Shandong edges Qingdao by one point to book the last berth in 2016-2017 Chinese Basketball Association league playoffs on Sunday, while Beijing lost to Sichuan and dropped out.
The only chance for Shandong to reach the playoffs is to beat Qingdao and to count on Sichuan's victory over Beijing. But their eagerness for win led them only to too much turnovers while Qingdao, who already missed the playoffs, had a better performance in the first half and led by five points at the halftime.
Ding Yanyuhang's and-one play with ten seconds to the end of the match helped Shandong coming from behind to take a one-point lead. Qingdao missed their last shot, lost at 111-112 and could only saw their Shandong-derby rival celebrating for making into the top eight. Shandong will play against Xinjiang in the first round, which starts on Feb. 24th, Friday.
Beijing, who won three CBA titles in four seasons from 2011 to 2015, trailed by ten to defending champion Sichuan after the first half. But Beijing didn't give up and made in six consecutive three-pointers in the last minutes to tie the score at 113-113. But a simple turnover in defence just sent Sichuan's Wang Ruheng to the free-throw line and cost Beijing's ticket to playoffs. Wang Ruheng made in one of the two free-throws to secure Sichuan's 114-113 win over Beijing. Sichuan will play against Guangdong in the quarterfinals of the playoffs.
Beijing's veteran player Stephon Marbury finished with a team-high 28 points but only witnessed his team saying goodbye to the playoffs. The loss also spoiled his 40th birthday on Monday. Tonight's match is quite possibly the last match of his career.
Shanghai lost to Guangsha at 132-135 after two overtimes. Jimmer Fredette made in ten three-pointers and was 13-of-13 in the free-throw line but still unable to stop Shanghai from slipping to the third place. He finished with a match-high 73 points and Shanghai will meet Shenzhen on Friday.
The other quarterfinals will be played between Guangsha and Liaoning, who beat Zhejiang 155-95.
In Sunday's other matches, Xinjiang beat Tianjin 123-83 to secure the top place of the regular season but the victory was shadowed by Li Gen's injury. Shanxi beat Bayi 99-92, Guangdong defeated Guangzhou at 117-96, Jiangsu lost to Shenzhen 93-97, Jilin beat Tongxi 106-89, Fujian beat Aolong 124-118.
