As the Clippers staged a comeback against the Raptors, the Timberwolves narrowly lost to the Rockets, and the Kings achieved their fourth consecutive win, the NBA Western Conference standings have been updated.

On January 17th Beijing time, the NBA regular season continued. In the recent matchups, the Pelicans fell 119-127 to the Pacers, the Clippers managed a 121-117 comeback win over the Raptors, the Timberwolves fought hard but narrowly lost 105-110 to the Rockets, and the Wizards were beaten 115-128 by the red-hot Kings. Consequently, in the latest Western Conference standings, the Timberwolves hold fourth place, the Rockets fifth, the Clippers have won five straight to advance into the play-in zone, and the struggling Kings have won four straight to climb to second last!

Pelicans vs. Pacers. Last season’s runner-up, the Pacers, have turned into a bottom-tier team, ranking last in the Eastern Conference. This round, they faced the Pelicans, who are also at the bottom of the Western Conference — both teams struggling. The first quarter was evenly matched with a scoring duel, the Pelicans showing stronger offense to take a 2-point lead. In the second quarter, the Pacers’ offense exploded, especially from beyond the arc like a rainstorm, outscoring the Pelicans 42-33 to take a 7-point lead. In the second half, the two teams engaged in an intense back-and-forth battle, but the Pacers maintained steady control and kept their lead, while the Pelicans struggled to catch up. Ultimately, the Pacers secured the win!

Clippers vs. Raptors. The Clippers played on the road and were significantly weakened without Kawhi Leonard, making a win difficult. The Raptors dominated the first half with aggressive offense, maintaining control and leading by 11 points after three quarters. In the final quarter, Harden erupted, scoring continuously to help the Clippers erase the deficit. The game went into overtime. In overtime, Harden delivered steady performances and made crucial plays with boldness, leading the Clippers to a comeback victory over the Raptors, marking their fifth straight win and pushing them into the playoff contention zone!

Timberwolves vs. Rockets. Edwards was absent for this game, but the Timberwolves still played tough, matching the Rockets point for point in a very intense contest. Randle and Durant took turns erupting offensively, both going on scoring runs and each finishing with 39 points, evenly matched. In the end, the Rockets managed to defeat the Timberwolves!

Wizards vs. Kings. The Kings have been red hot recently, defeating three major teams in a row: the Rockets, Lakers, and Kings themselves, boosting their credibility. Facing the second-to-last Wizards this round, the Kings were heavy favorites to secure their fourth consecutive win. The Kings played dominantly, hitting hard early with combined inside and outside attacks to open a 41-22 lead in the first quarter, stunning the Wizards and pulling ahead by 19 points. In the second quarter, the Wizards’ offense exploded with strong drives and outside shooting, outscoring the Kings 39-26 to cut the gap to single digits. In the second half, Westbrook led the Kings courageously to extend the lead again, leaving the Wizards unable to respond. Ultimately, the Kings defeated the Pelicans, proving that the Western Conference is not weak!

Written by / Sports Novel