In an NBA regular season game, the Denver Nuggets faced a shocking defeat against the Washington Wizards, who were at the bottom of the league standings, with a final score of 113-122. This unexpected loss was surprising to many. Despite Nikola Jokic's outstanding performance, scoring an impressive 56 points, grabbing 16 rebounds, and dishing out 8 assists, he was unable to lead the Nuggets to a comeback victory. This game will undoubtedly be remembered as a night of frustration and disappointment for Jokic, despite his individual achievements reaching historical levels. The team's loss dealt him a significant blow. As we witnessed, Jokic not only achieved a career-high in points but also set several records. However, he could only leave the court with a look of dejection on his face. It is worth noting that the Wizards were in the midst of a 16-game losing streak, while the Nuggets, as reigning champions, were in excellent form recently. They should not have lost to such an opponent under normal circumstances. However, the outcome of the game is often more complex than we anticipate. Jokic's single-game tally of 56 points broke his personal scoring record, making him the second-highest-scoring player in a single game in Nuggets history, just behind David Thompson. Looking back at the game, the Nuggets did not start well. In the first quarter, although Jokic unleashed his offensive prowess with 7 shots made out of 11 attempts, scoring 11 points along with 5 rebounds and 4 assists, the team still trailed by 7 points. At the end of the first…

On January 17th, Beijing time, the NBA 2024-25 season regular season continued with the Washington Wizards hosting the Phoenix Suns. This was the first matchup between the two teams this season, with the Suns winning both encounters last season, showing a clear advantage. However, since the New Year, the Suns have been struggling, currently holding a record of 19 wins and 20 losses, ranking 11th in the West. Additionally, there has been infighting in the team's locker room, with some players expressing frustration over their roles and positions. Subsequently, head coach Budenholzer made drastic reforms, demoting one of the three giants, Beal, and Nurkic to the bench, which had an immediate effect, with the team's recent form improving. In contrast, the Wizards have chosen to tank, currently with a record of 6 wins and 32 losses, suffering a 7-game losing streak and ranking last in the East. The team's core player Kuzma has been put on the trading block, but the market is not good, as his performance has indeed been poor this season due to injuries and other reasons; however, Poole has experienced a resurgence, averaging 21.5 points, 2.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.5 steals per game this season compared to last. Before the game, American media ESPN also provided the latest win probability prediction for today's game, with the Wizards having only a 28.1% chance of winning, while the Suns' win probability stands at a high 71.9%. Obviously, the American media favors the Suns to continue their winning streak against the Wizards. In terms of starting lineups, the…

On January 17th, Beijing time, the NBA regular season continued. In today's focus game, the Suns challenged the Wizards away. Beal missed the game due to injury, and the Suns started an offensive spree in the first quarter, winning the Wizards by 13 points in a single quarter. Both teams had high offensive efficiency in the second quarter, with the Suns leading by 14 points at halftime. The Suns then expanded their lead to as many as 24 points in the third quarter, but the Wizards narrowed the gap to just 3 points in the fourth quarter. Booker hit a key three-pointer to help the Suns win without any trouble. The Suns finally defeated the Wizards 130-123 away from home. The Suns' record became 20 wins and 20 losses, while the Wizards suffered their eighth consecutive loss, with a record of 6 wins and 33 losses. Both sides data:‌ Suns - Booker 37 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, Durant 23 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, Dunn 18 points, 11 rebounds, Allen 21 points, 5 rebounds, Plumlee 6 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, Jones 9 points, 10 assists; Wizards - Poole 18 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, Kuzma 5 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, Culibaly 13 points, Sar 16 points, 9 rebounds, Valanciunas 11 points, 8 rebounds, Kispert 14 points, George 24 points, Champagnie 10 points. Star of the game: Booker Booker played 39 minutes as a starter today, shooting 10 of 24, including 4 of 10 from three-point range and 13 of 15 from the free throw line, totaling 37…

Recently, a piece of significant news has been making waves in the sports media circle. Evan Siddery, the ace reporter from Forbes Sports, revealed that the Wizards have new intentions and plan to sell Malcolm Brogdon in the trade market. This guard is on an expiring contract worth $22 million and also has a history of injuries. Based on these two points, it will be quite challenging for the Wizards to obtain substantial asset returns by trading him. However, if Brogdon can stay healthy and free from injury concerns, his abilities are not to be underestimated. He could become a valuable asset on the bench of a championship-contending team, providing strong support to the second lineup. As soon as the news broke, it immediately caught the attention of multiple championship-contending teams. These teams, like keen hunters, quickly sensed the opportunity and showed great interest in trading for Brogdon. In this "arms race" without gunpowder smoke, the Lakers' actions were particularly noteworthy. American journalist Evan Siddery has been closely following the situation and brought exclusive revelations: The Lakers' recent trade negotiations with the Wizards have reached a heated stage, with their main focus being Malcolm Brogdon. Moreover, the Lakers' ambitions seem to extend beyond this, as they are also interested in Jonas Valanciunas. To facilitate this trade, they are even considering offering up Little Li as a bargaining chip. Let's take a look at Brogdon's statistics this season. He has only played 10 games, averaging 24.1 minutes per game, yet he can easily score 14.9 points, grab 4.0 rebounds, and dish…

The Houston Rockets have been performing well this season, with a winning record that has consistently placed them among the top three in the Western Conference. Currently, the Rockets have a record of 24 wins and 12 losses, ranking second in the West, just half a game ahead of the Memphis Grizzlies. This lead is not significant enough, so the Rockets need to maintain their winning streak and continue to strive for a higher win rate. Recently, key rotation players for the Rockets, Jabari Smith and Tari Eason, have been sidelined due to injuries, making it challenging for the team to secure victories without them. Despite this setback, the Rockets' new stars have collectively exploded, contributing significantly to the team's success. In their latest regular-season matchup against the Washington Wizards, the Rockets faced an opponent that was rebuilding and fielding a young lineup that could not match up against them. Jalen Green had an impressive performance, scoring a game-high 29 points along with 8 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals. The Rockets' center, Sengun, also had a stable breakout game, scoring 26 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block, with a +29 plus-minus rating, the highest of the game. Aminu Thompson continued to start, shooting 7-for-8 efficiently for 20 points, 15 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block, with zero turnovers. Together, Jalen Green, Sengun, and Aminu Thompson led the Rockets to a collective outburst, combining for 75 points, 33 rebounds, and 13 assists, leading the team to a 23-point victory over their opponents. So far…

Recently, the Houston Rockets have faced some personnel injury issues. However, with their deep bench lineup, this is not an insurmountable problem. It has provided opportunities for players like Tate, Whitmore, and Holiday to showcase their talents. Yet, some players have publicly expressed dissatisfaction with the team after making a slight impact. The team's response to such behavior has been decisive. Indeed, the player who openly expressed his discontent with the team is none other than the 20th overall pick in the 2023 draft, Whitmore. Standing at 2 meters tall and weighing 106 kg, he is a heavy-duty swingman with top-tier physical attributes in the league. He turned 21 just on July 8th this year, making him the youngest player on the Rockets, despite entering the league a year later than Sheppard. Last year, Whitmore performed well, averaging 12 points in less than 20 minutes per game for the Rockets. However, after the return of Tari Eason and the addition of the third pick in the 2024 draft, Sheppard, Whitmore's playing time was threatened. Perhaps he had already expressed his dissatisfaction to the management at the beginning of the regular season, as evidenced by his decision to unfollow the official social media accounts of the Rockets before the start of the regular season. After the start of the season, Whitmore became even more reckless on the court, disregarding his teammates. With only one successful three-pointer out of his first 20 attempts this season, Coach Udoka made the firm decision to bench Whitmore, sending him to the G League to cool…

On December 29th, Beijing time, the NBA regular season continued with the New York Knicks visiting the Washington Wizards. The Knicks, ranked third in the Eastern Conference and currently on a six-game winning streak, faced off against the Wizards, who are comfortably at the bottom of the East with little to lose or gain from this game. The Wizards started strong at home, taking a 16-7 lead, but the Knicks quickly caught up and by halftime, the score was tied at 60. In the second half, both teams engaged in an offensive battle, with the Wizards going on a 15-2 run in the third and fourth quarters to build an 11-point lead. However, the Knicks managed to close the gap thanks to the outstanding performances of Brunson and Towns. In overtime, Brunson took control of the game, and the Knicks secured their victory with solid free throws, ultimately winning 136-132. The Wizards, aiming for the Flag Cup, focused on offense over defense, relying heavily on their shooting performance. They matched the Knicks' intensity with a barrage of three-pointers, making 17 shots at a 44.7% rate. In contrast, the Knicks struggled from beyond the arc, making only 10 out of 40 attempts at a 25% rate. Despite this, the Knicks turned the tide with their inside scoring and transition points off turnovers. Throughout the game, they dominated the paint with a 78-60 advantage in points and outscored the Wizards 26-18 on points off turnovers. The Knicks' comeback from an 11-point deficit to an overtime victory was largely due to the combined…