Western Conference standings in chaos: Thunder pierce Cavaliers, Clippers lose ninth spot again, Nuggets upset by Warriors

On February 24th Beijing time, the NBA regular season resumed with several matches finishing yesterday. The Cavaliers lost 113-121 to the top-ranked Thunder, the Nuggets were upset 117-128 by a weakened Warriors team, the Mavericks edged out the Pacers 134-130 in a clash of struggling teams, the Celtics powered past the Lakers 111-89, the 76ers overwhelmed the Timberwolves 135-108, the Trail Blazers shone with multiple scorers to beat the Suns 92-77, and the Magic narrowly defeated the Clippers 111-109. As a result, the Western Conference standings are shaken up: Thunder sit first, Nuggets remain third despite the loss, and the Clippers have dropped to ninth after being overtaken by the Trail Blazers!

Cavaliers vs. Thunder. The Cavaliers recently gained Harden, which has been a huge boost leading to a 7-game winning streak. This round, they faced a tough test against defending champions Thunder. From the start, the Thunder rained threes from outside, continuously hitting shots and dominating the Cavaliers, ending the first quarter 40-25. In the second and third quarters, the Thunder’s offensive efficiency dipped, allowing the Cavaliers to rally with inside and outside plays, cutting the gap to 6 points by the third quarter. In the final quarter, the Thunder’s offense surged again with another barrage of three-pointers, pulling away decisively. The Cavaliers lacked firepower to catch up and ultimately suffered a heavy defeat, being pierced by 21 three-pointers from the Thunder!

Nuggets vs. Warriors. This game was quite intriguing with both teams experiencing wild swings, like a roller coaster—either you dominate or get dominated. However, the Warriors were severely shorthanded without Curry, Butler, and Green playing. Surprisingly, the bench players performed excellently, showing strong offense and defense. Their fourth-quarter surge crushed the Nuggets, making it a very unexpected outcome!

Mavericks vs. Pacers. The Mavericks have been struggling lately, enduring a 10-game losing streak. This round, they faced the Eastern Conference’s bottom-ranked Pacers in a battle of underperformers. The game turned into a fierce fight, with the Mavericks’ Middleton exploding offensively to help secure a hard-fought victory for Dallas!

Today the NBA regular season continues with three matchups: the Spurs take on the Eastern Conference leaders Pistons in a highly anticipated clash, the Kings and Grizzlies face off in a contest between struggling teams, and the Jazz battle the Rockets in a fierce encounter. Let’s watch closely!

Written by / Sports Novel