This season's NBA regular season schedule is halfway through, and many teams have been surprising. Typical underrated teams in the West include the Clippers, who were projected to rank 13th in the West before the season but have climbed to fifth at the halfway point. The Rockets were expected to be in the top 8 in the West before the season, but they actually made it to second place. On the other hand, teams like the Pelicans were projected to finish seventh in the West, but are actually second-to-last; the Timberwolves were projected to finish second in the West, but are actually eighth. Simply put, having a star player who can set a floor is rare and hard to come by, such as Harden of the Clippers, who can maximize the value of everyone around him, even bringing out 120% of their potential. Players who leave him often easily reveal their weaknesses, like Paul George. Additionally, youth is a major trend, as the era of James, Durant, and Curry has truly passed. When American media predicts the playoff standings for this season's Western Conference, they generally do not favor the Suns and Warriors, with even the Kings and Spurs having a higher probability of making the playoffs. The Suns' problems are obvious; they struggle against weak teams, excessively extend Durant and Booker's playing time, deplete their one-on-one abilities, and are helpless against strong teams. From defense to tactical systems, the Suns no longer count as a strong team. Meanwhile, the Warriors, who started the season with a 12-3 record as…

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The Golden State Warriors narrowly defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 116-115 on the road, improving their record to 20 wins and 20 losses, ranking 10th in the Western Conference and surpassing the Phoenix Suns. At the start of the season, the Warriors and Suns were the hottest teams in the West, once ranking in the top two, while the Thunder had not yet made a push. However, after the Thunder's surge and the rise of young teams like the Rockets, the Warriors continued to decline, and the Suns suffered even more, dropping from first in the West to missing out on the play-in tournament. Now, the Warriors and Suns are truly in a difficult situation. The good thing for the Warriors is that they do not need to pay luxury tax this season, and the team's finances are quite healthy. Naturally, making the playoffs would be great, as it would delight the owner with ticket sales. If they don't make it, it's not a big deal; they can try again next year. The Suns, on the other hand, have paid 188millioninluxurytax,withtotalspendingexceeding188 million in luxury tax, with total spending exceeding 188millioninluxurytax,withtotalspendingexceeding400 million, setting a historical record. Even at their peak, the Warriors never spent that much money, so the Suns are even more anxious than the Warriors. If both teams are really struggling, should they consider merging? Bringing Kevin Durant back to the Warriors would only require the Suns to give up some of the Warriors' assets, which would mean the return of the "Universe Warriors," despite the fact that both Durant…

17/01/2025 43hotness 0likes Read all

The NBA regular season is nearing its halfway point, with the Western Conference showing a trend of polarization. The Trail Blazers, Jazz, and Pelicans have already decided to rebuild and are not interested in competing. The Thunder seems firmly entrenched at the top of the West with an almost 85% win rate, making it difficult for other competitors to catch up. Among the larger group, the Rockets were actually the first to break through, with a record of 26 wins and 12 losses, approaching a 70% win rate. If they continue at this pace, the Rockets are expected to secure one of the top three spots in the West. However, from the Grizzlies to the Warriors, these ten teams are bunched together, each with their own challenges. The Nuggets rely on Jokic and Westbrook; Leonard has returned but hasn't found his form, performing worse than the previous Clippers lineup; the Lakers lack defense and offense, with LeBron and Davis both feeling disheartened. The Suns and Kings are attracting attention with their rebounding momentum. After acquiring Beal, the Suns have come alive, while the Kings have quietly won seven straight games, keeping pace with the main group. It's like the current stock market, where there can't be continuous declines; there will always be opportunities for recovery, attracting more retail investors. However, a rebound doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, as a big drop could occur at any moment, burying more people. Among this group, the most pitiable team is undoubtedly the Warriors. With a record of 19 wins and 20 losses so…

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The situation for the Warriors this season has been truly terrible, like a roller coaster. They started at the top of the Western Conference but have since plummeted to tenth place. The team also acquired German player Dennis Schroder through a trade, who was originally highly anticipated. However, it now appears that he is not living up to expectations, averaging only 7 points per game with a three-point shooting percentage of just 26%. He is not performing at the level expected of him, and he has even questioned Steve Kerr's tactics. Schroder stated that he has always excelled at dribbling and setting screens, and he very much wants to play pick-and-roll with tall players, which can maximize his threat. However, the current situation is completely different. He is required to run without the ball, and in short, he is unable to do what he used to do. It is clear that Schroder believes Steve Kerr did not use him correctly, leading to a decline in his personal form. Many experts and fans now argue that the reason Steve Kerr has been successful and hailed as the NBA's best coach is mainly because he benefited from Stephen Curry's peak period. In fact, this coach has no coaching ability at all. His coaching ability during games could even be considered mid-to-lower level. In every game, whoever plays well and has good手感, he substitutes them out. Moreover, he always likes to obsess over small lineups, causing the team to frequently be overwhelmed by opponents, with rebounding being abysmal in every game. Even Kevin…

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This season, the Golden State Warriors, after a brilliant start to the season, have ultimately returned to mediocrity. According to the NBA's latest published offensive and defensive efficiency over the past 10 games, their defense is average, but problems on the offensive end are exposed, dropping them unexpectedly to the third tier, where they can only find relevance among teams like the Wizards, Hornets, and Bulls that are tanking for the draft. The main reasons for this situation are threefold. Firstly, after the NBA mid-season tournament, more teams have studied the Warriors' tactics, especially the close guarding of backup shooter Buddy Hield, which has become even tighter. This substitute who was once considered on par with Klay Thompson has been exposed in recent games, averaging a dismal 20.7% three-point shooting percentage, which is almost unbearable to watch. Without a reliable shooter to provide consistent firepower, the Warriors are unable to tear apart the opponent's defensive formation or create more space, directly limiting the performance of Green, Wiggins, and Kuminga within the paint, and concentrating the team's offensive efforts on individual plays, such low-efficiency operations constrain the team's scoring. Secondly, head coach Steve Kerr does not have a set rotation. Although Tom Thibodeau has a poor reputation in the industry for often using an eight-man rotation, his professionalism lies in maintaining a stable number of players, with other role players simply filling in numbers to help the New York Knicks meet basic team requirements. However, the coaching philosophies of the two coaches differ, as Kerr is more willing to experiment, maintaining…

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The Golden State Warriors' victory over the Detroit Pistons was a significant win for the team, as they did not give the Pistons any chances and secured the win. The Warriors, who have been in a slump recently, needed this victory to break out of their low period. In this game, the Warriors were in control of the game's rhythm, leading by as many as 18 points at one point. Although they only won by 3 points, it was still considered a great success given their recent form. This victory also validated the strategies the team implemented during the game. So, what were the secrets to the Warriors' win in this game? Five key decisions were made: Lineup Changes: Coach Steve Kerr made a passive lineup change that turned out well. Hield was moved into the starting lineup, adding another three-point threat. Hield should be paired with Curry, and he contributed five crucial three-pointers in this game. Hield is a player who can only enhance the team's performance when placed in the right environment. Increased Playing Time for Davis: Kerr realized the importance of increasing the team's frontcourt height. Looney received more playing time, and Davis was heavily utilized. Davis had an impressive game with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Controlling the Rebounding: A critical aspect of the Warriors' game was their ability to grab rebounds. They had a total of 49 rebounds, including 15 offensive rebounds. Extending the Rotation: Previously, Kerr rotated players simply for the sake of rotation. However, with injuries affecting the team, he extended the rotation…

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The Golden State Warriors have won against the Detroit Pistons, ending their opponents' winning streak and bouncing back from a slump. This victory was crucial for the Warriors, as they desperately needed a win. Although they only won by a margin of three points, the team still managed to find some bright spots. What are the key takeaways from this game for the Warriors? After their victory, Coach Steve Kerr confirmed that Andrew Wiggins will not play in the next game, while Stephen Curry's status remains uncertain, and Santos is not hiding his potential. Everyone knows that Coach Kerr made some lineup adjustments for this game due to several player injuries. Kuminga, for example, will not be returning anytime soon. As for Wiggins, he did not participate in the game against the Pistons due to personal reasons. With Wiggins and others out, Kerr had no choice but to adjust the lineup, which turned out to be quite effective. This also confirms that Hield needs to play alongside Curry to maximize his value. Regarding the next game, will Wiggins return to the court? Kerr has officially confirmed that Wiggins will continue to miss the game against the Pacers. If that's the case, Hield can start again, depending on whether Kerr decides to make further adjustments. This season, everyone is aware of Wiggins' value; he averages 16.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.3 assists with a shooting percentage of 45.4%, nearing the level of his championship-winning season. It's important to note that the next game is a back-to-back against last season's Eastern Conference…

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The Golden State Warriors have suffered another crushing defeat, which has seen them drop from eighth to ninth in the Western Conference standings, making their hopes of reaching the playoffs increasingly slim. Fans' emotions have shifted from initial anticipation to disappointment and anger. In particular, the team's performance in this game can be described as "self-inflicted." The lineup featuring three or four guards was once again deployed, offering little advantage against taller opponents. By the third quarter, the Warriors were trailing by 30 points, effectively sealing their fate in the match. Ultimately, they could only watch helplessly as their opponents clinched victory, while they were forced to surrender. What is even more concerning is that head coach Steve Kerr seems unperturbed despite the team's consecutive losses. Despite the dimming prospects for the team, he remains steadfast in his three-guard strategy, treating the outcome of the game as a minor episode in life. Fans are divided in their opinions, with many calling for him to step down, believing that under the current circumstances, the Warriors need new guidance and tactical direction. In a post-game interview, Kerr did not offer a clear reflection on the situation. He stated, "Losing is a common occurrence in the NBA; you must accept defeat as much as you enjoy victory." While this statement carries some philosophical weight, fans' patience is wearing thin. Kerr himself admits that the team lacked energy during the game and did not execute according to his tactical requirements. He mentioned that the "pass-and-cut system requires players to be full of execution and…

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The NBA regular season is nearing its halfway point, and the situation in both the East and West is relatively clear. In the West, the Suns, who have the highest spending in the league this season (with salaries and luxury taxes exceeding $400 million), are unlikely to make the playoffs. Even if they eventually acquire Butler and trade away Beal, the Suns lack a defensive foundation and an offensive strategy that relies solely on individual play, which has even led to them losing their lower limit in the regular season. The Thunder are leading the way, while the Rockets and Grizzlies are rising strongly, slowly ushering in a post-James, Durant, and Curry era, where the new generation is taking over. On the Eastern side, teams beyond the top six are hardly worth watching as they rarely show competitiveness in the playoffs. The Magic can still hold onto fourth place despite missing two key players, showing an immeasurable future. In fact, many teams are affected by core injuries. For example, the Nuggets and Mavericks are completely different teams with or without their core players; including the Suns, who struggle to win without either Durant or Booker. However, there is one team where the overall performance is worse when the team leader plays, and that is the Warriors! This season, when Curry plays, the Warriors have a record of 13 wins and 16 losses; when Curry is absent, the Warriors' record is actually 5 wins and 2 losses. As Kerr puts it, this is obviously an accidental event, but all accidents have…

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On January 8th, Beijing time, the recently struggling Warriors faced off against the Heat, a team in turmoil, at home. It was expected that the Warriors could win under the leadership of Curry, especially since they were playing back-to-back games against a Heat team without Butler. However, during the game, although Curry scored 31 points and grabbed 7 rebounds, his teammates were not supportive enough. Excluding Curry's 8 out of 17 shots made, the other Warriors players only managed to make 6 out of 33 three-point attempts, with a meager 18.2% shooting percentage. On the contrary, the Heat, also playing back-to-back, had a balanced effort with six players scoring in double figures, grabbing 48 rebounds, and dishing out 32 assists, easily defeating the Warriors 114-98. In the previous game where they were badly beaten by the Kings, Curry shot 8 out of 12, made 4 three-pointers, and scored 26 points with 7 rebounds. When the game was no longer in doubt, Curry sat on the sidelines, draped a towel over his head, and propped his face up with his hand, appearing very frustrated. However, in this game, it was another valiant effort, and Curry wandered around the sidelines for a long time during the last timeout before finally sitting down slowly with the towel covering his head. After this loss, the Warriors have a record of 18 wins and 18 losses, ranking 10th in the Western Conference, just half a game ahead of the Kings. After the game, there was more bad news for the Warriors. Head coach Steve Kerr…

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