With the Zhejiang team defeating Shanghai in a strong posture in the fierce tie-break battle, the top four teams in the 2023-2024 CBA playoffs have finally settled. The top four teams in the regular season - Liaoning, Xinjiang, Zhejiang and Guangdong - undoubtedly occupy the top four spots in the playoffs, which also indicates that the next semi-finals will stage more exciting matchups.
The re-meeting between Liaoning and Guangdong is undoubtedly the biggest attraction of this round of playoffs. As the defending champions, Liaoning swept Shenzhen with a perfect record of 3-0, showing their strong dominance. After some twists and turns, the Guangdong team eliminated Guangsha with a score of 3-2 and advanced to the semifinals of the playoffs for the 25th time in team history. These two teams have a rich history of encounters, and each matchup inspires countless sparks.
The showdown between Xinjiang and Zhejiang is equally eye-catching. The Xinjiang team eliminated the Guangzhou team with a score of 3-1 in the playoffs and returned to the final four of the playoffs after four years. Their opponent, the Zhejiang team, eliminated the Shanghai team with difficulty after a thrilling tie-break. The two teams had a level record in the regular season at 41-11, showing a very high level of competition.
The Xinjiang team's recruitment strategy this season is obviously successful, with the addition of domestic players such as Zhao Rui and Wu Guanxi, as well as the help of Jones, Wiggington and Crick, the overall strength of the Xinjiang team has been significantly improved. Abdul Salamu won the regular season MVP for the first time this season with his outstanding performance, which undoubtedly added a lot of confidence to the Xinjiang team in the next semi-finals.
As the runner-up last season, Zhejiang team still maintains a strong competitiveness this season. Despite the stubborn resistance of the Shanghai team in the quarter-finals of the playoffs, they finally won the game with tenacity and home advantage. Zhejiang's local lineup and foreign lineup are equally good, and their showdown with Xinjiang is bound to be a close match.
The semifinals of this round of CBA playoffs will officially start on May 1, when the showdown between Liaoning and Guangdong, Xinjiang and Zhejiang will attract the attention of countless fans. All four teams have strong strength and a deep roster.