In the CBA regular season on January 4, 2025, Liaoning and Guangdong achieved significant victories away and at home respectively. Liaoning defeated Jilin 102-81 away from home, while Guangdong narrowly won against Shandong at home with the score alternating in the lead, ultimately securing a thrilling victory.
Liaoning's victory over Jilin showcased their strength right from the start of the game. Zhao Jiwei's return saw Liaoning's offense display smooth coordination, particularly evident in the performances of Wells and Wang Lanqin. In the first quarter, Liaoning quickly gained momentum, leading Jilin by 19 points with a score of 33-14, demonstrating their formidable offensive and defensive capabilities.
In the second quarter, Liaoning continued to extend their lead, outscoring Jilin 30-23 in the quarter. Fu Hao and Fredette stood out, especially Fu Hao, who had already scored 12 points and 5 rebounds after two quarters, making him one of the hottest players on the team. As the game progressed, Jilin was unable to turn the tide, although they made some recovery in the final quarter, they eventually lost 81-102.
This victory fully demonstrated Liaoning's potential after Zhao Jiwei's return, especially on the offensive end. With Zhang Zhenlin's return, the defending champions will be even harder to shake, and Liaoning remains one of the top contenders for the championship this season.
Compared to Liaoning's strong performance, the match between Guangdong and Shandong was much closer. After the game started, both sides took turns leading, with fast and efficient offensive and defensive rhythms. Particularly noteworthy was the performance of Shandong's foreign aid, Gaili, whose three-point shooting was very accurate. Although Guangdong once led, Shandong overtook the score in the second quarter with excellent offense, and at halftime, Guangdong trailed 51-56.
In the second half, under the deployment of coach Du Feng, Guangdong gradually regained their form. In the third quarter, Guangdong made a small run of 7-0 to take the lead again, and Du Runwang's buzzer-beating three-pointer helped the team return to level terms. After three quarters of fierce competition, the score reached 79-79, and the decisive moment finally arrived.
In the fourth quarter, Guangdong pulled away with a 13-4 run and eventually won 111-104 against Shandong. In this game, Xu Jie continued to shoulder the responsibility for the team, scoring 17 points throughout the game, while Jilun Wat contributed 18 points. Especially noteworthy were Du Feng's adjustments and the players' calmness in critical moments, which helped Guangdong secure victory in this tough battle.
With the results of these two games, the situation on the CBA standings has become increasingly unpredictable. The victories of Liaoning and Guangdong have stabilized their respective rankings, but other teams have not stopped their pursuit. In other matches today, Guangsha and Shanghai also won victories, with Guangsha achieving a three-game winning streak and Shanghai defeating Ningbo 126-113 to continue their 12-game winning streak.
Currently, the point difference between the 10th and 2nd places in the CBA is only about 6 points, indicating fierce competition within the league. Liaoning, with an 18-win and 8-loss record, temporarily ranks fifth and is in contention for the top four positions. As the season progresses, changes in the rankings may become more frequent, making the competitive landscape of the CBA even more complex and worth watching by fans.
The strong performance of Liaoning and Guangdong's reversal victory highlighted the ambitions of both teams in the championship race this season. Looking at the standings, the competition among CBA teams has intensified, and the second half of the season will bring even more exciting matches. With Zhao Jiwei's return and the outstanding performances of Guangdong's core players, the championship race in the CBA is far from settled, and the upcoming games are sure to be even more thrilling.