The decisive Game 3 between Guangdong Hongyuan and Beijing Ducks is set to tip off tomorrow night. Reports indicate that the CBA will introduce foreign referees for this crucial matchup. While local officials will serve as the primary referees, one or two foreign referees will act as assistants. This isn’t a novel practice for the CBA, as it has frequently employed foreign referees in important playoff games in recent years.
As for Hu Mingxuan, after completing on-court adaptive training, he was still seen with thick ice packs strapped to his knees, signaling that his knee injury hasn’t fully healed. Although Guangdong hired a top-tier rehabilitation specialist specifically for him, completely curing Hu’s ailment in a short time remains challenging. However, his condition has notably improved compared to before.
Hu Mingxuan’s playoff performance has been a stark contrast to his regular-season play, largely thanks to the expert rehabilitation provided by the team. The recent treatment has been highly effective.
With the help of the rehabilitation team, Hu’s knee injury has shown significant improvement, allowing him to move more freely during various actions. His three-point shooting has also rebounded recently because, as his knee improves, he can generate proper power and his shooting motion becomes more natural and fluid. However, even the best rehab specialists can’t defy natural healing timelines—Hu’s knee will not fully recover in a short period; the goal is to reduce symptoms and pain levels. After training, he still needs to apply ice packs to reduce swelling and pain. Fans hope Hu can continue to withstand the pressure and lead the team to victory in this do-or-die Game 3. As the captain and the team’s only max-salary player, leading the team to win is his duty.
The CBA’s use of foreign referees in the playoffs has yielded positive results in recent years. Foreign officials aren’t influenced by local relationships or unspoken rules; they call the game impartially and objectively. For the Beijing-Guangdong Game 3, the league will once again employ foreign referees. The head referee will still be a local, but foreign referees will serve as the first assistant referees. In recent seasons, especially during the playoffs, Guangdong has often felt disadvantaged by officiating. In the previous home game against Beijing, despite both teams’ contrasting playing styles—Guangdong focusing on the perimeter and Beijing on the interior—the significant disparity in free-throw attempts raised discontent among Hongyuan fans. Introducing foreign referees for Game 3 should help reduce such controversies.
Du Feng is currently the highest-paid head coach in the CBA, and his contract expires this summer. Given his stable position with Guangdong, there is almost no doubt he will sign a new deal. The main questions revolve around the length of the new contract and any changes in salary. However, negotiations won’t happen until the season concludes. If Du Feng can lead the team to the semifinals, he will gain more leverage at the bargaining table.