BEIJING, March 31 (Xinhua) -- When the 2021-2022 Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) playoffs get underway in Nanchang in east China's Jiangxi Province from Friday, people may feel unsure when picking title favorites.
Defending champions the Guangdong Southern Tigers, who usually pop into people's minds when considering potential title contenders, underwent an up-and-down season in which they finished fifth. This marked the first time that they have fallen out of top four since their leading figure Yi Jianlian joined the CBA in the 2002-2003 season.
Making a return from a serious foot injury, Yi saw his dominance in the paint wane this season. The 34-year-old center posted an average of 16.2 points and 8.6 rebounds, his lowest returns since 2004-2005.
A big factor in Guangdong's slump is the absence of Marshon Brooks, who ruptured his Achilles last season.
Guangdong boasted the formidable overseas duo of Brooks and Sonny Weems in recent seasons, but with Brooks sitting out and 35-year-old Weems suffering a dip in form this season, Guangdong lost their advantage. Ricardo Ledo, who arrived late in the second stage of regular season, could not fill the void left by Brooks.
Injury also troubled the 11-time champions in the regular season. Zhao Rui, one of the best defenders among guards in the CBA, played only 19 matches through injury, with several other Guangdong players missing at various points as well.
Failing to finish in the top four means that Guangdong faces a first round tie against the Tianjin Pioneers, the biggest surprise in the third stage of the regular season by winning eight out of 10 matches.
Three-pointers were lethal for Tianjin in ending their eight-year playoff drought, as they nailed a league-high 16.4 three-pointers with 42.2 percent shooting per match. The CBA's policy of using overseas players was a bonus for Tianjin, who could dispatch Taylor Rochestie and Kenny Boynton on the court at the same time for one period.
But Tianjin's style of play, featuring fast breaks and three-pointers, could be restrained by Guangdong, which boasts rich experience in the playoffs. Moreover, Tianjin's advantage in the number of used overseas players will not be carried into the playoffs.
The Liaoning Flying Leopards, who lost to Guangdong in the finals last season, are the hot favorites to reclaim the crown they last won in 2017-2018, before Guangdong won three titles in a row.
Domestic players played a significant role in Liaoning's road to regular season champions, with Guo Ailun and Zhao Jiwei leading the charge in backcourt, and Han Dejun providing consistent firepower in the paint. Sophomore Zhang Zhenlin continued to develop, while Fu Hao stepped up to make some plays in the second string.
After missing 17 matches due to injuries, Guo's return boosts Liaoning's chance of standing atop the podium this season. Overseas players Kyle Fogg and Eric Moreland are functional inside and outside, and fit well in Liaoning's tactical system.
In the quarterfinals, Liaoning will meet the winner between the Guangzhou Loong Lions and the Shanxi Loongs, featuring solid defense and eye-pleasing offense.
Under title-winning coach Guo Shiqiang, Guangzhou has witnessed obvious improvement over the past two seasons, growing from a team securing a last-gasp playoff berth to one among the top eight based on their defense.
With Kay Felder and Jonathon Simmons, Shanxi has become one of the most offensively-minded teams, especially from beyond the arc, with the league's second-highest 32.3 three-pointer attempts in the regular season.
It will be a pretty balanced affair between the Shandong Heroes and the Shenzhen Aviators.
Shandong boasts Tao Hanlin, Jia Cheng and Troy Gillenwater in the paint, compared with Shenzhen's paint trio of Shen Zijie, Jared Sullinger and Zhao Yiming.
Former MVP Ding Yanyuhang returned to action this season following a lengthy layoff, which provided much help to Shandong from the perimeter.
Never leave Lester Hudson behind. Despite being 37 years old, Hudson has continuously proved to be a sharpshooter for Shandong, and his coolness in making clutch shots is vital to his team.
Tao is enjoying his career-best season, averaging 19.5 points and 12.0 rebounds in the regular season. He missed both matches against Shenzhen, where Shenzhen won by three and five points respectively.
Shandong shooting guard Wang Ruheng was sidelined for the remainder of the season after suffering a shoulder injury in training, meaning that Hudson and Gao Shiyan had to shoulder more responsibility in the backcourt.
On the Shenzhen side, Gu Quan, He Xining and Askia Booker are expected to be the main contributors in offense.
The twin towers of Li Muhao and Fan Ziming will be a big advantage in the paint for the Beijing Ducks when they take on the Jilin Northeast Tigers.
Beijing won by a total of 60 points in previous two head-to-heads this season, thanks to their successful defense on Jilin's versatile playmaker Dominique Jones.
Jones, who averaged 26.5 points, 10.0 rebounds and 9.0 assists in the regular season, only posted an average of 9.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 5.0 assists when facing Beijing.
In reaching the last eight, Beijing has to utilize its height to slow down the pace and take care of opponents' transition.
The Zhejiang Lions, the Zhejiang Golden Bulls and the Shanghai Sharks are also top four finishers in the regular season.
The two Zhejiang teams benefitted from domestic players' progress. With Hu Jinqiu, Sun Minghui and Zhao Yanhao thriving, the Lions have demonstrated their status of title contenders by sweeping Guangdong, Shanghai, the Golden Bulls and Beijing.
Hu showcased his offensive efficiency, shooting a league-best 73.1 percent from the field to average 21.0 points and 7.6 rebounds en route to his first regular season Most Valuable Player (MVP) award, while Sun dished out a career-high 8.8 assists.
Already featuring the previous season's MVP Wu Qian and several other potent role players, the Golden Bulls received a strong boost in the paint with the emergence of rookie Yu Jiahao, as the 2.21-meter-tall center averaged 12.2 points and 8.7 rebounds. Zhejiang is ready to inflict huge pressure on Guangdong in a highly possible duel for a semifinal berth.
Shanghai's investment in recent years has paid off by finishing third in the regular season. The arrival of former MVP Wang Zhelin and Jamaal Franklin has lifted Shanghai to a powerhouse, in terms of their depth of roster that also features Guo Haowen, Ren Junwei, Liu Cheng and freshman Li Tianrong.
Unlike the past two seasons where the winner was decided through one game, the first round and quarterfinals this season will adopt a best-of-three format, before a best-of-five format is applied to the semifinals and best-of-seven to the finals, which may reduce the odds of surprises taking place deep in the playoffs. ■
