Guangdong vs. Fujian Preview: Fujian’s Poor Start Makes Stopping the Losing Streak Tough in Away Game Against Guangdong

On the evening of October 23, the CBA regular season continues with Guangdong hosting Fujian.

Zhou Qi’s departure during the off-season has had a significant impact on Guangdong. The team started the new season with two consecutive losses to Shanxi and Shandong. However, they quickly adjusted and won two straight games against Qingdao and Xinjiang, bringing their record to 2-2 and placing them 14th in the league. Guangdong averages 106 points per game but also allows 108.3 points, which are not impressive statistics. Notably, Guangdong has struggled with ball control, averaging 18 turnovers per game with a turnover rate of 18.6%, both areas needing improvement. Additionally, the team is not very aggressive in rebounding, averaging only 44 rebounds per game, ranking near the bottom of the league.

Hu Mingxuan was officially announced as the new captain of Guangdong this summer, and he has lived up to the expectation, posting solid numbers so far. In the first four games, Hu Mingxuan averages 20.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.8 assists, leading the team in scoring. Five players on the team average double-digit points, including foreign player Jalen Galloway (17.8 points, 5.3 rebounds), along with Barton, Xu Jie, and Ben Bentil.

In the last game, Guangdong defeated Xinjiang 102-95, staging a significant comeback in the fourth quarter after a slow start. Xu Jie played exceptionally well, contributing 22 points, 3 assists, and 2 steals, key factors in the team’s victory. Galloway added 20 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 blocks, while Hu Mingxuan, despite a drop in shooting efficiency, still contributed 11 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists.

Fujian, on the other hand, has had a very poor start to the season, suffering four consecutive losses to Tianjin, Liaoning, Jilin, and Qingdao. They currently rank second to last in the league. Over the four games, Fujian’s offensive performance has been mediocre, averaging only 99.3 points per game, placing them fourth from the bottom. Their net rating per 100 possessions is -19.5, indicating issues on both ends of the court. This is largely due to a lack of competitiveness, as Fujian averages only 41.3 rebounds per game, the second-lowest in the league.

In terms of standout players, Fujian lacks a clear leader, but seven players average double-digit points. Zhu Shilong has built the team around domestic players like Chen Linjian, who leads the team with 18 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists per game. However, Chen Linjian suffered an injury in the opening game and is expected to be out for a month. Zeng Lingxuan averages 17.5 points. Due to changes in the foreign player rules, foreign players often dominate the offense, and Fujian’s top-scoring foreign player is Still, who contributes 17.3 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. Other key contributors include Joseph Young, Kemp, Mason, and Zou Yang.

In the last game, Fujian lost to Qingdao 108-115, giving up 15 more rebounds and committing 26 fouls. Apart from Zeng Lingxuan and Still, Fujian’s overall performance was disappointing. Zeng Lingxuan led the team with 31 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 assists, while Kemp scored 15 points and 4 rebounds, and Still came off the bench to contribute 22 points and 8 rebounds. Despite these efforts, Fujian’s defense faltered, leading to their loss against Qingdao, where four players scored over 20 points.

Last season, Guangdong won both encounters against Fujian, and they also narrowly defeated Fujian 85-83 in the preseason. Although Guangdong faced some issues at the start of the season, they have quickly adjusted. For Fujian, stopping their losing streak in this away game against Guangdong will be a tough challenge.