The Guangsha Lions and Shanxi faced off in Game 2 of the CBA playoffs on May 10, 2026. Guangsha controlled the game for most of the night, holding their lead until the final buzzer for a hard-fought 86-81 victory.
The return to form of two key players proved vital. Hu Jinqiu, who struggled offensively in the previous game, dominated in three quarters, despite a dip in the third. His fourth-quarter offensive rebounds were crucial in preserving the lead, finishing with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Zhao Jiaren also stepped up, hitting 3 of 6 three-pointers for 11 points after a poor shooting performance in Game 1, providing a reliable scoring option from the perimeter.
Zhu Junlong emerged as a pleasant surprise. He nailed a clutch three-pointer down the stretch and finished with 10 points on 5-of-9 shooting from beyond the arc. His defensive contributions were also instrumental in the win.
However, the struggles of Brown and Tacker were concerning. Brown shot just 3-of-15 from the field, though he managed 19 points from free throws. Tacker also had an off night, hitting 3-of-11 shots and finishing with 12 points, again relying on free throws. Their prolonged inefficiency is a worrying sign for Guangsha.
For Shanxi, the poor performances of Night and Nicks were costly. Both were inefficient on offense and ineffective in playmaking, making it difficult for the team to generate consistent scoring.
Coach Pan Jiang’s rotation decisions drew heavy criticism. He continued to give significant minutes to Night and Nicks despite their struggles, even as Night showed clear signs of fatigue after 18 minutes on the court. Additionally, Liu Chuanxing was left on the bench despite good form, while Ge Zhaobao’s minutes led to a collapse in the interior defense. These choices have sparked widespread debate over Pan Jiang’s coaching decisions.
