With just hours to go before the pivotal Game 3 of the CBA playoffs between Beijing and Guangdong, fan chatter has already reached a fever pitch online. Some are showing off newly purchased tickets, while others debate whether Beijing’s twin towers can once again overwhelm Guangdong’s interior.
In Game 2, Beijing dominated from the opening tip. Spellman went 9-of-7 from the field, finishing with 21 points and 9 rebounds. Zhou Qi and McGee combined for 21 points and 16 rebounds, exposing Guangdong’s inability to contain them. On the other side, Hu Mingxuan bounced back with 23 points, but Xu Jie struggled mightily, going 0-for-7 from the field and 0-for-4 from three-point range. Xu’s passing lanes were consistently disrupted, resulting in multiple turnovers. A controversial moment came late in the game when Zeng Fanbo was elbowed in the back of the head by Guangdong’s import guard Quinn while defending, yet no foul was called—a call that sparked heated debate after the match.
Beijing’s twin-tower strategy has proven effective. The team has won nearly 70% of its home games this season (15-6), and historically, home teams in the CBA playoffs enjoy about a 60% win rate, boosted by crowd energy and improved free-throw accuracy. Beijing finished the regular season ranked 4th, earning a direct quarterfinal berth, while Guangdong entered as the 5th seed after winning the play-in round. This year’s best-of-three format makes Game 3 all the more decisive—the winner takes a commanding lead in the series.
Defensively, Guangdong’s interior duo of Sullinger and Rakisevic was completely neutralized in Game 2, unable to score efficiently or protect the paint. Du Feng adjusted by deploying multiple ball handlers, which helped create offense, but the frontcourt gap remains glaring. The physicality and history between these two storied franchises make every possession high-stakes. Last season’s regular-season matchup nearly sparked a brawl, leading to technical fouls and ejections. The league has since emphasized proper conduct, but tensions are expected to run high.
Social media polls show 62% of fans favoring Beijing, while
