At 2:00 PM, Yang Ming responded to Liu Wei, Patton landed in Hong Kong! Anshan Paul and Dunk King first exposed the inside story!
At 2:00 PM Beijing time on December 28th, Liaoning basketball team's head coach Yang Ming accepted an interview after leading his team through their last training session before facing Xinjiang.
Yang Ming first responded to Xinjiang's head coach Liu Wei's statement that "opportunities and challenges coexist," saying that Liaoning will treat the second match against Xinjiang as a playoff game. In other words, Liaoning must strive for victory.
Yang Ming also discussed the difficulties currently faced by the team due to the absence of Anshan Paul Zhao Jiwei and Dunk King Zhang Zhenlin, as well as Tu Lei's poor form. Yang Ming decided to continue benching Tu Lei and plans to give about 10 minutes of playing time to young player Zhang Chen Zhi Feng.
Xinjiang, despite not having two key domestic players Zhao Rui and Qi Lin, boasts a strong frontcourt with versatile and efficient Lawson, and the visible improvement in skills of Xiao Han Dejun Li Yan Zhe. Therefore, Liaoning faces significant pressure in the paint.
Moreover, Xinjiang has a three-foreigner lineup, while Liaoning can only use two small foreigners after dropping Tu Lei, making their lineup somewhat unbalanced. However, Liaoning can focus on the perimeter, using shooters to solve problems with shooting. As long as Liaoning has at least two accurate outside shooters, they will have offensive space, reducing the pressure in the paint.
The latest news indicates that Liaoning's new foreign big man Patton has arrived in Hong Kong, meaning he could potentially represent Liaoning in the match against arch-rival Guangdong on the 30th, arriving at just the right time! It will be interesting to see how he fares against Liaoning's meritorious foreign big man Morand.
Zhao Jiwei revealed during an interview the inside story of how he developed esophagitis, which many fans only learned about after his injury but were unclear about the specific match in which it occurred. This time, Jiwei clarified that it was from being elbowed in the neck during the first match of the second stage against Jiangsu.
Jiwei mentioned that the symptoms of esophageal edema have not completely subsided, so he still needs rest. He appears to have lost a lot of weight, and his voice is still hoarse. We hope he recovers soon.
Zhang Zhenlin jokingly said in an interview that he has added new injuries to old ones. Indeed, to pursue Liaoning's goal of a fourth consecutive championship, he chose not to undergo surgery and returned a month early. Unfortunately, during a match against Beijing Shougang, he was injured again by Fan Zi Ming, quite unlucky. We hope Jinjin's injuries heal quickly, and we look forward to his return to the court.
Lastly, let's discuss my thoughts on the Liaoning versus Xinjiang match. The Liaoning players are undoubtedly going to give their all to achieve the best result, as Yang Ming has stated, playing to their strengths despite their weakened lineup. I believe Liaoning has a chance to defeat Xinjiang, even though their current roster may not match up on paper. Liaoning has never shied away from challenges and is sure to emerge victorious. What do you think? Feel free to leave comments and join the discussion!