Liaoning defeated Xinjiang 115-89, with Xinjiang losing to their opponent from last year's finals after consecutive victories against strong opponents.
Liaoning's performance was led by Foger with 13 points, Wells with 50 points, Han Dejun with 11 points and 13 rebounds, and Wang Lanqin with 20 points.
On the Xinjiang side, Lawson scored 13 points and 12 rebounds, Li Yanzhe had 9 points, Ilyfut scored 13 points and 8 rebounds, and Peterson had 7 points.
After the absence of Zhao Rui and Qi Lin, Xinjiang lacked a stable scoring point domestically. While the team's three foreign players can play their roles in team basketball, they lack someone who can provide a decisive solution when needed.
Initially, Xinjiang planned for Peterson to be the player who could deliver in critical moments. However, halfway through the season, Peterson's strengths and weaknesses are clear; he only has the ability to force shots, which is limited by his height, making it uncertain whether they will go in. Additionally, due to physical conditions, his breakthrough effectiveness is average, especially when referees do not call fouls, he often argues with them, disrupting his own mentality.
This game showed Xinjiang what true decisive ability looks like, with Wells scoring 50 points throughout the match, while Xinjiang's three foreign players only managed 27 points, half of what Liaoning's Wells achieved. Unlike half a month ago when Wells broke through Xinjiang's defense effortlessly at home, this game he relied on shooting to defeat Xinjiang.
Xinjiang's concept of team basketball is good; if everything goes according to plan, they can win most games in a season and achieve a good ranking. However, without solving the issue with Peterson, it is almost impossible for them to compete for the championship.
There is a suitable candidate for this position: Bacon, the former foreign player from Shanghai last season. Whether considering height, wingspan, long-range shooting, or breakthrough capabilities, he is top-tier in the CBA. With Shanghai now having four foreign players in place, Xinjiang might consider purchasing Bacon's priority signing rights to alleviate their current problem.
Of course, if Bacon declines to return to the CBA for personal reasons, Xinjiang can still look for foreign players in this direction: tall, capable of breaking through, and even with weaker shooting abilities. The key is that this person can disrupt the opponent's defense for Xinjiang, rather than being helpless when team basketball doesn't work.