On January 16th, Beijing time, the NBA regular season continued with the Spurs hosting the Grizzlies at home. Prior to this game, the Grizzlies had lost to the Rockets and were struggling to regain their position in the top two in the West. However, the Nuggets were chasing closely with a four-game winning streak, so the Grizzlies needed to win to maintain their third place in the West. The Spurs also couldn't afford to lose as it would drop them out of the top ten in the West. A tough battle was inevitable. Let's discuss the game process and player performances. Game Review:‌ The first quarter started with Morant and Zhou Zhihao leading the Grizzlies to a 10-2 lead. Wen Ban and Castle hit consecutive threes to help the Grizzlies close the gap with an 8-2 run. Jaren Jackson and Aldama combined for 5 points to give the Grizzlies a slight lead. Keldon Johnson scored 5 points in response, and after the bench came in, the Spurs gradually overtook the score. At the end of the quarter, Tre Jones hit a three-pointer and Keldon Johnson made two free throws, giving the Spurs a 2-point lead. In the second quarter, Champa Ni hit consecutive threes to help the Spurs expand their lead. Lala Via and Little Pippen led an 8-0 run to tie the score. Barnes and Paul combined for 4 points, and Vassell made three free throws, allowing the Spurs to re-establish a slight lead. After that, Kennard became a key player, hitting consecutive threes to help the Grizzlies close…

The recent talk of the town among Houston Rockets fans has been none other than Alperen Sengun. Affectionately dubbed "The Wall" by Rockets fans, this young player has completely won over the discerning hearts of Houston with his outstanding performances. As a rookie selected in the first round as the fourth pick last season, Sengun is only in his second year but has already established himself as a top-tier defensive powerhouse and a formidable perimeter defender. It's no surprise that he's expected to be named to the All-Defensive Team this season! Sengun's game is explosive, and his physical attributes are exceptional. In today's victory against the Memphis Grizzlies, he even managed to block Ja Morant's layup one-on-one, despite Morant having pushed Sengun back half a step before attempting the shot. Sengun's leaping speed, which is renowned throughout the league, left Morant in awe as the ball was swatted away just as it neared the basket. Morant could only shake his head in disbelief, wondering where this spring-loaded man had come from! Indeed, describing Sengun as a "spring-loaded man" is quite apt, but his game is much more than just using his jumping ability. Sengun's greatest attribute is his rebounding prowess, with a strong sense for rebounds, excellent instincts, a sturdy physique, and strong individual and help defense on the defensive end. On offense, he excels at fast breaks and cuts, and is also very effective in second-chance opportunities; he's a man who plays above the rim. When the Rockets first drafted him last year, his position was listed as a…

Four Consecutive Wins! Green Scores 42+5, Morant Makes 11 of 24 Shots, New Star Rises in Rockets, Grizzlies Suffer Third Defeat By Lao Kan Kan Qiu | Edited by Lao Kan Kan Qiu On January 14th, Beijing time, the NBA 2024-25 season regular season welcomes a key match in the Western Conference, with the Houston Rockets hosting the Memphis Grizzlies. This is the third confrontation between the two teams this season, and the previous two encounters were won by the Rockets, showing a clear advantage. Obviously, the Rockets are indeed strong this season, with the continuous rise of new stars within the team, which has raised the depth of the lineup to a new level. Currently, the team has a record of 25 wins and 12 losses, achieving a three-game winning streak, ranking second in the West, just behind the Thunder. The reason for their impressive performance is closely related to their defense. The data shows that so far this season, the Rockets have an average of 107.1 points conceded and a defensive efficiency of 107.0, both ranking among the top three in the league. In contrast, the Grizzlies are also a dark horse in the West, currently with a record of 25 wins and 14 losses, ranking third in the West. Obviously, this is a crucial battle for positioning, and neither team wants to lose. Before the game, American media ESPN also gave the latest win rate prediction for today's game, with the Rockets having a win rate as high as 51.1%, while the Grizzlies' win rate is only…

On January 14, 2025, Beijing time, the 25-12 Rockets hosted the 25-14 Grizzlies. The Rockets are currently ranked second in the West, while the Grizzlies are third. This is a crucial game for both teams. This is their third meeting of the season; the Rockets won the previous two encounters by 20 and 4 points respectively, including a 4-point victory just four days ago. Today, the Grizzlies are eager to bounce back, but the Rockets are in excellent form with a three-game winning streak. Can the Grizzlies defeat such a formidable opponent? The Grizzlies' starting lineup includes Morant, Bane, Wells, Jackson, and Idi. On the Rockets' side, Smith and Ison are absent, leaving the starting lineup as VanVleet, Jalen Green, Dillon, Amen, and Shen Jing. In the first quarter, Morant and Bane hit three-pointers, giving the Grizzlies a 6-0 lead. Amen responded with a three-pointer and Jalen Green scored a layup, reducing the gap to one point. Jackson, Morant, and Wells added points, while Shen Jing and Jalen Green kept the Rockets close, trailing by two points. After a timeout, Morant scored five consecutive points, extending the Grizzlies' lead to seven points. Dillon, Jalen Green, and Amen went on a 10-0 run to take a three-point lead. Aldama, Pippen, and Jackson countered with a 9-0 run to regain a six-point advantage. Adams made a shot, and Lavinia hit a three-pointer, ending the quarter with the Grizzlies leading 30-23. In the second quarter, Whitmore hit a three-pointer, narrowing the gap to four points. Kennard and Pippen extended the lead to eight…

On January 14th, Beijing time, the NBA regular season continued, with the Rockets playing against the Grizzlies at home. The two teams were locked in a tug-of-war battle from the start, with the Grizzlies taking the lead with a 12-2 run. However, the Rockets' Green and Whitmore kept scoring to narrow the gap. In the second half, although the Grizzlies managed to pull away, the Rockets fought back again, with Green scoring crucial points. Ultimately, the Rockets defeated the Grizzlies 120-118, securing their fourth consecutive victory. In the first quarter, the Grizzlies quickly found their rhythm, with Morant and Bane hitting consecutive three-pointers. The Rockets' offense was also solid, with Green continuously scoring to keep up with the score. Wells and Morant hit three-pointers to give the Grizzlies an 18-11 lead. Brooks hit a three-pointer to stop the bleeding, followed by Green's three-pointer, and Amen's alley-oop dunk, allowing the Rockets to overtake the score. However, in the last five minutes of the quarter, the Rockets' offense suddenly faltered, while the Grizzlies kept breaking through for points. Jackson hit a three-pointer, followed by Llarvia's three-pointer, resulting in a 12-2 run that gave the Grizzlies a 30-23 lead at the end of the first quarter. In the second quarter, Whitmore hit a three-pointer, and Pippen scored on a breakthrough, but the Grizzlies remained in control. Holiday hit a three-pointer, and the Rockets launched a counterattack. Whitmore hit another three-pointer and then followed it up with a one-handed dunk on a fast break, helping the Rockets fight back. Green remained hot, nailing an…

Today, the Rockets hosted the Grizzlies at home, with the Rockets starting lineup consisting of Dillon, Amen, Shen Jing, Jalen Green, and VanVleet; while the Grizzlies started with Wells, San Gou, Eddy, Bane, and Morant. In the first quarter, the Grizzlies hit two consecutive three-pointers, to which Amen responded with a corner three-pointer, followed by Jalen Green accelerating for a layup. San Gou and Morant combined for 4 points, and the Rockets also maintained a fast pace, with both teams exchanging leads in a back-and-forth scoring battle. Green scored another layup, prompting a Grizzlies timeout. Returning from the timeout, Morant scored 5 points to extend the lead, but Dillon's three-pointer stopped the bleeding, and the Rockets responded with a 10-0 run to take the lead. Shen Jing missed several shots, and the Grizzlies made two difficult baskets, while Green faced tight defense. After a 22-21 score, a timeout was called. Following the timeout, San Gou erupted again, and Green assisted Adams with a 2+1 play. The first quarter ended with the Grizzlies leading 30-23, a 7-point advantage. In the second quarter, during the rotation phase, after White Magic hit a three-pointer, the Grizzlies extended their lead to 9 points. Holiday responded with a three-pointer to stop the bleeding, and White Magic's steal and fastbreak basket narrowed the gap. The Grizzlies called a timeout. Returning from the timeout, the Grizzlies once again extended their lead into double digits. White Magic hit another three-pointer to stop the bleeding, adding a steal and fastbreak dunk. Jalen Green scored on a step-through move, prompting…

Harden's near-triple-double, Morant helplessly swallows defeat. This game had me sweating in my palms, as if I were back on the outdoor court, drenched in sweat from those days. Back then, we were a bunch of rough-around-the-edges kids, our skills weren't great, but that fighting spirit still makes my blood boil when I think about it now. Harden, this old-timer, is still at ease on the court, his composure is truly remarkable. He's like an experienced chef, perfectly blending various offensive "ingredients" to satisfy his teammates. In this game, Harden's passing was truly an art, always finding the most comfortable angle to deliver the ball to his teammates. Look at that bounce pass, threading through the armpits of the Grizzlies players, accurately finding Zubac under the basket, who then easily dunks for points. That pass was simply brilliant! And his several passes after breaking through, the timing was just right, making the Grizzlies' defense scatter and fail to cope. It's like... just like how my wife cooks, mastering the heat so well that the dishes are full of color, flavor, and aroma, making them irresistible. Morant, on the other hand, is like a young wild horse, full of vitality and explosive power. His few breakaways were so fast they made my head spin, and I couldn't help but shout in excitement. But youth is still youth, and his lack of experience made him seem a bit rash in handling the ball at critical moments. Several strong attacks ended in turnovers, and if he could have been calmer, perhaps the outcome…

Translation of the article content into English: In the league, there are only 11 remaining second overall picks. Among them, 3 have become superstars, and 1 is considered the most unfortunate. Kevin Durant: The second overall pick in 2007, playing for the Suns, has averaged 35.8 minutes per game this season in 13 games, contributing 25.8 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.5 blocks, with a shooting percentage of 53% and a three-point shooting percentage of 47%. D'Angelo Russell: The second overall pick in 2015, playing for the Lakers, has averaged 27.3 minutes per game this season in 23 games, scoring 12.9 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 5.1 assists. Brandon Ingram: The second overall pick in 2016, playing for the Pelicans, has averaged 33 minutes per game this season in 18 games, scoring 22.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 5.2 assists. Lonzo Ball: The second overall pick in 2017, playing for the Bulls, has only played an average of 16.9 minutes off the bench in 8 games this season due to injury, averaging 4.9 points, 2.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.1 steals. Marvin Bagley: The second overall pick in 2018, playing for the Wizards, has averaged 8.6 minutes per game this season in 16 games, scoring 4.9 points and 2.8 rebounds. Ja Morant: The second overall pick in 2019, playing for the Grizzlies, has averaged 28.1 minutes per game in 14 games since his return, scoring 21.7 points, 4.4 rebounds, 8.5 assists, and 1.0 steal. James Wiseman: The second overall pick in 2020, playing for the Pacers, missed the entire season due…

On January 10, 2025, Beijing time, the 24-win and 13-loss Grizzlies faced off against the 24-win and 12-loss Rockets at home. This was a crucial match, with the Rockets currently ranked second in the West and the Grizzlies third. Who would win this game? The Rockets were without Smith and Ison, starting with VanVleet, Jalen Green, Dillon, Amen, and Shen Jing. On the Grizzlies side, Morant returned, starting with Morant, Bane, Wells, Jackson, and Eddie. In the first quarter, Wells, Morant, and Jackson scored for the Grizzlies, while Dillon and Jalen Green chased points for the Rockets, leaving the Grizzlies ahead by one point. Eddie hit a three-pointer, making it 10-6 for the Grizzlies. Shen Jing then scored eight consecutive points, with only Jackson scoring for the Grizzlies, allowing the Rockets to take a two-point lead. After a timeout, Morant hit a three-pointer, Amen made a 2+1, and Shen Jing made a layup, extending the Rockets' lead to four points. Jackson and Morant scored again, but VanVleet scored six straight points, followed by Jalen Green and Amen, giving the Rockets a ten-point lead. After another timeout, Shen Jing dunked, increasing the lead to 12 points. Huf, Clarke, and Kennard scored for the Grizzlies, but Shen Jing responded with consecutive points, keeping the lead at eight points. Aldama, Kennard, and Morant scored, while Jalen Green responded in kind, ending the first quarter with the Rockets leading 45-36. Shen Jing set a personal season record for single-quarter scoring with 16 points in the first quarter. In the second quarter, Jackson made a…

It's confirmed! Morant has suffered a shoulder sprain! Another NBA superstar with a glass body. How many times has Morant been injured this season? During the recent Grizzlies 132-124 game against the Pelicans, he collided with Tais on his right shoulder while navigating a screen in the third quarter and immediately fell to the ground in pain. The Grizzlies' official announcement revealed that Morant has been diagnosed with a first-degree sprain of the right shoulder acromioclavicular joint, which will be monitored weekly. It's worth noting that last season, Morant missed the rest of the season after undergoing shoulder surgery, playing only nine games and averaging 25.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 8.1 assists per game. This season, although Morant hasn't suffered a season-ending injury, he has been plagued by minor injuries, causing him to play intermittently. So far, he has played in 20 out of 33 games for the Grizzlies, averaging 27.7 minutes per game, contributing 21.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, 7.9 assists, and 1.1 steals, with shooting percentages of 45.4% and 32.3%. The Grizzlies have already implemented strict injury management for Morant, limiting his average playing time to just 27.7 minutes per game, with very few instances of playing over 30 minutes in a single game. However, it's hard to control his explosive style of play, as his average inside scoring (10.4 points) accounts for more than half of his total points. Perhaps Edwards could be a good example for Morant, as he has been averaging 4 made three-pointers at a 41.1% shooting rate this season, with three-point attempts (9.8 times)…