During the game between Guangzhou and Qingdao men's basketball teams, with 1 minute and 30 seconds left in the second quarter, Guangzhou's interior player Jiao Boqiao suffered an ankle sprain. Post-game examination revealed that Jiao Boqiao had "minor bone marrow edema in the medial malleolus of the right ankle; suspected rupture of the tibiofibular ligament and tibiotarsal ligament; suspected rupture of the anterior talofibular ligament; and damage to the calcaneofibular ligament and tibioscapular ligament." It is worth noting that this is not the first time Jiao Boqiao has been injured this season, and he seems to have the attributes of a glass man. As the absolute core of Guangzhou's interior, after Jiao Boqiao's injury, the team's interior rotation will become even more tense.
Considering the severity of Jiao Boqiao's injuries, including ligament ruptures and bone marrow edema, it will take at least three to four months for recovery, effectively ending his season early. Given Guangzhou's performance this season, the club will not rush Jiao Boqiao back into action. Additionally, due to this injury, Jiao Boqiao will miss the upcoming Chinese men's basketball window period matches, missing another opportunity to improve himself.
This season, Jiao Boqiao has shown significant improvement, becoming increasingly efficient in finishing under the basket and developing an outside three-point shot, averaging 1.3 three-pointers per game. As a center, Jiao Boqiao's playing style is becoming more comprehensive. To date, he averages 28.4 minutes per game, contributing 13.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 0.7 blocks, with a shooting percentage of 44.9%. In his most outstanding game of the season, Jiao Boqiao scored 28 points and 11 rebounds against Fujian, with an impressive offensive efficiency of 11 out of 18 shots.
As a key young talent being cultivated by the Chinese men's basketball team, Jiao Boqiao's injury is a significant blow to Guo Shiqiang. Jiao Boqiao's progress this season has been remarkable, not only becoming more aggressive and positive on defense but also increasing his scoring ability in the paint and showing some playmaking skills. After Jiao Boqiao's injury, Guo Shiqiang may need to call up new talents like Li Yanzhe for retraining. For Guangzhou men's basketball, Jiao Boqiao's injury is undoubtedly adding insult to injury. With Guo Ailun yet to return and the team losing another key player, Guangzhou's focus this season will likely be on training young players, with hopes of a resurgence becoming increasingly slim.