A thrilling fourth-quarter rally led by Gabe York's 34 points propelled the Zhejiang Golden Bulls to a dramatic 106-99 victory over the Beijing Ducks in Thursday's Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) regular-season finale, delivering a potential playoff intensity preview to fans at Capital Indoor Stadium.
Beijing appeared poised for celebration after building a 15-point third-quarter lead, but momentum shifted when star center Zhou Qi left the game with an eye injury following a collision. Zhejiang seized the opportunity, with York sinking three crucial three-pointers in the final minutes to secure the comeback. "When he's flowing, he doesn't even need a ball screen," teammate Damian Jones told reporters about York's clutch performance.
The loss marked Beijing's fourth home defeat this season, though they retain fourth place (31-14) and a chance for a first-round playoff bye. Zhejiang (29-16) now looks to improve their eighth-place standing before postseason matchups begin. Both teams face critical final regular-season games on Monday, with Beijing needing a strong showing against Tianjin to maintain their position.
The game highlighted the CBA's competitive balance as teams jockey for playoff positioning. Beijing forward Zeng Fanbo emphasized team readiness post-game: "Everybody knows how important [Zhou Qi] is for us…the whole team gotta be ready for high quality games like this." Medical evaluations for Zhou Qi are pending, with his availability crucial for Beijing's championship aspirations.
