In the 25th round of the CBA regular season, Shandong challenged Xinjiang away from home. So far, Xinjiang has had the strongest home court in the CBA, winning an impressive 14 consecutive victories. Shandong had previously lost both home and away games against Xinjiang, especially during their last visit to Xinjiang's home court, where they encountered some controversial refereeing decisions and ultimately lost by a narrow margin of three points. However, the same scenario unfolded again, but this time, it was Shandong who emerged victorious. The refereeing in this game was indeed problematic, causing some players to lose control of their emotions.
In this match, Xinjiang was awarded an astonishing 39 free throws, while Shandong had 25, reflecting a numerical disparity. However, there were significant differences in the refereeing standards. In the decisive stages, Guo Kai's reasonable double-teaming was called for a foul, resulting in him being sent off with free throws. Meanwhile, Xinjiang's double-teaming on Tao Hanlin in the final moments featured almost identical actions. Upon slow-motion replay review, Xinjiang's pushing and fouling were more evident, with Tao Hanlin being physically pushed out of bounds. Yet, the on-duty head referee deemed it not a foul and returned possession to Xinjiang, leading to Shandong receiving a technical foul. This was a decision that could have significantly impacted the outcome; if not for Peterson's chaotic play at the end, Shandong might have suffered a repeat defeat.
The controversies did not end there. As Shandong's most outstanding player and core member, Chris has always had emotional issues, prone to impulsive behavior. However, Chris had no problems in this game, inexplicably receiving a technical foul without any disrespect. He was provoked face-to-face by Aizimaiti but responded without excessive aggression, still earning a technical foul and ultimately being ejected. Technical fouls are meant for players involved in conflicts or certain behaviors.
Aizimaiti actively attacked Chris, yet Chris walked away, only to be blown for a technical foul, which is inexplicable and unsurprising given Coach Qiubiao's furious reaction. Moreover, Aizimaiti had intentionally attacked Chris in the first quarter. If refereeing were to be strictly enforced, Li Yanzhe's continuous arm-clamping, a dangerous action, should have been penalized with a technical foul and a violation. Additionally, Peterson's deliberate provocation of Gao Shiyan could also have been called, but the referees failed to maintain proper control over the game's standards.
Despite such suppression of Shandong, it was Zhao Rui who first exploded. As a seasoned veteran and absolute mainstay of the national team, Zhao Rui was undoubtedly one of China's best national team players before his injury, possessing rich experience. However, he could not control his emotions. While verbal abuse and mockery might be somewhat understandable, Zhao Rui escalated to physical actions, which is quite rare. His attempt to assault the referee will undoubtedly result in severe punishment. Regardless of the on-duty referee's capabilities, such behavior would not be tolerated in any league or competition. It can only be said that Shandong's victory under such pressure is nothing short of miraculous.