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(Sports Focus) Beijing beat Guangdong in OT to reach CBA final

Xinhua, March 4, 2015 Adjust font size:

Zhu Yanxi's buzzer-beater tip-in secured Beijing a 107-105 OT victory over Guangdong and a berth in the CBA finals here on Tuesday.

The defending champion won the best-of-five semifinal series 3-1 and will play against Liaoning in their third final in four years.

Stephon Marbury scored a game-tying three-pointer with 6.6 seconds in the fourth quarter to force an overtime and scored nine of Beijing's 11 points in the additional time. He then made in two field-goals to tie the score at 105-105 and Zhu Yanxi's game-winning tip-in was also from Marbury's missing three-pointer. The veteran finished with a game-high 38 points.

Yi Jianlian took a huge double-double of 31 points and 24 rebounds but still failed to save Guangdong. The former NBA player's 10 points led Guangdong's 15-2 run in the opening of the fourth quarter, helping Guangdong to retake the lead at 81-77 from 66-75.

Marbury's two free-throws with 49.9 seconds to the end of the fourth quarter put Beijing in the leading position of 93-92. Guangdong's Gao Shang, who helped team to win the third match on Sunday, answered with a bank-shot. Then he grabbed a valuable defence rebound, and also drew a foul. The 21-year-old put in two free-throws and played a good defense on Marbury's final shot. But the veteran was just too good for him as he scored the game-tying three-pointer.

Guangdong, trailed by as many as 14 points, lost their point guard Will Bynum in the first quarter as the foreign player got injured in his back side of the right thigh. He returned to court in the second quarter but played for only one minute and 17 second and then never came back.

The accident forced Guangdong to play with only Emmanuel Mudiay. The 19-year-old high school graduate's lacking of experiences put Guangdong in great danger as he had six turnovers. But veteran Zhu Fangyu stood out to help the team. Zhu scored all his first five three-pointers and finished with a second team-high 23 points.

Randolph Morris scored 11 of his 24 points for Beijing in the second quarter and grabbed 15 rebounds.

Marbury, once again saved his team, scored 21 of Beijing's 32 points in the fourth quarter and the overtime. He also had three rebounds, three steals, three assists and drew nine fouls.

"It was a great series," said Marbury. "Guangdong played their best and so did us. Bynum got injured. But it's just part of the game. We are lucky to win the match."

"The results would have been different if Bynum were not injured," said Du Feng, head coach of Guangdong. "We lost the key rebound and lost the match. But we never gave up. I'm proud of my team."

Beijing will play in the best-of-seven finals against Liaoning, who swept Qingdao 3-0 to make into their first CBA final in seven years. Endi