The Liaoning-Guangdong showdown saw the Guangdong men's basketball team face off against the Liaoning team in an away game. The attention this match garnered is self-explanatory, it's the CBA version of the Spring Festival Gala, a battle akin to the Lakers vs. the Warriors in the NBA. Both teams were missing key players, with Guangdong having an advantage in the forward line and Liaoning being stronger in the guard line. The team that could maintain their rhythm and minimize mistakes would tip the scales in their favor.
In the first quarter, Guangdong and Liaoning tied at 24-24, neither gaining an upper hand. Both teams came well-prepared, starting with high intensity and fierce competition. Xu Jie and Wells, two core players, performed exceptionally well, matching each other's efforts, with Xu scoring 8 points and 2 assists, and Wells scoring 13 points, continuing their recent hot streak.
In the second quarter, Guangdong struggled with consecutive misses, while Liaoning also failed to capitalize on the opportunities, maintaining a strong defensive presence. Wells broke the deadlock with a successful three-pointer. Bazley scored under the basket, Ferg made a shooting foul, Jilunwater missed multiple shots, Ferg committed a turnover, and Jilunwater finally scored after a series of misses. Wells took a jumper, Xu Jie attacked the basket, but missed another free throw...
Jilunwater missed another three-pointer, Bazley's strong attack was unsuccessful, and the difference between the foreign players was evident as Guangdong relied heavily on their local players. Huang Rongqi, Wells, Xu Jie, and Fu Hao all missed three-pointers, but Xu Jie finally hit one. Wells assisted Han Dejun, Morand missed a shot, Ferg missed a mid-range shot, and Morand made a cut, stabilizing the situation for Guangdong.
Wells broke through for a layup, Du Runwang scored from the corner three-pointer, Fu Hao's mid-range shot bounced out, Xu Jie traveled, Wang Lanchen scored a three-pointer, Morand missed a mid-range shot, Han Dejun scored again, and Liaoning led 45-38, forcing Guangdong to call a timeout. Du Runwang's mid-range shot stopped the bleeding, Han Dejun scored again, Huang Rongqi made one of two free throws, and Guangdong lost too many points from the free-throw line. Han Dejun's hook shot fell short, Du Runwang made a mid-range shot, and at halftime, Guangdong trailed Liaoning 43-47.
It's clear that Liaoning's foreign players were stronger, with Wells dominating Guangdong single-handedly. Meanwhile, Guangdong's local players performed better, with Xu Jie orchestrating the game. Additionally, Liaoning had an advantage in rebounds, while Guangdong struggled with free throws, which highlighted the gap between the two teams.