On January 13, 2025, the CBA court was full of changes, with several games not only bringing exciting confrontations but also significantly altering the standings. Zhejiang Men's Basketball Team suffered a home defeat against Guangsha, despite once leading but being reversed in the final quarter; while Shanxi Men's Basketball Team achieved a big away victory over Ningbo, continuing their momentum and successfully advancing to second place in the standings.
In the match between Zhejiang and Guangsha, Zhejiang engaged in an intense battle with Guangsha. In the early stages of the game, Zhejiang quickly established a lead with their excellent form. Especially in the first quarter, Wang Yibo's crucial 2+1 helped Zhejiang lead 21-13, firmly controlling the rhythm. Throughout the game, Zhejiang continued to suppress their opponents, leading by 10 points at halftime.
However, Guangsha was not willing to give up easily. After the third quarter began, they gradually found their footing, with their offense and defense becoming increasingly coordinated, especially Sun Minghui's individual performance, which quickly narrowed the gap. Through a wave of scoring, Guangsha reduced the difference to 2 points at the end of the third quarter, increasing the suspense between the two sides. Entering the fourth quarter, Guangsha exerted themselves, completing the final reversal with Sun Minghui's crucial free throws and York's mistakes.
Ultimately, Guangsha completed the reversal with a score of 102-98, not only extending their winning streak to seven games but also further consolidating their leading position in the league. This game also made Zhejiang deeply feel the gap in strength, especially in terms of mistakes and physical exhaustion during key moments of the game.
Compared to the suspenseful match between Guangsha and Zhejiang, the game between Shanxi and Ningbo seemed relatively relaxed. Shanxi controlled the pace of the game from the beginning. Although Ningbo gained a slight advantage in the opening stage of the first quarter, even leading 10-3, Shanxi quickly counterattacked, with Goodwin's three-pointer helping the team complete the comeback. As the game progressed, Shanxi's offense surged like a tidal wave, especially Goodwin's performance was amazing, scoring 23 points in the first two quarters, completely dominating the game.
Ningbo had its highlights, especially in the second quarter when they showed tenacity, but facing the powerful Shanxi, they always struggled to resist. In the second half, Shanxi continued to expand their lead, leading Ningbo by 18 points at the end of the third quarter. Eventually, Shanxi won easily with a score of 134-119, with Goodwin contributing a comprehensive stat line of 34 points, 8 rebounds, and 13 assists, becoming the biggest highlight of the game.
With the conclusion of today's games, the CBA standings have also seen new changes. Guangsha maintains their strong leading position, and surprisingly, Shanxi Men's Basketball Team has successfully risen to second place in the standings with this big win. Such a performance undoubtedly makes them the most attention-grabbing "dark horse" of this season.
Currently, the competition for the top 12 spots in the standings has entered a white-hot stage. Guangsha firmly occupies the first position, while Shanxi, Shandong, Zhejiang, Liaoning, and other teams are closely competing in points. Especially Shanxi, with a wave of outstanding performances, has quickly advanced to the forefront, becoming an important opponent for various strong teams to compete against. For them, the goal of this season is not just to compete for a playoff spot but to aim for higher honors.
The competition in the CBA this season is exceptionally fierce, especially the fight for the top four spots is full of suspense. Looking at the current standings, Guangsha, Shanxi, Shandong, and Zhejiang all possess certain championship-winning capabilities. Although Guangsha is still the biggest favorite, the other teams will not easily give up their precious rankings. The upcoming games will surely determine which teams can secure favorable positions in the playoffs and which may face elimination.