Following the Clippers' heavy defeat, the Trail Blazers upset the Spurs, the Rockets lost to the Mavericks, and the NBA Western Conference rankings have been released.

On January 4th Beijing time, the NBA regular season continued with several matchups completed today. The Timberwolves easily beat the Heat 125-115, the Trail Blazers pulled off a surprising victory over the Spurs 115-110, the Rockets lost 104-110 to the Mavericks, the Jazz started well but eventually fell 114-123 to the Warriors, and Brown’s outstanding performance helped the Celtics dominate the Clippers 146-115. Consequently, the latest Western Conference rankings list the Thunder and Spurs as the top two, the Rockets fourth, Timberwolves sixth, Warriors eighth, and Trail Blazers ninth!

Trail Blazers vs. Spurs. The Trail Blazers have been in good form recently and faced the Spurs without their star, Wembanyama. At the start, Klingen shone brightly, raining down threes to help the Blazers maintain a double-digit lead. In the second quarter, the Blazers’ shooting percentage dropped, allowing the Spurs to quickly score and narrow the gap to just 4 points by halftime. In the second half, the Blazers spread the scoring again to extend their lead, but the Spurs quickly caught up. In the final moments, Avdiya stepped up to hit a crucial three-pointer that sealed the game, enabling the Blazers to pull off the upset!

Rockets vs. Mavericks. The Rockets had been on a four-game winning streak despite Sengun’s absence. In this game against the Mavericks, Sengun returned, and the Rockets started strong with multiple players contributing to build an early lead. However, the Mavericks erupted in the second and third quarters, combining inside and outside plays to erase the deficit and take the lead. In the final quarter, the Rockets fought back hard to close the gap but it was too little, too late. Ultimately, the Mavericks secured the win, ending the Rockets’ four-game winning streak!

Jazz vs. Warriors. The Jazz controlled the game offensively in the first half, holding a 7-point lead at halftime. But in the second half, Curry exploded, scoring at will and helping the Warriors outscore the Jazz 42-31 in the third quarter, significantly cutting the deficit. In the final quarter, the Jazz’s shooting declined, while the Warriors capitalized with aggressive drives and outside shooting to extend their lead and eventually defeat the Jazz!

Celtics vs. Clippers. Facing a Clippers team on a six-game winning streak, the Celtics went all out, opening the game with a 42-28 first quarter. In the second quarter, Kawhi Leonard helped the Clippers chip away at the deficit. However, after halftime, the Celtics resumed their scoring frenzy, with Brown unstoppable and in blazing form, scoring as if it were effortless. He finished with an impressive 50 points. Ultimately, six Celtics players scored in double digits, and they defeated the Clippers by 31 points!

Written by / Sports Novel