Royal Fighters' playoff hopes hang in the balance

0 Comment(s)Print E-mail Xinhua, April 12, 2021
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Kyle Fogg (L) of Liaoning Flying Leopards goes for a layup during the 55th round match between Liaoning Flying Leopards and Beijing Royal Fighters at the 2020-2021 season of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) league in Zhuji, east China's Zhejiang Province, April 11, 2021. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)

Stephon Marbury's Beijing Royal Fighters lost to the Liaoning Flying Leopards 107-99 on Sunday, leaving them in danger of missing out on the CBA playoffs.

The Royal Fighters, who currently occupy 12th place and the final playoff spot in the CBA, has to beat the Qingdao Eagles in the final round of the regular season to confirm their playoff place.

"We couldn't play with passion that was needed to play with the game like this, when you are trying to make the playoffs, because we have so much pressure on us," said Marbury.

Kyle Fogg had 28 points while Han Dejun contributed 19 points and 18 rebounds for Liaoning. Star guard Guo Ailun returned from a seven-game absense with 10 points and 8 assists.

The Royal Fighters' Joseph Young scored a game-high 45 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists, but made 7 turnovers. Key centers Wang Shaojie and Yu Changdong were both ejected from the court and suspended for the next game.

"The best thing about our situation is we are still in the driver's seat, just like you get two free throws to make one. We missed the first free throw, [but] we've got one more to go," Marbury said.

The Royal Fighters finished the first quarter with a 25-19 lead before Liaoning completed its comeback and built a 10-point lead midway through the second.

Young's three-pointer helped the Royal Fighters regain the lead after the break, but O.J. Mayo scored five points in a row to carry Liaoning into the last quarter with a 71-68 lead.

Fogg scored nine points during a 20-7 run for Liaoning as the Flying Leopards pulled away to 91-75.

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