Guangdong Men's Basketball Team pulled off a surprising victory against the formidable Shandong team with a score of 98-93, successfully reversing the game to achieve an upset win. This victory did not come easily for Guangdong; they were under pressure in the first half, managed to take the lead in the third quarter but quickly fell behind again. Fortunately, they held their ground in the fourth quarter with solid defense, and capitalized on Shandong's poor offensive performance, where they just couldn't seem to make their shots, leading to a lucky victory. Coach Du Feng breathed a sigh of relief after the game, acknowledging the difficulties faced by the team.
There are two pieces of good news following Guangdong's victory:
Firstly, Xu Jie continued to be impressive; without him in the first half, the team would have crumbled. He also led the team well in the second half. Additionally, he only played for 44 minutes, resting for 4 minutes, which was a much-needed breather. It is hoped that he can rest for 8 minutes in the next game, gradually increasing his rest time, as overuse could lead to injuries.
Secondly, Morand's defense was truly strong, completely stifling Shandong's attack in the fourth quarter. He also possesses organizational skills, acting as a defensive anchor, providing stability. However, his major flaw was the high number of turnovers, with 7 in this game, an area that needs improvement.
Alongside the good news, there are also two pieces of bad news:
Firstly, Bazley struggled in high-level competition, lacking ball-handling and offensive capabilities, as well as the ability to organize and link plays. His defense was not top-tier either, failing to alleviate the pressure on Xu Jie. What use is it if he can only perform well against weaker opponents? He will be a mere decoration in the playoffs, causing headaches.
Secondly, Guangdong's domestic frontcourt players are not performing well; Xu Xin and Wang Shaojie are not contributing effectively. This puts a lot of strain on the foreign player duo, who are unable to get the support they need. This situation is unsustainable in the long run. Therefore, Zhu Fangyu not only needs to look for small foreign players but also consider big foreign players, as the pressure is mounting.