Sports Warm Winter Creation Season
At 4:00 a.m. Beijing time on January 29, the NBA regular season was ignited again, and a high-profile matchup was staged at the home of the Detroit Pistons, where they faced the Oklahoma City Thunder, the top of the Western Conference. This game became the biggest upset of the season, which was jaw-dropping, and the first place in the West was actually downed on the home court of the Pistons, and it was by a staggering margin!
At the start of the season, the Thunder topped the West with a 32-13 record and became the best in the league. Their offensive and defensive efficiency, scoring, shooting percentage and many other statistics are among the best, showing a strong overall strength. However, like every team, the Thunder have some issues, most prominently rebounding and a lack of playoff experience. Speaking ahead of the game, head coach Daigneault said: "We will always maintain a high level of defence, it is not easy to score against the other side, and the hallmark of a mature team is to have a very correct and intelligent attack and a high level of defensive intensity no matter what. ”
Alexander's rise has been a highlight of the Thunder's season. He averaged 31 per game1 point 56 rebounds and 6His statistic performance of 4 assists has made him the star of the team. Daigneault's assessment of Alexander is also full of words: "He's a very consistent player in all aspects, and his consistency has managed to impact the team, creating room for others to improve and improve on their weaknesses in many ways, and also giving room to play, which is a very impressive thing for me, he deserves an All-Star, he's a great player." ”
Before this game, the Thunder seemed to be in excellent shape, while the Pistons were at the bottom of the East, with a win percentage of only 11, and once suffered a 28-game losing streak at the beginning of the season, breaking the record for the longest losing streak in NBA history. All the stats and season performances show that the Thunder should easily beat the Pistons and stay at the top of the Western Conference.
The starting lineups for both sides were released, with the Thunder fielding Giddey, Dort, Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet, while the Pistons fielded Ivey, Bogdanovic, Duren, Stewart and Hayes. At the beginning of the first quarter, the Thunder showed strong offensive firepower, and Chet and Dort hit three-pointers to quickly take the lead. Alexander's and Jayway's scores also made it difficult for the Pistons to resist.
However, as the game entered the second quarter, the Pistons showed a surprising comeback. The back-to-back scores of Burks and Knox made the Pistons gradually close in the score. In the second half, the Pistons played a wave of small climaxes, with Burks' steal and fast break, and Knox's mid-range jumper, which made the Thunder helpless. At halftime, the Pistons led the Thunder 70-61, a shocking margin of points.
At the beginning of the second half, the Pistons continued to play efficiently, especially Duren's performance was surprisingly successful. The Thunder tried to fight back in the third quarter, but the Pistons' teamwork and accurate shooting made it difficult for them to fight back. In the final quarter, the Thunder completely lost power, and the Pistons exploded in full force, and finally defeated the Thunder 120-104. The game became the second time in NBA history that a team with a win rate of less than 15 percent won won against a team with a win rate of more than 70 percent, and the Pistons' victory became a major turning point of the season.
The result of this game also changed the landscape of the West dramatically. The Thunder, who were originally ranked first in the West, also fell to 32-14, tied with the Timberwolves. The Clippers, on the other hand, have good news, just one win away from the first place in the West. This means that the competition in the West has become more intense, and the gap between the teams has become even smaller.
Speaking after the game, Daigneault said: "This game has shown us what we are lacking and we need to prepare better for each game and not take it lightly. On Alexander's performance, he also said: "Alexander put in a lot of effort in the game, but we need to work better together and not let the performance of one player be our only thing to rely on. ”
The Pistons' victory came as a pleasant surprise to fans. Bojan Bogdanovich's 17 points, Duren's 22 points, 21 rebounds and 6 assists, as well as the consistent performances of Burks and Ivey, made the Pistons show a strong team strength. They broke their losing streak and became the biggest dark horses of the season.
Overall, the result of this game was a big surprise and made the competition more fierce in the west. The Thunder have been outstanding this season, but the loss has also made them see their own problems. The Pistons' victory was not just a game win, it was a huge shock to the entire season's landscape. This kind of NBA is even more fascinating, and I look forward to more wonderful moments. And as fans, we also have to learn to accept winning and losing, which is the real charm of sports.