As the Spurs lost to the bottom-ranked team, the Clippers narrowly fell to the Nuggets, and the Pistons defeated the Warriors, the NBA Western Conference standings have been released.

On February 1st Beijing time, the NBA regular season went on with multiple games finishing yesterday and early today. Several key matchups drew attention: the Eastern stronghold Cavaliers were soundly beaten 113-126 by the Suns, the Clippers fell 109-122 in a close game against the Nuggets, the Nets dominated the Jazz 109-99, the Pistons’ potent offense led to a 131-124 victory over the Warriors, and the Spurs narrowly lost 106-111 to the struggling Eastern Hornets. As a result, the Western Conference standings are out, with the Nuggets second, Spurs third, Warriors eighth, and Clippers tenth!

Cavaliers vs Suns. Facing the Cavaliers on a five-game winning streak, both teams struggled offensively in the first half, engaging in a back-and-forth battle. However, the Suns scored more and held a slight edge, finishing the half with a 5-point lead. In the second half, both teams’ shooting percentages soared as they traded baskets, but the Suns’ offense exploded with a barrage of threes, outscoring the Cavaliers 45-32 in the quarter. The Cavaliers couldn’t keep up and the gap widened significantly. Though the Cavaliers tried to rally in the final quarter, the deficit was too large to overcome, and the Suns crushed them with 23 three-pointers, easily dismantling the Cavaliers!

Clippers vs Nuggets. With Jokic returning, the Nuggets’ strength increased significantly. Playing at home, the Nuggets maintained a slight lead while the Clippers kept chasing. Unfortunately, the referees made unfavorable calls against the Clippers. In the fourth quarter, with the score at 93-97 and the Clippers trailing by 4, a turning point occurred when the refs inexplicably called a foul on Miller, giving the Nuggets three free throws which they converted. Kawhi missed several shots afterward, damaging the Clippers’ morale. The Clippers never managed to take the lead, and the Nuggets secured a somewhat undeserved victory!

Nets vs Jazz. Both teams were on losing streaks, resulting in a fierce tug-of-war. The first three quarters ended with very close scores: 27-26, 27-26, and 29-29. In the final quarter, the Jazz’s offense stalled, while the Nets went on a 26-18 run to defeat the Jazz and claim the win!

Pistons vs Warriors. From the start, both teams launched an aggressive offensive battle. Unexpectedly, the Pistons’ firepower was overwhelming, scoring 45-37 and 32-27 in the first half, holding a 23-point lead at halftime. In the second half, both teams kept up their scoring pace, ending the quarter tied at 31-31 with the gap unchanged. In the final quarter, the Pistons’ offense slowed down, and the Warriors attempted a comeback, cutting the deficit somewhat, but ultimately the Pistons comfortably defeated the Warriors!

Spurs vs Hornets. The struggling Eastern Hornets have been unstoppable lately, riding a hot streak and climbing into playoff contention. This round, they faced the Western powerhouse Spurs. Unexpectedly, the Hornets’ shooting was on fire, their offense went wild, overpowering the Spurs and successfully limiting the impact of Wembanyama. The Hornets steadily secured a win over the Spurs, pulling off a shocking 6th consecutive victory. Truly remarkable, this team seems to rise to the occasion against strong opponents!

Today, February 2nd, the NBA will feature six games, with the Rockets vs Mavericks matchup drawing particular attention. Let’s stay tuned!

Written by / Sports Novel