Guangdong suffered a crushing 73-88 defeat to Beijing in Game 3 of their CBA quarterfinal series, with point guard Xu Jie shouldering much of the blame for the loss. The result saw Guangdong eliminated from the playoffs with a 1-2 series deficit, while Beijing advanced to the semifinals to face Shanghai.
The game started promisingly for Guangdong, who led 21-15 after the first quarter. However, Beijing turned the tide in the second period, outscoring their opponents to take a 40-35 halftime lead. The third quarter saw Beijing extend their advantage to double digits, and despite Guangdong’s efforts, they never recovered.
Xu Jie’s performance was the key factor in Guangdong’s downfall. The guard played 16 minutes and 55 seconds but failed to score a single point, missing all three of his field goal attempts. He committed two fouls within the first three minutes of the game, forcing head coach Du Feng to bench him early. When Xu returned in the second quarter, he looked lost on both ends of the floor, offering nothing on offense or defense. His plus-minus of -10 highlighted his negative impact.
Du Feng had no choice but to keep Xu on the bench for most of the game, only bringing him back in the final minute when the outcome was already decided. “If Xu had played better, Guangdong might not have lost,” analysts noted. As a key scorer and playmaker, Xu’s poor outing proved costly for the 11-time CBA champions.
Beijing will now face Shanghai in the semifinals, with a chance to reach the finals. For Guangdong, the offseason begins earlier than expected, with Xu’s inconsistency a major concern moving forward.
