Sports
20:15, 04-Mar-2018
Gu's 29 points gives Leopards 1-0 lead in best-of-three series of CBA playoffs
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The first game of the new format CBA playoffs has been expanded to ten teams from eight. The top six teams are automatically into the quarter-finals, while the bottom four play in a best of three games series to decide the final two spots in the quarters.
The eighth-place Shenzhen Leopards took on the Guangzhou, who are in ninth, Long-Lions in the opening encounter and got a big boost from Gu Quan. Guangzhou's Tyler Hansbrough helped keep the score tied at 30 after the first quarter. But Shenzhen moved ahead in the second as Tyrese Rice made it 42-40 with his trey.
In the dying seconds of the third quarter, Kyle Fogg's buzzer beater made it 91-87 Shenzhen. With five minutes to go in the game, Fogg was able to drive in and tie it up at 98. But Gu's corner trey gave Shenzhen a four point lead with four minutes to play. And Gu closed it out with a pair of free throws to finish with 29 points and Shenzhen won 121-113 for a 1-0 lead in the series.
Tonight, the seventh-place Beijing Ducks will begin their series against the tenth-place Shanghai Sharks.