In competitive sports, the introduction of foreign aid can often bring about an improvement in the strength of the team, but there is also a situation where it is used as a "drag bottle". In the first round of the CBA playoffs just past, the duel between Shenzhen Marco Polo team and Beijing Control Technology team exposed the existence of a "black hole" type foreign aid.
In the first quarter of the game, the Shenzhen Marco Polo team, which was fighting at home, once led the Beijing team by 17:6 by 11 points by virtue of its home advantage. A promising start gave them the initiative, but what followed was unexpected.
In the second quarter, the Beijing team continued to maintain the heat, and the difference was once extended to 11 points (43:32). In the face of this round of crazy attacks by the opponent, the Shenzhen team quickly adjusted its tactics and finally narrowed the gap to 2 points (59:57) before the end of the first half.
Yibian fought again, and the Shenzhen team finally regained control of the rhythm of the game. They took an 80-73 lead in the third quarter and extended the margin to seven points by the final minute. But at this moment, the Beijing team worked hard, biting the difference all the way, and finally narrowed the difference to 2 points with 6 seconds left, almost equalizing or even overtaking the score.
Unfortunately, in the last attack, Beijing player Meng Zikai made a mistake in passing, thus missing the opportunity to equalize, and finally lost to Shenzhen 103:106.
Why did the Shenzhen team, which seemed to lead all the way, win so hard in the end? The reason was the disparity in the strength of the foreign aid of the two teams.
Shenzhen team's foreign aid forward Sallinger can be said to be a well-deserved "big boss", slashing 33 points, 20 rebounds and 8 assists in the game, becoming the biggest contributor to the team's victory.
In contrast, the Beijing team is somewhat helpless. The foreign player Hill they brought in was completely a "black hole" in this game, wasting a valuable foreign aid slot. In the 2 minutes and 24 seconds he played, he didn't get any points, rebounds, or assists, and his stats were all "0".
In the face of Hill's poor performance like a "transparent person", the coach of the Beijing team chose to put him directly on the bench and switch to the all-Chinese team. It is conceivable that if Hill could do his best in this crucial battle, perhaps the Beijing team would have been able to turn the tide of the war long ago.
In fact, for Hill, such low-level mistakes are not accidental, but consistent. Some fans bluntly said that Hill is the worst foreign aid in the CBA, even worse than many substitute players.
Before the game, the Shenzhen team suffered from doubts and criticism from fans. They signed Hill and dropped outside player Adams, who had a good season last season, which was considered a bad decision.
If Adams is still in the lineup, it seems that the Shenzhen team will not fall into the embarrassing situation of "foreign aid black hole". With the blessing of his reliable foreign aid, the Shenzhen team may be able to win this duel with the Beijing team easily, rather than reluctantly winning.
For the Shenzhen team, the goal of winning the championship is of course in the first place. However, the problem of foreign aid has become a big obstacle on their way to winning the championship. Sallinger's ability alone is limited and he can't stand alone, and Hill is basically a "gap". Under such circumstances, it is undoubtedly a road full of obstacles for the Shenzhen team to win the championship.
With a new season just around the corner, it's time to get rid of the "oil bottles"? Overall, this game fully demonstrated the importance of a qualified foreign player to the strength of the team. Sallinger was the key to Shenzhen's victory, while Hill was a drag on Beijing.
It is foreseeable that in the future, teams will be more cautious when introducing foreign aid and will not use people lightly. At half-time, reporters may hear criticism of Hill's "black hole" foreign players from the coaches of various teams. The new season is coming, and all teams will abandon the "oil bottle" style of foreign reinforcements, and only leave a place for talents who can really add to the team's strength.
The game in sports is often dramatic, and it becomes even more engaging when events unexpectedly develop. This episode in last season's CBA league is a microcosm of this drama. As the new season approaches, we will wait and see what adjustments will be made by each team to avoid the "black hole" in the foreign position.