On December 29th, Beijing time, the NBA regular season continued with the Lakers facing the Kings at home. Although the Lakers had previously won all three encounters this season, they received bad news today as James was absent due to illness. It remains to be seen whether DeRozan's buff will disappear in James' absence. In the first quarter, the Lakers were on fire, with Davis, Christie, and Reeves almost flawless in their shooting, helping the Lakers take the lead. However, the Kings then made a small run to overtake the score. In the closing stages, the Lakers, led by Davis and Reeves, made a run to establish an 11-point lead. At the last moment, Fox assisted Ryan with a buzzer-beating alley-oop dunk, ending the first quarter with the Lakers leading 40-31. In the second quarter, the Kings took advantage of Davis' absence, continuously attacking the paint to reduce the gap to one point. After Davis returned, the Lakers briefly extended the lead again, but the Kings found their rhythm and couldn't be stopped. The two teams engaged in an offensive shootout, with the score tied or alternating leads multiple times. At halftime, the Kings led 66-65. In the third quarter, the Kings continued their second-quarter form, maintaining a slight lead. However, after leading 76-73, the Kings suddenly lost power, unable to make shots on offense. On the Lakers' side, Hachimura and Davis used their size advantage to repeatedly attack the paint for points, along with some fast breaks, resulting in a massive scoring run. The Lakers led 107-90 after three…

On December 29, 2024, Beijing time, the NBA regular season saw the 17-win and 13-loss Lakers host the 13-win and 18-loss Kings. This was the fourth meeting between the two teams this season, with the Lakers winning all three previous encounters. Could the Kings turn the tide today? LeBron James and Hayes were absent from the Lakers lineup, with the starting lineup consisting of Reeves, Vincent, Christie, Hachimura, and Davis. The Kings started with Fox, Monk, DeRozan, Murray, and Sabonis. In the first quarter, Reeves hit a three-pointer, followed by Fox's mid-range shot. Reeves and Davis scored, giving the Lakers a 7-2 lead. Monk then scored five consecutive points, to which Christie and Davis responded, maintaining a five-point lead. Fox and Monk continued to score, but Christie, Davis, and Hachimura kept the Lakers ahead by five points. Murray and Ellis hit three-pointers, allowing the Kings to take a one-point lead. However, Hachimura, Russell, Davis, and Knickert scored in succession, helping the Lakers regain a ten-point advantage. Hield, Fox, and Len scored for the Kings, but Reeves responded with five straight points. The first quarter ended with the Lakers leading 40-31. The second quarter saw DeRozan score continuously, to which Knickert and Christie responded, keeping the Lakers six points ahead. Hield and DeRozan narrowed the gap to one point, but Hachimura and Knickert extended it back to six points. Sabonis and Ellis brought the deficit down to two points. There was no scoring for the next two minutes until Murray dunked to tie the game. Hachimura hit a three-pointer, and Davis…

NBA regular season, the Lakers won 132-122 against the Kings again. The Lakers played very easily in this game, suppressing the Kings with their defense and adding to their offensive performance, allowing them to maintain their advantage throughout the game. However, they relaxed in the final quarter, fortunately, their lead was large enough to secure a big victory. Five players had perfect scores in the game. Hachimura contributed 21 points, 4 rebounds, 1 steal, and 2 blocks with an 11-for-7 shooting rate, which is perfect enough. Moreover, he has been able to maintain stable output in these two games, showing good defensive initiative, and even dominating DeRozan on the offensive end, with his three-point shooting becoming increasingly stable. Rivers can also stabilize the rhythm of the offense, as the Kings' intensity is not strong enough, allowing him to handle the ball freely, and his offensive lethality is excellent, scoring 26 points and 6 rebounds on 16-for-9 shooting, which is already sufficient. Knights is also a key player. He helped stabilize the situation with two consecutive shots in the final quarter, scoring 18 points on 10-for-6 shooting, and his three-point shooting is recovering, which is reassuring. As long as he can stabilize, he will be a reliable scorer from the outside, and as a young player, he can continue to grow. Christie is also getting better, scoring 16 points with 3 assists and 2 steals on 5-for-3 three-point shooting, and he has done well in limiting Fox, becoming a core figure in both attack and defense for the team. Davis had…

The struggles of the Kings and the urgency of the Lakers make this potential trade akin to a basketball version of "robbing Peter to pay Paul." Firstly, the Kings are in a tough spot with five consecutive losses and a ranking of 12th in the West, which is quite embarrassing. You have impressive players like Fox, Sabonis, and DeRozan in your hand, but you can't even keep your seat at the table. The team's passing is at the bottom of the league, and they've lost control of the court. Coach Brown is almost in a "barefoot and unafraid" state. The problem isn't a lack of talent; it's an inability to form a cohesive unit. It's like a luxury sports car with top-of-the-line engine, tires, and brakes, but the driver doesn't know how to shift gears. The lack of tactics and the team's rhythm being out of control mean that not only are they not competing for the playoffs, but another few losses could be humiliating. On the other hand, the Lakers are straightforward, offering a gamble of "three first-round picks plus young players," targeting Fox. Their logic is simple: James is getting older, and while Davis has the ability, there's always concern about his durability. Therefore, they need to strengthen their backcourt with a core guard who can control the game, organize plays, and seamlessly connect with the two superstars. Isn't Fox just such a "perfect fit"? Not to mention his explosiveness, speed, and scoring ability, which are exactly what the Lakers' backcourt lacks. Honestly, the Lakers' offer is hard…

Everyone witnessed the match between the Lakers and the Kings, where the Lakers once again emerged victorious when the two teams faced each other back-to-back. For the Lakers, their victory not only increased their number of wins but also made them seem like an insurmountable peak for their opponents. So, what aspects are worth analyzing in this game? Who were the key figures in the Lakers' third victory over you? Data doesn't lie, and five people have been officially confirmed. The Kings and the Lakers have met quite a few times this season, and this is their third encounter. The previous two times, the Lakers came out on top, and this time, they won again, albeit with some difficulty. The Lakers' third victory over the Kings might make the Kings start to question themselves. It's inevitable; the Lakers changed their approach this season, while the Kings' original style was affected after bringing in DeRozan. It must be said that DeRozan may have really come to the wrong place. So, who played the most critical role in the Lakers' victory in this game? Data is the most honest witness, and there are five people worth mentioning. First and foremost is Rui Hachimura. Why is Rui Hachimura at the forefront? This young man truly made significant contributions in this game. Although his scoring data alone isn't much, just 9 points, Rui Hachimura grabbed 11 rebounds. Among these 11 rebounds, 3 were offensive rebounds, including the crucial rebound after AD missed a free throw. Secondly, there's LeBron James. James was fully focused on…

The first coach to be fired in the 2024-25 season has been announced, and it's not who you might expect. It's not Rivers, Redick, or Kerr, but rather Mike Brown of the Kings! It seems that Brown is always on the verge of being fired. The team announced Brown's dismissal just before boarding a flight to Los Angeles for an away game, with assistant coach Doug Christie temporarily taking over the head coaching position. Prior to this, Brown had just completed a training session and conducted a 15-minute interview, only to find out he wouldn't be needed to fly to Los Angeles after all. Everything happened so suddenly! During his interview, Brown said, "When you're in trouble, you'll know who will help you." Just five minutes after saying this, news of his dismissal came through. So, the answer is: no one helps you. This summer, the Kings renewed Brown's contract for three years at $30 million (the contract expires in the 2026-27 season), so even though they've let him go, they still have to pay him. At the time of the renewal, it was said that Brown had broken the Kings' 20-year curse. Before Brown, the Kings hadn't renewed a coach's contract in 20 years; every coach either served one term or was dismissed before their contract expired. However, this curse seems to have only been half-averted, as Brown's dismissal still came about. Recalling the 2022-23 season, when Brown left his assistant coaching position with the Warriors to join the Kings, he was still considered a sweetheart. That year, Brown…

NBA regular season has been going on for more than two months, and the distinction between strong and weak teams has become very clear. If a team has multiple All-Star giants but lacks playoff hopes, it might as well disband on the spot. The Pelicans have the worst record in the Western Conference, with management actively selling core players like Zion Williamson, Ingram, and McCollum. The Kings are ranked 12th in the West, recently suffering a five-game losing streak, and they are also preparing to rebuild the team. Official announcement! The first coach to be fired is born, good news for the Clippers, Embiid is heavily fined, and Doncic's condition. The NBA league officially updates the latest MVP rankings, with Jokic of the Nuggets winning first place again, Antetokounmpo of the Bucks ranking second, and Alexander of the Thunder ranking third. Doncic of the Mavericks ranks fourth, and Tatum of the Celtics ranks fifth. Jokic has maintained an average of 30.7 points + 12.6 rebounds + 9.4 assists + 1.7 steals this season, with a shooting percentage of 56.7% and a three-point percentage of 50% (first in the league). The sixth to tenth places in the MVP rankings are Wenyamamba, Towns, Mitchell, Fox, and James. The Kings officially announced that they have officially dismissed head coach Mike Brown, marking the birth of the first coach to be fired this season. In the 2022-23 season, Mike Brown coached the Kings to a record of 48 wins and 34 losses, finishing third in the West. The Kings returned to the playoffs after…

This season, several teams in the West have not met the expectations of fans, among which the most disappointing team is undoubtedly the Kings. During the offseason, the Kings recruited DeRozan to strengthen their lineup, forming a trio, but after DeRozan joined the Kings, the effect was not good, and the Kings' current record is even worse than last season. They are currently on a five-game losing streak and are ranked fourth from the bottom in the West. Therefore, recently, there have been rumors about Fox's trade. This season, Fox has performed very well, averaging 26.2 points and 6.1 assists per game. This season, Fox also scored 60 points. Under such outstanding performance, the team's record is very poor, and he is very disappointed, so it is not ruled out that he will choose to apply for a trade and leave the Kings. Currently, many teams in the league are very interested in Fox, and he has caused a scramble. The Lakers, Spurs, Rockets, and Heat all have great interest in this young guard. As a rising star, he will significantly enhance the immediate combat effectiveness of any team he joins. The Lakers will obviously join the competition, and they are currently in great need of a point guard like Fox. Although the Lakers currently have Russell and Reeves, Reeves is not strictly a point guard, and his scoring explosiveness is far inferior to Fox. Russell, on the other hand, is an inconsistent offensive player. Compared to Russell or Reeves, Fox is a higher-level player, especially his scoring ability in…

Team Discord! Officially Terminated! The First to Leave Is Indeed Him Beijing time, December 28th, according to ESPN's famous reporter Shams, the Kings and head coach Mike Brown have officially terminated their contract, parting ways. Assistant coach Doug Christie will serve as the interim head coach for the Kings. It is worth noting that during this offseason, the Kings just renewed their contract with Mike Brown for another three years at $30 million, which was set to expire in 2027.‌ In the 2022-23 season, Mike Brown led the Kings back to the playoffs after a 16-year absence, and he himself was awarded the Coach of the Year. It has only been a year and a half since then. However, due to the poor performance of the Kings this season and issues within the locker room, they have suffered five consecutive losses and are currently ranked 12th in the West with a record of 13 wins and 18 losses.‌ Yesterday, in the home game against the Pistons, with 10.8 seconds left, the Kings were leading by 3 points. If they could defend against the opponent's last attack, the Kings would win the game. The Pistons inbounded from the frontcourt sideline, and after a series of passes, Jaden Ivey received the ball at the baseline. He made an incredible 3+1 shot, causing Fox to miss his final shot, and Ivey completed the buzzer-beater.‌ No one expected this 3+1 buzzer-beater to become the catalyst for Mike Brown's dismissal. After the game, Mike Brown did not directly blame Fox, but spoke relatively tactfully: "At…

In the 2024-25 season, the young Houston Rockets have shown tremendous progress. This team was once a rebuilding and struggling squad just a few years ago, but in a short span of time, the Rockets have finally gotten back on track with their rebuild. Last season, under the leadership of new head coach Udoka, the Rockets managed to bring their win rate back to 50%, just a step away from making it into the playoff play-in tournament. This season, the Rockets have made even further strides, with an even better record. So far this new season, the Rockets have achieved a record of 20 wins and 9 losses, ranking second in the Western Conference. For a young rebuilding team, such significant progress is heartwarming. Of course, while the Rockets' current record is commendable, whether they can maintain it until the end of the season remains uncertain. The team still has certain shortcomings, one of which is the lack of a true core player capable of delivering in critical moments. The young players on the Rockets are all very talented, but none of them possess the ability to become the mainstay of a team. To find their core, the Rockets may need to achieve this through major trades or free-agent signings. According to previous reports, the Rockets were once very keen on trading for Suns veteran star Kevin Durant. However, obtaining a player of Durant's caliber is quite challenging. Additionally, the Rockets are also keeping an eye on the movements of stars from other teams in the league. In recent days,…