On January 18, 2025, Guangzhou Long Lions visited Xinjiang Team. After a long siege, Guangzhou Team found their rhythm with Zhao Rui's three-point shot, hitting all four attempts before finally giving up resistance and losing to Xinjiang Team with a score of 97-117.
This was the second game back for Guo Ailun after his return, coming off the bench to play 26 minutes, scoring 6 points and 2 rebounds, while also contributing the second-highest number of assists in the game with 8.
It is worth noting that compared to the first game back against Guangdong Team when he scored no points and had not fully recovered from his health concerns, fearing another injury and not daring to exert himself fully, Guo Ailun, despite missing several shots in this game, let go of his psychological reservations and increased the frequency of his breakthroughs and attacks on the basket.
However, it was precisely because Guo Ailun only managed to score a meager 6 points that more malicious and mocking comments appeared in the live broadcast chat, such as "Guo 0 points," "Shisanling," and even those who praised Xu Jie to belittle Guo Ailun, saying that Guo Ailun's era has ended and now it is Xu Jie's time.
Of course, I am not saying that Xu Jie is not good. To be honest, I also admire Xu Jie very much. I have repeatedly expressed in my works that Xu Jie is the soul figure of the Guangdong Team. With his excellent passing vision, keen rebounding ability, and precise shooting skills, Xu Jie can make the tactical connections of the Guangdong Team smoother. Last season, I kept saying that we should not pair Xu Jie with Walters or Hu Mingxuan to avoid conflicts over ball possession. Instead, Xu Jie should be paired with players like Willis, Jordan Bell, and Zhou Qi to maximize his important role and value on the court.
Moreover, from the Guangdong Team's poor performance in the first stage to their current improvement, Xu Jie has contributed significantly. Additionally, becoming the All-Star voting king further demonstrates Xu Jie's excellence. However, this only means that Xu Jie is currently performing better than Guo Ailun; it does not prove that Xu Jie is stronger than Guo Ailun.
Firstly, comparing the number of championships, Xu Jie has only three championship rings, with a weak presence in the finals, and all were won under special tournament rules with a 2-1 victory. On the other hand, Guo Ailun has four championship rings. Although the last championship was essentially a "free ride" for Guo Ailun, each of the previous three championships had his significant contributions.
Furthermore, Guo Ailun's championship rings are of higher quality, as each was won through a best-of-seven format with a 4-0 sweep, and he also holds two National Games gold medals!
From the perspective of league and international competitions, Guo Ailun was allowed to enter the CBA at an early age due to his selection for the Chinese national team, which later became known as the "Guo Ailun clause." He participated in the London and Rio Olympics in 2012 and 2016, respectively, and won the championship at the 2015 Changsha Asian Championship, earning a place in the Asian Best Team as a guard and becoming the true No. 1 guard in Asia. He was also selected for the CBA's 25th Anniversary Best Team. In contrast, Xu Jie, who entered the league at 18, has a less impressive record with the national team.
Looking at their initial league statistics, there is a noticeable gap between Xu Jie and Guo Ailun. In the 2010 season, the 17-year-old Guo Ailun started 12 games, averaging 26 minutes per game with high efficiency, scoring 10.3 points, 2.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1 steal. In the 2018 season, the 18-year-old Xu Jie did not make the starting lineup for the entire season, averaging only 12.6 minutes per game with 4.3 points, 1.3 rebounds, 0.8 assists, and 0.8 steals.
Regarding All-Star appearances, Guo Ailun won the Rising Stars MVP twice and has been selected as an All-Star starter eleven times since his third season in the CBA. Xu Jie, on the other hand, only made his All-Star debut in his seventh season, benefiting from teammate Hu Mingxuan's injury, Zhou Qi's transfer to Beijing, and the massive fan base of the Guangdong Team.
Most importantly, injuries have had a significant impact on Guo Ailun in recent seasons. He also transferred to the Guangzhou Team, where he needs to adapt to the new team's tactical system and build chemistry with new teammates. Additionally, as a well-known player, every team targets Guo Ailun with specific defenses, which makes his statistics less impressive compared to Xu Jie, who is not subject to such intense defense and is in good health. However, Guo Ailun's fundamental skills, especially his excellent dribbling and change of direction techniques, remain intact. Once he overcomes his mental barriers and regains his sharp breakthroughs, he will still be the strongest guard in the league, not to mention that he is currently the CBA's top domestic assist leader!
As long as Guo Ailun is still on the court, his era has not passed; he just needs time to recover his competitive form!