In a dramatic overtime clash, the Guangdong Southern Tigers edged out the Beijing Ducks 102-99, evening their playoff series at 1-1 and keeping their hopes of advancing to the semifinals alive. With just 10 seconds remaining in overtime, Guangdong missed a three-pointer, but Xu Jie grabbed the offensive rebound and dished it to Zhang Haojia, who calmly knocked down the buzzer-beating triple. The home crowd erupted as teammates and coaches stormed the court in celebration.
Guangdong faced a significant talent gap against Beijing, struggling in the frontcourt, wing, and backcourt. Their victory was fueled by an explosive performance from import guard Quinn, who played 38 minutes and 20 seconds, shooting 14-of-24 from the field, including 8-of-12 from beyond the arc, to finish with a game-high 39 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists, and 3 steals. Hu Mingxuan also had his best outing of the playoffs, coming off the bench for 30 minutes and 58 seconds and scoring 23 points on 9-of-13 shooting (5-of-9 from three), along with 6 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks.
Beijing led by as many as 11 points late in the second quarter and early in the third, but Guangdong fought back to tie the game and force overtime. The free-throw disparity was notable: Beijing attempted 29 free throws, making 20, while Guangdong had only 10 attempts, converting just 5. It was surprising to see such a discrepancy, especially on Guangdong’s home floor.
Part of this was due to Guangdong’s intentional fouling strategy against Beijing’s center, JaVale McGee. Whenever McGee got the ball in the paint, Guangdong struggled to defend him effectively, so they opted to send him to the line early. McGee shot 2-of-7 from the field but went to the free-throw line 10 times, making only 4, finishing with 8 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 assists. The “Hack-a-McGee” tactic proved relatively successful.
Compared to Game 1, several Beijing players underperformed. Jaylen Adams shot 1-of-4 from three, Chen Yingjun went 1-of-6, and Zeng Fanbo was 1-of-4, wasting numerous opportunities. Despite solid shooting from Adams, Lei Meng, and Williams, Beijing’s overall three-point percentage of 40.7% fell short of their previous game. Guangdong, conversely, improved from 32.4% in Game 1 to 46.3% in this contest, with Quinn, Hu Mingxuan, Du Runwang, and Zhang Haojia all hitting key shots. Although Xu Jie went 0-of-7 from three, his critical offensive rebound and assist to Zhang Haojia proved invaluable.
Game 3 will now shift to Beijing’s home court, a must-win for both teams. Beijing holds the advantage in both home court and roster depth. Guangdong will need contributions not just from Quinn, Hu Mingxuan, Xu Jie, and Du Runwang, but also from the rest of the squad to avoid elimination.
Meanwhile, the Shanghai Sharks secured a 2-0 series sweep on the road against the Shandong Hi-Speed, advancing to the semifinals. They will face the winner of the Beijing-Guangdong series. If Beijing advances, they stand a better chance against Shanghai; but if Guangdong pulls through, they will face a tough challenge.
