A resounding victory has exposed the true strength of Liaoning's men's basketball team, and the fox's tail can no longer be hidden. Netizens have keenly pointed out that without Qi Lin and Zhao Rui, Xinjiang's men's basketball team has dropped a level in terms of strength. The captain of Xinjiang, Shalamu, is only 28 years old, at his prime, yet he has played for only a few minutes with such high efficiency. Why isn't he used more? Fu Hao of Liaoning is currently struggling, but he is also on top salary. There was no need to rush to negate his achievements. Now, Liaoning's two foreign players don't have to desperately charge into the basket, exhausting themselves with little effect. Dahan is an advantage in Liaoning.
Once Dahan is replaced, the young players immediately switch to full-court pressing, resulting in several 24-second violations where shots are only taken at the last second, and there have also been successful 24-second defenses. It's not yet the playoffs, which is the real test for foreign players. Remember when Liaoning picked up Mayo before, but he performed averagely in the finals against Guangdong and wasn't renewed. Perhaps the four quarters and seven rotations have affected Abudu Salamu's tactical status. You think it was so effective last year because whenever he was on the court, he was a strong point. The current tactics need to revolve around the foreign players. Your Lawson is a four, not a five, so it's still best to pair him with Li Yanzhe for optimal offensive and defensive results. Find a pure center foreign player, then evaluate your captain again.
In this game, Liaoning's foreign players were unstoppable. When one person on a team can't shoot accurately, it's already hard to defend. But Liaoning can shoot from anywhere, with Han Dejun able to make mid-range shots and layups. Everyone can shoot, making it impossible for the opposition to set up a defense. Yang Ming should give Wang Lanchen more opportunities; he's definitely more promising than "Handi." Now Liaoning starts pressing in the frontcourt, and with the guards all performing exceptionally, it's not just about how strong the foreign players are; the local guards are given chances to score three-pointers as well. Liaoning lacks centers, but their guards have always been good, and any of them can step up and contribute.
As for the number three position, since there are no better options at the moment, let "Daya" play more instead of relying on three guards all the time. Li Xiaoxu's defense is something that words and statistics can't fully capture. This year, Li Xiaoxu has been doing the work of "Big Mo," facing off against the opposition's foreign players in every game and making significant contributions to the team. Currently, Liaoning really doesn't have anyone who can replace him. Huang Qiushi looked good in the preseason, but unfortunately, he's injured and can't play.
Liaoning's big win over Xinjiang was largely due to Wells, but Wang Lanchen also deserves recognition for his proactive and active play, whether it's dribbling, passing, stealing, or defending. He's a bright spot, reminiscent of Zhao Jiwei, with a promising future!
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