Beijing will either make first CBA final or suffer rare collapse

In the 17-year history of the CBA, only two teams have lost a best-of-five semifinal series after taking a 2-1 lead.

The Beijing Ducks don't intend to become the third.

Two overwhelming home wins in a row have brought the Ducks within a win of the first final in franchise history.

The Shanxi Brave Dragons and their homecourt advantage won't make it easy.

"That Shanxi could come so far means they are a very strong team," Ducks coach Min Lulei said after a 128-115 victory on Friday. "So we can never underestimate its fighting will and should be cautious of its counter-attack. It will be extremely dangerous."

With red-hot Stephon Marbury - who scored 105 points in the past two games - the prolific Randolph Morris and a group of supportive young players like Ji Zhe and Zhai Xiaochuan, the high-scoring Ducks will focus on rebounding and defense against Shanxi's foreign duo of Marcus Williams and Charles Gaines.

The Ducks have grabbed 15.7 fewer rebounds than the Brave Dragons on average and allowed the Williams-Gaines tandem 207 points the first three games.

"We still lag behind them on rebounds and our main guys are always limited by foul problems," Min said.

"That's what we should figure out in the decisive Game 4."

The Brave Dragons need better performances from their Chinese players.

A common denominator in their two losses in the series was that they lost control in the first half as the domestic players struggled with one foreign player or the other on the bench.

The team's top local scorer, Duan Jiangpeng, averaged 17 points in the first round against the Shanghai Sharks, but made three shots and two free throws against Beijing.

The game four will tip off at 7:30 pm at Shanxi's home stadium, Taiyuan Binhe Sports Center, on Sunday night.

According to the Beijing Evening News, if the Ducks fights their way into the final, the club will move its home court. Instead of Shougang Gymnasium, it would play at the MasterCard Center - formerly Wukesong Arena in the best-of-seven final.

sunxiaochen@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 03/11/2012 page7)