Guangdong suffered a crushing defeat in the decisive Game 3, losing 1-2 to Beijing and being eliminated from the playoffs. Given the disparity in overall strength, the loss was not entirely unexpected.
The team managed to perform well only in the first quarter, leading by eight points and even extending the margin to 10 early in the second. However, Zhao Rui’s injury became a turning point. Beijing deployed two small foreign guards, disrupting Guangdong’s rhythm completely with an 18-3 run. Although Guangdong cut the deficit to eight in the third quarter, they had no answer in the fourth, ultimately losing by 15 points.
Liu Xiaoyu commented: “This game was quite different from the last one. In Game 2, both sides scored freely, and Guangdong seized critical opportunities while Beijing played too conservatively down the stretch, allowing the buzzer-beater. Today started as a brutal battle. Wang Shaojie kept fouling, Zhou Qi’s stamina dropped quickly, and McGahee had to step in earlier. Both teams left everything on the court. Beijing became more decisive after the second quarter, leveraging their depth. By the fourth quarter, players like Hu Mingxuan were fatigued, but Beijing maintained intensity, which was key to their victory.”
Gong Xiaobin added: “The score reflects the true strength difference. Coach Du tried various lineups early and mid-game, hoping to keep it close and capitalize on Beijing’s errors. But Guangdong’s interior was completely outmatched. Beijing started chaotic and impatient, trailing by nine at times. Then they adjusted mentally and rotation-wise, regained rhythm, combined inside and outside play, grabbed rebounds, and seized control. Congratulations to Beijing. Guangdong fought to their last bullet, given their personnel limitations. They’ve worked hard all season to climb higher, but talent was the limiting factor.”
