On January 1st, the CBA witnessed a crucial victory for the Guangdong team, who triumphed over Tianjin with a score of 110-103. This match was both nail-biting and exhilarating to watch. Not only did this victory keep Guangdong's hopes alive for advancing to the playoffs, but it also brought them a record of 14 wins and 11 losses, temporarily placing them at the 9th position.
As for Tianjin, they suffered their fourth consecutive loss, with a performance that was nothing short of abysmal. Although they managed to close in on the lead during the game, they were ultimately unable to turn the tide.
Guangdong's Jilun Walters was truly formidable, scoring 41 points, grabbing 12 rebounds, and dishing out 5 assists. Such a display left little room for comment; he was undoubtedly the absolute core on the court. Everyone knows that Walters is a powerhouse, but his performance today was akin to giving the opposition a lesson.
Xu Jie, the young player, also gave it his all, playing for 46 minutes and contributing 16 points, 4 rebounds, and 12 assists. Assists are almost the lifeline of Guangdong, and one can only imagine how many passes are required for 12 assists. Today, he orchestrated the team's offense with precision.
Moldoveanu, the big man, also made significant contributions from the inside with 10 points and 14 rebounds, demonstrating remarkable steadiness. He not only maintained consistent output on both ends of the court but also made key contributions when it mattered most.
Ren Junfei scored 16 points and grabbed 7 rebounds, unleashing fierce firepower on the offensive end. Guangdong played without hesitation today, never giving Tianjin too many opportunities despite their counterattacks, and secured the victory steadily.
Some netizens commented: "Guangdong really played with enough tenacity in this game, especially Jilun Walters, whose high-scoring and numerous rebounds were simply a nightmare for Tianjin." Everyone was fighting hard, and Xu Jie's assists allowed the team to play fluidly, making it a true team effort victory.
This victory for Guangdong was not solely due to Jilun Walters' personal outburst but also the collective efforts of the team. As for Tianjin, although they lost, there were still highlights.
David James contributed 20 points and 13 rebounds, while Lin Tingqian scored the highest for the team with 28 points, appearing to be in good form but failing to lead the team to reverse the situation.
Tianjin actually had a chance to narrow the gap in the second quarter when Lavitt's three-pointer reduced the deficit to 8 points. This once made people think that Tianjin might launch a counterattack, but at the start of the third quarter, they were once again pulled apart by Guangdong, failing to seize the opportunity.
Netizens also had differing opinions: "Although Tianjin lost, I believe that Lin Tingqian and James' performances are still commendable, at least they gave it their all on the court." Unfortunately, the team's overall state was too unstable, still lacking some composure in critical moments.
Speaking of the game, Guangdong took the lead from the first quarter, with Jilun Walters scoring 15 points alone, leading the team to a 33-21 advantage over Tianjin, giving them a strong start.
In the second quarter, Guangdong continued to expand their lead, especially with Ren Junfei's layup, which directly increased the lead to 20 points. However, Tianjin was not willing to back down, and Lavitt's three-pointer allowed them to close the gap before halftime, with a score of 58-50, which seemed manageable. But at the start of the third quarter, Tianjin put significant pressure on Guangdong, reducing the gap to just 2 points. At this point, Guangdong became anxious and had to step up to stabilize the situation.
During the third quarter, Tianjin caused considerable trouble for Guangdong, but it was Xu Jie's long-range three-pointer that turned the tide, allowing Guangdong to regain the lead at 86-80 over Tianjin.
In the final quarter, Tianjin indeed fought hard, even closing the gap to just 1 point, but Du Runwang and Xu Jie's three-pointers ultimately helped Guangdong maintain control of the game.
Some netizens commented: "Guangdong really demonstrated their resilience in this game, especially Xu Jie, who remained incredibly calm, and his three-pointer at the critical moment was a lifesaver!" Although Tianjin fought hard, they were still slightly lacking and not stable enough overall.
Moving on to another match, Liaoning faced Beijing at home but performed poorly, eventually losing 90-105, ending their four-game winning streak.
Liaoning had been in hot form this season, but in this game, they seemed unable to perform at their usual level as a whole.
Ferg's performance was quite strong, scoring 24 points in a single game with commendable outside shooting, but unfortunately, his teammates did not provide sufficient support, and they were ultimately overtaken by Beijing.
On Beijing's side, Zhang Cairen was undoubtedly the brightest star of the game. With 7 three-pointers from outside the line, he scored a total of 27 points, making Liaoning's defense almost helpless.
Zhou Qi also had a decent performance, contributing 10 points and 10 rebounds despite possibly not being at his peak after returning from injury. His defensive efforts were also very proactive.
Especially Zhang Cairen's four consecutive three-pointers really left Liaoning with no ability to fight back.
Some netizens evaluated: "Liaoning simply collapsed today; Ferg couldn't carry the team alone, and the overall offense lacked synergy." Beijing relied on Zhang Cairen's three-pointers, which flowed so smoothly.
Not only was Liaoning unable to defend, but their offense also completely failed to materialize, which was a great pity.
The process of the game was essentially Liaoning never being able to catch up with the score, especially in the second quarter when Beijing extended their lead through a 7-0 run, leading 50-41 at halftime.
In the third quarter, Ferg exerted himself again, increasing his personal score to 24 points, but he was still unable to change Liaoning's disadvantage.
In the fourth quarter, Beijing's Zhang Cairen and Zhou Qi's performances helped them easily secure the victory, ultimately defeating Liaoning 105-90.
This victory for Beijing solidified their position at 7th in the league standings. Despite Liaoning's loss, they remained at the 5th spot thanks to their previous winning streaks, retaining some competitiveness.
If Liaoning wants to continue contending for a higher position, they must regain their form in the upcoming games.