CBA Playoffs Quarterfinal Game 3: Guangdong suffered a devastating 73-88 loss to Beijing on the road, ending their season in the quarterfinals. After taking an early lead in the first quarter, the team completely broke down in the second period and never managed to close the gap, leading to their elimination. Four players’ poor performances were particularly fatal.
First, Xu Jie, the team’s primary ball-handler, struggled mightily on offense for the second straight game. When he can’t score, his defensive shortcomings become glaring, making him a negative presence on both ends. To make matters worse, his playmaking was also ineffective, severely hindering Guangdong’s offensive flow and making it difficult to run any coherent sets.
The performances of imports Lako and Salinger were also abysmal. Many expected the twin towers to contain Beijing, but they were completely overpowered by Zhou Qi. Salinger attempted to battle inside, but with Zhou anchoring the paint, he couldn’t get anything to fall, finishing with just 1 of 6 from the field. His outside shot was nonexistent. Lako was equally disappointing. Known for his soft play, he failed to rise to the playoff intensity. He shot 3 of 8 from the field, couldn’t secure rebounds, and offered little on defense. With both imports neutralized, Guangdong’s interior was completely dominated on both ends by Beijing—a persistent weakness that ultimately doomed them.
McCall also failed to deliver. He was inefficient from the floor, unable to create for teammates, and actually hindered the team’s overall play. His final stat line of 5 of 13 from the field was far from helpful, providing no positive contribution when Guangdong needed it most.
