Shanghai Sharks rout Shenzhen Leopards 102-68 as Russell scores 21

Defending CBA champions Shanghai Sharks opened the 2026-27 regular season with a commanding 102-68 victory over the Shenzhen Leopards on Friday. Former NBA All-Star D'Angelo Russell scored 21 points in his league debut.

Brandon Goodwin led Shanghai with a game-high 22 points, six rebounds and nine assists, while Russell added four rebounds and five assists. Zhang Zhenlin contributed 16 points and six rebounds, and Wang Zhelin recorded a double-double of 14 points and 18 rebounds.

Shenzhen made the stronger start, taking a 19-16 lead after the first quarter as Shanghai struggled to establish their offensive rhythm.

The defending champions responded strongly in the second period, outscoring the visitors 29-13 to take a 45-32 advantage at halftime. Shanghai maintained control after the break, adding 30 points in the third quarter before completing a 34-point victory.

30-year-old Russell, who joined Shanghai after 11 seasons in the NBA, acknowledged that he was still adjusting to competitive basketball following a lengthy absence.

"I haven't played for about nine months, so it takes some time to get back into game rhythm," Russell told reporters after the victory.

The well-travelled guard who most recently represented the Dallas Mavericks prior to arriving in China also admitted that he had been too aggressive early in the contest and needed to remain patient as he worked his way back into form.

Despite finishing as Shanghai's second-leading scorer, Russell struggled with his shooting efficiency, making just seven of his 23 field-goal attempts and three of 12 from beyond the arc.

Russell nevertheless expressed confidence in his new team, praising the preparation that went into the season opener and the progress the players had made together.

He also emphasized the importance of maintaining the standards that helped Shanghai win last season's championship, saying the team wanted to carry that momentum into the new campaign.

Shanghai's dominance was particularly evident in rebounding, with the hosts holding a 60-34 advantage on the boards. Wang's 18 rebounds took his career total to 5,513, moving him into third place on the CBA's all-time list.

Terquavion Smith led Shenzhen with 18 points, while He Xining added 16 and Markell Johnson finished with 14.

Shanghai will visit the Beijing Royal Fighters on October 19, while Shenzhen will look to bounce back against the Jiangsu Dragons on the same day.