The 31st round of the CBA regular season has concluded with the last two matches, bringing changes to the standings. Here are the main updates: Guangzhou defeated Zhejiang Chouzhou 123-113 at home, avenging their earlier loss and securing a fourth consecutive victory. Meanwhile, Beikong triumphed over Sichuan 119-102, ending their four-game losing streak.
Let's start with the match between Guangzhou and Zhejiang Chouzhou. In the first quarter, Guangzhou's outside shooting was on point, sinking seven three-pointers. Cui Yongxi hit two threes, Zhu Mingzhen made three, while Tian Yuheng and Jia Mingru each contributed one, leading Guangzhou to score 33 points. Despite the barrage of threes from Guangzhou, Zhejiang Chouzhou remained undeterred and put up a solid performance, scoring 32 points, with Jones contributing 8 points. In the second quarter, it was Zhejiang Chouzhou's turn to find their outside touch, as Lu Wenbo went 3 for 4 from beyond the arc, and Cheng Shaipeng made two threes. The scores remained close, and with 1.5 seconds left in the half, Chen Yingjun made a long pass to the front court, which Zhejiang Chouzhou failed to intercept, allowing Cui Yongxi to score a buzzer-beating two-pointer, giving Guangzhou a narrow 63-60 lead at halftime.
In the third quarter, the scores continued to fluctuate, with Guangzhou edging Zhejiang Chouzhou 29-27 by two points; in the crucial final quarter, Guangzhou maintained their offensive momentum. Cui Yongxi went 4 for 4, scoring 11 points, while Chen Yingjun dished out 5 assists. Zhu Mingzhen responded strongly with two three-pointers against Jones, Kamp provided assists, and Jiao Boqiao finished with a dunk, ultimately securing Guangzhou's 123-113 victory over Zhejiang Chouzhou and their fourth consecutive win. Zhejiang Chouzhou is a strong team, but Guangzhou performed well tonight, sticking to team play with seven players scoring in double figures. Cui Yongxi had an impressive game with 31 points and 10 rebounds on 16 shots, Kamp contributed 22 points, 13 rebounds, and 6 assists, Zhu Mingzhen scored 22 points including five threes, Chen Yingjun had 10 points and 12 assists, Tian Yuheng scored 13 points, and Li Yanzhe and Jiao Boqiao each added 10 points.
Zhejiang Chouzhou suffered their eighth loss of the season, falling behind Xinjiang and Liaoning to temporarily rank third, just one point ahead of Guangdong. Jones had a standout game with 33 points, 5 rebounds, and 8 assists on 15 shots, including five threes and going 10 for 12 from the free-throw line. Wu Qian scored 12 points on 8 shots, and Lu Wenbo contributed 19 points with 11 shots, including five threes.
Shifting our focus to the match between Beikong and Sichuan, despite Sichuan's recent winning streak, they still lag behind the top-ranked teams in terms of strength. The second and third quarters were the main reasons for the widening gap, with Sichuan losing by 7 points in the second quarter (28-35) and by 8 points in the third (16-24). Ultimately, Sichuan suffered a crushing 102-119 defeat at the hands of Beikong. This loss marks Sichuan's 27th defeat of the season, with Gao Deng scoring 31 points and 12 assists in vain, Jing Han Yi adding 18 points, and Zuo Zhenian contributing 19 points. Beikong desperately needed this victory to halt their slump and currently sit in ninth place. Zhang Fan had an outstanding game, scoring 38 points and grabbing 8 rebounds on 27 shots. Feld returned with 15 points and 10 assists, Liao San Ning contributed 19 points, 6 rebounds, and 9 assists, Chen Guohao added 13 points and 7 rebounds, and Sampson chipped in with 11 points and 11 rebounds.