Ningbo vs. Shanghai Preview: Loveton Expected to Make Debut, Can Shanghai Seek Revenge on the Road?

On the evening of October 31, the CBA regular season continues with Shanghai visiting Ningbo.

Ningbo’s last game was a road loss to Beijing, ending their bid for a three-game winning streak. They currently stand at 3-5 in the league standings. Ningbo averages 105.4 points per game, placing them in the middle of the pack in this category, while they allow 111.5 points per game, ranking 15th in both offensive and defensive efficiency. Ningbo does a good job controlling turnovers, averaging only 15.5 per game, but they need to improve their foul control, committing an average of 24 fouls per game. Ningbo excels at scoring from the free-throw line, averaging 29.8 free-throw attempts per game, the second-highest in the league. However, their three-point shooting percentage is just 33.7%. Overall, Ningbo’s performance has been average. Notably, Ningbo recently won two consecutive games against Shanghai and Jiangsu, their first back-to-back wins in nearly a year. Although they lost to the well-performing Beijing on the road, Ningbo’s recent form has been quite solid.

Led by Rakocevic, five players on Ningbo average double-digit points per game. Rakocevic leads the team with 20.3 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game, followed by Howard with 18.3 points and 3.8 assists, and Machi with 13.5 points. The three foreign players rank among the top three scorers, while the other two players are domestic players Wang Junjie and Ning Hongyu.

In their most recent game, Ningbo lost 97-113 on the road to Beijing. Ningbo’s overall performance was poor, with only two starters scoring in double digits. They also struggled on the boards, with the entire team having five players score in double figures. Rakocevic and Machi each scored 20 points, and Howard added 14 points. However, Beijing’s balanced attack made it difficult for Ningbo to close the gap, leading to an easy win for Beijing. Ningbo needs to improve their scoring ability when facing strong teams.

Shanghai’s start to the season has been abysmal, suffering four consecutive losses to Beijing, Qingdao, Tianjin, and Zhejiang. They managed to stop the slide with a win over Jiangsu but quickly lost to Ningbo, Xinjiang, and Zhejiang again, resulting in another three-game losing streak. Currently, Shanghai stands at 1-5, ranking 17th in the league. Shanghai’s offensive efficiency is low, with a points-per-100-possession rate of only 106.1, the second-worst in the league, slightly better than Jiangsu. Additionally, their free-throw shooting is poor, with a 71.6% free-throw percentage, the third-worst in the league. However, they do well from beyond the arc, averaging 11.3 three-pointers per game. Both offensively and defensively, Shanghai has room for improvement.

The absence of Wang Zhelin has significantly impacted Shanghai. Foreign players Waters and Wilson have done their best, with Waters averaging 20 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 8.3 assists per game, and Wilson contributing 19 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 3.9 assists. Among domestic players, Liu Zheng and Li Hongquan average double-digit points.

In their last game, Shanghai lost 93-106 on the road to Zhejiang. Only four players scored in double figures, with Wilson scoring 26 points and 9 rebounds, and Waters contributing 22 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals. However, their efforts were in vain. Starting player Liu Zheng struggled, hitting only 20% of his shots, while Li Hongquan added 14 points and 8 rebounds. Shanghai did not dominate the boards and had a lower offensive efficiency compared to Zhejiang, and they have yet to find a way to turn things around.

In their matchup last season, Shanghai had a clear advantage, but in their first meeting this season, Shanghai lost 99-114 at home. Despite combined efforts from Wilson and Waters, who scored 44 points, 20 rebounds, and 15 assists, Ningbo’s Howard and Rakocevic combined for 51 points, and Ningbo outrebounded Shanghai by 13. Facing a struggling Shanghai, Ningbo showed no mercy. A positive development for Shanghai is that Loveton has been registered and can now play for the team. As the two teams face off again, it will be interesting to see if Shanghai can seek revenge on the road.

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