The CBA regular season has reached its 31st round, with teams fiercely competing for playoff spots. The league's landscape has been reshuffled due to changes in the foreign player policy, leading to the rise of dark horses and the decline of traditional powerhouses. Which teams have been the most disappointing this season? Let's take a look at the list, including the reigning champions.
The fifth most disappointing team this season is Guangzhou Men's Basketball Team. Over the past four seasons, they have consistently made it to the playoffs, even reaching the top eight last season. However, following the team's "rebuilding" before the start of this season, Guangzhou now looks unrecognizable, with their record plummeting. Currently, Guangzhou has a record of 7 wins and 23 losses, with a win rate of only 23%, effectively eliminating them from playoff contention early. Despite recruiting star players like Guo Ailun and Ding Yanyuhang this season, both are past their prime and cannot guarantee continuous participation, making Guangzhou a team that gains popularity but loses games.
The fourth most disappointing team this season is Tianjin Men's Basketball Team. Once known as the "three-point army" and "strong team slayer," they had a strong performance last season, even defeating Guangdong three times in the regular season. Their last playoff appearance was in the 21/22 season. In recent years, Tianjin has made significant progress under Zhang Qingpeng's leadership, developing their unique style. However, this season, Tianjin has only managed 9 wins and 22 losses, with their three-point shooting percentage dropping significantly, and their weak defense being targeted by opponents. Their record no longer supports their goal of making the playoffs, and the former dark horse has fallen into obscurity.
The third most disappointing team this season is Shenzhen, a traditional powerhouse. With a current record of 10 wins and 21 losses, they are unlikely to make the playoffs this season. Shenzhen has a history of 14 playoff appearances and once held a top-four ranking. They were even hailed as the "playoff buzzer-beater squad" by netizens in the previous two seasons. However, like Guangzhou, Shenzhen sent away core players Shen Zijie and Salinge during the offseason, resulting in a sharp decline in performance under Zhou Peng's leadership. Shenzhen may be experiencing a "painful period," and we hope they can transform and complete their rebuilding soon.
The second most disappointing team this season is Jilin, once known as the "giant killer." They continue to decline this season, having missed the playoffs for the first time in seven years last season, and are likely to miss out again this season. So far, Jilin has only won 10 games, mostly at home, with a dismal away win rate. This is partly due to the continuous absence of key players, including frequent injuries to "Ergang" and the main foreign player Jones. Despite Jilin's efforts to bring in new players and make good investments in the free market, signing immediate contributors like Jia Hao and Luan Licheng, they will not be able to compete for a playoff spot this season.
The most disappointing team this season is Liaoning Men's Basketball Team, the defending champions. Yes, it's Liaoning, who just completed a three-peat. Currently, with a record of 21 wins and 10 losses, ranking fifth in the league, last season Liaoning only lost 9 games throughout the entire regular season. With 15 rounds of games still to play, Liaoning has already lost 10 games, particularly struggling against top teams, being double-killed by Shanxi, Qingdao, and Beijing. The team's decline is evident in various aspects, especially in rebounding, where they currently rank only tenth in the league. The aging frontline and the departure of Morand have finally shown the consequences of weakening their strength.
Objectively speaking, Liaoning, with a full complement of four foreign players, still has room for adjustment. However, Patton and Weber have yet to integrate into the team, and Liaoning's goal of winning a fourth consecutive championship may disappoint fans, as they have not demonstrated the expected championship dominance.