With Liaoning suffering their fourth consecutive loss and Shenzhen narrowly defeated by Beijing Enterprises, the latest CBA standings show Shanghai taking the top spot, just one point ahead of the top five.

On January 1st Beijing time, the ninth round of the CBA regular season started. Two matches ended last night: Liaoning was crushed 65-91 by Shanghai, and Shenzhen fell 101-105 to Beijing Enterprises, who had five players scoring double digits. This led to an update in the standings where the top spot changed hands once more, with Shanghai reaching the summit after five consecutive wins. The gap among the top five is just one point, and Guangdong stands out as the only team with an eight-game winning streak!

Liaoning vs. Shanghai. Liaoning has clearly regressed this season and is no longer a top-tier team, currently enduring a three-game losing streak. In this round’s home game, they faced the dark horse Shanghai, who were on a four-game winning streak. Shanghai struck first with an offensive surge to gain the lead. Liaoning tried to catch up, but the second quarter became one-sided, with Shanghai scoring 24-12. In the second half, Liaoning kept close, but Shanghai responded well and gradually extended the lead. Ultimately, Liaoning suffered a heavy defeat to Shanghai, marking their fourth straight loss!

Shenzhen vs. Beijing Enterprises. This game featured intense competition, with both teams evenly matched and the tight contest lasting until the final quarter. Beijing Enterprises then surged ahead to widen the gap. Although Shenzhen came close to closing the margin at one point, Beijing Enterprises managed to secure the win without much trouble!

Currently, in the latest standings, Shanghai has achieved five consecutive wins and leads the table after playing one more game. Guangdong is the only team with an eight-game winning streak, ranking second. Defending champions Guangsha, Beijing, and Qingdao all hold 7-1 records, placing third, fourth, and fifth respectively. The difference among the top five is just one point, meaning the top position could change at any time. Teams that have clearly declined include Liaoning, Zhejiang, and Xinjiang. Jiangsu and Tianjin have only managed one win and seven losses, while Sichuan is at the bottom with a harsh eight-game losing streak!

Written by/Ti Tan Novel