James Harden, Zion Williamson, Jamal Murray, De'Aaron Fox, and Domantas Sabonis. As we all know, each team in the East and West All-Star lineup has 12 players (5 starters + 7 reserves). The starters are usually the high-profile stars with the most popularity, while the reserves are mostly selected by coaches across the league. The selection criteria for reserves are twofold: first, the team must have a good record, and second, the individual's statistics must be impressive. In my understanding, the reserve lineup for the All-Stars typically comes from the top eight teams in both the East and West. The Eastern Conference All-Star reserve list is the fairest, featuring players like Brown, Brunson, Mitchell, Randle, Adebayo, Maxey, and Banchero, all from teams within the top eight in the East. Now let's look at the Western Conference All-Star reserve lineup: Leonard, Edwards, Booker, Paul George, Anthony Davis, Towns, and Curry. Anthony Davis, from the ninth-ranked Lakers in the West, and Curry, from the twelfth-ranked Warriors, both have high popularity and are hot topics, so their inclusion is widely expected. However, their teams' records this year do not command respect, highlighting the essence of the NBA: maximizing commercial interests. To accommodate these two insiders, the league has selectively overlooked the fifth-ranked Kings and seventh-ranked Pelicans in the West, with no star players from either team making the cut! De'Aaron Fox, averaging 27.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 5.5 assists this season, delivered his career-best performance but was surprisingly left out. Sabonis, averaging 19.9 points, 13 rebounds, and 8 assists this season, a versatile…

The Houston Rockets have made a significant move that has left fans buzzing: they've offered a package of Dillon Brooks, Whitmore, and two draft picks to the Sacramento Kings in exchange for All-Star center Domantas Sabonis. Is this deal worth it? Will the Rockets' gamble pay off, or could they end up losing everything? Regardless, the message from this trade is clear: the Rockets are no longer content with being in rebuilding mode; their sights are set on the playoffs and even the championship. The reason for so much discussion around this trade lies in the Rockets' offer. Dillon Brooks is a tough defensive player, Whitmore is a first-round pick this year, and there are two draft picks included—this is already a substantial offer. With over ten first-round picks at their disposal, the Rockets have a "rich" foundation that gives them more weight in the trade market. Looking at the Kings' situation, it may be the key opportunity that the Rockets have seized upon. The Kings' core point guard, De'Aaron Fox, has recently missed several games due to injury, causing the team's performance to plummet. While Sabonis is an excellent player as the Kings' interior anchor, he is also one of the team's tradeable assets. For the Kings, who are considering their future direction, trading Sabonis for young potential and draft picks might just be a chance for a fresh start. In this context, the trade seems not to be a castle in the air but entirely possible. If the trade goes through, Sabonis will join forces with the Rockets'…

Can you imagine? This season's Celtics, hailed as the "most stable championship favorites," were unexpectedly crushed at home by the Kings, who were missing their core player! Did they underestimate their opponent? Or did the Kings suddenly transform into a super team overnight? This match, dubbed the "biggest upset of the season," not only shocked everyone but also sparked a deep reflection on the entire league's landscape: have we overestimated the Celtics? Honestly, the moment the result of this game came out, many people were probably stunned. The Celtics, with star players like Tatum, Brown, Porzingis, and Holiday, should have locked in the suspense of the game. But this team, which usually emphasizes "multiple scoring points," suddenly experienced a collective "power outage." Throughout the game, only three players scored in double digits, and their offensive performance was so lackluster that it made the home fans suffer like running a marathon. To put it bluntly, the Celtics' loss was not due to being overwhelmed by the opposition but because they ruined a good hand themselves. On the other hand, the Kings have left an impression of "not quite enough to be considered top-tier, yet better than many" throughout the season. However, in this game, they had a party-level explosion. The Kings' "four giants" - DeRozan, Sabonis, Monk, and Murray - combined for 86 points, 38 rebounds, and 21 assists. Not only did they directly defeat the Celtics head-on, but they also delivered the most perfect game of the season for the Kings. Especially Sabonis, with 28 rebounds in a single game,…

In the current NBA league, teams often prefer to build multi-core superstar lineups in pursuit of championships. This trend became particularly evident after the Celtics successfully won the title last season, showcasing the advantages of a multi-core lineup: strong bottom-line capabilities, reduced impact from injuries, and an easier path to winning the championship. The Celtics have maintained a high win rate this season, consistently ranking second in the Eastern Conference, just behind the Cavaliers. As defending champions, all contending teams in the league view them as their primary rival, believing that to win the championship, they must possess the ability to defeat the Celtics. This season, teams such as the Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, Pelicans, and Kings are emulating the Celtics by forming multi-core superstar lineups. The Knicks' lineup of Brunson, Towns, Bridges, and Anunoby has been very successful, achieving the third-best record in the East and closely following the Cavaliers and Celtics in their quest for the championship. The 76ers have assembled a trio of Embiid, George, and Maxey, currently ranked 11th in the East and still striving to "march north." The Pelicans have formed a four-core lineup of Zion Williamson, Ingram, Dejounte Murray, and McCollum, but with the worst record in the West, they are preparing to tank for the number one draft pick. The Kings acquired DeRozan during the offseason and built a four-core superstar lineup featuring Fox, DeRozan, Sabonis, and Keegan Murray. However, the Kings started the season poorly, ranking only 13th in the West, third from the bottom, which was quite uncomfortable. To change their downward…

Today in the NBA, there were many games and impressive performances from various star players, including Sabonis, McCollum, Alexander, LaVine, Jokic, Westbrook, Haliburton, and Isaiah Joe, among others. However, when it comes to selecting today's best player, there is no doubt about who takes the title. Let's take a closer look at the standout performances: Haliburton led the Pacers to an easy victory over the depleted Warriors, showcasing his offensive and defensive prowess. In the first half, he played 19 minutes, shooting 4-for-6, including 1-for-3 from three-point range and 5-for-5 from the free-throw line, scoring 14 points with 1 rebound, 4 assists, and 3 steals. Over the entire game, Haliburton played 35 minutes, shooting 8-for-10, including 2-for-4 from beyond the arc and 7-for-7 from the charity stripe, tallying 25 points, 2 rebounds, 10 assists, and 3 steals, with a plus-minus of +18. Isaiah Joe came off the bench to shoot down the Knicks with 8 three-pointers. In the first half, he played only 13 minutes, shooting 8-for-11, including 6-for-7 from downtown and 1-for-1 from the free-throw line, amassing 23 points and 1 rebound. For the whole game, he played 30 minutes, shooting 11-for-16, including 8-for-11 from three-point land and 1-for-1 from the free-throw line, exploding for a season-high 31 points, along with 1 rebound and 2 assists. Alexander, currently atop the MVP rankings, continued his dominant play, scoring 39 points in just three quarters. In the first half, he shot 8-for-12, converting all 3 free throws, scoring 19 points with 3 rebounds and 2 assists, leading his team to a…

On January 2nd, Beijing time, the NBA 2024-2025 season regular season is continuing in a lively manner. The Sacramento Kings are waiting at home to welcome the challenge of the Philadelphia 76ers. This is the first time the two teams have met this season. They each won one game last season, and their strength is not much different. Wow, speaking of the 76ers, they have been very powerful recently, winning four consecutive victories. Their total record has become 13 wins and 17 losses, and their ranking in the Eastern Conference has risen all the way to eleventh place. If they win another game, they can rush into the Eastern Conference playoff area, which can be considered back on track. Moreover, in the latest issue of the NBA's official power rankings, the 76ers ranked 18th, which is the first time they have entered the top 20 since the first issue. This is really a double happiness, which makes me so excited. Look at the Kings, it's miserable. They have been falling all the way. Their current record is only 14 wins and 19 losses, ranking fourth from the bottom in the West, which is really unexpected. Looking at the latest issue of the power rankings, the Kings have fallen to 23rd in the league, almost the same level as those teams that are tanking for the draft lottery. It's too outrageous. You know, during the last offseason, the Kings happily introduced the third giant DeRozan, hoping to make great achievements, but they were definitely not aiming for the No. 1 pick.…

End of 4-game winning streak! Maxi 22 out of 9, Fox 35+5, George fouled out with 6 fouls, 76ers face reality On January 2nd, Beijing time, the NBA 2024-25 season regular season continued, with the Sacramento Kings hosting the Philadelphia 76ers. This was the first matchup between the two teams this season, and they had split their two meetings last season, showing similar strength. It's remarkable that after a recent four-game winning streak, the 76ers' overall record reached 13 wins and 17 losses, rising to 11th in the Eastern Conference. With one more win, they would enter the Eastern Conference play-in tournament area, finally getting back on track. Moreover, according to the latest power rankings released by the NBA, the 76ers ranked 18th, making it into the top 20 for the first time since the initial rankings, which could be considered a double celebration. In contrast, the Kings have been on a downward spiral, currently holding a record of 14 wins and 19 losses, ranking fourth from the bottom in the West, which is quite surprising. In the latest power rankings, the Kings have fallen to 23rd in the league, basically at the level of tanking teams, which is absurd. After all, during the last offseason, the Kings just brought in their third superstar, DeRozan, with no intention of aiming for the number one draft pick. Now, they can't even reach the threshold of the play-in tournament. Additionally, the team's best coach in the league, Mike Brown, was fired by management, becoming the scapegoat for poor performance. Before the game,…

The game between the Lakers and the Kings is just around the corner, but things are getting complicated. It's quite a coincidence that James suddenly announced his absence due to illness and ankle pain. This isn't good news, considering he's the brain of the team. Without him on the court directing, those smooth offensive combinations could instantly become chaotic. As for Davis, he hasn't been idle, but the problem is that his ankle is still injured. However, this guy is stubborn by nature and insists on playing through the pain. When I heard this news, I wondered if the Lakers could withstand the pressure? Can they handle a well-performing Sabonis? James' absence not only worries the fans but also gives the coaching staff a headache. What's his current condition? The official explanation is simple: he's sick, and his old injury - the ankle - is acting up again, so he has to take a temporary break. This sounds casual, but upon closer thought, it seems more complicated. He's already 38 years old, and playing high-intensity games at this age is already pushing the limits, especially with a series of old and new injuries taking turns to bother him. Moreover, without James in command, it's like losing a stabilizing force. Whether it's connecting the whole team or stabilizing critical situations, he's always been the one in charge. Now, he's offline, and you can see that the Lakers' overall strength visibly diminishes. Of course, with James out, Davis naturally becomes the focus. But let's not forget that he's just crawled out from…