In Game 2 of the CBA playoff quarterfinals, the Shenzhen team secured a hard-fought 95-91 victory over Zhejiang on the road, clinching a spot in the semifinals. The win came after Shenzhen had already taken a 13-point lead in the first game of the series.
The opening quarter saw Wang Haoran knock down a mid-range jumper, while He Xining grabbed a rebound and finished a fast-break layup against Johnson. Johnson responded with free throws and a field goal, but Wang Haoran answered with a basket and a three-pointer in rapid succession. Cheng Shuaipeng hit a three for Zhejiang, and Lu Pengyu converted an offensive rebound into an and-one before scoring quickly again. Lu Wenbo left the game with a possible leg injury, making way for Wu Qian, who had not played in the previous game. Christopher hit a three for Shenzhen, but Alize struggled with turnovers and missed shots. Li Yuezhou closed the quarter with a buzzer-beating and-one, showing no fear as a rookie. The first quarter ended in a 20-20 tie.
In the second quarter, Wang Haoran continued to score from the line and the field. The Zhejiang bench grew heated, shouting at the officials and earning a technical foul. Zhejiang went scoreless for over two minutes, prompting a timeout. Wang Haoran added a fast-break layup, sparking an 8-0 run. Li Yuezhou stabilized Zhejiang with a strong drive to the basket. Andrew and Cheng Shuaipeng both fell to the floor, but the referees let play continue. After review, Li Muhao was called for an unsportsmanlike foul, and Andrew also received a technical. The call sparked debate, as the unsportsmanlike foul appeared to occur before Shenzhen’s transition basket. Li Yuezhou hit a fadeaway and then a three, emerging as a go-to option. Smith answered with a three of his own, and Cheng Shuaipeng and Johnson helped Zhejiang cut the deficit. Li Yuezhou assisted Lu Wenbo on a buzzer-beating triple. Zhejiang trailed 48-42 at halftime.
Cheng Shuaipeng, Li Yuezhou, and Johnson each had 10 points, while Wang Haoran led all scorers with 13.
After the break, Li Muhao scored in transition, and He Xining drained a three. Zhejiang again went scoreless for two-plus minutes as Shenzhen opened with a 7-0 run. Lu Pengyu stole the ball and scored an easy layup, reaching double figures as a key role player. He Xining and Lu Wenbo had a heated exchange on defense. Lu Pengyu was called for an unsportsmanlike foul on a pull. Landoff then caught fire, hitting consecutive shots and a three to force a Shenzhen timeout. Shenzhen led by nine entering the fourth quarter.
In the final period, both teams went small, with Zhou Peng making his first appearance. Smith grabbed his own miss and scored, while Landoff finished in transition. He Xining nearly shook Wang Zilu off his feet before hitting a three, then added another from deep. Jones responded with a three, but He Xining was called for an unsportsmanlike foul after a turnover. Shenzhen argued for an eight-second violation, but the referees ignored the plea. He Xining hit another three, putting the game out of reach. Cheng Shuaipeng answered with a triple, cutting the deficit to single digits. He Xining then nailed a fourth three-pointer in the quarter, effectively sealing the win. However, he later committed a traveling violation on an open fast break. Wang Haoran drove to the basket to put the game on ice.
He Xining committed a turnover on an inbounds pass and later fouled out, showing room for improvement. Li Yuezhou hit another three, playing with confidence. Shenzhen grew complacent late, nearly letting Zhejiang back into the game.
Final score: Zhejiang 91, Shenzhen 95.
Zhejiang: Lu Wenbo 3 points, Wang Zilu 5 rebounds, Cheng Shuaipeng 25 points (12-of-31 from three, 3-of-12) and 3 rebounds, Johnson 12 points and 6 rebounds, Andrew 9 points and 5 assists, Li Yuezhou 15 points and 4 assists (an impressive performance for a rookie), Liu Zeyi 5 points and 7 rebounds, Jones 11 points and 5 rebounds, Landoff 11 points and 3 rebounds, Wu Qian 1 rebound and 1 assist.
Shenzhen: He Xining 23 points (5-of-8 from three), 5 rebounds, and 2 assists; Lu Pengyu 13 points and 3 steals (a game-changing role player); Wang Haoran 19 points and 2 rebounds; Smith 14 points (1-of-6 from three), 12 rebounds, 13 assists, and 6 turnovers; Ba Ji 1 assist and 1 block; Li Muhao 6 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 steals; Zhou Peng 2 rebounds; Rong Zifeng 1 rebound; Christopher 8 points; Alize 12 points, 12 rebounds, and 5 assists.
