If Morris and the rest of the gang are knocking down shots, Beijing is nearly unbeatable. If they’re not, the pressure on Marbury to do everything intensifies. But with the Ducks playing the entire post-season at the 18,000 seat Wukesong Arena, the place where they completed their storybook season last year in front of a filled-to-capacity crowd, the Southern Tigers for the second year in a row might be cursing as they watch Marbury accept the key to Beijing next to his almost one year-old bronze statue, for the second year in a row.
Quick hits: Despite becoming the first foreign player to lead the league in All-Star voting, Tracy McGrady elected to skip the event to return home and be with his ailing grandmother. Unlike some other leagues, the CBA All-Star game is played one week after the end of the regular season. Despite entering the season with enormous expectations, T-Mac and the Qingdao Eagles finished the season in last place at 8-24… D.J. White, who played with the Yao Ming-owned Shanghai Sharks, became the second player from the CBA to sign with an NBA team, following Terrence Williams to Boston under a 10-day contract… Lester Hudson, who broke a bone in his hand mid-season and was forced to miss all of the DongGuan Leopard’s remaining games, is now back with the team for their playoff run. He replaces Blake Ahearn. … Quincy Douby finished as the league’s top scorer with 32.5 points per game, narrowly beating out Foshan’s Shavlik Randolph. Douby set the single-game scoring record with 75 points in January.
Final Regular Season Standings:
1. Guangdong Southern Tigers 28-4 (Donald Sloan, Ike Diogu)
2. Shandong Gold Lions 24-8 (Pooh Jeter, Jackson Vroman, Zaid Abbas)
3. Beijing Ducks 21-11 (Stephon Marbury, Randolph Morris)
4. Xinjiang Flying Tigers 21-11 (Von Wafer, James Singleton)
5. Liaoning Jaguars 19-13 (Josh Akognon, Solomon Jones)
6. Guangsha Lions 17-15 (Gary Forbes, P.J. Ramos)
7. DongGuan Leopards 17-15 (Marcus Haislip, Lester Hudson)
8. Zhejiang Golden Bulls 16-16 (Quincy Douby, Eddy Curry)
9. Bayi Rockets 16-16 (None)
10. Shanxi Brave Dragons 16-16 (Jermaine Taylor, Charles Gaines)
11. Foshan Long Lions 15-17 (Doron Perkins, Shavlik Randolph, Michael Madanly)
12. Jiangsu Dragons 13-19 (Mike Harris, Garret Siler, Imad Qahwash)
13. Fujian Sturgeons 11-21 (Sundiata Gaines, Will McDonald)
14. Shanghai Sharks 10-22 (Gilbert Arenas, D.J. White)
15. Jilin Northeast Tigers 10-22 (Dewarick Spencer, Sam Hoskin)
16. Tianjin Golden Lions 10-22 (Donnell Harvey, Hamady N’Diaye, Sam Daghlas)
17. Qingdao Eagles 8-24 (Tracy McGrady, Chris Daniels)
All CBA First-Team:
C – Yi Jianlian (Guangdong) 25.9 ppg, 10.2 rpg, 1.8 bpg
F – Marcus Haislip (DongGuan) 27.7 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.4 bpg
F – Zaid Abbas (Shandong) 17.8 ppg, 11.4 rpg, 2.3 spg
G – Stephon Marbury (Beijing) 29.5 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 5.3 apg
G – Quincy Douby (Zhejiang); 32.5 ppg, 4.5 apg, 2.4 spg
All CBA Second-Team:
C – Shavlik Randolph (Foshan) 32.0 ppg, 14.6 rpg, 1.0 bpg
F – Charles Gaines (Shanxi) 31.5 ppg, 15.2 rpg, 2.2 spg
F – Gary Forbes (Guangsha) 29.4 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 4.9 apg
G – Josh Akognon (Liaoning) 30.3 ppg, 2.3 apg, 1.9 spg
G – Pooh Jeter (Shandong) 25.3 ppg, 5.5 apg, 2.4 spg
Jon Pastuszek is founder and editor-in-chief of Niubball.com, the best English-language basketball blog focused in basketball in China. He is an occasional contributor to SheridanHoops.com.