The Nuggets defeated Philadelphia 144-109, with a current record of 27 wins and 16 losses. The Nuggets are fourth in the West, but only one win behind the third-place Grizzlies. They are also only 1.5 wins behind the second-place Rockets. It is very likely that the Nuggets will overtake them for second place, although surpassing the Thunder is unrealistic. There isn't much to say about this game; it was initially expected that Embiid would return to play against the Nuggets, but he didn't dare to participate as long as it was a Denver game. Currently, Embiid has won more matchups against Jokic, but most of these victories were at home in Philadelphia. After the game, Sean Keeler from the Denver Post wrote that Embiid and Jokic can no longer be compared. Now, the real competition is between Jokic and Wembanyama. Since Embiid cannot even play, he is not worthy of being compared to his teacher. In 2023, Embiid relied on Harden's help to win the MVP because there was fatigue with Jokic's consecutive MVPs. At that time, Jokic had won two consecutive MVPs, and it was indeed difficult to achieve a third. Adding to that, Embiid only managed to win with a 68-game attendance rate. However, the gap between these two centers from the East and West has been growing ever since. When Jokic hadn't won a championship, Embiid once said during his MVP season that Jokic hadn't won a championship either, so he felt no pressure. But then Jokic easily won the championship in 2023, while Embiid fell in…

On January 22nd, Beijing time, the NBA regular season continued. In today's focus game, the Nuggets defeated the 76ers at home, achieving a three-game winning streak. Facing the 76ers without Embiid, Jokic made an all-round performance with 11 points and 4 assists in the first quarter, helping the team score 35 points in a single quarter and establish an 8-point lead. In the second quarter, both sides scored a total of 82 points, and the Nuggets expanded their lead to 10 points. At the beginning of the third quarter, the Nuggets quickly scored 27-17, expanding their lead to 20 points. It should be noted that the Nuggets scored over 100 points in just two and a half quarters. Although the 76ers tried to catch up later, the Nuggets did not give them any chance and easily won at home. Jokic once again achieved a triple-double today. In the entire game, Jokic played for 30 minutes, shooting 10 of 15, including 2 of 3 from beyond the arc and 5 of 5 from the free throw line, totaling 27 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists. This is Jokic's 19th triple-double this season, and he has also achieved a triple-double in four consecutive games, continuing to rank first in the league. At the same time, this is also Jokic's 149th career triple-double, continuing to rank third in NBA history, only behind his teammate Westbrook and Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson. It should be noted that Jokic's career triple-double ratio reached 20.8%, ranking first in NBA history! Westbrook continued to start today, playing…

On January 20th, Beijing time, in an NBA regular season game, the Denver Nuggets defeated the Orlando Magic 113-100 on the road. The team has won six out of their last seven games and is currently only one game behind the Memphis Grizzlies as they strive to reach the top three in the Western Conference. In the first half of this game, both teams played back and forth, with the Nuggets not having a significant advantage. They only managed a two-point lead at halftime against a depleted Magic squad, failing to create a substantial gap. However, in the third quarter, Nikola Jokic began to distribute assists aggressively, dishing out seven assists in the quarter alone. Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr., and Bruce Brown combined for 29 points, leading the team to a 39-25 scoring run in the quarter. The Nuggets extended their lead to 16 points thanks to their performance in the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, the Nuggets further increased their lead to 20 points, effectively ending any suspense in the game. Ultimately, the Nuggets secured an easy victory on the road, continuing their recent strong momentum. Jokic once again delivered a dominant performance, playing only the first three quarters of the game. He shot 7-for-9, accumulating 20 points, 14 rebounds, 10 assists, 3 steals, and 3 blocks while committing just two turnovers. He showcased his all-around skills on both offense and defense, effortlessly dominating the paint against the Magic's interior defense. It's worth noting that this marks the third consecutive game in which Jokic has recorded a…

On January 20th, Beijing time, the NBA regular season saw the Nuggets defeat the Magic away from home. Jokic played for 30 minutes, shooting 7-for-9 and 6-for-7 from the free-throw line, scoring 20 points, grabbing 14 rebounds, dishing out 10 assists, making 3 steals, and blocking 3 shots. He led the team to avenge the Magic with an all-around performance, clocking out after three quarters while also setting new records, with a plus-minus of +20 on the court. The Nuggets' victory over the Magic secured them their second consecutive win. Jokic once again delivered a triple-double with an all-around performance, living up to his title as the most versatile center in NBA history. The double MVP combination of Jokic and Westbrook played with great chemistry, with the "Six Double Brothers" becoming the engine driving the Nuggets' offense. In today's game, Jokic played the entire 12 minutes of the first quarter, showing a hot offensive form by going 5-for-5 and scoring 12 points while also grabbing 7 rebounds and dishing out 2 assists. Despite his heroic efforts, the Nuggets trailed by 1 point at the end of the first quarter with a score of 28-29; Westbrook scored 5 points and 2 assists in the first quarter. In the second quarter, after trailing by 10 points, Murray provided firepower for the Nuggets. Jokic and Westbrook continued to organize the offense, leading a charge that turned the tide. At halftime, the Nuggets led 54-52. In the first half, Jokic scored 15 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, and had 3 assists. During this time, Jokic…

On January 18th, Beijing time, the NBA regular season saw the Denver Nuggets face off against the Miami Heat on the road. Jokic made his return to the court, and Butler also returned after serving a seven-game suspension. Jokic once again delivered a triple-double performance, leading the Nuggets to suppress the Heat with a team attack, gradually expanding their lead by over 20 points to secure an early victory. Ultimately, the Nuggets defeated the Heat 133-113, sweeping the season series and consolidating their fourth place in the Western Conference, while the Heat suffered their third consecutive loss, falling to ninth in the Eastern Conference after being overtaken by the Pistons. Statistical Highlights Nuggets: Jokic returned with 24 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists; Murray scored 30 points with 7 rebounds, 8 assists, and 3 steals; Westbrook had 11 points and 7 assists; Porter contributed 14 points and 9 rebounds; Gordon added 16 points, with a total of 7 players scoring in double figures. Heat: Butler returned from a seven-game suspension with 18 points; Adebayo had 16 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 assists; Herro scored 22 points with 5 rebounds and 4 assists; Jovic added 16 points. Firstly, Jokic achieved his 17th triple-double of the season, firmly ranking first in the league. Secondly, this was Jokic's 147th career triple-double, solidifying his position at third in history. Game Recap The Nuggets entered the game with a record of 24 wins and 16 losses in their first 40 games, having suffered a disappointing 108-128 home loss to the Rockets in their previous match.…

On January 11th, Beijing time, the Denver Nuggets hosted the Brooklyn Nets and won a decisive victory with a score of 124-105. The Nuggets had already established a significant lead by the end of the third quarter. Although the Nets have been performing poorly in the Eastern Conference, they showed great resilience in this game, launching a 13-3 run in the fourth quarter to reduce the gap to just 5 points. At the critical moment, Westbrook and Jokic worked together to stabilize the situation. Murray missed the second half due to a knee injury, and we hope for his speedy recovery. The Nuggets are now on a two-game winning streak, ranking fourth in the West with a record of 22 wins and 15 losses, only 1.5 games behind the third-placed Memphis Grizzlies. In this game, both stars of the Nuggets recorded triple-doubles. Among them, Jokic stood out with an impressive performance, shooting 14 of 21 for 35 points, 12 rebounds, 15 assists, and 4 steals, with a plus-minus value as high as +33. It is clear that Jokic has become the top star in the league, with a dominance that can be considered historical, surpassing even Jordan and James in terms of all-around ability. However, in the latest MVP rankings, Jokic dropped to second place, being overtaken by Alexander of the Thunder. If Jokic wants to win the MVP, the Nuggets' record must at least enter the top 3 in the West, which would give him a chance. The 36-year-old Westbrook continued to start, making 8 of 17 shots for…

NBA Season So Far, Only 1 Player on the Top 10 Assists List, Surprisingly Unexpected Tyrese Haliburton: Playing for the Pacers, he has played 68 games with a total of 739 assists, averaging 10.9 assists per game. Trae Young: Playing for the Hawks, he has played 53 games with a total of 571 assists, averaging 10.8 assists per game. Luka Doncic: Playing for the Mavericks, he has played 70 games with a total of 686 assists, averaging 9.8 assists per game. Nikola Jokic: Playing for the Nuggets, he has played 78 games with a total of 703 assists, averaging 9.0 assists per game. James Harden: Playing for the Clippers, he has played 72 games with a total of 614 assists, averaging 8.5 assists per game. LeBron James: Playing for the Lakers, he has played 70 games with a total of 572 assists, averaging 8.2 assists per game. Domantas Sabonis: Playing for the Kings, he has played 81 games with a total of 664 assists, averaging 8.2 assists per game. Ja Morant: Playing for the Grizzlies, he has played 9 games with a total of 73 assists, averaging 8.1 assists per game. Fred VanVleet: Playing for the Rockets, he has played 73 games with a total of 589 assists, averaging 8.1 assists per game. LaMelo Ball: Playing for the Hornets, he has played 22 games with a total of 176 assists, averaging 8.0 assists per game. It's really surprising that Van Jordan made it onto the list. Looking back at the few games before his injury, he was too focused on…

The NBA regular season is nearing its halfway point, and the competition for major league awards is becoming increasingly fierce. Take the MVP award as an example; Jokic had dominated the top spot for 11 consecutive periods, with players like Antetokounmpo and Tatum seemingly unable to stop Jokic from achieving the feat of winning four MVPs in five years. However, the Thunder and Alexander have emerged as dark horses, surpassing Jokic in the latest MVP rankings, adding suspense and excitement to the regular-season MVP race. To date, Sabonis is the rebound king, Trae Young is the assist king, Daniels is the steal king, Wembanyama is the block king, Sabonis is the double-double king, Jokic is the triple-double king, and Curry is the three-point king. At the same time, there are subtle changes in the battle for the scoring title. To date, there are four players averaging over 31 points per game in the league: Antetokounmpo (31.4 points), Alexander (31.4 points), and Jokic (31.2 points). Antetokounmpo, Alexander, and Jokic are all unstoppable scorers, especially Antetokounmpo, who excels at fast-break scoring and scoring in the paint, and has also honed his mid-range shooting skills, making him incredibly lethal! According to statistics, Antetokounmpo leads the league in average field goal makes (12.5), fast-break points (5.8 points), and points in the paint (21 points). Despite his numerous accolades, Antetokounmpo has never won a scoring title. This season, Antetokounmpo has led the scoring charts for a long time, which is the closest he has ever been to the scoring title. However, his position is not…

On January 13th, Beijing time, the Denver Nuggets made a remarkable 19-point comeback against the Dallas Mavericks in an NBA regular season game. Nikola Jokic finished the game with 19 points, 18 rebounds, and 9 assists on 6-of-13 shooting. Russell Westbrook contributed 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists on 10-of-17 shooting. The Nuggets' double MVP combination combined for 40 points, 28 rebounds, and 16 assists, leading the team to their third consecutive victory and maintaining their position as fourth in the Western Conference with a record of 23 wins and 15 losses. In the first quarter, Jokic played all 12 minutes, scoring 7 points, grabbing 5 rebounds, and dishing out 2 assists on 3-of-7 shooting. However, the Nuggets started the game trailing by 16 points at 3-19 and were consistently suppressed throughout the quarter. They ended the first quarter down by 15 points with a score of 17-32. The Nuggets struggled from beyond the arc, going 0-for-6 in three-point attempts, while the Mavericks shot an impressive 5-of-7 from three-point range. In the second quarter, the Nuggets turned up the heat, outscoring the Mavericks 41-29 and clawing back 12 points. Westbrook displayed his aggressive playstyle with multiple fast-break layups, and at halftime, the Nuggets were only down by 3 points. Jokic had 12 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists at the half, while Westbrook had 10 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists. The third quarter saw the Nuggets and Mavericks engage in a seesaw battle. However, the Nuggets experienced a power outage, allowing Klay Thompson to lead the Mavericks on…

The Lakers are in need of a center, which has become a consensus. After the free agency market opens, there are many quality centers available, and among them, the center most closely linked to the Lakers is undoubtedly the Wizards' center, Valanciunas. Opinions on Valanciunas vary among fans. Some believe he is a good fit for the Lakers, while others think he is not suitable. The mainstream view is that he can help relieve pressure on Anthony Davis. So what is Valanciunas really like? Does he suit the Lakers? What changes can he bring to the Lakers? First, let's talk about why the Lakers need Valanciunas. It's simple; everyone knows the Lakers lack a true number five position player. Anthony Davis doesn't want to play as a center. He has repeatedly mentioned his desire to return to the power forward position. However, the Lakers' management holds a different opinion. Whether it's because they're afraid to spend money, think it's inappropriate, or unnecessary, remains unknown. But the reason the Lakers need Valanciunas is straightforward. In fact, the most urgent and necessary point is to use Valanciunas to reduce the burden on Anthony Davis and protect him. This is the fundamental reason. How important Anthony Davis is to the Lakers needs no further explanation. If he gets injured, the Lakers' season is over. Therefore, trading for Valanciunas to help Anthony Davis, even if it's just for five minutes, is very necessary. Having him play five minutes per game significantly enhances his safety. This is the primary purpose and most important thing about…