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,…

Nikola Jokic stood on the training ground of the Denver arena, his gaze fixed on the distance. The core star of the Nuggets no longer wore the bright smile of a championship victory; instead, a deep concern etched across his face. As one of the top centers in the league, he demonstrated his worth with an average of 29.9 points, 13.4 rebounds, and 10.4 assists per game, yet he could not halt the team's continuous decline. In the locker room, an invisible rift was quietly growing. Jamal Murray sat in a corner, tidying up his gear, maintaining a distant relationship with his teammates. This season, his performance plummeted to an average of only 17.8 points, with a shooting percentage as low as 41%. The once-storming "Blue Arrow" in the playoffs now seemed lost in his own world. "This team's problems go beyond statistical fluctuations," admitted head coach Michael Malone at a post-game press conference. "We lack communication, trust, and even the most basic team cohesion is gradually dissipating." His words conveyed a profound sense of helplessness. As the coach who led the team to win the championship, he understood more than anyone the severity of the current predicament. Looking back over the past year and a half, the Nuggets' management decisions were like a butterfly effect, causing huge waves within the team. General Manager Calvin Booth first offered exorbitant contracts to Murray and Porter, then renewed Naji for $36 million despite him being benched. These decisions not only depleted the team's salary space but also gradually dismantled the once-smooth-running Nuggets…

NBA is the world's highest-level basketball competition, gathering more than 400 of the world's best basketball players. However, some players are called superstars or even superstars because of their excellent ball skills, leadership abilities, and brilliant personal honors. Recently, Lakers legend Magic Johnson talked about the current state of the NBA in an interview. In his view, there are only three superstars in the current lineup, followed by the star category. So, let's take a look at who is on Magic's list. Superstars: James, Durant, Curry At this summer's Paris Olympics, James, Durant, and Curry once again proved that they are still the best basketball players on the planet, perfectly interpreting what it means to be "old but strong." In fact, James, Durant, and Curry have also been at the top of the NBA pyramid over the past decade. James' resume speaks for itself; just the achievement of 4+4+4+historical scoring champion is enough to put him into the discussion of GOAT, and it's not too much to say he's the modern-day Jordan. Curry, on the other hand, is the pioneer of the small-ball era. He opened the door to the small-ball era with his incredible three-point shots and won four championship trophies for the Warriors, with an influence in basketball history that no one can match. Durant, although a controversial player, has undeniable strength. As a groundbreaking scorer, Durant combines the physique of a center with the skills of a guard, giving him an advantage in offense where he can take what he wants, forming mismatches against anyone, and winning…

The Denver Nuggets have been revitalized recently, securing a 132-121 victory over the Utah Jazz, gifting them their fourth consecutive loss while achieving their own second consecutive win, now ranking sixth in the Western Conference. After being soundly defeated by the Cavaliers previously, Nikola Jokic's scolding seemed to have woken up the team. Known for his gentlemanly demeanor, Jokic stated that the team's recent performance did not deserve to win. To others, this might not seem like much of a reprimand, but for Jokic, who is considered a "good guy," it was the extent of his anger, especially when directed at his teammates. Honestly, apart from Jokic and Russell Westbrook, the rest of the Nuggets' lineup this season has not been deserving of victories. Michael Porter Jr. has been plagued by injuries, and Aaron Gordon's performance has been declining. Jamal Murray, despite his hefty contract, seemed to be coasting. It wasn't until Jokic's outburst that the Nuggets began to show signs of life. Murray started playing with more effort and has been performing exceptionally well recently. Coach Michael Malone also made a change, placing Westbrook in the starting lineup alongside Murray. The Nuggets set several incredible records today, starting with Murray, Jokic, and Westbrook. Together, they scored a combined 72 points, 36 rebounds, and 31 assists, with each player contributing at least 10 assists. This marks the first time since 1992 that three teammates have each recorded 10 or more assists in a single game. Throughout the game, the Nuggets had only seven turnovers while dishing out 38 assists. Jokic,…

Translation of the article content into English: Jokic is the face of the league today. As a second-round pick, his skills were not top-notch, and his athletic ability was not outstanding when he participated in the draft, so he was not favored at all. If someone had said back then that this chubby second-round pick would become an MVP player in the future, they would have been laughed at. However, he has now become the strongest player from the 2014 draft class. After playing for 10 years, Jokic's total score has exceeded 15,000 points. How many points have other star players from the same draft class, such as Embiid, Wiggins, and Randle, scored? In today's game against the Jazz, Jokic scored a huge triple-double with 36 points, 22 rebounds, and 11 assists, leading his team to victory. As the 2014 draft pick, he has been in the league for 10 years. Starting as a second-round pick, he has become the best player in the league. So far in his career, Jokic averages an unstoppable 21.3 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 7 assists per game, with a total score exceeding 15,000 points. He is the scoring champion of the 14th draft class and also the most accomplished star. Besides Jokic, there is another MVP player from the 14th draft class, Embiid. He was a super rookie back then and was widely regarded as a potential number one pick, eventually being selected third overall. Although he missed early games due to injury, he has maintained top-level personal performance since joining the league. Embiid…

The Nuggets defeated the Pistons 134-121 today, finally ending their embarrassing two-game losing streak. The Pistons have been in good form recently, but they were still no match for the Nuggets, as the gap in strength between the two teams is significant. After being hammered by the Cavaliers last time, even Jokic, known for his good nature, got angry, saying that the team was struggling so much, why should they win? Today, Gordon didn't play, and Malone wasn't stubborn in starting the lineup, putting Westbrook in when needed, directly forming a backcourt with Westbrook and Murray. On the front line, Braun and Porter were promoted to the No. 4 position, with Jokic at the No. 5 position. In fact, the Nuggets' biggest problem this year is still their poor defense, and they won today solely through offensive play. Despite winning, the Nuggets also allowed the Pistons to score 121 points. For a championship-contending team, the Nuggets' defense this year is not up to par. Losing Pope and Brown has been extremely damaging to the Nuggets, and if they had known it would be like this, they would have done everything to keep Pope and Brown instead of dismantling the championship-winning squad. The Nuggets' victory was undoubtedly due to Westbrook's contributions. In the first half, the two teams were not far apart, and the Pistons, led by their ball-handling core Cunningham, played fiercely. Ivey finished the game, CC organized and connected with his teammates, then Harris and Hardaway spread out on one side, and Duren dunked. The Pistons have a good…

The Denver Nuggets have finally put an end to their losing streak with a 134-121 victory over the Detroit Pistons. The team was in desperate need of a win after being defeated by the Cleveland Cavaliers in their previous game, which had significantly affected their morale. However, the good news is that the Nuggets no longer solely rely on Nikola Jokic, as Jamal Murray has shown signs of recovery. In today's game, Murray delivered an impressive performance with 34 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, and 3 blocks, achieving a +24 plus-minus rating and shooting at a high efficiency of 12 out of 21 from the field and 4 out of 7 from beyond the arc. We previously mentioned that Jokic is the foundation of the Nuggets, while Murray is the key to igniting the team's potential. The reason behind the Nuggets' inconsistent form this season can be attributed to Murray's injuries and his lackluster performance following his max contract. However, since the start of the season, Murray's condition has gradually improved, especially in December. Over the course of 9 games, he has averaged 22.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 1.6 steals, and 0.9 blocks, with a shooting accuracy of 49% and a three-point percentage of 43.4%. After the game, Nuggets head coach Michael Malone discussed Murray, stating that if he continues to play at this level, the Nuggets will be unbeatable. Malone acknowledged that the outside world is harsh on Murray due to his max contract, which raises expectations for him. Murray's underperformance was a significant factor in…

Cleveland Cavaliers Set NBA Records with 149 Points and 23 Three-pointers, While Denver Nuggets' Jokic and Murray Give Their All in a Revealing Loss On December 28th, Beijing time, the NBA regular season continued with the Denver Nuggets visiting the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavaliers, reigning as the league's dominant force, sought revenge after the Nuggets had previously defeated them in their first encounter of the season. The Cavaliers unleashed a relentless offensive assault, scoring an impressive 80 points in the first half and establishing a significant 21-point lead. Despite the Nuggets' efforts to match the Cavaliers' intensity in the second half, the Cavaliers maintained control of the game with their scorching three-point shooting accuracy. Ultimately, the Cavaliers secured a comfortable victory over the Nuggets with a final score of 149-135. The Nuggets were without their key player, Gordon, due to injury, prompting Coach Malone to once again promote Westbrook to the starting lineup. In the face of the formidable league leaders, the Nuggets displayed almost their strongest offensive performance of the season: 39 out of 53 field goals were assisted, with a field goal percentage of 56.4%, and they made 15 three-pointers at a 48.4% clip. However, the Cavaliers, who ranked first in the league in offensive efficiency, shooting percentage, three-point percentage, and true shooting percentage, were more than ready for the challenge. They scored 54 field goals with 40 assists, achieving a field goal percentage of 56.3% and making 23 three-pointers at a 47.9% rate, effortlessly matching the Nuggets' high-level offensive output. The Cavaliers had a balanced scoring effort…