In Game 2 of the CBA playoff quarterfinals, Shanxi Fenjiu Men’s Basketball fell 81-86 to Zhejiang Guangsha at home, leveling the series at 1-1. The decisive Game 3 will now be played at Guangsha’s home court.
Shanxi, despite having home-court advantage, struggled badly in the paint, particularly on the boards. They lost the rebounding battle by more than five in each of the first two games. CBA playoff stats show that teams winning the rebound battle by five or more have a 78% win rate—a clear sign of trouble for Shanxi.
Enter Liu Chuanxing, the 2.25-meter tower who was a key interior player for Shanxi last season. Due to injury, he played only 35 regular-season games and averaged just 5.6 minutes in the playoffs. With Shanxi’s frontcourt desperate, coach Yang Xuezeng finally inserted him for the final seven minutes.
In that short stint, Liu was perfect from the field (3-for-3), scoring 6 points, grabbing 2 rebounds, and dishing 1 assist. His plus-minus of +4 was the only positive stretch for Shanxi in the game. It wasn’t a sudden breakout—it was a case of Shanxi’s depleted interior finally getting the boost it needed.
Yang Xuezeng’s decision to limit Liu to seven minutes was a calculated risk. He had to balance Liu’s recovery from injury against Guangsha’s fast-break tactics, which could exploit Liu’s lack of mobility. If Liu played too long, Guangsha might push the pace and expose him.
The physicality in the paint led to minor scuffles in Game 1, with Guangsha’s bigs drawing fouls for over-aggressive rebounding. Under the new rules, players and coaches can be suspended after accumulating eight technical fouls, so discipline is crucial.
With the series tied 1-1 and Game 3 shifting to Guangsha’s home floor, Shanxi faces an uphill battle. The regular-season standings gave Shanxi home-court advantage for the first two games, but now that advantage is gone.
More than 60% of fans on social media are calling for Yang to give Liu more minutes in Game 3. However, the coach must also consider Guangsha’s ability to counter a slow-footed center in transition.
As the decisive game approaches, Shanxi’s biggest challenge is how to maximize Liu’s impact while mitigating Guangsha’s fast-break threat. If they can find that balance, they have a shot at advancing. If not, they risk another loss.
Liu’s seven-minute flash was a lifeline for a shorthanded team battling injuries. It also highlighted the importance of every regular-season game in determining playoff matchups and home-court advantage.
For Liu, this playoff performance could be a turning point in his career, whether he continues as a player or eventually transitions into coaching. In professional sports, talent and resilience can always earn a second chance.
