Friends, we have finally waited for this year's annual CBA Finals! This time, we ushered in the strong dialogue between the first and second places in the regular season - Liaoning Bengang and Xinjiang Guanghui Automobile. When the two strong teams meet, it is bound to set off a fierce "Battle of Tianwang Mountain".
To say that this finals can be described as "full of highlights". From the competition for MVP candidates, to whether the referees can continue to "steal the limelight", to the "differentiation" of the two coaches, all of them are expected. Not to mention the battle of the depth of the two teams' lineups, as well as the duel between the two "unicorn talents". As a veteran sports journalist, I will take you through the highlights of this grand final.
First of all, let's talk about the FMVP candidates for this finals. According to the selection criteria announced by the league, only players who participate in more than 85% of the finals are eligible to compete for the FMVP.
From the perspective of Xinjiang, Abudu is undoubtedly the biggest favorite. As the MVP of the regular season this season, he averaged an astonishing number of 38.1 minutes, 13.5 points, 12.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.5 blocks, shooting 50.5% from the field and 30% from three-point range. If Xinjiang finally wins the championship trophy, then Abudu is undoubtedly the best candidate for FMVP.
On the Liaoning side, there is a "veteran" who has won the FMVP trophy before - Zhao Jiwei. In the semifinals against Guangdong, he showed an MVP-level performance: averaging 37.4 minutes per game, 19.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, 8.3 assists and 2.4 steals, shooting 48.2% from the field and 44.3% from three-point range. As long as Liaoning can win the championship, Zhao Jiwei is undoubtedly the most likely candidate to win the FMVP.
The performances of these two stars are undoubtedly the key to their respective teams' championships. Whether it is Abdu plundering FMVP, or Zhao Jiwei reaching the top again, let's wait and see!
When it comes to the CBA finals, I have to mention a topic that attracts attention in this competition - referees.
In the semi-finals between Liaoning and Guangdong, the two South Korean referees Lee Kyung-hwan and Park Kyung-jin can be said to have "stolen the limelight". They grabbed both teams for hand action fouls in the first quarter and controlled well throughout the game without causing any controversy. This has caused some people to think: It turns out that the Chinese referee can't even compare with two Koreans?
We have to admit that in the previous playoffs, the performance of Chinese referees did cause a lot of controversy and complaints. Some people say that they have "lost the face of all the basketball referees in China". How the league arranges the referees of this finals now, and whether they can continue their previous excellent performance and "steal the limelight" again, this is undoubtedly another point worth paying attention to.
After all, referees play a crucial role in such a high-level showdown. If there is another omission or misjudgment, it will not only cause dissatisfaction among the players and coaches on both sides, but also seriously affect the fairness and enjoyment of the game. I believe that the league will carefully select the referees for this grand final, ensure that they can enforce the law impartially and become the biggest winners of this "peak showdown".
In addition to the attention of the referees, the difference between the two head coaches is also a major attraction of this finals.
Xinjiang coach Qiu Biao is affectionately known as the "Confucian General" by fans. He led Xinjiang from 20 wins to 41 wins in just one year, which can be said to be indispensable. Coach Qiu Biao has the ability to "collapse in front of Taishan without changing his face", and can remain calm and intelligent even at critical moments, which is undoubtedly not possessed by many coaches in the league.
In contrast, Liaoning coach Yang Ming is much more "hot". He is somewhat similar to Coach Du Feng, who will jump like thunder on the sidelines, and even "breathe fire" on the referee. This "passionate" coaching style is in stark contrast to Qiu Biao's "Confucian general" image.
These two very different coaching styles will undoubtedly affect the performance and tactical layout of the players on both sides. Qiu Biao will choose a more calm and steady style of play, while Yang Ming may be more inclined to attack with wide openings and closes. The difference between the two in tactical adjustment and player management will also become a major attraction of this finals.
Will the "Confucian general" Qiu Biao be able to bring Xinjiang to the top with his wisdom and calmness, or can the "hot" coach Yang Ming lead Liaoning to win the championship again? This is undoubtedly a wonderful matchup worth waiting for!
In addition to the highlights mentioned above, there is also a focus of this finals, that is, the showdown between the two teams' "unicorn talents" - Zhang Zhenlin and Qi Lin.
These two young players in the No. 3 position are considered to be the pillars of the future of the CBA. Zhang Zhenlin has excellent breakthrough ability and physical fitness, while Qi Lin is better at projection. While both have had some ups and downs in the playoffs, they can be amazing once they get into shape.
In the previous playoffs, Zhang Zhenlin averaged 40.9 minutes per game, 16.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.8 steals and 0.9 blocks, shooting 37.9% from the field and 25.5% from three-point range. Qi Lin's statistics were 36.3 minutes, 13.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.5 steals and 0.3 blocks, shooting 40.9% from the field and 34.4% from three-point range.
The two have their own characteristics, who can "explode" in this finals? This will undoubtedly become another focus of attention for fans.
In the main lineup of the Xinjiang team, in addition to MVP candidate Abudu, there are also many outstanding players, such as Brooks, Hudson and others. Not only do they have excellent scoring ability on the offensive end, but they also show a strong impact on the defensive end. Coupled with Coach Qiu Biao's excellent tactical adjustments, Xinjiang's overall strength can be described as quite strong.
And the Liaoning team also has a luxury lineup. In addition to FMVP popular Zhao Jiwei, Guo Allen, Li Xiaoxu and others are also top stars in the league. Especially Guo Allen, his outstanding performance in the semi-finals greatly enhanced the offensive firepower of the Liaoning team.
However, the injury status of these two star players is indeed a major "uncertain factor" in this finals. It is uncertain whether they will be able to return in the final at the moment, which will undoubtedly have a big impact on the strength of the squad of both sides.
If Guo Allen and Zhao Rui can come back to play, then the Liaoning team will undoubtedly have a stronger firepower advantage. But if they can't recover in time, Xinjiang's squad depth advantage could give them more of the initiative.
Such a lineup comparison will undoubtedly become a highlight of this "peak showdown". Whether the overall strength of the Xinjiang team can suppress the star players of the Liaoning team, or whether the Liaoning team can play a stronger individual strength, this will be a wonderful "lineup battle".
This CBA finals is indeed "full of highlights". From the competition for FMVP, to the performance of the referee, to the differentiation of the coach, and the duel of the "unicorn talent", all of them are expected.
However, among the many highlights, I am probably most concerned about the ownership of the final champion.
With its strong overall strength and Coach Qiu Biao's excellent tactical adjustments, the Xinjiang team seems to have a certain advantage. The Liaoning team has more star players, and once they can play in full force, they are fully capable of beating their opponents with their individual strength.
So the outcome of this finals is really hard to predict. The strength of the two sides is too close to distinguish.
However, as a veteran sports journalist, I would like to give you some predictions: I think this finals are likely to be very intense, and even the final battle. No matter which side the final champion belongs to, I believe it will be a wonderful "peak showdown".
After all, this is not only about the honor of the two powerhouses, but also about the future direction of the entire CBA league. Let's wait and see.