CBA: Monkey Kings beat Fly Dragons 117-110

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While the teams near the top of the CBA standings continue to roll along, it's been a different story at the other end of the table. Two of the sides closer to the bottom, like Beikong and Nanjing, knew very well that the league's upcoming break could be a last chance to turn things around, and leave their early struggles behind.

The Beikong Fly Dragons and Nanjing Monkey Kings both opened the current CBA season in wretched form, as the losses quickly piled up. But the Nanjing's 117 -110 victory over Beikong on Thursday at Beijing's Olympic Sports Center Gymnasium, would help them go into the break with momentum and renewed confidence.

Monkey Kings guard Joe Young said, “I feel like, you know, we started off the season kind of bad. We were just, you know – new team, new coach, you know, new players – and I felt like the guys turned it around. We had good practices and the guys are coming together and this is a big win, especially our first road win that we had all year.”

Joe Young is currently in his first stint in China after three years with the NBA's Indiana Pacers, and has found himself matched up with another league newcomer for early scoring leader Pierre Jackson, whose 43.12 points per game hasn't been enough for Beikong to win. But the Fly Dragons said that they're figuring out the problems, and endeavoring to flip the script.

Nanjing's Joe Young (R) goes for the basket against Beikong. /VCG Photo

Fly Dragons guard Pierre Jackson said, “I think it's all about just, they get the shots, we all get the shots. It's just, you know, it's just a point of making them. And just gotta keep taking 'em to make 'em, so I think once we, you know, everybody gets their confidence to where it needs to be, I think we'll be alright.”

His teammate Shavlik Randolph added, “I think it's best for everybody on our team just to get away from the game for a little bit, and try and come back, and get back to practice, get all our players healthy, and really try and figure out why we can't seem to get some of these wins here.”

Earlier, Nanjing had enjoyed a strong start, with Young wasting no time getting on the road to 51 points, his third straight contest topping the half-century mark. And with the former Dallas Mavericks floor general, Jackson, not really finding his rhythm until after half-time en route to just 33, the Monkey Kings were poised to begin the upcoming hiatus, with a more solid foundation to build on.

Young's explosive performance in this showdown eventually helped the Monkey Kings prevail 117-110, their third triumph in a row and fifth overall, while Jackson and the Fly Dragons remain stuck on three victories in 15 outings, and heading back to the drawing board, in a last ditch attempt to mount a credible push for one of the league's 12 playoff spots.