Two Major Upsets in CBA! Guangdong's Rival Loses to the Last-Place Team, Shenzhen Overturns Zhejiang Away?
A team that has lost 15 consecutive games in the season, can it be considered an upset if they win against the second-to-last team? A strong team ranked third in the league is knocked down by an opponent ranked third from the bottom, is this not a major upset? On New Year's Eve, the CBA court witnessed successive upsets - Zhejiang lost to Shenzhen, and Fujian defeated Jiangsu. What exactly happened that night? Was it an unexpected outbreak of the weak teams, or a collective collapse of the strong teams' defenses? Fans are discussing animatedly, and some even lament, "In this day and age, even stability has become a luxury on the CBA court."
The biggest topic of this round of matches was undoubtedly Shenzhen's away upset victory over Zhejiang. Shenzhen ranks 18th in the standings, almost at the bottom, while Zhejiang is a powerhouse ranked third in the league. Before the game, almost no one favored Shenzhen. However, the result was unexpected, as Shenzhen won the game with a 4-point advantage, which can be described as a good show of "snake biting the elephant" reversal.
At the beginning of the game, Zhejiang's performance was still acceptable, leading slightly in the first quarter. But from the second quarter onwards, Shenzhen took full control of the game - they showed extraordinary energy on both offense and defense, especially taking advantage of Zhejiang's imbalanced attack and defense to launch multiple smooth counterattacks.
This is actually closely related to the incomplete lineup of Zhejiang. The team's core point guard Wu Qian and shooting guard Cheng Shaipeng were absent due to injuries, directly weakening Zhejiang's perimeter firepower. In the paint, Yu Jiahao, the pillar of the interior, also left the court early due to injury, playing only 12 minutes. With three main players missing at the same time, Zhejiang seemed at a loss.
How big is the impact of the absence of the core players?
Wu Qian is the "soul figure" of Zhejiang, not only good at organizing the offense but also able to accurately hit three-pointers. His absence caused Zhejiang's offensive rhythm to be obviously disrupted, losing the ability to connect the whole team. As for Cheng Shaipeng, as the team's perimeter scoring point, his absence made Zhejiang's scoring methods more monotonous, and the defense also lost the sense of pressure on the opponent's perimeter.
As for Yu Jiahao, this 2.23-meter-tall center is not only the defensive core of Zhejiang but also the guarantee of rebounds. Once he left the court, Zhejiang's interior became virtually non-existent. Shenzhen took the opportunity to repeatedly score in the paint, leading the rebounding battle 43:36 throughout the game. It can be said that Zhejiang's defeat exposed their shortcomings in bench depth. After the main players were absent, the substitute players could not effectively fill the gaps, and both ends of the attack and defense became riddled with loopholes.
What does Shenzhen's victory tell us?
Some say that Shenzhen won this game by luck, but that is just a one-sided view. Looking at the whole game, Shenzhen played tenaciously enough.
Their defensive intensity was higher than usual, and on the offensive end, they seized Zhejiang's mistakes and loopholes to score frequently. Perhaps this victory will not change Shenzhen's overall mediocre reality for the season, but this game at least proves a truth: no matter how low the ranking is, as long as there is enough fighting spirit, you can overturn a mountain.
Compared to Zhejiang's unexpected loss, Fujian's victory over Jiangsu may not be as explosive, but it also attracted a lot of attention. After all, this game was a battle between the "bottom of the class" and the second-to-last "tail end," and Fujian had previously suffered 15 consecutive losses, making this victory particularly precious.
Jiangsu performed quite aggressively in the first quarter, once leading by 10 points. However, Fujian gradually found its form, played steadily in the last three quarters, and finally won the game by a 7-point advantage. Especially in the crucial fourth quarter, Fujian's rebounding and defensive quality were significantly superior, scoring multiple times through counterattacks to secure the victory.
From a technical statistical perspective, Fujian had the upper hand in rebounds, assists, and shooting percentage in this game. More importantly, their mental state seemed more stable than Jiangsu, which was fully reflected in the last few minutes of the attack and defense.
Fujian's victory is undoubtedly a highlight of the season. At the beginning of the season, they only won one game before falling into a long losing streak, becoming the "bottom of the class" in the league. However, this victory not only ended the losing streak but also injected the team with long-awaited confidence.
In this game, Fujian showed a desire to win, and this spiritual strength is even more worthy of attention than the technical performance. Although the team's overall strength is still weak, this victory may be the beginning of their adjustment of state and regaining confidence.
Zhejiang's defeat made people see the hidden worries of the strong teams. Over-reliance on core players, lack of bench depth, and inability to quickly adjust the lineup when the main players are absent, these problems may become "hidden bombs" in the playoffs. On the other hand, although Fujian is not strong in terms of strength, they showed a strong desire to survive in key matches and fought hard to snatch a victory from Jiangsu.
Upsets attract attention not only because they subvert expectations but also because they show the charm of competitive sports. Whether it's a strong team or a weak team, every game is worth fighting for with all one's might, just as Shenzhen and Fujian proved with their actions - the game isn't over until the final whistle blows, and no one knows who will have the last laugh.
The night of upsets in the CBA once again reminds us that there are no absolute strong or weak teams on the basketball court. Perhaps in the next round of matches, another team will bring us new surprises. Upsets not only make the games more suspenseful but also give fans something to look forward to. As the old saying goes, "There are unpredictable weather changes, and unexpected events in the ball game."