When Beijing introduced Chen Yingjun, an All-Star guard last offseason, everyone was discussing who would become the team's core point guard for the new season between him and Fang Shuo. And this answer, presumably after Beijing played against Guangsha, fans had a clear conclusion in their hearts.
The Beijing men's basketball team, whose goal this season is the championship, actually lacked only one Chen Yingjun when facing Guangsha, who were in high spirits. Instead of seizing this opportunity to prove himself, Fang Shuo not only failed to seize this opportunity but also became the culprit of the team's defeat.
In the final moments of the game, Fang Shuo first made a fatal serving error, and then had the chance to level the score and play the role of savior, but he missed two consecutive three-point shots, and Beijing eventually lost by 3 points. Fans bluntly said: "Without you at the Guangsha victory banquet, no one dares to touch their chopsticks."
Throughout the game, Fang Shuo, playing off the bench for 16 minutes, shot 1 of 7, including 1 of 4 from three-point range, scoring only 5 points with a plus-minus value of -18, the worst on the team, meaning that while he was on the court, Beijing lost by a total of 18 points. Even so, Xu Limin still trusted him so much that he let him handle such a key ball in the final quarter, ultimately making Beijing swallow the loss, which could only be described as self-inflicted.
As one of the main guards of the national team, Fang Shuo's performance this season has indeed been somewhat catastrophic. In the 28 games he played for Beijing, averaging 18.9 minutes per game, he scored 5.5 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 4 assists, with shooting percentages of 33.5% and 29.8% respectively.
As the team's former main controller, after Chen Yingjun joined the team this season and took his position, Fang Shuo was somewhat dissatisfied. In this focus match against Guangsha, instead of proving himself, he missed the opportunity and became the culprit of the team's defeat, which will probably strengthen Xu Limin's determination to continue to regard this new aid as the core of the team's backcourt after Chen Yingjun returns.
Chen Yingjun played 23 games for Beijing this season, averaging 29 minutes per game, scoring 12.8 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 6.2 assists. In these 23 games, he helped the team achieve a record of 16 wins and 7 losses, while Beijing's overall record this season is only 20 wins and 12 losses, meaning that during Chen Yingjun's absence, the team had only 4 wins and 5 losses.
Also because there is no Chen Yingjun to guide the offense, the team is now basically obsessed with individual play, especially Zhou Qi, whose influence can visibly decline. As for Fang Shuo, if he really knows what's good for him, retiring might be the wisest decision for both parties when his veteran E-class contract expires this summer.