With the Spurs and Nuggets pulling off upsets, the Rockets winning big, the Timberwolves losing & the Suns victorious, the NBA Western Conference rankings have been updated.

On December 29th Beijing time, the NBA regular season proceeded with more battles ending yesterday. The Mavericks fell 107-113 to the Kings, the Nuggets, missing three main players, were stunned 126-127 by a last-second Magic comeback, the Suns narrowly beat the weak Pelicans 123-114, the Cavaliers suffered a heavy 100-117 loss to the Rockets, the underdog Nets pulled off a surprise 123-107 victory over the Timberwolves, and the Jazz shocked the Spurs 127-114, ending their 8-game winning streak. As a result, the Western Conference standings are now in turmoil: Spurs second, Nuggets third, Rockets fourth, Timberwolves sixth!

Nuggets vs Magic. The Nuggets were missing three key players, significantly weakening their strength. However, they still dominated the offense in the first half, securing a double-digit lead by halftime. In the second half, the Magic launched a fierce comeback, gradually closing the gap. The Nuggets lacked adaptability and couldn’t stop the momentum. Blake then put on a strong performance, and Bain helped the Magic complete the game-winning shot, leading to a shocking upset victory over the Nuggets!

Cavaliers vs Rockets. With Sengun absent, the Rockets surprisingly displayed fluid offense reminiscent of old times. Durant performed at his peak level, and Shepard was highly efficient. Together, they powered the Rockets to a decisive blowout over the Cavaliers, steadily increasing the margin and ending the game early. Ultimately, the Cavaliers suffered a heavy defeat to the Rockets!

Nets vs Timberwolves. The first half saw both teams engage in a fierce offensive battle with a tight scoreline, neither able to pull away. However, the second half shifted dramatically as the Timberwolves’ offense stalled. Led by Porter, the Nets sparked an offensive surge, outscoring 36-23 in the quarter and effectively sealing the game with one run. In the final quarter, the Nets kept up the pressure, maintaining control and ultimately pulling off a surprising upset over the Timberwolves, securing a long-awaited third consecutive win!

Jazz vs Spurs. From the start, both teams engaged in a high-scoring shootout, with the Spurs firing on all cylinders to score 40 points in the first quarter and lead by 8. In the second quarter, the Spurs’ performance fluctuated drastically with a sharp drop in shooting accuracy and many missed shots, while the Jazz attacked both inside and out to build a 38-20 run and overturn the deficit to lead by 10 at halftime. In the second half, the Jazz kept up the momentum, extending their lead over the Spurs. In the final quarter, led by Vembanyama, the Spurs fought back to narrow the gap but failed to sustain it. The Jazz scored crucial points in the closing moments to seal the game, pulling off an upset over the Spurs and ending their 8-game winning streak!

Written by / Sports Novel