The Fujian Sturgeons swept past the Beikong Fly Dragons 91-75 for their fourth straight victory on Tuesday.

The game once again showcased the attendance boost the Fly Dragons received after signing stars like Stephon Marbury and Shavlik Randolph over the summer. But the hosts would not be able to remain undefeated in the capital, as Sturgeons point guard Russ Smith continued to shine, in his first year in the CBA.

New line-up, new aspirations, and lots of new supporters, as the Beikong Fly Dragons try to complete a transition from lightly regarded strugglers, to championship contenders, in the Chinese Basketball Association.

After an almost all-encompassing off-season overhaul, Beikong has become one of the CBA's most improved teams. The uptick is drawing more fans than ever to the Chinese capital's Olympic Sports Center, many making the trip right after knocking off work on the frigid Tuesday evening.

But in their eighth contest of the campaign against a fellow squad on the rise Fujian, the hosts would fall behind early, make a run to briefly grab the lead, and then slip back for good, as the Sturgeons ride an infusion of instant offense from floor general Russ Smith, who poured it on with a game-high 42 points, the type of performance his fellow American import has quickly become accustomed to seeing.

"I think in the first four games, you know, within three minutes we were either tied or we were winning, and then in the last three minutes we had bad execution in certain situations, so you know, so he's learning how to play in the CBA, and learning to adjust with it, and I think these last four games just kind of shows like towards his character, you know. He's starting to understand and he's very receptive, you know. He soaks everything in. He takes everything," says Mike Harris, Fujian forward.

Fujian began the season with four straight losses, but has now won four in a row after dispatching Beikong, even with former Memphis Grizzlies draft pick Wang Zhelin unavailable due to an injury. Smith, Mike Harris, and Zhao Tailong's ability to pick up the slack, leaves the Fly Dragons searching for a sustainable on-court approach to keep the crowd behind them, and most importantly, start stringing together some victories.

Zaid Abbas, Beikong forward says, "I think we came a little bit relaxed today, that for sure we're gonna win or something like that, but they came and they hit us like strong in the beginning, and we lost confidence, so I hope this will not happen again."

Zaid Abbas, Stephon Marbury, and the rest of the Beikong Fly Dragons now have nearly two weeks to shake off this 91-75 drubbing, their first home defeat of the campaign, as the league takes a break to allow China's Red National Team to represent the country in the run-up to the 2019 FIBA World Cup. In the meantime, the Sturgeons will remain in the capital and attempt to extend their streak, while wrapping up what's roughly the first quarter of their schedule against the Ducks on Friday.