Hudson's 34 points lead Liaoning into CBA Finals

World
Europe

The Guangdong Southern Tigers were looking to do what no other team in Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) history had done, overcome a 3-0 playoff series deficit.

The Tigers beat Liaoning in game four of the semi-finals to live to fight another day, but Lester Hudson and the visitors would ensure that Guangdong's season would come to an end in the following game, and history would not be made. Despite Yi Jianlian's heavy efforts, Liaoning won 111-97 to advance to the finals.

Liaoning's Lester Hudson prepares to shoot. /CFP Photo

Yi, a former NBA big man, finished with a game-high 39 points. Hudson, former International MVP, started to get hot for the visitors in the third quarter and 34 points in all.

Brandon Bass from the Flying Leopards finished with 22. Hudson would be the big man in Liaoning's victory as he scored 16 in the final quarter. Yi Jianlian tried to keep his team in it, working hard for the bucket and helping to trim the lead to 10 at one point.

But Guo Ailun led a fast break and found Hudson for a long ball that sealed the game to put Liaoning into the CBA finals for the seventh time in its history.

Yi Jianlian takes the ball in the game. /CFP Photo‍

"Although we advanced past the semifinals, we respect Guangdong so much," said Liaoning Flying Leopards coach Guo Shiqiang after the game. "It is a great team and they have won the CBA finals eight times. It was an opponent that has our respect. We were just a little bit better, so we won the series."

"Everybody on our team worked very hard in the CBA playoffs, but Liaoning played better than us in this series. Congratulations to them, and we hope to have a better performance next season,” said Guangdong center Yi Jianlian.