in a class of their own by playing against Western Conference teams. While the West has many strong teams and more playoff contenders than the East, the East is stronger in terms of overall strength. The West is evenly strong, while the East has three particularly formidable teams at the top. The good news is that the Lakers have shown improvement this season, with a current record of 20 wins and 14 losses, compared to 17 wins and 17 losses at the…