It was assumed that after a three-game losing streak, Liaoning team would bounce back with a victory against Fujian and, with their morale boosted, would easily defeat Guangzhou, a lower-tier team in the league, even without extensive rotation. However, Liaoning struggled throughout the game, with the score difference hovering around single digits. Consequently, Coach Yang Ming hesitated to bring on Zhao Lüzhou and Zhang Junhao, sticking to a seven-man rotation. Despite brief appearances by Yu Zechen, Li Huyi, and Zhang Chenzhifeng, Liaoning still relied on the individual prowess of 33-year-old foreign player Wells and 38-year-old veteran Han Dejun to secure a narrow victory over Guangzhou with two free throws in the last nine seconds of the final quarter.
But can such an extreme approach sustain Liaoning's chances for revenge against Xinjiang upon returning home?
Guangzhou has proven to be a formidable opponent this season, despite their overall record and ranking lagging behind Liaoning. As reigning champions, Liaoning had previously double-killed Guangzhou, boasting superior individual skills, lineup configuration, and psychological advantage. It was expected that after receiving criticism for only giving Wang Lanchen one minute of playtime against Fujian, Coach Yang would make significant changes to avoid overworking key players. However, with the departure of big foreign player Tu Lei and the recent return from injury of Zhang Chenzhifeng, the veterans were already exhausted. Ideally, core players should not exceed 30 minutes of play to maintain energy for the upcoming match against a spirited Xinjiang team. Yet, only Wang Lanchen played nearly 31 minutes, a decision made due to the unavailability of small foreign player Fred due to illness.
Even so, Liaoning did not gain any clear advantage. They led Guangzhou by only five points in the first quarter but allowed Guangzhou to recover three points in the second, ending the half with a slim two-point lead. Han Dejun, who rested only six minutes in the first half, was brought back into the game after just one minute in the second quarter. He played almost 37 minutes in total, a heavy burden for a 38-year-old veteran, especially considering the tough match against Xinjiang looms ahead. A potential double-kill by last season's runner-up could cost Liaoning not only face but also raise doubts about their championship aspirations.
Despite fielding their full starting lineup in the second half, Liaoning failed to widen the score gap and were even overtaken at times in the third quarter. Without crucial scores by Han Dejun and Li Xiaoxu in the paint to stabilize the situation, Guangzhou might have capitalized on their momentum, making a comeback even more challenging for Liaoning. The team ended the third quarter trailing by one point and faced another energy crisis in the fourth, despite being the halftime leaders. The once-dominant Liaoning lost their high-quality defense and offensive threat in the fourth quarter, scoring no points for nearly four minutes. Wells' free throws provided temporary relief, but the team soon fell into another scoring drought, with their interior defense becoming vulnerable as Han Dejun's stamina waned.
Truthfully, Liaoning might not have escaped Guangzhou's territory unscathed if not for Wells' resurgence in the final quarter, where he and Han Dejun almost single-handedly scored 25 out of 27 points. Starting from the eight-minute mark, after a turnover that Guangzhou capitalized on, Wells became furious and switched to solo mode, relying solely on his abilities to turn the tide. In the final eight minutes, he not only hit five critical three-pointers but also scored 17 points, which proved pivotal in reversing Liaoning's fortunes. However, a costly error by Wells with 57 seconds left nearly cost them the victory. After Guangzhou took a one-point lead through Liaoning's mistake, leaving both teams with over 20 seconds, Yan Shouqi missed a crucial three-pointer, while Han Dejun secured the rebound and drew a foul from Jiao Boqiao amidst the ensuing scramble.
With only nine seconds remaining, Han Dejun's two free throws were crucial in determining the game's outcome. The 38-year-old veteran delivered under pressure, converting both free throws to regain the lead by one point. Unfortunately, Guangzhou failed to capitalize on their final opportunity to counter-kill, resulting in Liaoning's narrow 98:97 victory away from home.
While the victory is commendable, the long season raises questions about how Liaoning will fare with their seven-man rotation strategy. For Coach Yang, it's a dilemma: not risking the main players could result in fan backlash if they lose to Guangzhou, but pushing them to win could leave them depleted for the challenging home game against a strong and youthful Xinjiang team. With Xinjiang having multiple rotation players and maintaining playing times below 30 minutes, Liaoning is already at a disadvantage in terms of energy. Moreover, without key players like Zhao Jiwei, Zhang Zhenlin, and a big foreign player, achieving revenge may prove even more difficult.