In the much-anticipated CBA Finals G1, the duel between the Xinjiang team and the Liaoning team was like Mars hitting the earth, but for the star of the Xinjiang team, Abdul Salamu, the night was extraordinarily long and bitter. In this key battle, Abudu's performance was far from meeting the expectations of fans, and some people even questioned the gold content of his "regular season MVP", calling him "the most water MVP".
As soon as the game began, the players on both sides were tense, and the tense atmosphere filled the entire stadium. However, Abdul Salamu, who was supposed to be the mainstay of the Xinjiang team, seemed inadequate. Throughout the game, he seemed to be bound by an invisible net, hitting only 2 of his 8 shots, including a cold hand outside the three-point line, and only 1 of 4 shots. What's even more embarrassing is that he also seems to be weak in the competition for rebounds, and has watched his opponents pocket rebounds many times. In the end, Abudu handed over a dismal report of 5 points, 8 rebounds and 2 assists, which is undoubtedly unacceptable for a regular season MVP.
In stark contrast to Abudu's slump is the shine of Liaoning team's inside line Fu Hao and striker Zhang Zhenlin. Fu Hao is like an awakened beast, hitting 12 of 15 shots, and he is also as stable as Mount Tai on the free throw line, contributing 29 points and 9 rebounds with luxurious data, with a plus/minus of +15, creating a threat on the court almost all the time. Zhang Zhenlin showed all-round ability at both offensive and defensive ends, not only scoring 19 points efficiently on the offensive end, but also contributing 8 assists and no mistakes, and causing headaches for opponents when defending, with a plus/minus of +24 being the highest in the game, fully demonstrating his all-round skills.
The frustration and anger of the fans spread quickly on social media. "Regular season MVP, that's it?" , "The most water MVP" voices are endless, and even directly pointed out: "You have a 29-point and 9-board counterpoint, and a 19-point and 9-board position, and you were directly abused by Fu Hao and Zhang Zhenlin." The remarks, while poignant, also reflect the high hopes that fans have for Abdu and the sense of frustration that they have not been able to live up to those expectations.
In the face of such criticism, we have to reflect on the fact that basketball is a team sport, and although individual performance is important, victory often requires the efforts of the whole team. Abdul Salamu's performance in the regular season has won the MVP honor, proving his quality, but in the more competitive playoffs, especially on the Finals stage, the opponent's defense and his own form adjustment are crucial. Perhaps, this defeat is not only a question of Abudu's personal ability, but also a test of how to maintain his form and mentality in a higher-intensity game.
"Don't pretend to work hard, because the results don't lie", this sentence is not only a spur to Abudu, but also a reminder to all athletes.