Chinese Basketball Association season pitted the Beijing Ducks against the unbeaten Guangdong Southern Tigers. The Ducks, shorthanded for this one as their star point guard Stephon Marbury was sidelined due to a knee injury.
So, it would be up to the rest of the flock to chip in in his absence if they were going to hand the defending champion Southern Tigers their first loss of the new season.
Marbury was on hand to lend support ahead of his medical trip to the States to get his knee looked at.
Guangdong’s Yi Jianlian took charge in the first. The drive from Khalif Wyatt sets up the Chinese big man for th dunk.
Later in the opener, Yi with the steal off Randolph Morris and he goes in for another big throwdown. He had 15 points and 10 rebounds for Guangdong.
Beijng struck back in the second quarter, with some above the rim play of their own. Sun Yue getting it done for the Ducks.
And Morris' cram helped Beijing take a 43-40 lead after the first half.
Guangdong took control in the third thanks to their outside game but Morris would help Beijing stay close, getting the and-one.
Then, some spectacluar hustle by Morris sets up Sun Yue for the dunk. Beijing tied the score 77-77 with 7 minuts to go. Morris had a game-high 34 points to go along with 16 rebounds.
But late, Morris would fail to convert from the free throw line with 1.3 seconds on the clock. He had to hit both to tie it up, but after missing the first. He would have to miss the second on purpose and hope to grab the rebound. But Guangdong’s Zhu Fangyu got the key board as the Southern Tigers pick up the 94-92 road win and are now a perfect 8-0 on the new season.