绿军最近势头如虹 67胜15负夺冠在望
On January 2, US time, a prediction report from the NBA caused quite a stir in the fan circle. In this final record prediction for the season, which was projected by basketball reporter Shane Young based on the current goal difference accumulation of each team, the most impressive one in the East is the Celtics: 67-15, not only first in the East, but also first in the league.
The former Green Shirts are now making their way into the late part of the regular season with a blistering momentum. They had a strong start to the season, and their efficient team coordination quickly allowed them to establish themselves in the East. With the explosion of individual ability of the team's stars, Celtic's winning record has been on the rise in the past month, which directly led to such an optimistic prediction by Shane Young.
67-15, that's pretty much the rhythm of a perfect regular season. In the history of the NBA, there are very few teams that can achieve 60+ wins in a single season, and only the Bulls in '96, the Warriors in '16, and the Celtics in '08 have achieved 67 wins or more. Now, the Celtics have another chance to break their own record and take their record for most wins in the regular season to 68 or more — provided they can maintain their current form over the next two months.
So the question is, can Celtic do that, and how likely are they to win 67 games or more?
The Warriors roster reshuffled to 38-44 and ranked 15th
In stark contrast to the Green Army, which is gaining momentum in the East, the Golden State Warriors from the West have had a disappointing season.
The team that once dominated the league with two 70+ wins is now at the bottom of Shane Young's prediction report — 38-44 and 15th in the West, a record that is completely different from the Warriors of the past six years. The most direct reason for this unsatisfactory record is that the Warriors have not been able to regroup since Curry's serious injury.
Now, even with Curry's return, another MVP, Green, is also riddled with injuries. In addition, Klay, another key player on the team, is still recovering from the after-effects of the new coronavirus, which has caused the Warriors' frontcourt triangle to not work together normally. There wasn't much in the backcourt either, with Thompson being mediocre and failing to break through.
However, we can't just relegate the Warriors to the scrap heap. After all, they brought in R. Levi in a big trade a while ago, which more or less injected some fresh blood into the Warriors. Levi's performance is indeed good, at least the Warriors did not make this trade in vain.
So, again, the question arises: Is it possible for the Warriors to exceed the predictions in the future? Will they really finish the regular season with 38 wins? Or will they find their groove in the final stages and surprise us with an upset?
The Lakers' "Little Emperor League" did not finish in the top 15 in the regular season
At the beginning of this season, the Lakers with James as the core were once known as the "Little Emperor League" by the outside world, and many fans are looking forward to recreating the Lakers Iron Triangle as the king in 2020. However, the actual situation is not exactly what the ideal expectation, the Lakers, who were once known as the Little Emperor League, are now nowhere to be seen in Shane Young's prediction report, and even the top 15 spots have not been staggered.
There are two reasons for this unsatisfactory situation: first, the physical condition of James and Davis is worrying; Second, Russell Westbrook's performance was disappointing. Although the team made up for the lack of backcourt with a trade, it still can't erase the fact that the first two months were poor.
In the last 12 games, the Lakers have won a staggering 3-9. James and Davis had bright spots, but Westbrook's performance was unacceptable. This has directly led to the Lakers' negative net point accumulation so far this season.
Therefore, whether the Lakers can turn around in the future and at least enter the top 15 in the regular season is particularly crucial. James and Davis' physical condition seems to be improving, which certainly bodes well for the Lakers. Now it depends on whether Westbrook can improve his performance in the future and give this unworthy "Little Emperor Alliance" a chance of life.