In a thrilling night of basketball, the Guangzhou Loong Lions outclassed the Guangdong Southern Tigers with a decisive 93-76 victory, while the Liaoning Flying Leopards overcame the Shandong Heroes 77-67, both advancing in the best-of-three first round of the CBA playoffs.

Xu Jie led the charge for Guangdong, notching 19 points, supported by Trevelin Queen's double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds. However, a sluggish first half saw the Southern Tigers trailing 42-37 at the intermission, and they entered the fourth quarter down by eight points.  

On the opposing side, Guangzhou's Lindell Wigginton poured in 19 points along with nine rebounds and nine assists, while Deonte Burton added 15 points. Xu Xin made his presence felt with a double-double of 13 points, 11 rebounds, and three blocks, contributing to a decisive 21-point lead in the final quarter that effectively sealed the fate of the Tigers.

Meanwhile, Shandong's DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell lit up the scoreboard with a game-high 19 points, while Marquese Chriss also showcased his value with a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds. Yet, a 49-35 halftime deficit proved insurmountable for the Heroes.

Liaoning's Fu Hao led his team with 16 points, while Zhao Jiwei facilitated the offense with 14 points and seven assists. Eric Moreland rounded out the effort with 12 points and 14 rebounds, and Yan Shouqi's clutch performance, scoring eight points in the final quarter, helped secure the victory.