Can you believe it? Guo Ailun, in Guangzhou's away game against the Shanxi team, played for 34 minutes and scored an impressive 27 points with 6 rebounds while also contributing a game-high 12 assists. This was only Guo Ailun's third game back from injury, and unlike his previous two games where he focused more on organizing and connecting the team, in this match, he displayed a tenacious fighting spirit. He not only actively dived for saves and fought for every ball right in defense but also initiated scoring opportunities through his sharp breakthroughs, tearing through Shanxi's defense to finish at the basket. His perfect 9-for-9 free throws in the final quarter were the best proof of Guo Ailun's switch to attack mode.
The trailing Guangzhou team, driven by Guo Ailun's continuous scoring, launched a furious comeback against Shanxi in the closing moments of the fourth quarter, reducing the gap to just two points. With a little more effort, they could have capsized Shanxi and achieved a reversal, securing victory.
Unfortunately, Guangzhou is still young. In the critical moments, a technical foul and a flagrant foul allowed the already disorganized Shanxi team to stabilize their footing. They took advantage of Guangzhou's untimely retreat defense, with Zhang Ning's consecutive fast breaks and layups once again widening the score, causing Guangzhou to lose a great opportunity to reverse the game.
Although Guangzhou lost, Guo Ailun can hold his head high as he leaves the court, and his performance has earned the respect of even more Shanxi fans. They left messages in the comment section of the live broadcast platform saying:
"Guo Ailun is really amazing. He played so well in his third game back. If Shanxi had Guo Ailun this season, they would definitely win the championship."
"After losing Cui Yongxi, Zhu Mingzhen, and several other key players, and with Jiao Boqiao injured, Guangzhou, ranked third from the bottom in the league, did not collapse in the final moments of the fourth quarter against Shanxi, ranked third in the league. This shows how important Guo Ailun is on the court."
"I don't understand why Liaoning gave up on such a good player like Guo Ailun. It's not like he can't play or score anymore; he was just injured. Why couldn't Liaoning be more patient waiting for his recovery?"
"The team should sign Guo Ailun next season. Although Zhang Ning and Yuan Shuai are also guards and can score, they are far behind Guo Ailun in terms of organizing the team and controlling the rhythm of the game. Shanxi's games always leave people feeling unsure, lacking a player like Guo Ailun who can stabilize the situation."
It's worth noting that Chang Lin, a former Shanxi player, revealed in a live broadcast that Guo Ailun was close to signing with Shanxi under their pursuit. Both sides had almost reached an agreement, but after Zhou Qi suddenly joined Guangdong, Liaoning signed him to counter Guangdong and ensure more scoring options, ultimately preventing Shanxi from getting Guo Ailun.
However, Shanxi still has a chance to sign Guo Ailun, but they'll have to wait until the offseason. Let's see if they can reach a friendly agreement with Guangzhou through Yang Xuezeng's connections and successfully sign Guo Ailun.
Of course, Guo Ailun must maintain his health and strive to perform better on the court to secure more contracts. Even returning to Liaoning is not out of the question.