In the first leg of the 2023-24 CBA finals, the performance of the Liaoning Bengang team is undoubtedly the focus. As the defending champions, they faced a strong opponent at home, carrying the morale and motivation to beat Guangdong Hongyuan in the semi-finals. Liaoning's home advantage is particularly important in this game. Statistics show that Liaoning have won 80% of their home games this season, which not only illustrates their strength in familiar surroundings, but also reflects the positive impact of the support of their home fans on the team's performance. In addition, Liaoning defeated the strong Guangdong Hongyuan with an aggregate score of 3-1 in the semi-finals, which greatly enhanced the team's self-confidence and cohesion.
The referee's arrangement was also a focus of the game. Before the game, it was officially announced that the referee of the game was an international-level local referee, supplemented by two Korean assistant referees. This international combination of referees is designed to ensure the fairness of the game and reduce controversy. An impartial referee will allow each team to demonstrate their abilities under the same conditions, which is especially important in high-intensity and high-pressure finals.
The fitness and return of the players will also be key in this game. The Liaoning team ushered in the comeback of two key players - Li Xiaoxu and Guo Allen. Li Xiaoxu returned from injury and provided strong support for the team's interior defense and rebounding. And Allen Guo, the return of the captain is not only a technical strengthening, but more importantly, his leadership on the field and the guidance of young players. Under his leadership, the Liaoning team has been more fluid and efficient in both offensive and defensive transitions. In detail, Allen Guo performed particularly well in the game. He contributed 18 points and nine assists throughout the game, including several breakaways and balls at key moments, which greatly activated his teammates' scoring ability. Not to be outdone, Li Xiaoxu repeatedly hindered his opponent's offense with his interior defense, grabbing a total of 12 rebounds and dishing out three blocks.
Another highlight of the game was Liaoning's three-point shooting performance. The team shot 42 percent from the field, including 38 percent from three-point range. This performance was largely due to the team's good spotting and quick passing. In the first leg of the 2023-24 CBA Finals, Liaoning Bengang showed their strong strength and tactical flexibility at home as the defending champions. Liaoning not only showed their home advantage with an 80% home win rate, but also significantly improved morale and team cohesion after beating Guangdong Hongyuan in the semi-finals. In addition, the international configuration of referees ensures the fairness of the game and provides a level playing field for each team.
The recovery of the players' health and form is particularly crucial for the Liaoning team. The comeback of Li Xiaoxu and Guo Allen has strengthened the team's interior defense and offensive command, especially Guo Allen's leadership and on-court performance (18 points and 9 assists) have greatly improved the team's offensive efficiency. In addition, the Liaoning team performed well in three-point shooting, shooting 42% from the field, including 38% from three-point range.
The following suggestions may be useful for the player's future development and next steps: Continue to strengthen the physical training and special technical training of the players, especially in the three-point shooting and quick transition, to maintain the efficiency and competitiveness of the game. The coaching team should design more diverse tactics for different opponents, especially when it comes to defending the opponent's key players. Strengthen the mental training of players, especially in the face of adversity and pressure, to ensure that players can stay calm and focused. Using the experience of senior players such as Guo Allen, strengthen the practical training and psychological counseling of young players, and promote their rapid growth and integration into the main lineup.
Through these measures, Liaoning will not only maintain its status as the defending champions, but also develop more potential young players for the next few seasons, and continue to improve the overall strength and competitiveness of the team. In short, every move of the Liaoning Bengang team will affect whether they can successfully defend their title and continue to write a brilliant chapter in the CBA.