On January 14th, the 31st round of the CBA regular season featured several key battles, with Liaoning and Xinjiang both defeating their opponents, leading to new changes in the standings. Liaoning ended Shanghai's 16-game winning streak and successfully rose to second place in the standings; while Xinjiang, in Zhao Rui's first game back, defeated Jiangsu away from home, returning to the top four and laying a foundation for the upcoming schedule.
Xinjiang challenged Jiangsu, who were ranked at the bottom, and although their opponents were slightly weaker overall, Xinjiang did not fully enter the game in the opening stages. In the first few minutes, Xinjiang's offensive efficiency was low, and they were cold-handed, relying only on fighting for second chances to maintain the situation. At a critical moment, Zhao Rui, who returned from injury, quickly became the focus on the court. His active performance on both offense and defense revitalized the team's rhythm, helping Xinjiang lead 28-21 at the end of the first quarter.
In the second quarter, Xinjiang's starting lineup still hadn't fully found their footing, and the mediocre performances of Qi Lin and Heigens made the game once become sticky. Fortunately, Zhao Rui continued his good form from the first quarter, scoring efficiently and connecting the team's offensive system. Jiangsu performed averagely, with local players lacking stable output and foreign players failing to step up. At halftime, Xinjiang led by 9 points, 48-39.
In the second half, Xinjiang gradually showed their overall strength advantage, especially the performance of the substitute players became the decisive factor. Peterson and Yilifula contributed points one after another, helping the team gradually expand their lead. Although Jiangsu fought back tenaciously, they once narrowed the gap to single digits in the final quarter, but Xinjiang relied on their previously accumulated advantage to steadily secure the victory with a score of 92-82, ending their two-game losing streak. Zhao Rui contributed 20 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals throughout the game, and his return undoubtedly injected a strong shot into Xinjiang.
The match between Liaoning and Shanghai was arguably the most dramatic confrontation of this round, with Liaoning eventually narrowly defeating their opponents 117-114, ending Shanghai's 16-game winning streak. Lofton's absence due to injury made Shanghai slightly weak on the offensive end, falling into a passive position at the start, while Liaoning established an early double-digit lead with the stable performances of Ferguson and Li Xiaoxu.
However, Shanghai showed remarkable resilience, gradually catching up on the scoreboard under the leadership of Bledsoe. After entering the second half, the two sides went back and forth, with the scores rising alternately, and Shanghai even took the lead at one point, keeping the suspense until the last second. At a critical moment, Ferguson stood out, his consecutive jump shots and precise decision-making allowing Liaoning to have the last laugh. Looking at Shanghai, although Li Hongquan's equalizing shot at the last moment missed unfortunately, the team's overall performance was still commendable.
With the end of this round of matches, the situation in the CBA standings has changed again. Liaoning, with this key victory, rose to second place in the standings with a record of 21 wins and 10 losses, just behind the league leaders Guangsha (26 wins and 4 losses). Xinjiang returned to the top four with their victory, currently ranking fourth with 21 wins and 9 losses. It is worth noting that there is only a difference of two wins between second and ninth place, and the competition for the top four in the league has entered a white-hot stage.
From Liaoning's comeback to Xinjiang's recovery, the competition in the CBA league this season has become more intense. For Liaoning, maintaining stability on the championship road is key, while Xinjiang needs to gradually find their best lineup after Zhao Rui's return. As for Shanghai, the end of their 16-game winning streak is not necessarily a bad thing, perhaps providing an opportunity for the team to adjust tactics and lineups.
In the future schedule, the confrontations between teams will inevitably become more fierce, and the rankings will continue to change. Who will win the league championship remains a big suspense, worthy of continuous attention from fans.