Defending champions Xinjiang start season with tough win

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The 2017-2018 CBA season started on Saturday night with defending champions, the Xinjiang Flying Tigers’ 106-95 victory over the Jilin Northeast Tigers.

Xinjiang swept the Guangdong Southern Tigers 4-0 to win their first ever league title last season, but Li Qiuping's team is much different this campaign after center Zhou Qi departed to join the Houston Rockets, while veteran Andray Blatche is still recovering from a thigh injury.

"Although we are the defending champions, we face many difficulties in the new season. It will be extremely hard for us to defend the title," Li said.

Group photo of Chinese Basketball Association chief Yao Ming and Xinjiang Flying Tigers during ring ceremony/VCG photo

Before the game, the Flying Tigers received their championship rings from CBA president Yao Ming. Xinjiang are the sixth team to win the league title.

But Jilin, who finished 14th of the 20 teams last season would manage to make it a tough night for the hosts. The Northeast Tigers signed two ex-NBA players, Von Wafer and Carl Landry to fight for a play-off spot this season.

Daruis Adams led the hosts early on as the guard showed off his dribbling skills to help Xinjiang lead 19-11. But Jilin would come back, as Landry drove in for the hoop and harm with two minutes to go in the quarter.

Landry’s scoring in the paint continued as the visitors took a one-point lead in the third quarter with the void left by Zhou and Blatche apparent in the Hongshan Arena. Landry had 35 points for Jilin.

Jilin’s Carl Landry (middle) in action against Xinjiang/VCG photo‍

Three minutes into the final quarter, the Northeast Tigers trailed by nine, but Wafer reduced it to 6. Then Cai Lilong hit a three to make it a two-point game. But Shirelijan Muhtar gave Xinjiang a five-point lead with six and a half minutes to play. Adams sank a three of his own on his way to 38 points, six rebounds, and seven assists as the Flying Tigers opened the season with a 106-95 win at home.

"Today our defense on the inside was not good, and we let Landry score too many points. We gave him too many open looks, and did not double team him enough," said Xinjiang coach Li Qiuping who received last season's best coach award from Chinese Basketball Association chief Yao Ming on opening night.

2415km