In the CBA regular season, Liaoning lost to Guangsha with a score of 88-101. After the game, Yang Ming stated: "In the third quarter, we completely failed to execute on both offense and defense. We were slow to respond to our opponents' defensive strategies, including the pick-and-roll plays by their small and big foreign players. We still have some deficiencies in matching their intensity. Zhao Jiwei's return for the second game meant that our ball handling was not as seasoned as in the playoffs. However, we still had time to adjust when we made mistakes against Guangsha. Currently, Guangsha is a unique team in the league, with their offensive and defensive strategies having been maintained for several years. They are the strongest contenders for the championship if they stay healthy."
These comments mainly highlight Guangsha's capabilities. The unexpected outbursts from Brown and Knight in this game were something Liaoning did not anticipate. Their perfect performances in the second half spurred the whole team. Yang Ming specifically mentioned Guangsha's foreign players, acknowledging that the loss was due to this factor. He also emphasized that "Guangsha's offensive and defensive strategies have been consistent for years," as every time Guangsha faces Liaoning, they double-team the small foreign player, a strategy that has always been effective. This is why Liaoning found themselves so passive.
Even though they lost, Yang Ming still affirmed his team. Zhao Jiwei's current form is not yet at its best, and Zhang Zhenlin has not played. Despite this, they managed to hold their own in the first half, which Yang Ming recognized. However, Liaoning's intensity did not match throughout the game, and with Guangsha's improved strength, they will undoubtedly be a tough opponent. This is why Yang Ming called Guangsha the strongest contender for the championship. I believe that after this game, Yang Ming will definitely conduct a summary and reflection.
Yang Ming also mentioned Patton: "It was difficult for him to perform well in his first game against Guangsha, and there were some issues with his integration with his teammates. In the third quarter, Han Dejun was targeted severely, and at that time, he had almost no chemistry, allowing the opponents to widen the score gap. He should be able to do better. In this game, he displayed some rebounding and defensive abilities, which is enough. If he can find his offensive rhythm and improve his chemistry, there is hope for him to continue to increase his value on both offense and defense."