In today’s CBA playoff game, the Guangsha Lions secured an 86-81 victory over the Shanxi Loongs. Hu Jinqiu delivered a stellar performance with 17 points and 11 rebounds, while Shanxi’s A.J. Diallo scored 16 points but made crucial mistakes down the stretch.
Shanxi’s Game 1 win was a natural outcome. Despite being underdogs, Shanxi had upset Qingdao in the first round and then stunned the defending champion Guangsha on the road in Game 2 of the second round. This apparent upset was as logical as their victory over Qingdao. First, Guangsha’s Brown struggled against Shanxi’s duo of Nait and Nix, while the decision to bench Tucker highlighted Shanxi’s superior foreign player depth. Second, Diallo saw only 14 minutes of action, dropping to the fourth import slot as coach Pan Jiang finally made tough choices. Third, Shanxi’s local players showed more grit, from Yu Miti’s clutch shot to Jiao Hailong and Zhang Ning’s consistent scoring. Fourth, the bench scoring disparity of 55-15 exposed Guangsha’s fatigue, leading to a collapse on the boards.
Shanxi’s issues revolve around offense and rebounding. Last season, Guangsha overcame a 1-2 deficit in the quarterfinals to beat Qingdao 3-2 and reach the semifinals, but the current best-of-three format leaves little room for error. From the start, Hu Jinqiu’s consecutive scores signaled Guangsha’s resurgence. In the second quarter, Hu’s steady output and the team’s 8-of-6 shooting from three-point range pushed the lead to double digits. Despite making several difficult shots, Shanxi managed only 41 points in the first half with just 7 assists, clearly struggling on offense.
In the third quarter, trailing by double digits and losing the rebounding battle, Liu Chuanxing’s entry provided a turning point. In the fourth quarter with single foreign players on the floor, Guangsha maintained a double-digit advantage even after Nix fouled out with two minutes left. Diallo’s missed layup in the final moments sealed Shanxi’s loss. Diallo finished with 16 points, a double-edged sword. Zhang Ning added 13 points with physical play. Brown posted 19 points but shot 1-of-7 from beyond the arc. Hu Jinqiu’s 17-point, 11-rebound performance was the anchor.
The win tied the series, but judging by defensive effort—especially rebounding and key players’ offense—Guangsha has seized the initiative.