In the third game of the CBA playoff quarterfinal series on May 12, 2026, the Beijing Ducks defeated the Guangdong Southern Tigers 88-73 at home, securing a 2-1 series victory. With this result, three of the four semifinal berths have been filled, as Beijing and Shanghai are set to clash in the next round.
The quarterfinal results so far see Shanghai Jiushi sweeping Shandong Hi-Speed 2-0, Beijing Beiqi eliminating Guangdong Dongguang 2-1, Shenzhen Marco Polo sweeping Zhejiang Chouzhou 2-0, and Zhejiang Guangsha tied 1-1 with Shanxi汾酒, with the final spot still to be decided.
Beijing and Shanghai met twice during the regular season, with Shanghai winning both games at home (86-67 and 88-83). The most recent encounter took place exactly one month ago. Shanghai has been a dominant force this season, aiming for the championship, while Beijing, last season’s finalist, faces a tough test in the semifinals.
In the decisive game, both teams started with intense defense. Guangdong led 21-15 after the first quarter but Beijing surged back in the second, taking a 40-35 halftime lead. In the third quarter, Beijing extended its advantage to nine points, and although Guangdong narrowed the gap to 53-51, Beijing responded with a 4-0 run. Zhou Qi’s strong play in the fourth quarter helped Beijing pull away to 70-60, and the team held on for the win.
Previously, Beijing won 102-94 at home in Game 1, and Guangdong won 102-99 at home in Game 2. This time, Beijing’s overall performance sealed the series 2-1. Zhou Qi was the standout with 18 points and 8 rebounds, while Jemaine contributed a triple-double with 17 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. Chen Yingjun added 16 points, Zeng Fanbo scored 15, and Zhai Xiaochuan recorded 8 points and 8 rebounds.
For Guangdong, Quinn led with 25 points and 8 rebounds, Hu Mingxuan contributed 13, and McCall added 11. Xu Jie went scoreless with 4 rebounds and 2 assists.
