The Shanghai Sharks now know their CBA semifinal opponent after a hard-fought battle.
On Wednesday night, the Beijing Ducks defeated the Guangdong Southern Tigers 88-73 in Game 3 of the best-of-three quarterfinal series, winning 2-1 to advance to the semifinals. They will now face the Shanghai Sharks for a spot in the CBA Finals.
During the regular season, the Sharks swept the Ducks in their two matchups. Let’s take a closer look at those meetings.
On January 20, the Sharks dominated the Ducks 86-67 at home. Beijing was shorthanded, missing key players Zhou Qi, Zhao Rui, Zeng Fanbo, and import Omari Spellman due to injuries. Despite a competitive first half, the Ducks eventually crumbled. Shanghai’s Hassan Whiteside had a breakout performance, scoring 16 points in a season-high 20 minutes of play, cementing his role as a key contributor to the team’s top regular-season finish.
In their second meeting on April 12, the Sharks traveled to Beijing without injured imports Kenneth Lofton and Whiteside, relying on an undersized lineup. The Ducks, still missing Zhao Rui and Zeng Fanbo but bolstered by new NBA-level import JaVale McGee, were on a four-game winning streak and favored to halt Shanghai’s 18-game run. However, veteran import Kyle Fogg erupted for 36 points, and captain Wang Zhelin posted a 24-point, 17-rebound double-double to lead the Sharks to an 88-83 victory, securing the regular-season title four games early.
The last playoff meeting between these two teams came in the 2023-24 season’s first round. Fans remember the fiery Game 3 when a late-game altercation erupted. Dai Hao, defending teammate Liu Zheng, clashed with Beijing’s Fang Shuo, who was caught on camera making a “choking” gesture. Fang received a technical foul and a disqualifying foul, while four Beijing bench players were ejected for entering the court illegally. Dai Hao received a disqualifying foul, and the league handed suspensions to all six involved players.
Both teams have strengthened their rosters in recent seasons, each eyeing the championship. Now they meet again in the playoffs—what sparks will fly this time?
A key matchup fans anticipate is between JaVale McGee and Hassan Whiteside, two NBA veterans now battling in the CBA. McGee, 38, and Whiteside, 36, bring elite rim protection and finishing ability. In the regular season, Whiteside averaged 14.8 minutes, 11 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks, earning the Defensive Player of the Year award. McGee averaged 14.9 minutes, 12.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 0.7 blocks. While their stats are similar, Whiteside excels in rebounding and shot-blocking, scoring efficiently on putbacks and lobs. McGee has better ball-handling but struggles with turnovers (2.2 per game) and inefficient isolation scoring. In the playoffs, both will need to focus on their strengths: rolling to the rim, protecting the glass, and avoiding unnecessary heroics.
Beyond the center duel, the Chinese players will also shine. Wang Zhelin and Zhou Qi will battle for domestic big-man supremacy, while Zhang Zhenlin and Zeng Fanbo represent the future of Chinese forward play. All eyes will be on their clash this Friday.
Twenty-four years ago, the Sharks, led by Yao Ming, reached the CBA Finals for the first time and won the championship. Now, the “Big Shark” is closer than ever to returning to the Finals.
Can Shanghai finally “shark” their way to the top this time?
