Anhui vs Hong Kong Golden Bulls Preview: Zhu Songwei’s Injury as an X-Factor, Jones’ Performance to Determine the Golden Bulls’ Trend

On September 16th, the NBL League Finals Game 2 kicks off, with Anhui Wenyi hosting Hong Kong Golden Bulls at their home court. During the regular season, Anhui Wenyi had a record of 23 wins and 3 losses, ranking first in the league, while Hong Kong Golden Bulls had 22 wins and 4 losses, ranking second. As the two most luxurious teams in the league, both teams eventually met in the finals. In the previous Finals Game 1, after scoring 30-15 in the third quarter, Anhui Wenyi secured an advantage and ultimately defeated Hong Kong Golden Bulls with a score of 99-89. Jilunwate made 14 out of 24 shots for 41 points, showing an unstoppable personal performance. Dakari Johnson was perfect on seven attempts contributing 20 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 assists, Yang Wenbo scored 14 points, Xue Fuwen added 10 points, and the two local players combined for five three-pointers, effectively making up for the embarrassment of Pierre Jackson only scoring 3 points. In Game 1, Hong Kong Golden Bulls not only lost but also lost their key player Zhu Songwei. Jones contributed 17 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists but also had 7 turnovers and 5 fouls. Ma Qi contributed 25 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists, Carlton made all seven shots for 15 points, Dong Jian scored 12 points, and Liu Chuanxing added 8 points and 6 rebounds. The two teams were originally evenly matched, each winning one game during their two regular-season encounters. However, before the playoffs, Hong Kong Golden Bulls continuously replaced two foreign players, leaving only Jones in the team, forcing them into a situation of needing to adjust while playing in the playoffs. In contrast, Anhui Wenyi’s lineup is more stable, with Jackson, Johnson, and Jilunwate all having outstanding performances in the NBL and CBA, especially Jilunwate’s outstanding individual scoring ability greatly enhancing Anhui Wenyi’s strength. Under the same three-foreign-player situation, Anhui Wenyi clearly has better chemistry. Zhu Songwei averaged 12.4 points per game during the regular season, being the top local scorer for Hong Kong Golden Bulls and one of the best players in the entire NBL. His injury dealt a further blow to Hong Kong Golden Bulls, significantly affecting their depth. In this rematch, Hong Kong Golden Bulls seem to be slightly at a disadvantage, but the gap in strength between the two sides is not large. If Jones can deliver a more outstanding performance, Hong Kong Golden Bulls still have a chance to win.

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