The CBA quarterfinals are heating up, and no matchup draws more attention than the historic rivalry between the Beijing Ducks and the Guangdong Southern Tigers. With the regular season ending with Beijing in fourth place and Guangdong in fifth, the first game of their best-of-three series is a critical battle. The winner moves one step closer to the semifinals, while the loser faces elimination. Beijing swept both regular-season meetings, winning by 31 points in the first and nailing a last-second three-pointer in the second. But Guangdong proved their resilience by staging a comeback against Guangzhou in the first round, rallying from a Game 1 loss to win two straight and keep their streak of 31 consecutive playoff appearances alive.
Beijing, who advanced directly to the quarterfinals without playing in the play-in round, comes in well-rested and with a full roster. Their core features Zhou Qi, Zhao Rui, and Zeng Fanbo, along with imports McGee and Jermaine. Zhou Qi, despite injury concerns, averaged 11.3 points and 9.1 rebounds this season, shooting 69.6% from the field and earning the league’s best rebounder title. McGee complements him well with 14.2 points and 8.5 rebounds per game, forming a formidable frontcourt. Zhao Rui contributes 15.7 points, 5.3 assists, and 1.8 steals per game, providing steady ball-handling and defensive pressure. Zeng Fanbo adds 16.2 points and 4.8 rebounds while shooting 38.7% from three-point range. However, Beijing’s three-point shooting as a team is just 33.5%, and both Zhou Qi and Zhao Rui are playing in their first postseason with the Ducks, which could lead to chemistry issues under pressure.
Guangdong, despite their fifth-place finish, has a deep history of playoff comebacks. Their regular season was marred by injuries and inconsistency, but head coach Du Feng’s tactical adjustments were on full display in the first round. After losing Game 1 to Guangzhou by 17 points, Du Feng shifted to a twin-tower lineup featuring Saric and Lakovic in Game 2, out-rebounding Guangzhou by 20 and winning. In Game 3, he switched to a smaller lineup with the import guard orchestrating the offense, leading to a 10-point victory. Du Feng’s ability to adapt is Guangdong’s biggest weapon. In this series, he is expected to use the twin-tower strategy again to wear down Zhou Qi, while assigning Hu Mingxuan or Xu Jie to shadow Zhao Rui defensively. Guangdong also carries a psychological edge, having pulled off dramatic comebacks before, including a 14-point fourth-quarter comeback in the 2020-21 finals.
The best-of-three format amplifies the uncertainty. If Beijing wins Game 1 at home, they seize control of the series. But if Guangdong can steal the opener, they neutralize the home-court advantage and set the stage for another upset. With decades of history and pride on the line, this clash between the two most decorated teams in CBA history promises to deliver intense drama from opening tip to final buzzer.