In the CBA playoffs, the Guangdong team fell to the Beijing Shougang team 73-88 on the road, losing the series 1-2 and ending their season in the quarterfinals. Guangdong led by as many as 10 points in the game, but in the second quarter, Beijing went on an 18-0 run. Despite coach Du Feng calling two consecutive timeouts, the team could not stop the momentum. In the second half, Guangdong mounted several comebacks and narrowed the gap, but they were unable to regain the lead, ultimately losing the decisive game on the road.
Beijing scored first in the opening, but Guangdong quickly found their rhythm, leading 21-15 after the first quarter. Early in the second, Guangdong extended their lead to double digits, but then went scoreless as Beijing responded with an 18-0 surge. Du Feng called two timeouts to adjust, but it made no difference. At halftime, Beijing led 40-35.
Beijing continued to build on their lead in the second half, outscoring Guangdong 21-18 in the third quarter and 27-20 in the fourth to secure a 15-point home victory. There was a brief incident when Chen Yingjun and Zhang Haojia got tangled while fighting for position. Replays showed a clear foul by Chen, but the referees, after reviewing the footage, assessed technical fouls to both players, drawing criticism from fans.
Despite the loss, Guangdong’s players gave their all, but the gap in roster strength and playing away at Beijing’s Wukesong Arena made the defeat expected. Hu Mingxuan, Quinn, and McCall all played well, but they could not turn the tide. Quinn played 28 minutes, scoring 25 points on 9-of-19 shooting with 8 rebounds and 3 assists, but made only 1 of 9 three-point attempts, a stark contrast to his previous game where he sank 8 of 12 from deep. McCall started and contributed 11 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists, with key layups keeping Guangdong within striking distance until late in the fourth.
Xu Jie and Wang Shaojie struggled with foul trouble. Xu picked up his second foul less than two minutes into the first quarter and was benched. Wang also committed two early fouls. Du Feng tried Jiao Boqiao at center briefly, then moved Du Runwang to the five spot, and even experimented with a twin-foreigner lineup, but none was effective. Xu Jie finished scoreless (0-for-3) with 4 rebounds and 2 assists. Hu Mingxuan had 13 points on 3-of-9 shooting, along with 1 rebound and 2 assists. Salinger made just 1 of 6 shots for 5 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists.
Beijing’s biggest surprise was Zhai Xiaochuan, who came off the bench for 15 minutes, shooting 2-of-3 for 8 points and 8 rebounds. As a veteran of Beijing’s four championships in three years, Zhai proved steady and was one of the game’s key contributors. Other standouts: Jemaine posted a triple-double with 17 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists, plus 3 steals; Chen Yingjun had 16 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists; Zhou Qi tallied 18 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 blocks; and Zeng Fanbo added 15 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks.
Beijing played a complete team game, with contributions up and down the roster, giving them a “everyone steps up” feel. Du Feng and his squad have no excuses—they were simply outplayed. This summer, they need to regroup and come back stronger next season.
*Disclaimer: This content is the original creation of the author and is for reference only.*