by sportswriters Li Chunyu, Wu Bowen and Wang Hengzhi
BEIJING, April 25 (Xinhua) -- As the 2025-26 Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) regular season wrapped up on Friday night, the title race looks wide open with several contenders hitting peak form.
The top four teams in the regular season advance directly to the playoff quarterfinals, while teams ranked fifth to 12th will play best-of-three first-round series for the remaining four spots.
The Shanghai Sharks carried over momentum from last season and finished top with a 38-4 record, powered by a 23-game winning streak to close the regular season. Imports Brandon Goodwin, Kyle Fogg, Kenneth Lofton Jr. and Hassan Whiteside have blended smoothly with domestic standouts Li Hongquan, Li Tianrong, Wang Zhelin and Zhang Zhenli.
All these eight players averaged double digits in scoring to demonstrate Shanghai's team strength, while Li Tianrong led the league with a remarkable three-point percentage of over 58 percent.
A balanced squad with an all-round performance made it reasonable for the Sharks to become the top seed. Moreover, Shanghai also clinched a back-to-back title at the CBA Club Cup since the tournament was introduced last season.
The last time for Shanghai to set the club record of 23-game winning streak was their 2001-02 championship season. If the Sharks want to repeat the achievement to take their second CBA title this year, the biggest challenge may come from the defending champions Zhejiang Lions.
Zhejiang finished second at 33-9, retaining the core that delivered their maiden CBA title last season. With a mature system and steady mentality, the Lions are openly targeting a dynasty. Last season's Finals MVP Barry Brown has remained in top form, averaging 21.6 points, while Hu Jinqiu and Sun Minghui continue to anchor the team.
The third-placed Shenzhen Aviators was one of the biggest surprises this season. Terquavion Smith claimed the scoring title with 24.4 points per game in just under 28 minutes, and teammate He Xining added 20.1 points as the team's key playmaker. Veterans Zhou Peng and Li Muhao have provided experience, while 21-year-old Wang Haoran impressed with 16.3 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.
The Beijing Ducks, runner-up to Zhejiang in last year's Finals, upgraded the lineups with significant signings of star guard Zhao Rui and former NBA player JaVale McGee.
Much affected by injuries, the Ducks ranked fourth with 29 wins and didn't show their full strength so far with the absence of Zhao, Zeng Fanbo and Zhou Qi sometimes. How the coaching staff maximizes a now-deep roster in the postseason will be crucial.
The Guangdong Southern Tigers concluded its regular season with three straight losses, including two games against the Fujian Sturgeons. The fifth seed Guangdong still needs to adjust themselves before facing the 12th-placed Guangzhou Loong Lions in the first round of playoffs.
In the other first-round matchups, the Zhejiang Golden Bulls will meet the Ningbo Rockets, the Qingdao Eagles will face the Shanxi Loongs, and the Shandong Heroes will take on with the Liaoning Flying Leopards.
The Beijing Royal Fighters, quarterfinalist last season, missed the playoffs after finishing 13th. The Sichuan Blue Whales endured a nightmare campaign, losing all 42 games.
As the playoffs set to kick off on Tuesday, the preparations and efforts of all teams throughout the season will be tested, and the title race is bound to be fierce and exciting with ups and downs. ■
