The 2023-24 regular season is in full swing. After the regular season continues to heat up, there are not only young teams due to injuries and objective factors, resulting in poor team performance, but also giant teams, with their own tenacity and perseverance, and constantly improve the overall strength of the team, so that these experienced and star-studded giant teams, after more than half of the season, start the road of counterattack, and officially start their own counteroffensive journey.
Today, take stock of the five big teams that have taken the lead after this season.
Fifth team: New York-Knicks
Team record before December: 17-15
January-to-date team record: 16-6
During this period, the team went through two trade recruitment plans, and the swap owner deal with the Raptors with Barrett and Anunoby as the main body once became an important factor in the team's improvement from a 50% win rate to a recent 72% win rate. During this period, the Knicks have won several waves of winning streaks one after another, although the recent injuries to Randle and other stars have caused the Knicks to fluctuate slightly, but it still can't stop the fact that the Knicks' record has improved sharply since January.
Before the trade deadline, the team got the Pistons scoring master Bogdanovic, despite Bojan's flaws on the defensive end, but the good size, and stable scoring ability, can still improve the overall strength of the Knicks, and in recent games, DiVincenzo is gradually finding the outside of the crosshairs, once the sharpshooter plays a sense of déjà vu, for the Knicks' playoff journey, will bring a fatal improvement.
From the middle of the East at the beginning of the season to the fourth team in the East, it shows the Knicks' ability to make a late move, and it also proves the miraculous effect of the Knicks trade. If it weren't for the recent injury cold snap, maybe the Knicks' recent record would be even more crazy, the Knicks are currently 33-21, 1 win away from the 76ers in fifth place, 2 wins away from the Bucks in third place, in the remaining 30 games, the Knicks are still expected to continue to catch up, if they can get rid of injury troubles, the Knicks lock the top five positions in the East, and are expected to attack the top three, which will also become an irreversible fact.
Fourth team: Cleveland Cavaliers
Team record before December: 18-14
January-to-date team record: 17-3
During this period, the Cavaliers experienced injuries to stars such as Garland and Mobley, as well as Mitchell's refusal to renew his contract early, and even fell into a trade turmoil, but even in this context, since entering January, the Cavaliers have completed two waves of winning streaks one after another, a wave of 8 consecutive wins and a long 9-game winning streak, which once made the Cavaliers play extremely explosive, and also made this team only ranked in the East at the beginning of the season, and even hovered 8-10 in the East, and was once promoted to the third place in the East.
The Cavaliers have won these two consecutive waves, Mitchell will undoubtedly be the team's biggest contributor, and Garland's return to the line of fire has also injected new energy and combat power into the team's victory. Not only that, Allen and other stars also bottomed out, allowing the Cavaliers to get rid of the sluggish performance of the past and play a very competitive performance again.
So far, the Cavaliers have a record of 35 wins and 17 losses, firmly in the second place in the East, 1 win difference ahead of the third-place Bucks, in this wave of climax, almost all of them are Mitchell's single-core operations, but almost single-handedly, perfectly crushing the Bucks double giants, the Cavaliers' momentum is like a rainbow, but also to close the gap with the Celtics, 5.5 wins away from the first place in the East, although there is still a huge gap, but more than 30 games, still let the Cavaliers continue to catch up, after all, the Cavaliers' wave of impact is not over, the Cavaliers are still expected to continue to chase the advantage of the leading group, which continues to show the resilience and explosiveness of the young team.
Third team: Los Angeles-Lakers
Team record before January: 24-25
February-to-date team record: 4-1
During this period of time, the Lakers once again played an extremely good overall strength, especially after the transaction door was closed, the Lakers' hanging heart fell, allowing the Lakers to play an extremely bloodthirsty performance again, last season the Lakers were at such a node, playing a very phenomenal performance, this time, the Lakers are still the original team to play, which will also make the Lakers familiar with the road, and are still expected to play a shocking game in this wave of counterattacks.
In this good wave of small climax period, the integrity of the Lakers, as well as the competitiveness and impact ability of the team, have been improved to a certain extent, and the Lakers' momentum will continue to ferment. Davis's stability this season is gradually heating up and improving, and James is still extremely stable, even at the age of 39, he is still playing more and more bravely, at this juncture, James will continue to break out, and even will bring huge improvements and upgrades to the team's next schedule, so that the team is expected to continue to improve its competitiveness.
This season, the Lakers are in ninth place in the West with a 28-26 record, but this wave of 4-1 performance has made the Lakers win more than 50% , is also to continue to stabilize the current position, from the Warriors behind them, only 0.5 wins difference, the Warriors' eyesight, will still put huge pressure on the Lakers, the Lakers need to use more victories, to keep the current record, and even continue to improve their position, from the previous one, a difference of 3 wins, for the Lakers, the current position is extremely embarrassing, it is extremely difficult to catch up in front, and the Warriors behind are eyeing the tiger, a little careless, will be doomed, but such adversity, for the Lakers headwind turnaround will also be just around the corner, after all, last season the Lakers also experienced such an encounter, and played a phenomenal performance.
Second team: Phoenix Suns, who are getting better
Team record before December: 16-15
January-to-date team record: 15-7
During this time, the Suns gradually got rid of injuries, and more importantly, the Big Three gradually became healthy, which also allowed the Suns to gradually start the time for the Big Three to fight together. After entering January, the Suns once won the longest seven-game winning streak of the season, including successive counterattacks against the Kings and Bulls, and the road to counterattack when they were behind by double digits in two games, which once allowed the Suns to play the resilience and combat power of the giant team, and even the personal ability of the stars, which once became the key factor and important way for the team to overcome the opponent one after another.
During this time, the Suns once ushered in seven consecutive visitors, but even so, the overall performance of the Suns is still remarkable, and the team plays a strong competitiveness, although there are many times, the weakness at critical moments, and excessive carelessness, let the Sun lose, but on the whole, during this time, the performance of the Sun's Big Three is getting better, once let the Sun see the hope and future of winning the championship again, although the Sun's game has always been very dramatic, but the offensive deterrence of the Big Three will not be underestimated, and it will also be difficult for each team to match the offensive lethality。
So far this season, the Suns are 31-22, firmly in the sixth place in the West, 0.5 wins behind the Kings, 0.5 wins behind the Pelicans, every game, may allow the Suns to improve their record or fall out of the top six, but even so, the Suns are 4.5 wins away from the Nuggets in fourth place in the West, although there are more than 30 games left in the regular season, but there are not many counterattacks left for the Suns, the Suns need to play aggressiveness and stability, and improve the team's defensive efficiency, in this wave of climax, the Suns' offense is indeed shocking, but defense is still a normal problem, if you can improve defensive awareness and defensive energy againFor the Suns' road to the championship, it will bring new improvements, and it will also make the Suns more competitive, so that this team with the Big Three is expected to play an exciting game and become a real championship-level team, and continue to fight and fight for the championship.
First team: Golden State Warriors who are making a comeback
Team record before January: 20-24
February-to-date team record: 6 wins, 1 loss
During this time, the Warriors seem to feel the motivation and support of the Chinese New Year, the team once played very competitive, in this short period, the team is a long wave of five consecutive wins, including many of the Suns who have a good record of defeating, Curry's final moment of quasi-lore, is even more murderous, but also makes the Warriors momentum, once again expected to let this former giant team, start a long winning streak, continue to impact the top teams. At present, the Warriors are 1.5 wins ahead of the Jazz behind them, and 0.5 wins away from the Lakers in the previous place.
In this wave of winning streak, in addition to Curry's one-man man, the performance of stars such as Green and Kuminga is also extremely shocking. Wiggins and other stars still have huge fluctuations and instability, but as the game deepens, these veterans will adjust themselves, after all, rich experience will be an important factor for the Warriors to be able to turn the tables in adversity at such a node, and it will also be the key factor and important means for the team to refresh the amazing moment again, which is also the confidence and super competitiveness of the dynasty team, and it is also the strength that the Warriors should have.
So far this season, the Warriors are 26-25 and temporarily occupy the tenth place in the West, although the current record is still not good enough, but this wave of winning streaks, and after the team is gradually reorganized, the team will also begin to counterattack, successive victories, but also let the Warriors show the competitiveness of the giant team, even in the face of the Suns Big Three, the Warriors have not fallen into the disadvantage, and the opponent can also be said to be inseparable, but also witness the overall strength of the Warriors' continuous improvement, so that this extremely sluggish team, is expected to achieve adversity again, play a shocking game presentation, make it a real giant team, become a very competitive giant team。