NBA gearing up for dream Cup Finals; Strange coincidence between LeBron James and ‘His Majesty’; Jaime Jaquez on fire, league welcomes Gabriela Doncic Doncic). These and more in the NBA Top 10
NBA Cup quarterfinals decided; Strange coincidence between LeBron James and ‘His Majesty’; Jaime Jaquez on fire, league welcomes Gabriela Doncic ). These and more in the NBA Top 10
1.- Dream cup final? If there’s one thing that defines the NBA, it’s its ability to create successful programs, the most recent example of which is the play-in tournament that’s approaching the 2023-24 NBA Cup, a tournament that will determine the semifinalists on Saturday and Sunday. The championship game will be held on December 9 in Las Vegas.
The possibility of the two winningest teams in history meeting in the Finals is potentially there: The Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers are in the top eight of the Cup and would have to beat the Indiana Pacers respectively as a first step and the Phoenix Suns.
If they advance, they’ll have to win one more game (against an opponent to be defined, obviously), but the league is already gearing up for a dream final for their first cup; Celtic are pulling A Vegas vs. Lakers game will be a profound financial success and will confirm the NBA’s ability to continue to attract viewers, generate interest and, of course, millions of dollars.
2.- Disbelief. There will always be a debate about who is the best player in NBA history: Michael Jordan or LeBron James?
For fans of the statistics between His Majesty and The King, here’s a little fact that might surprise you.
On January 16, 2002, the New Jersey Nets defeated the Washington Wizards 111-67, trailing by 44 points and becoming the worst defeat of Jordan’s career.
Well, the Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Lakers 138-94 on November 27th against LeBron. This 44-point deficit is also considered the worst defeat of LeBron’s career.
What’s amazing about this stat is that, coincidentally, Jordan and LeBron were both the same age in these games, losing each game by 44 points.
MJ turned 38 years old on February 17, 2021; his birthday is 333 days apart from January 16, 2002, which means that he was 38 years and 333 days old in the most disastrous game of his career.
LeBron turns 38 on December 30, 2022; his birthday is 332 days apart from November 27, 2023, which makes him exactly 38 years and 333 days after the game with the largest margin of victory in his career.
3.- LeBron James breaks another record. Continuing James’ statistics, James, who is from Akron, set another record in the NBA: the most playing time.
The Lakers forward surpassed legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s 66,297 points against the 76ers before playing again before last Thursday’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder In 35 minutes, it reached 66,319 points.
Only he knows how much fuel is left in the tank…
4.- If you messed up, just turn it off and let’s go! Stephen Curry has the ability to surprise people on the court and in warmups before Warriors games.
He almost did it before Thursday’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers…
Stephen Curry is human! ! !
(Not 100% confirmed)pic.twitter.com/o7jH57Lvh9
— NBA Latin America (@NBALatam) December 1, 2023
5.- The magic of magic. NBA A few weeks have passed and the magic of the Orlando Magic still leaves us speechless.
The team from Florida State has the longest winning streak in the league, adding nine straight games. Since visiting CDMX to face the Atlanta Hawks, they’re 14-5 (.737), ahead of teams like the Bucks, 76ers and semi-powerful teams, and ranked second in the Eastern Conference with a 10-1 record. A game away from the leading Celtics.
The best part is that due to their schedules, with a certain level of comfort, the Nets, Cavaliers (x2), and Pistons, can maintain or even surpass the Celtics, who will face back-to-back games after the playoffs Celtics. The aforementioned game. The East is burning…
6.- He is a father now. Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic took to his IG account to brag about the birth of his first daughter, Gabriella, which is why he missed Friday’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies.
Congratulations to the Slovenians!
7.-Forgive us Gobert! The modern-day critics of “Twin Towers” Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert must be hiding in the catacombs in Minnesota.
After several seasons of cooperation, the work began to pay off. The Minnesota Timberwolves are currently the team with the best defensive efficiency in the league, conceding 105.3 points. Not only that, they also lead the “Wild West” with 14 points. -4 (.778), with current champion Denver Nuggets in second place.
It is common to see such brilliant performances from French centers or Dominican forwards in Wolves games this season.
8.- Jaime Jaquez has made a name for himself in the NBA. Miami Heat rookie Jamie Jaquez Jr. sets league record for Mexican players.
Jaquez scored 24 points off the bench in the Heat’s 142-132 win over the Pacers on Thursday, breaking the record set by fellow countryman Juan Toscano-Anderson, who was in a brief stint with the Warriors. During his playing period, he scored 20 points, which dates back to two years ago in the game against the Cavaliers.
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Wolves are insurmountable
Karl-Anthony Towns’ screen was great.
9.- Individual competitions. There is a tournament between the San Antonio Spurs and the Detroit Pistons. This pair of teams have no idea what winning is and amassed their worst win streak of the season. The Spurs have lost 16 games, including 14 in a row, while the Pistons have “beat” them (at least in this regard) with 17 losses and 16 in a row.
Things don’t look like they’re going to get better anytime soon for either of them, and the bad part is that their competition runs until January 10, 2024, so the number of losing streaks will sadly increase.
10.- In case they have earrings. December has arrived, a month in which one of the top prospects, who has apparently decided that isn’t the case, will resurface.
Grizzlies star Ja Morant is completing his 25-game league suspension after posting a scandalous video.
The point guard will complete his 25th game against the Thunder on December 18, so he will be eligible to play again against the Pelicans a day later.
His team certainly misses him as they finish second to last in the Western Conference with a 4-13 record (.235), just above the withering Spurs.