This season's Liaoning men's basketball team has been plagued with turmoil. Over the past few months, everyone might be wondering if this is still the same Liaoning team we know? Indeed, injuries and the rotation of foreign players have put this once-dominant CBA team in a rather awkward position.
With a record of 14 wins and 7 losses, ranking sixth in the regular season, it's hard to say that this reflects the true style of Liaoning. Since the start of the season, there have been constant issues with foreign players, with changes happening one after another.
You might ask, how can you change a foreign player so quickly? Liaoning has indeed undergone major surgery, with foreign player adjustments being quite tough.
Look at the initial foreign player lineup at the beginning of the season, Aqiu'er and Sayok. Everyone was quite hopeful when they first took the court, but they didn't stay long before they were quickly benched.
What did Aqiu'er and Sayok's departure bring to the team? A huge question mark.
Liaoning quickly signed Wells and Ture. This time, they really put in the effort. However, who could have expected that Ture would become like a cobra, biting away all the expectations.
Look at Ture's performance in Liaoning, playing 7 times, averaging 9.9 minutes, scoring 2.7 points, grabbing 3 rebounds. With such statistics, he couldn't even be considered a regular player.
With these numbers, Liaoning's basketball dream almost went up in smoke. Ture's performance really left fans speechless.
He does have height and weight for the inside game, but he can't make layups, can't grab rebounds, and his defense is just average, which is frustrating to watch.
And what's most frustrating is that these problems were basically exposed on the court.
You might say, if he can't even make a simple layup, shouldn't he consider leaving the court?
Ture's benching should be the most correct decision made by Liaoning. Such a foreign player, if kept, would truly be a drag on the team.
The good news is that Liaoning's adjustments are coming again, finally bringing new hope. Journalist Lao Gu revealed that Ture is no longer on Liaoning's 12-man roster, meaning that Liaoning is planning to introduce new foreign players, or in other words, it's finally time for a blood transfusion.
Everyone knows how important the foreign player position is to a team, especially for a team like Liaoning, which was once a dominant force. Even a slight instability could trigger a major upheaval.
Indeed, Liaoning's savior has arrived - the news of new foreign player Patton has finally been confirmed!
If Patton is really that strong addition, that would be great. Whether he can help Liaoning climb out of the trough really depends on him.
Patton's comprehensive abilities are said to be much stronger than Ture's. He can protect the basket and provide more options on the offensive end.
If, as the media says, Patton can be like a sharp sword, tearing open a breakthrough in Liaoning's frontcourt, then this team will see significant improvement.
Relying solely on foreign players is far from enough. What Liaoning needs most now is the performance of their domestic players.
For example, Zhao Jiwei's return. This former versatile point guard can bring significant changes to the team, whether in offense or organization.
Zhao Jiwei's recovery from injury undoubtedly injected a shot of adrenaline into the team.
Imagine if Liaoning could have a combination of Zhao Jiwei and Wells in upcoming games, and if Patton's strong addition is added to the mix, the team's overall strength would definitely see a significant increase.
As everyone can see, Liaoning is indeed in a state of great change. No longer the sole leader, it doesn't mean they're finished either.
Instead, this round of injuries and rotations may, to some extent, have laid the foundation for a new chapter for the team.
If these new foreign players and players can integrate quickly, Liaoning's second half is absolutely worth looking forward to.
Some netizens commented: Liaoning has a special kind of magic. Whenever everyone thinks they're done for, they suddenly bounce back. Wait and see, they're not that easy to bring down.
These words really hit the nail on the head. Liaoning has more than once given everyone hope from despair.
Their situation may not be good, but as long as they adjust properly, they can still make a strong comeback.
Another netizen mentioned: No matter how the foreign players change, Zhao Jiwei is the key.
As long as he returns, Liaoning will always have a glimmer of hope, no matter their state.
Zhao Jiwei's value to Liaoning is immeasurable. He is not only a scoring point on the court but also a core figure in organization and defense.
Once Zhao Jiwei returns to form, the entire team's operation will become smoother, and the connection between offense and defense will become tighter.
Another viewpoint is: Foreign players come and go, but it all comes down to the team's overall cooperation. What can a few star players do alone?
This viewpoint also makes sense. Foreign players are certainly important, but if the team's cooperation isn't in place, even top-tier foreign players can't bring about a qualitative change.
Basketball is not a game that one person can decide; the team's chemistry is the key to success or failure.
These different voices also illustrate the difficulties and challenges faced by Liaoning.
Nowadays, Liaoning is indeed a mystery full of variables, but fortunately, this team has deep roots and rich experience, and fans still hold hope for them.
In summary, Liaoning's current situation is not optimistic. Issues with foreign players, injuries, and fluctuations in player form have indeed made the team's future uncertain.
Just as the fans say, Liaoning has never easily fallen.
There's no need to worry too much; it all depends on how they adjust and adapt.
As long as foreign and domestic players can regain their form, Liaoning's future is still full of hope.