As the Thunder secured a win, the Warriors dominated, the Pelicans achieved their fifth consecutive victory, and the Trail Blazers narrowly lost, the NBA Western Conference rankings have been revealed.

On December 24th Beijing time, the NBA regular season continued with multiple games finishing yesterday. The Mavericks faltered in the last quarter, losing 113-119 to the Pelicans; the Jazz were soundly beaten 112-135 by the Nuggets, who had four players scoring over 20 points; the Grizzlies lost 103-119 to the reigning champions Thunder; the Magic were crushed 97-120 by the Warriors; and the Pistons edged out the Trail Blazers, missing Yang Hansen, 110-102. With these results, the latest Western Conference standings are out: Thunder first, Nuggets third, Warriors eighth, Grizzlies ninth, Trail Blazers tenth, and the Pelicans, riding a five-game winning streak, climbed to 13th place!

Mavericks versus Pelicans. Both teams started aggressively on offense, exchanging points in a lively back-and-forth. The Mavericks trailed by two points, but in the second and third quarters, they dominated both offense and defense, steadily scoring to take the lead. However, the final quarter saw a dramatic shift as the Pelicans spread their scoring across multiple players, unleashing a 40-26 run that sealed the game. Ultimately, the Pelicans secured an unexpected fifth straight win, showing that there are truly no weak teams in the West!

Jazz versus Nuggets. The first quarter became a one-sided affair as the Nuggets rained down three-pointers, creating a 40-15 scoring surge and building a 25-point lead. In the second and third quarters, both teams engaged in an offensive shootout, with the Grizzlies pushing hard to close the gap. But in the final quarter, the Nuggets pulled away again, extending the margin to nearly 30 points. The Jazz lacked sufficient scoring threats to catch up, turning the game into garbage time. Ultimately, the Nuggets, with four players scoring 20+ points, thoroughly outplayed the Jazz and secured the win.

Grizzlies versus Thunder. Both teams were missing several key players, fielding depleted lineups. Facing the Western Conference leaders Thunder, the Grizzlies were dominated on the court, with the deficit steadily growing. Although the Grizzlies attempted a comeback, they were ultimately outmatched. The Thunder had six players scoring in double figures and defeated the Grizzlies, with Adams playing like an anchor and pouring in 31 points!

Magic versus Warriors. In the first quarter, the Magic took control as the visiting team, building momentum and leading by 4 points. However, starting from the second quarter, the Warriors launched an explosive offensive surge, quickly overtaking the Magic. In the final quarter, they struck hard with multiple players contributing, outscoring the Magic 31-14 to put the game away. The Warriors performed efficiently and easily secured a commanding victory!

Pistons versus Trail Blazers. As the top team in the Eastern Conference, the Pistons played efficiently for the first three quarters, continuously attacking the basket and building a large lead over the Trail Blazers. But in the final quarter, the Trail Blazers suddenly woke up and launched a strong comeback, erasing the deficit with an offensive burst. Unfortunately, they couldn’t maintain the momentum in the closing moments. The Pistons then executed a decisive run to extend the gap, and the Trail Blazers ultimately fell short. This Trail Blazers team is quite intriguing—against any opponent, the matchup feels even, yet they just can't close out games!

Written by/Titan Sports Novel