It's happening! 26+24+22+21! The Lakers are completely shattered.

Northern advance, northern advance.

The Clippers have gone completely crazy, winning 16 of their last 19 games after a rough start of just 6 wins and 21 losses. This season's ups and downs have been thrilling like a roller coaster.

Currently, the Clippers hold a 22-24 record, sitting tenth in the Western Conference, having closed the gap with the ninth-ranked Trail Blazers, trailing the eighth-seeded Warriors by 3 wins, and leading the eleventh-seeded Mavericks by 3 wins.At the very least, locking in a play-in tournament spot should be guaranteed.

Although trailing by a significant margin, the Mavericks still have a slim chance to reach the play-in tournament, and it will soon be clear if they will give up on this season. The trade deadline is February 6th, and players like Davis, Thompson, Gafford, and Russell have already been put on the market early.

Of course, Flagler is absolutely not for sale, and young players like Kristi can rest easy during the trade period without worrying about waking up to find they've been traded. Since the Mavericks intend to rebuild, they won’t touch their promising talents.

Kristi especially deserves high praise; about to turn 23, he has been performing excellently recently,scoring 20+ points in four straight games: 22, 26, 21, and 24 points, totaling 93 points. This season, he averages 13.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game, shooting 43.5% from the field and knocking down 2.6 three-pointers per game.

This guy was included in last February’s blockbuster trade involving Doncic and Davis. Since the Mavericks specifically requested him as part of the deal, the Lakers had to reluctantly let him go. As mentioned, he has lived up to Dallas’s trust.

In fact, given the current situation, Kristi is the prized asset for the Mavericks, while Davis was more of a supplementary piece. (Just kidding.)

Back to the point, being traded from the Lakers to the Mavericks marked a turning point in Kristi’s career. After switching teams, he has fully blossomed, moving steadily toward becoming an elite 3-and-D player. He might hit free agency as early as the summer of 2027, aiming for a multi-million dollar contract. Previously, in 2024, he signed a four-year, $32 million deal.

Drafted as the 5th pick in the second round in 2022, Kristi is poised to become the NBA’s new inspirational story and Flagler’s best sidekick, working together to help the Mavericks climb back to the top and enjoy the long-awaited glory.