Why did Xu Jie "not follow the rules of chivalry" after the game? Where did the handshake go? As soon as the match between Guangdong Men's Basketball Team and Shandong Men's Basketball Team ended, the court was silent without the sound of the whistle, but there was a lot of controversy - after the game, Xu Jie bypassed all his opponents and walked straight back to the locker room, refusing the usual handshake session after the game. This young man is known for his calmness on the court and politeness to others, so why did he choose to "not follow the rules of chivalry" this time?
Was it because of Chris's malicious foul? Or other reasons that made him lose control of his emotions? At that time, he had a cold face and hurried steps, and the joy of victory on the court seemed to have nothing to do with him. The discussion about "not shaking hands" also "exploded" from the court to the online world.
Some people question whether Xu Jie's behavior is somewhat "unable to accept defeat," while others support him: after suffering a malicious foul, not shaking hands can be completely understood, and no one can stand it. However, when we calm down, we must admit that such behavior is indeed rare in professional competitions. Why is this the case? The story starts with the performance of that game and the state of the entire Guangdong team this season.
Let's talk about that game first. Guangdong won, but it was too difficult, winning by a narrow margin of 98-93. From tactics to execution, Guangdong Men's Basketball exposed too many loopholes. For example, just in terms of turnovers, Guangdong contributed 25 times. You should know that the average number of turnovers in the CBA is about 13. Looking at the entire league, this data is ridiculously high. And Xu Jie himself? He contributed six of those turnovers. As the team's main point guard, such a performance obviously could not satisfy himself. According to what he said at the post-game press conference, "This result made me so angry that I couldn't sleep all night!"
If turnovers are Guangdong's "fatal weakness," then Xu Jie's six turnovers are like a "shining signboard" that directly exposes the team's overall problems. As a team with an increasingly youthful lineup, Guangdong still needs time to polish their overall coordination. After the game, Coach Du Feng repeatedly mentioned that this team is in the growth stage, but it is inevitable to pay some "tuition fees" in the process. Indeed, Guangdong's turnover rate this season ranks at the top, and many games were deadlocked or even lost due to uncalm ball handling at critical moments. The problem with this team is not only technical details but also a test of psychology.
The fuse that ignited Xu Jie's emotions in that game was undoubtedly Chris's malicious foul. At that time, Chris hit Xu Jie's chest with an elbow that was not hidden, which once caused a confrontation. Although the referee quickly made a foul call, this action still made Xu Jie's small body "suffer," and it also escalated the gunpowder smell of the game into "pungent smoke." After the game, Xu Jie seemed to have accumulated a lot of emotions about the game itself, the opponent's behavior, and his own performance, which led to the scene of "not shaking hands."
Leaving aside emotional issues, we still need to "state facts and reason" about Xu Jie's growth. He is only 1.83 meters tall, which is really not enough to see in the CBA, a "planet of giants." But with such a "weak arm and basketball-reliant" physique, he has managed to make a name for himself. Since entering the CBA, Xu Jie has been like sandpaper, determined to polish himself into the hardest form possible. Over the years, he has been knocked down on the court again and again, and he has returned to the court again and again with his gear, relying on a stubborn spirit and an unwillingness to lose.
Last year, in a game between Guangdong Men's Basketball Team and Zhejiang, Xu Jie completed a key three-pointer in the last 58 seconds, directly helping the team achieve a comeback. Do you remember that shot? When the decisive shot was made, you could almost hear the air in the entire stadium freeze instantly. That kind of big-hearted performance might not necessarily be seen in others. This is Xu Jie - low-key, diligent, but the more critical the moment, the more he can step on the accelerator and rush forward. But because of such an inability to accept defeat and full of fighting spirit, when turnovers occur frequently and opponents' fouls cannot be avoided, his emotions are more likely to crack.
Let's talk about Chris's foul issue. After all, this malicious foul is not the first time. Fans familiar with the CBA must know that Chris has a history of using "defensive tricks." In a previous game, he even blatantly elbowed Shanghai Men's Basketball foreign aid Fredette, knocking him to the ground, causing the spectators to exclaim, "This is wrestling!" That incident even led to a video review by the league, resulting in a two-game suspension, basically crippling the team's combat effectiveness.
Such behavior does not receive much positive evaluation from fans. It can be described as an aggressive playing style at best and a hostile attitude towards the game at worst. For Chris, perhaps he thinks this is part of defense, but for other teams, his actions seem to have a bit of a meaning to affect the fairness of the game. And Xu Jie's "not shaking hands" this time seems to be a kind of silent protest.
However, leaving Chris aside, Du Feng also played an important role in this turmoil. As the head coach of Guangdong Men's Basketball Team, Du Feng has always taken good care of young players. At the post-game press conference, he actually took most of the responsibility for Xu Jie's turnover issues, saying, "Every player will experience a low point, and the coach's responsibility is to accompany them through it." In that environment full of doubts, these simple words appeared particularly warm.
Such "protecting the young" behavior is actually not the first time. As early as 2022, in a game between Guangdong and Liaoning, Hu Mingxuan was criticized by public opinion for making multiple mistakes. At that time, Du Feng's words at the press conference, "It's normal for young people to make mistakes," directly calmed the storm for the young player.
Many people criticize Xu Jie's "lack of composure" after the game, thinking that such behavior undermines the etiquette and demeanor of the professional arena. However, we must admit that competitive sports are never just a contest of skills and intelligence, but also a battle of psychology, emotions, and judgment. Especially in tense competitions, the ability to control emotions is even more important than technical details.
A survey targeting NBA games shows that out-of-control emotions will cause athletes to average 1.5 turnovers in the next three rounds, showing that the impact of emotions is indeed not to be underestimated. However, similarly, in competitive sports, the "true expression of emotions" is indeed a kind of charm. Xu Jie, who did not shake hands, may have told us more realistically: perhaps a little bit of style is lost, but the obsession with victory is even deeper.
This matter seems simple, but it hides too much for us to think about. Perhaps, the "not shaking hands" after the game is just Xu Jie's emotional outbreak towards himself and the game. The outcome can be summarized, but the management of emotions is the true cultivation of the competitive spirit. In the future, perhaps, this "little guy" basketball boy will find better ways to deal with pressure and lead Guangdong Team to gradually become mature and calm.
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