by Sportswriters Li Bowen, Xia Liang
HANGZHOU, China, May 8 (Xinhua) -- The Beijing Ducks drew first blood in the CBA Finals on Wednesday, securing a crucial away victory over the Zhejiang Lions in Game 1 to take a 1-0 series lead.
Beijing's well-rounded team performance and targeted defensive strategy were key, while Zhejiang now faces significant pressure to make adjustments after shortcomings were exposed in the opener.
In Game 1, Beijing's backcourt duo of Chen Yingjun and Eugene German delivered "import-level" performances.
"We completely failed to contain Beijing's two key players, Chen Yingjun and Eugene German today," Wang Bo, Zhejiang's head coach, admitted after the game. "Our offense and defense both had issues. Beijing hit 13 three-pointers as a team, and those two alone accounted for 10 of them. Their efficiency was sky-high, which shows we didn't apply enough defensive pressure."
Chen was highly efficient, scoring 23 points on 6-of-13 shooting from three-point range, hitting several critical shots when Zhejiang attempted to rally. German contributed a comprehensive 24 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists, effectively sealing the victory with consecutive three-pointers late in the fourth quarter that stretched the lead to 16 points. Their combined 9 assists also activated inside players like Zhou Qi and Fan Ziming.
Defensively, Beijing executed its game plan well. German's tight defense on Zhejiang's star guard Sun Minghui limited him to just 5 points on a dismal 2-of-15 shooting (0-for-9 from three-point range). Beijing also dominated the boards, outrebounding Zhejiang 46-39, including 20 offensive rebounds.
Wang highlighted Beijing's 20 offensive rebounds as a backbreaker. "Twenty extra possessions-that's essentially 20 additional scoring chances we handed them. You can't win playoff games like that," he said.
Zhejiang's Game 1 loss highlighted three pressing issues. Firstly, its core backcourt of Sun Minghui and foreign guard Barry Brown faltered, combining for just 3-of-19 from beyond the arc. Secondly, an ankle injury to starting forward Zhu Junlong in the second quarter visibly limited his mobility. This significantly weakened Zhejiang's wing defense, allowing Beijing to capitalize with a 31-21 scoring run in that period. Lastly, Zhejiang's tactical execution appeared rigid. Its defense over-collapsed against Beijing's high pick-and-roll, repeatedly leaving cutters open.
"Beijing moved the ball far better than we did," Wang observed. "They created many open looks through their spacing and passing, while we abandoned our system. Once we took an early lead, everyone started forcing individual shots instead of sharing the ball. That's why we trailed in assists, rebounds, and three-point percentage."
For Zhejiang to turn the series around, effective adjustments in Game 2 are imperative. Sun Minghui needs to reduce his inefficient three-point attempts (currently shooting 25.9% from three in the playoffs) and return to his strength of penetrating and distributing. Brown must also increase his aggression in attacking the basket to draw fouls and challenge Beijing's zone defense. Defensively, Zhejiang needs to improve its containment of Chen Yingjun's off-ball movement.
Continuing its dominance in the paint through Zhou Qi's rim protection and Fan Ziming's offensive rebounding will be vital for Beijing. Nuni Omot (2-for-4 from three in G1) and Lei Meng need to maintain their accuracy to create space for the team's primary playmakers.
Despite Beijing's initial victory, the series is far from decided. Sun Minghui's proven capability for explosive performances remains a significant X-factor for Zhejiang. Beijing's Game 1 road victory undoubtedly provides a psychological edge. However, Zhejiang, with an opportunity to adjust on its home court, still has a strong chance to fight back.
The upcoming Game 2 on Friday is poised to be a watershed moment in the series. Whether Zhejiang can mount a comeback or Beijing's teamwork and defensive tenacity will allow it to extend its lead, remains to be seen. ■