Western Conference standings are shaken! Thunder fall to Rockets, Timberwolves suffer upset, Clippers and Trail Blazers win

On February 8th Beijing time, the NBA regular season progressed with several matchups finishing yesterday and early this morning. The Pelicans pulled off a shocking 119-115 comeback victory over the Timberwolves, the Grizzlies suffered a heavy 115-135 loss to the Trail Blazers, the Clippers barely beat the weak Kings 114-111, and the Rockets narrowly won 112-106 against the Thunder who were without Alexander. This caused the Western Conference standings to shift again: Thunder on a two-game losing streak but still first, Rockets in fourth, Timberwolves sixth, and Trail Blazers tenth!

Pelicans vs. Timberwolves. The Pelicans, known as a weak team, faced a strong Timberwolves squad this round. The first quarter featured a back-and-forth offensive battle, with the Pelicans edging ahead by 2 points. In the second quarter, the Timberwolves launched a strong offensive surge, scoring 38-22 to take a 14-point lead at halftime. In the second half, the Timberwolves' offensive efficiency dropped, while the Pelicans mounted a furious comeback, steadily closing the gap and overtaking the lead. Ultimately, the Pelicans pulled off an upset victory over the Timberwolves!

Grizzlies vs. Trail Blazers. The Trail Blazers, struggling with a six-game losing streak, desperately needed a win to regain confidence. Facing the relatively weaker Grizzlies, they started slow in the first quarter and fell behind 25-36. However, from the second quarter onward, the Trail Blazers exploded offensively, unleashing powerful attacks to outscore the Grizzlies 43-28 and 38-23 in the following quarters, taking a commanding lead. Their offensive momentum didn’t fade in the final quarter, continuing to dominate and secure a convincing victory with contributions from multiple players!

Clippers vs. Kings. Facing the last-place Kings, the Clippers started slowly in the first quarter, struggling to find their offense and falling behind 17-27 due to Monk’s three consecutive three-pointers. In the second quarter, the Clippers found their rhythm and gradually took control, outscoring the Kings 31-22 to trail by just one point at halftime. In the second half, the Clippers continued their comeback, reversing the score deficit. The final quarter saw both teams exchanging heavy fire, but with the Kings resting key players and showing little desire to win, the Clippers completed the comeback, ending their losing streak and handing the Kings their 11th consecutive loss!

Rockets vs. Thunder. The Rockets had been on a losing streak recently and faced a Thunder team missing Alexander. The first quarter was a tug-of-war with both teams responding to each other, ending tied at 28. In the second quarter, the Thunder gained the upper hand, outscoring the Rockets by 6 points. The Rockets regained momentum in the second half, efficiently scoring both inside and outside to post a 34-22 quarter, overturning the deficit and taking a 6-point lead. The final quarter turned into an intense scoring battle, with the Rockets continually answering the Thunder and never allowing them to retake the lead, ultimately pulling off a shocking upset over the Thunder!

By / Sports Novel