CBA's second stage is halfway through, and various teams have encountered different levels of injury situations, resulting in significant changes in the competition for first place in the regular season. The peak period of Liaoning and Guangdong has passed, and Xinjiang and Shanxi men's basketball teams have become the favorites to win the championship. In this round, the two teams faced each other directly. Xinjiang ranked second, with Zhao Rui suspended for five games, which had a significant impact, and captain Abudu Salamu continued to be absent due to injury. Shanxi once topped the standings but has recently struggled due to adjustments in their foreign players, leading to a lack of momentum, as evidenced by their loss to Qingdao in the previous game.
Xierzati quickly entered the game, scoring 5 points with agile counterattacks and decisive three-point shots. With Abudu and Zhao Rui unable to play, he took on the responsibility of outside offense. Xinjiang's inside and outside attack was in full bloom, with very smooth offense, starting with a dreamy 12-4 lead and capitalizing on two turnovers from Shanxi to convert scores. Shanxi replaced Yuan Shuai to increase the outside threat, but there were two more turnovers, and the home court turned into impatience. Ilyfati hit another three-pointer in pursuit, and Diawara finally broke the scoring drought with a fast-break dunk after the switch.
After switching to the double-small foreign lineup, Shanxi accelerated their offensive pace, successfully completing two consecutive rounds. In a conversation between strong teams, they would not be overwhelmed in the first quarter. In the first quarter, seven Xinjiang players scored in double figures, with a single-quarter score of 41 points. Shanxi's points relied solely on Diawara against the entire team, relying only on himself to maintain the firepower. Offense can rely on the individual ability of foreign players, but defense requires overall coordination. No local player could step up, and Jia Le replaced Diawara, struggling to support in the second quarter, finding it too difficult to score 2 points but too easy to concede.
Relying on the big lead in the first quarter, Xinjiang played methodically, with the players playing more relaxed. Aizimaiti hit a rare mid-range shot leaning back. At halftime, Xinjiang led 73-54, turning the battle for second place into a one-sided situation. In the second half, Shanxi's three-point shooting improved, with Jiao Hailong hitting a corner three-pointer without hesitation, and Zhang Ning countering to find his form. The inside defense was strengthened by the foreign players' consecutive blocks.
Shanxi reduced their turnovers but could only match Xinjiang point for point. The hole dug in the first half was too large, and the fighting spirit to catch up in the second half waned, turning the game into a simple, direct shootout. Hegen caused Jiamingru to foul on a three-pointer, making only one of three free throws, allowing Xinjiang to further extend their lead to 95-74. It seemed that the suspense of the game would not carry over into the fourth quarter, but the situation suddenly changed, with Shanxi unleashing a 16-0 run, reducing the 25-point lead to just 9 points.
Xinjiang was unprepared for the 25-point comeback and lost 110-115 to Shanxi. The twin stars exploded again, with Xierzati scoring 16 points and Ilyfati contributing 20 points and 9 rebounds, both capable of replacing Abudu. After the game, Liu Wei looked puzzled, and Peterson added 14 points, 12 rebounds, and 7 assists. This cooked duck flew away, and Shanxi's great comeback not only boosted morale but also propelled them to second place in the rankings. Zhao Rui's absence had a significant impact on the team, leaving no controlling player in the final quarter. Shanxi's dark horse quality is evident, and they already have the look of champions, having fought hard to secure their position.