On January 2nd, Beijing time, according to NBA reporter Shams, the Suns' total salary for this season exceeds 220million,andtheyalsoneedtopayover220 million, and they also need to pay over 220million,andtheyalsoneedtopayover180 million in luxury tax, totaling a staggering $400 million. Currently, with a record of 15 wins and 17 losses, the Suns are only ranked 11th in the Western Conference, missing out on the playoff play-in tournament. Additionally, they only lead the 12th-ranked Kings in the West by one game. In the past 23 games, the Suns have managed only 7 wins and 16 losses, with this win rate ranking just 25th in the league during the same period. It is clear that the Suns will make changes before the trade deadline, aiming to reduce their payroll and regain their future first-round draft pick. This summer, the Rockets acquired the right to swap first-round picks with the Suns in 2025, as well as unprotected first-round picks in 2027 and 2029 from the Nets. The Rockets' goal is very clear: they hope to acquire Suns forward Kevin Durant. Currently, the Rockets are temporarily ranked third in the West. This season, the Rockets have repeatedly faced reversals by opponents in the fourth quarter, which is largely due to the lack of a star player on the team. Although names like Butler and Fox have appeared in the trade market, the Rockets' management and coaching staff have higher expectations for Durant. Moreover, the Rockets' management has maintained sufficient patience in trading for Durant. American media outlet BR has also made predictions, suggesting that the Rockets, Suns,…

NBA regular season continues, the Rockets, who have suffered two consecutive defeats, have dropped to third place in the Western Conference, with teams like the Mavericks, Lakers, Clippers, Nuggets, Timberwolves, Spurs, Warriors, and Suns all in hot pursuit. Any misstep could see them exit the playoff race. Fred VanVleet has become one of the most disappointing players for the Rockets this season, earning $42.85 million but averaging only 15.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 6 assists per game, with a shooting percentage of just 37.9% and a three-point percentage of 32.7%. The Rockets management holds his team option for next summer, and it is expected that General Manager Rafael Stone will not continue to execute his final year's max contract. To ensure securing a playoff spot, GM Rafael Stone hopes to strengthen the team through the trade market, aiming to find an All-Star level player to further enhance the overall strength of the Rockets. Recently, Jake Fischer, a reporter for American media outlet "Bleacher Report," suggested that the Rockets should target 76ers' All-Star small forward Paul George as their top priority for recruitment. The 76ers have had a poor record this season, currently ranking 11th in the Eastern Conference, and even if they manage to enter the playoffs, it is unlikely they will make significant progress. George's performance this season has been subpar, and his four-year, $212 million contract has already severely limited the 76ers' salary cap space. The journalist provided a 3-for-1 trade offer to both the Rockets and the 76ers, and if negotiations go smoothly, VanVleet and Tari Eason…

When it comes to NBA's all-around players on the court, the names that undoubtedly come to mind for us fans are Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic, and LeBron James. All of them play in a ball-dominant style and are equally comprehensive in three technical statistics! Coincidentally, both James and Jokic have played 28 games this season, so let's compare the data they've achieved. Jokic 28 games 867 points 360 rebounds 267 assists 49 steals 16 blocks This season, the Denver Nuggets encountered some significant troubles at the beginning of the season, needing time to mesh their lineup and with many key players underperforming. This shouldn't be blamed on Westbrook, but the team did indeed rely more on Jokic at the time. The latter even averaged a triple-double for quite some time. Currently, the 29-year-old Jokic is still averaging nearly a triple-double and remains firmly at the top of the MVP rankings. In terms of shooting percentage, he has reached 56.3% + 48.9% + 79.4%‌ this season. Additionally, he averages 31.0 points per game, ranking third in the league, with rebounds and assists also ranking third. As a center, his 1.8 steals per game rank sixth in the league, which is truly impressive. James 28 games 657 points 220 rebounds 252 assists 23 steals 17 blocks LeBron James recently celebrated his 40th birthday, officially entering his forties. With age, James has indeed experienced a certain degree of decline in his offensive capabilities, averaging 25.7 points last season, but only 23.5 points this season, which is just above his rookie season.‌ In terms…

The Houston Rockets achieved a significant victory over the Dallas Mavericks, with a final score of 110-99. The Rockets' performance was led by Jalen Green with 22 points and 5 rebounds, and Whitmore with 18 points and 3 rebounds. After the game, Whitmore exchanged jerseys with Lively from the Mavericks, indicating a good personal relationship or mutual admiration between the two players. During the first half, the Rockets led by 9 points with a score of 61-52. Notably, the Rockets' free-throw opportunities outnumbered the Mavericks', with 19 attempts compared to the Mavericks' 3. This advantage helped the Rockets maintain their lead despite struggling with three-point shots in the first quarter. In the second half, the Rockets continued to dominate, with multiple players contributing to the score. By the end of the third quarter, the Rockets had extended their lead to 14 points. Despite the Mavericks' efforts to rally in the fourth quarter, the Rockets remained in control, with Whitmore's efficient scoring playing a key role in securing the win. The Rockets' young players are showing signs of growth and development, suggesting that the team could be a consistent playoff contender in the coming years. However, to become a championship-contending team, they may need to see further improvement from players like Green, Whitmore, and others, or potentially acquire an established superstar through a trade.

Incredible Russell Westbrook led the Nuggets to a decisive 139-120 victory over the Hawks at home. With a current record of 19 wins and 13 losses, it's clear that they're on track. Coach Malone continued to start Westbrook alongside Murray in the backcourt. The frontcourt featured Braun, Porter at the four, and Jokic at the five. Once Gordon returns, Porter will likely move back to the three, with Gordon at the four partnering with Jokic, and Braun probably coming off the bench. Westbrook is sure to keep his starting spot. Notably, when Westbrook starts this season, the Nuggets have a 9-2 record, compared to a 10-11 record when he comes off the bench. There's a stark difference between his performance as a starter versus a substitute, with the latter being less impressive and less efficient offensively. However, since moving into the starting lineup, Westbrook has transformed into a superstar, averaging 16+7+7 over the last nine games with a 57% shooting rate. This level of play is truly that of a superstar, and the Nuggets have developed great chemistry with Westbrook in the starting lineup. From the outset, the Nuggets took control, with Jokic drawing in the Hawks' defense and Westbrook focusing on defense and steals. Porter and Braun spread the floor, while Murray attacked one-on-one. The Nuggets' offense flowed smoothly, leading 40-33 after the first quarter. In the second quarter, the Hawks started to fight back, with Klayich, Hunter, and Okongwu contributing, and Trae Young igniting their offense to close the gap. But Jokic dominated both ends of the court,…

On January 2nd, Beijing time, the NBA regular season continued with a total of 8 matchups scheduled for the day. The specific results are as follows: Magic lost to Pistons 96-105, Bulls were defeated by Wizards 107-125, Pelicans lost to Heat 108-119, Jazz lost to Knicks 103-119, Nets were defeated by Raptors 113-130, Mavericks lost to Rockets 99-110, Hawks were defeated by Nuggets 120-139, and 76ers narrowly lost to Kings 107-113. Stars such as Ivey, Cunningham, Poole, Adebayo, Herro, Towns, Barnes, Shen Jing, Jokic, and Fox 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 Jazz and Knicks, Sexton and Clarkson combined for 50 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists, while Markkanen scored 16 points and 10 rebounds. However, they still fell behind by as many as 20 points at one point and ultimately suffered a defeat. On the Knicks side, Brunson was absent, but Hart contributed a triple-double with 15 points, 14 rebounds, and 12 assists, while Anunoby added 23 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists, and Bridges scored 27 points. However, they were not the best performers on the team; that honor goes to Towns! Towns played 37 minutes, shooting 10-of-20 (3-of-6 from three-point range) and 8-of-9 from the free-throw line, exploding for a comprehensive stat line of 31 points, 21 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block. In the game between 76ers and Kings, Embiid was absent, but George exploded for 30 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists, while Maxey scored 27…

On January 2, 2025, Beijing time, the NBA regular season saw a match between the 21-11 Rockets and the 20-13 Mavericks. Both teams were on a two-game losing streak and were eager to bounce back. Who would win this battle? The Rockets' Thompson was suspended and Ison was out due to injury, with the starting lineup being VanVleet, Jalen Green, Dillon, Smith, and Shen Jing. On the Mavericks' side, Doncic was out due to injury and Marshall was suspended, with the starting lineup being Irving, Dinwiddie, Clay, Washington, and Lively. In the first quarter, Lively scored 4-0, followed by Jalen Green's layup and Clay's three-pointer, giving the Mavericks a 7-2 lead. VanVleet and Smith made free throws, while Washington and Clay continued to score, extending the Mavericks' lead to 10 points. Jalen Green, Smith, and Dillon narrowed the gap to 2 points. Gafford scored a layup, and Dillon scored 4 points in a row, leveling the game. Hardy and Kellebel scored, but Jalen Green, Shen Jing, and Dillon responded, allowing the Rockets to take a 1-point lead. Grammes, Hardy, and Powell scored 7-0 to regain a 6-point lead, ending the first quarter with the Mavericks leading 30-24. In the second quarter, Adams scored from the offensive rebound, maintaining a 4-point lead. Grammes continued to score, although Whitmore responded, the gap widened to 9 points. Holiday scored a layup, and Dinwiddie responded with a three-pointer, giving the Mavericks a 10-point lead. Shen Jing and Whitmore narrowed the gap to 2 points. Irving scored a layup, and Shen Jing, Whitmore, and Jalen…

On January 2nd, Beijing time, the NBA regular season continued with the Rockets hosting the Mavericks. Both teams had similar records, with the Rockets at 21 wins and 11 losses, and the Mavericks at 20 wins and 13 losses. Additionally, both teams were in poor form recently, having suffered two consecutive defeats. Therefore, this intra-Texas battle was sure to end the losing streak for one of the teams. In the first quarter, the Rockets started coldly while the Mavericks took an early lead with a hot hand, leading 16-6 for a 10-point advantage; however, Green and Xiao Smith's scoring helped the Rockets stop the bleeding, followed by Dillion scoring six points to tie the game. But in the final stages, the Mavericks had another small run to lead 30-24 and end the first quarter six points ahead. In the first half of the second quarter, the Mavericks relied on consecutive three-pointers to lead 40-30 by 10 points; then the game took a sharp turn as Whitmore and Shenjing played very actively for the Rockets, combining for a 17-4 run to overtake the score. Then it was Green, Whitmore, and Dillion who exploded, helping the Rockets end the half leading the Mavericks 61-52 by nine points. In the first half of the third quarter, Xiao Smith, Shenjing, and Dillion worked together to help the Rockets take a 16-point lead; after Irving and Clay scored consecutively to narrow the gap, it was again Dillion, Xiao Smith, and Shenjing who stepped up to stabilize the situation. In the final stages, Dillion and Tate's…

End of 4-game winning streak! Jokic with 23+17, Trae Young 8/17 shooting, Westbrook delivers, Nuggets face reality On January 2nd, Beijing time, the NBA 2024-25 season regular season welcomes a focus battle in the West, with the Denver Nuggets hosting the Atlanta Hawks. This is the second meeting between the two teams this season. In the previous match, the Nuggets defeated the Hawks by a margin of 30 points, showing a clear advantage. Obviously, the Nuggets are indeed inconsistent this season, capable of winning by a large margin but also losing to weak teams like the Wizards. They currently have a record of 18 wins and 13 losses, ranking fifth in the West. Moreover, according to head coach Malone, Gordon will miss the next few games due to an unresolved calf strain. The team's situation is indeed not optimistic.‌ However, after promoting Westbrook to the starting lineup, the results have been surprisingly good. The data shows that when Westbrook starts, the Nuggets have a record of 8 wins and 2 losses, while in games where Westbrook comes off the bench, the Nuggets have only 10 wins and 11 losses, a stark contrast. Additionally, in the past 8 games, Westbrook's average statistics have increased to 15+7+7+2 steals, with a high shooting percentage of 58.4%. As the American media STATMUSE puts it: Denver has found Westbrook's instruction manual!‌ Before the game, American media ESPN also provided the latest winning probability prediction for today's game, with the Nuggets' winning probability as high as 68.4%, while the Hawks' winning probability is only 31.6%.‌ Obviously,…

On December 31, it was reported that the Lakers and the Nets had reached a trade agreement, sending Russell to the Nets for the second time in exchange for Finney-Smith and Milton. In response, Yang Yi, a well-known domestic basketball commentator, expressed during a live broadcast that Lakers fans would soon regret the decision, asking, "Why did we trade away Russell?" Recently, the Lakers sent D'Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis, and three second-round picks to the Nets in exchange for Dorian Finney-Smith and Milton. Famous basketball commentator Yang Yi commented: "It is expected that it won't be long before Lakers fans start shouting, 'Russell is great, why did we let him go?' Russell is an athlete who, when he was with the Lakers, many athletes were like this, especially in such a high-traffic team. When he was on your team, you didn't think he was good, you thought he wasn't that great, and you even scolded him frequently. After he left, you realized that he was actually quite important. People in Brooklyn still consider him an All-Star, it's all about psychology. Just as James mentioned earlier, now you've traded for Milton, who is a shooter, and Finney-Smith, who is known as a 3D player but is actually just average at 3-point shooting. The Lakers have always had the problem of having players who can defend but not shoot, or shooters who can't defend. Why are they unbalanced? It's because those who can shoot can't defend, and those who can defend can't shoot. So by bringing in two such players, especially one…