First, a difficult decisive battle
The second battle of the 2024 CBA Finals is in full swing. On the home court of the Liaoning men's basketball team, they defeated the Xinjiang men's basketball team 97-86 to extend the score to 2-0. This victory undoubtedly brought great jubilation to Liaoning fans, but it also exposed some hidden worries within the team.
Guo Allen, the core player sitting in the backcourt, was unable to play due to injury, which was like a heavy boulder pressing on the heart of the Liaoning men's basketball team. Guo Allen, who is 1.90 meters tall, is known as "Asia's No. 1 point guard", and his breakthrough, passing and scoring ability is an integral part of the team. However, at this moment, he is unable to play for the team, which injects a great deal of uncertainty into the whole team.
Although he won two consecutive victories in the finals, Guo Allen's absence could not be concealed. The guard line, which was supposed to be led by Guo Allen, is now all pressed on Zhao Jiwei and foreign aid Fogg. Zhao Jiwei's responsibilities as a tactical core and offensive commander are even greater, and his playing time has been climbing, from the beginning of the playoffs to more than 30 minutes and eventually more than 45 minutes, which undoubtedly increases his injury risk and makes people worry about his physical condition.
Second, the tough inner line pillar
In the absence of Guo Allen, fortunately, Zhao Jiwei and Fogg still played well and led the Liaoning men's basketball team to two consecutive victories in the finals, reflecting their strength and determination.
Fogg repeatedly stepped forward at critical moments, and his wonderful cooperation not only curbed the opponent's counterattack, but also made people see the hope of the Liaoning men's basketball team to win the championship. His performance made people forget about the absence of Allen Guo for a while.
Zhao Jiwei was sick and had a high fever during the regular season, vomiting and diarrhea, but he still insisted on playing with illness and supported the future of Liao Basket with Zhang Zhenlin. This spirit of perseverance is admirable.
In contrast, Allen Guo's performance disappointed many fans. In the interview, Guo Allen admitted that "I really can't play this season", he tried to play, but his physical condition did not meet the requirements. This is in stark contrast to the attitude of Zhao Jiwei and others who do their best.
In particular, the chat between Guo Allen and Han Dejun was exposed, in which Han bluntly said that his body was getting worse, but he still tried his best in the playoffs, which highlighted Guo Allen's retreat.
3. The burden on Yang Ming
Guo Allen's absence also prevented him from providing more tactical options for team coach Yang Ming. In the semifinals of Liaoyue, Yang Ming euphemistically expressed his hope that Guo Allen could come back to contribute to the team, but unfortunately this wish was not realized.
As the first foreign coach in the history of the CBA to lead the team to win the championship, Yang Ming's talent and tactical level in leading the team are obvious to all. However, the lack of help from core point guard Guo Allen at critical moments undoubtedly brought more pressure to Yang Ming.
In the absence of Allen Guo, Zhao Jiwei and Ferg need to take on more responsibility, which also increases their injury risk. If they have a situation, Yang Ming will face an even more serious situation.
In addition, Guo Allen's absence also made the young players of the Liaoning men's basketball team, such as Zhang Junhao, have to take on heavier tasks in advance. This is undoubtedly a huge test for them. As the future of the team, they must adapt to their new role as quickly as possible, realise their potential and breathe new energy into the team.
Fourth, the question of the maximum salary contract
Guo Allen's decision to withdraw from the game also aroused strong dissatisfaction among Liaoning fans. As a top-paid player, he was unable to play for the team at this time, raising questions about his professionalism and loyalty to the team.
You must know that in the regular season, Zhao Jiwei and other players insisted on playing even if they were sick, and Guo Allen decided to retire, which is undoubtedly disappointing. This gap has undoubtedly sparked discontent among fans, who believe that Guo Allen has failed the expectations of the team and fans.
In addition, Allen Guo's Class D max contract will officially expire at the end of this season. Considering his competitive performance and physical condition this season, it is difficult for the Liaoning men's basketball team to give him a contract extension with a maximum salary. This means that Guo Allen may leave the Liaoning men's basketball team and join other teams.
For the Liaoning men's basketball team, this is undoubtedly a huge blow. Guo Allen's departure may become a turning point in the reconstruction of the team's tactical system. Young players such as Zhang Junhao may have to take on heavier tasks.
5. Challenges and opportunities for the future
Judging from the past, Guo Allen's technical ability and leadership are difficult for the team to replace. Therefore, the Liaoning men's basketball team must prepare in advance, find a suitable replacement, or adjust the tactical system to adapt to the situation without Guo Allen.
This is undoubtedly a difficult task. Finding a point guard player of the same caliber is not an easy task, and reshaping the system also requires a lot of time and effort. But the Liaoning men's basketball team must rise to the challenge to ensure competitiveness in the future.
At the same time, it is also a rare opportunity. Young players such as Zhang Junhao have the opportunity to stand out and show their talents on a bigger stage. The Liaoning men's basketball team can use this to cultivate a new generation of core players and inject new vitality into the future CBA arena.
6. Key measures to revitalize the team
In order to cope with Guo Allen's absence, the Liaoning men's basketball team must take targeted measures to revitalize the team's competitiveness from multiple aspects.
Adjust the tactical system
In the absence of Guo Allen, the Liaoning men's basketball team must reorganize its tactical system. On the one hand, they need to adjust their offensive model to reduce the burden on Zhao Jiwei and Fogg and increase the involvement of other players. This may require a redistribution of responsibilities to bring out more players' potential.
On the other hand, on the defensive end, Liaoning needs to strengthen overall coordination. With the loss of a player as good as Guo Allen, they must strengthen their auxiliary defense, improve their collective understanding, and make up for the lack of core players.
This requires a high degree of coordination between the coaching staff and the players, as well as in-depth study and adjustment of the tactical system. But it also brings new development opportunities for the team, so that the team's dependency is not too concentrated.
Cultivating a young core
As mentioned earlier, the departure of Guo Allen has forced young players, such as Zhang Junhao, to take on heavier tasks in advance. This is undoubtedly a huge challenge, but it is also a rare opportunity.
The Liaoning men's basketball team should make full use of this opportunity to train these young players and let them grow into the new backbone of the team as soon as possible. From tactical arrangement to daily training, it is necessary to provide targeted guidance according to their characteristics to help them adapt to their new roles as soon as possible.
Only by cultivating new core players can the future competitiveness of the Liaoning men's basketball team be guaranteed. This requires a high level of attention from the coaching staff and management, and a well-thought-out development plan to inject lasting momentum into the team.
Bring in appropriate foreign aid
In addition to cultivating young players, the Liaoning men's basketball team also needs to introduce suitable foreign aid to make up for Guo Allen's shortcomings.
On the one hand, they need to look for a great point guard player with strong playmaking skills and excellent technical skills to dictate the offensive tempo in key moments. This will greatly relieve the pressure on Zhao Jiwei and allow the team to regain its rhythm.
On the other hand, Liaoning also needs to bring in some experienced foreign players, who can play a stable role and lead the development of young players. This combination of old, middle and young can not only consolidate the competitiveness of the team, but also help cultivate the core of the future.
Management needs to be careful in the selection of foreign players to ensure that they can both provide immediate help to the team and play a role in the long-term development. This requires a high level of discernment and decisive decision-making.
Strengthen the physical training of players
Guo Allen's retirement also reflects the team's problems in physical management. Judging from the condition of players such as Zhao Jiwei, excessive playing time and load undoubtedly increase the risk of injury.
Therefore, the Liaoning men's basketball team must strengthen the physical training of the players and improve their endurance and ability to withstand pressure. This not only maximizes injury prevention, but also helps players to stay in top shape when it matters most.
In addition to professional physical guidance, the team should also strengthen rest and maintenance, and formulate a reasonable rotation plan according to the specific situation of each player. Only by ensuring the physical condition of the players can the team remain competitive in the fierce playoff competition.
Enhance team cohesion
In the face of such a big change, the Liaoning men's basketball team also needs to enhance the cohesion of the team, so that the coaches and players can work together to deal with the challenges.
First of all, the management should strengthen communication with the players, fully listen to their demands and ideas, and make the players feel valued and trusted. Not only does this boost their morale, but it also helps build consensus and injects positive energy into the team.
Secondly, the coaching staff should strengthen targeted psychological counseling to help players adjust their mentality and maintain a positive and optimistic state. When faced with stress and challenges, it is crucial to learn to deal with them properly, which requires professional guidance.
Finally, the team also organizes some team building activities to enhance the understanding and tacit understanding between the players. This not only helps to ease tensions, but also promotes synergy between players and energizes the team.
Only by uniting the top and bottom can the Liaoning men's basketball team achieve the final victory in this difficult decisive battle.
VII. Conclusion
Guo Allen's retirement dilemma has undoubtedly brought a heavy burden to the Liaoning men's basketball team. But it's also an opportunity not to be missed to reinvent ourselves for an even brighter future.
As long as the management and players can work together and make full use of this opportunity, I believe that Liao Basket will be able to live up to expectations in this difficult decisive battle to lift the championship trophy.
At that time, fans will cheer for this passionate and determined Liaoning men's basketball team, and believe that they will write a new chapter and continue to write the glory of the CBA.