On January 4, 2025, the CBA regular season continued with Guangdong Men's Basketball Team hosting Shandong Men's Basketball Team. Prior to this match, Guangdong had a record of 14 wins and 11 losses, ranking 9th in the league; while Shandong had 18 wins and 7 losses, temporarily ranking 5th. The two teams had previously met once, with Shandong winning 115-105. In this rematch, Shandong was on a strong streak of five consecutive victories, while Guangdong hoped to take advantage of the home court to bounce back. After four quarters of intense competition, Guangdong narrowly defeated Shandong 98-93. After the game, the players' performances sparked heated discussions, and here are five undeniable facts:
Fact One: Xu Jie once again steps up, becoming the absolute core of Guangdong
Xu Jie's performance was impeccable. As Guangdong's starting point guard, he not only frequently hit key three-pointers from outside but was also one of the most influential players on the court. Throughout the game, Xu Jie scored 22 points and dished out 11 assists, especially when the team's offense fell into a trough, Xu Jie unhesitatingly stood up and led the team to victory. His performance was undoubtedly the biggest contributor to Guangdong's victory in this game.
Fact Two: Morand's versatile performance, assisting the team in both offense and defense
Morand's contributions at both ends of the court cannot be overlooked. He not only demonstrated stable scoring ability on the offensive end but also provided significant support to the team in rebounds and assists. In the entire game, Morand not only scored 8 points but also contributed 19 rebounds and 10 assists, almost achieving a triple-double. Obviously, as an interior core, Morand is undoubtedly one of the key figures in Guangdong's victory.
Fact Three: Jilunwater's state recovery, becoming a pillar for Guangdong's offense
Jilunwater's performance should not be ignored. Although he did not find his form at the beginning of the game, from the second quarter onwards, he gradually regained his offensive feeling and frequently scored at crucial moments. In the entire game, he scored 26 points and 9 rebounds, showcasing his powerful scoring ability and becoming another major pillar of Guangdong's offense. Without his outbreak, Guangdong's victory would have been full of uncertainties.
Fact Four: Huang Rongqi's mediocre performance, lacking highlights
Although Huang Rongqi made a three-pointer in the first quarter, his overall performance remained average. In the entire game, Huang Rongqi only scored 9 points, although it was stable output, he failed to provide enough help to the team at crucial moments. Compared to the eye-catching performances of other teammates, Huang Rongqi's state was relatively mediocre, failing to become a highlight in the team's offense and defense.
Fact Five: Beizili's slump, exposing the weakness of Guangdong's bench lineup
Beizili's state was disappointing. Although he had an impressive 2+1, his subsequent performance was lackluster. In the entire game, Beizili only scored 3 points, completely failing to perform at the expected level. In this game, Guangdong's bench lineup appeared quite weak, especially Beizili, who failed to provide the firepower support needed by the team. If Guangdong wants to go further in future games, the performance of the bench players must be significantly improved.
Summary:
Guangdong won a tough victory over Shandong, but the various facts revealed in the game also provided profound insights for the team's future development. The performances of Xu Jie, Morand, and Jilunwater were undoubtedly the highlights of this game, while the slumps of Huang Rongqi and Beizili exposed some hidden dangers of the team. Moving forward, Guangdong still has a lot of work to do in further adjusting tactics and optimizing the lineup, especially in terms of the depth and stability of the bench lineup, which is clearly a part they need to focus on.