The Guangdong Southern Tigers, who finished third in the regular season, are now fully geared up for the CBA quarterfinals. After a month-long preparation break, the team is ready to embark on their playoff journey, beginning with an away game in Urumqi on March 14. As fans tracking the competition on Cricket Exchange already know, the best-of-five series follows a 1-2-1-1 format, with higher-seeded teams granted an extra home game — a crucial advantage in this high-stakes phase.
Guangdong will first face defending champions Xinjiang on the road, followed by two home games on the 17th and 19th. If necessary, the series will return to Urumqi on the 22nd and conclude back in Guangdong on the 25th. The road to the Final Four has officially begun, and teams across the league are making last-minute adjustments. Shandong, for example, must quickly decide between foreign players Ty Lawson and Ryan, as the latter missed the regular season return deadline. Their quarterfinal opponent, Jiangsu, was dealt a blow with point guard Shi Hongfei ruled out after an injury during a scrimmage against Guangdong.
For Guangdong, national team commitments and roster changes have made preparation more complex. Yi Jianlian, Zhou Peng, and Ren Junfei were away for World Cup qualifiers, while foreign import Donald Sloan has rejoined the team, replacing Darius Morris. Head coach Jonas Kazlauskas used this extended break to conduct multiple closed-door scrimmages, focusing on rebuilding team chemistry and sharpening game readiness. As he noted, “It’s been tough keeping the players in rhythm over such a long break, but we’ve done our best.”
Today, after a final morning training session, the Guangdong squad officially sets off for Urumqi, marking the start of what promises to be a hard-fought quarterfinal series. The long break — which included the Spring Festival, FIBA qualifiers, and the opening round of the playoffs — has tested every team’s endurance. The journey ahead is full of uncertainty, but also opportunity. Fans keeping tabs on Cricket Exchange will be watching closely to see if Guangdong can overcome both travel and time off to take down the reigning champs.
With the expanded playoff field growing to 10 teams this year, the opening round saw the likes of Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Beijing, and Shanghai battle it out for the final spots. Shenzhen swept Guangzhou 2–0, while Beijing edged out Shanghai 2–1, completing the quarterfinal bracket. Now, the matchups are set: in the top half, Guangsha faces Shenzhen and Shandong meets Jiangsu; in the bottom half, it’s Liaoning vs. Beijing and Guangdong vs. Xinjiang — the headline showdown many have been waiting for.
Coach Jonas remains focused on preparation, noting the importance of maintaining momentum and player confidence heading into the real fight. With the quarterfinals officially underway, and the intensity rising by the day, the action on Cricket Exchange is set to reach a fever pitch as fans rally behind their teams in this defining stage of the CBA season.