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What is the significance of the Clippers releasing water to stop the Lakers' bleeding, and the small card being refrigerated by Tyronn Lue? The NBA regular season has entered 2024, and every game is full of fierce competition and changing situations. In a high-profile match on January 8, the Los Angeles two teams, the Lakers and the Clippers, played a local derby, which was the second meeting between the two teams this season, the last time was in the Christmas game, the Clippers beat the Lakers 118-107, and dealt a heavy blow to the combination of Lao Zhan and Thick Eyebrows.
In this game, the Lakers are facing the pressure of 4 consecutive defeats, the atmosphere of the team is very low, and the Clippers are playing a 5-game winning streak in the near future, the team's state is very good, it seems that the Clippers are the more advantageous side, but the result was unexpected, the Lakers narrowly defeated the Clippers 106-103 at home, ending their losing streak, and also drawing an end to the Clippers' winning streak. Is the victory or defeat of this game due to the Lakers' improvement or the Clippers' strategy to release the water? Let's analyze the key factors and the underlying reasons behind this game.
Zhan Mei teamed up to make a move, the Lakers' dual-core showed dominance, the main reason why the Lakers were able to win this game was the excellent performance of their dual-core James and Davis, the two scored a total of 47 points, 18 rebounds, 10 assists, 4 steals and 2 blocks, showing their dominance on the court. James played a 39-year-old man's demeanor in this game, he shot 11 of 19 from the field, 1 of 3 from three-point range, and got 25 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists and 1 steal.
Not to be outdone, Davis shot 10-of-15 from the field, 0-of-1 from three-point range, with 22 points, 10 rebounds, 3 steals and 1 block, and although he was suppressed by the Clippers' Zubac in terms of rebounding, he played a key role in the final quarter, scoring 8 points in the final quarter and grabbing an important frontcourt rebound in the final minute to seal the win for the Lakers. The James' combination played their leading role in this game, not only giving the Clippers a heavy blow on the offensive end, but also limiting the Clippers' core Leonard well on the defensive end, allowing him to score just 15 points in the game, well below his season average.
The Lakers' three-point firepower was on full swing, and the Clippers' defense was penetrated, and another important reason why the Lakers were able to win this game was that their three-point shooting efficiency was greatly improved, they shot 11-of-29 from three-point range and shot 37.9%, which is much higher than their season average, and it is also their second-highest three-point shooting percentage this season, second only to the game against the Cavaliers. The Lakers' three-point firepower caused a lot of trouble for the Clippers' defense, and they couldn't take care of both interior and outside defense at the same time, so they could only watch the Lakers' three-point shots fly into the basket.
The Lakers' three-point scorers mainly included Prince, Reddish, Russell and Vanderbilt, who combined for 32 points on 8-of-16 three-point shooting, including Prince 3-of-6 from three-point range and 13 points, Reddish 2-of-3 from three-point range with 7 points and 4 rebounds, Russell 2-of-4 from three-point range with 13 points and 6 assists, and Vanderbilt 1-of-3 from three-point range with 7 points and 3 rebounds. The performance of these four players has given the Lakers' bench more of a threat and the Lakers' starting lineup more respite.
Speaking after the game, James praised the bench in particular, saying: "We need a consistent performance from our bench to help us win, and the appearances of Vanderbilt and Wood were key in this game, and then Russell's return was also important, and he hit some key goals, especially in the second half. "What is the significance of the Clippers' strategic release, and the small card being refrigerated by Tyronn Lue? The Lakers were able to win this game, in addition to their own performance, there is another factor that cannot be ignored, that is, the Clippers' strategic release.
The Clippers didn't give it their all in this game, and their head coach Tyronn Lue abandoned the team's No. 1 core Leonard at a critical moment in the final quarter, leaving him unavailable for the last two minutes, which made many people wonder why Tyronn Lue didn't let Xiaoka play at such a critical juncture? Is it because Xiaoka's performance is not good? In fact, although Xiaoka did not play amazing statistics in this game, he was not too bad, he shot 6 of 17 from the field, 2 of 7 from three-point range, and got 15 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks, and he also made a lot of contributions on the defensive end, he steals James' pass in the third quarter, counterattacks and layups, and also blocks thick eyebrows in the fourth quarter, showing his defensive ability. So why did Tyronn Lue refrigerate the card at the last minute? It's because he has a long-term perspective, he doesn't want to let the card overexert his energy in this game, but he wants to be ready for tomorrow's back-to-back matches.
Tomorrow, the Clippers will face the strong rival Suns in the West, this is a more important game, because the Suns are the leaders of the West, they have played a wave of 9 consecutive wins after welcoming back Beal, they are considered the biggest favorites for the Western Conference championship, so the Clippers also regard them as an imaginary enemy to kill the West, so they also want to prepare for the game. So in this game, Tyronn Lue chose to let go of the water, making it easier for James to win.
In fact, Tyronn Lue's approach also has a certain amount of truth, because he knows that the Clippers' strength is no worse than the Lakers, and they have proved this in the Christmas game, they don't need to prove anything in this game, they need to beat the Lakers in the playoffs to really win respect. Moreover, the game was not completely fruitless, and other players of the Clippers also performed well, such as George, who shot 8-of-18 from the field, got 22 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 5 steals, and he also shot a key three-pointer in the fourth quarter, allowing the Clippers to tie the score for a while.
There is also Zubac, who shot 9 of 13 from the field, got 22 points, 19 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 block, including 10 frontcourt boards, and he had a fierce confrontation with Davis on the inside, occupying a certain advantage. And then there was Powell, who scored 14 points, and he also shot a game-tying three-pointer in the final moments, but unfortunately he didn't hit it, otherwise the game would have gone into overtime, in which case, the Lakers' victory would not have been certain.
The Clippers lost in this game, but they didn't lose too badly, they just lost one regular season game, they still have a chance to get revenge in the playoffs, and it's more important for them to keep their form and work for bigger goals. After this game, the Clippers will be a tough battle for the next period of time, in addition to playing the Suns tomorrow, against the Raptors on Thursday, the Raptors have won 3 of the last 4 games after the big trade, and on Saturday against the Grizzlies, the Grizzlies are strong after Morant's return, and then next week against the top two Timberwolves and Thunder in the West, facing strong teams can find out the team's problems, which is a good grind for the Clippers who want to win the championship.
After this game, the Lakers also have a very tough schedule, first the Raptors, then the Suns, but both games are at home, and then against the Jazz, Thunder and Mavericks. Speaking of which, what do you want to say about these teams? Welcome to leave a message to discuss.
The Pacers showed tenacious fighting spirit and reversed the Celtics, and Haliburton's injury did not affect the record
Haliburton suffered a hamstring strain, and the Pacers lost their core On January 9, the NBA regular season, the Pacers challenged the Celtics away. This is a direct matchup between two Eastern powerhouses, and it is also a personal battle between Haliburton and Tatum.
Haliburton is the star of the Pacers, averaging 25.6 points, 8.4 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game this season, making him one of the best point guards in the league. Tatum is the leader of the Celtics, averaging 27.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.4 steals per game this season, making him one of the most dangerous scorers in the East.
After the start of the game, the two teams launched a fierce attack, with Haliburton and Tatum both performing well and scoring frequently. At the end of the first quarter, the Pacers led 32-29.
In the second quarter, the Celtics strengthened their defense, limited the Pacers' offense, and at the same time played a smooth coordination on the offensive end, Tatum, Brown, Smart and others took turns to help the Celtics play an 18-4 attack wave to overtake the score. The Pacers were in trouble, with Haliburton accidentally spraining a hamstring on a breakaway and unable to continue the game and was substituted.
He is the offensive heart of the Pacers and the soul of the team, and his injury has dealt a huge blow to the Pacers' morale and fighting power. At the end of the first half, the Pacers trailed by nine points at 59-68.
The Pacers broke out in the third quarter, reversing the Celtics by 44 points, showing strong team strength At the beginning of the second half, the Pacers did not give up, they showed tenacious fighting spirit and appeared on the court with a new look. Instead of relying on singles, they work as a team to find the best shots.
Their lineup was also adjusted, consisting of Brogdon, LaVine, Warren, Sabonis, Turner. All five were scorers for the Pacers, and they shared the burden of offense in Haliburton's absence.
Their performance was impressive, as they scored 44 points in the third quarter and lost just 33 points to put a two-point lead into the final quarter with a 103-101 lead. The Pacers' explosion in the third quarter showed their strong team strength, and they did not collapse due to Haliburton's injury, but found the rhythm of the game through team efforts.
Their offense was very efficient, shooting a staggering 66.7 percent from the field, shooting 50 percent from three-point range, and tally 12 assists, with all five starters scoring in double figures, with Warren scoring 15 points, Sabonis 14, LaVine 12 and Brogdon and Turner 10 each. They were also very aggressive defensively, with seven steals, five blocks, 16 rebounds and just four turnovers.
Their performance completely overwhelmed Celtic and left their opponents unable to stop their attack. The Pacers' third-quarter comeback also proved that they are a team with deep roots, they not only have superstars like Haliburton, but also a group of players with excellent ability, they can play their role in critical moments, they can hold their chests up in difficult situations, they can face difficulties in difficult situations, they can trust each other, support each other, cooperate with each other, they can show their own style, show their resilience, show their strength in the game.