The 30th regular season of the CBA has concluded with dramatic final standings and an electrifying playoffs bracket set to kick off this Friday. Fans can look forward to high-stakes matchups as the league gears up for a thrilling postseason.
Guangsha dominated the season by clinching first place with a five-game lead over Shanxi, demonstrating consistency and excellence on the court. In a fiercely competitive race, Beijing, Liaoning, Xinjiang, and Shandong all ended the season with identical 32-14 records, their rankings determined through tight tiebreakers.
Meanwhile, Guangdong edged out Qingdao for seventh place thanks to a superior head-to-head record, followed by Zhejiang, Shanghai, Beikong, and Nanjing rounding out the final standings.
In the playoffs, top-seeded Guangsha will await the winner of the opening round duel between Qingdao and Zhejiang, aiming to build on their season-long momentum. Three-time defending champions Liaoning are set to face either last year's runners-up Xinjiang or debutants Nanjing. On the opposite side of the bracket, second-seeded Shanxi will compete against the winner emerging from a hard-fought contest between Guangdong and Shanghai, while Beijing braces for a challenging matchup against either Shandong or Beikong.
With the opening round featuring four best-of-three series, this postseason promises edge-of-your-seat encounters that blend seasoned prowess with emerging talent. The dynamic slate of matchups highlights a milestone season for the CBA, offering young global citizens, sports enthusiasts, and digital nomads an exciting glimpse into the evolving world of Chinese basketball.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
