Analysis · Chinese CBA, regular season, round 2
Guangzhou beat higher-placed Guangdong 89-75 as Zagars scores 22
Arturs Zagars scored 22 and a 26-12 third quarter carried 13th-placed Guangzhou past 8th-placed Guangdong in round 2 of the CBA.
Guangzhou · Guangzhou 89-75 Guangdong
Arturs Zagars
- Points
- 22
- Rebounds
- 4
- Assists
- 4
- Threes
- 2/5
- PIR
- 22
Source: TeamKeys, 2026-10-21
Third-quarter burst lets 13th-placed Guangzhou beat 8th-placed Guangdong
Guangzhou L. Lions beat a team above them in the table, winning 89-75 against Guangdong S. Tigers. A 26-12 third quarter did most of the work.
The standings show Guangzhou 13th of 20 with a 1-2 record. Guangdong sit 8th at 2-1, level on record with fourth-placed Qingdao.
The top of the CBA is already crowded. Beijing Royal Fighters, Tianjin and Jilin are all unbeaten at 3-0, so every result in this part of the table counts.
| Team | Won-lost | Last games |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Beijing R. Fighters | 3-0 | W W W |
| 2. Tianjin Pioneers | 3-0 | W W W |
| 3. Jilin N. Tigers | 3-0 | W W W |
| 4. Qingdao Eagles | 2-1 | W W L |
| 8. Guangdong S. Tigers | 2-1 | W L W |
| 13. Guangzhou L. Lions | 1-2 | L W L |
How did Guangzhou beat Guangdong 89-75?
Guangzhou won the first three quarters, 28-20, 16-13 and then 26-12 after the break. That third period gave them a cushion Guangdong could not close.
The scoring was spread around Arturs Zagars. Christian Vital added 15 points off the bench with 3/8 from three, while Lu Wenbo went 3/3 on two-pointers for 9 points.
Steals fed the effort at the other end. Dakari Johnson had 4 and Vital 3, and Harold Yu chipped in 5 points and 5 rebounds in 17 minutes.
| Player | Points | PIR |
|---|---|---|
| Arturs Zagars (Guangzhou) | 22 | 22 |
| Dakari Johnson (Guangzhou) | 9 | 18 |
| Mingzheng Zhu (Guangdong) | 10 | 13 |
| Christian Vital (Guangzhou) | 15 | 12 |
| Lu Wenbo (Guangzhou) | 9 | 11 |
| Harold Yu (Guangzhou) | 5 | 10 |
Why Guangdong's fourth-quarter fightback fell short
Guangdong won the final quarter 30-19, but the deficit built over three periods was too large and they lost by 14.
Dalano Banton led them with 17 points on 6/9 two-point shooting, yet his 5 turnovers cost possessions they needed. Mingzheng Zhu scored 10 and hit both of his threes.
Zheng Wang offered support off the bench with 8 points in 13 minutes. Zhu, the visitors' highest PIR at 13, ranked 112th of 141 rated players by TeamKeys Rating last season.
Arturs Zagars: 22 points in 25 minutes decide it
Arturs Zagars decided the game with 22 points and a PIR of 22 in 25 minutes. He was the steadiest scorer on the floor for Guangzhou.
He went 5/6 on two-pointers, 2/5 from three and 6/6 at the line. He also added 4 rebounds and 4 assists against 2 turnovers.
Dakari Johnson did the hard work beside him, with 12 rebounds, 4 steals and a block in 18 minutes without a turnover. He ranked 7th of 141 rated CBA players by TeamKeys Rating in 2025/2026.
When do Guangzhou and Guangdong play next?
Guangdong play Ningbo Rockets on 24 October 2026, and Guangzhou face Beijing Ducks the following day, 25 October 2026.
At 1-2, Guangzhou need to build on this result to climb from 13th. Johnson averaged 11.6 points and 7.6 rebounds over 46 games last season, and his work inside will matter again.
Guangdong, 2-1 and 8th, will look to respond against Ningbo. Their 30-19 fourth quarter showed the scoring they can find when the game opens up.
Figures come from the game box score and the Chinese CBA standings supplied for round 2 of the 2026/2027 regular season.
Questions people ask
How many points did Arturs Zagars score against Guangdong?
Arturs Zagars scored 22 points in 25 minutes as Guangzhou L. Lions beat Guangdong S. Tigers 89-75. He shot 5/6 on two-pointers, 2/5 from three and 6/6 at the free-throw line, adding 4 rebounds and 4 assists for a PIR of 22.
Where are Guangzhou and Guangdong in the CBA table?
Guangzhou L. Lions are 13th of 20 in the Chinese CBA with a 1-2 record. Guangdong S. Tigers are 8th at 2-1. Beijing Royal Fighters, Tianjin and Jilin lead the table, each unbeaten at 3-0, with Qingdao fourth at 2-1.
Who do Guangzhou and Guangdong play next?
Guangdong S. Tigers are next in action on 24 October 2026 against Ningbo Rockets. Guangzhou L. Lions follow on 25 October 2026 against Beijing Ducks, looking to build on their 89-75 win over a higher-placed opponent in round 2.
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