Shanghai and Liaoning resumed their Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) semifinal series on April 20, 2025, with Liaoning seeking to close out the series in Game 4 after taking a 2-1 lead. The game tipped off at 7:35 p.m. Local time in Shanghai (11:35 a.m. UTC) at the Mercedes-Benz Arena, where Liaoning held a narrow 85-82 advantage with under two minutes remaining before a late surge by Shanghai forced overtime.
Zhao Jiwei, Liaoning’s starting point guard and defensive anchor, returned to the lineup after missing Games 2 and 3 with a left ankle sprain sustained during practice on April 16. His return proved pivotal, as he contributed 12 points, 7 assists, and 4 steals in 38 minutes, including a critical steal and fast-break layup in overtime that put Liaoning ahead 97-95 with 45 seconds left.
Shanghai, playing without injured import forward Briante Weber, rallied from a 15-point deficit in the third quarter to force overtime, led by 28 points and 11 rebounds from Wang Zhelin and 22 points from Liu Zheng. But, Liaoning’s experience in high-pressure moments shone through, as they held Shanghai to just 8 points in the extra period while scoring 12.
The victory gives Liaoning a 3-1 series lead and puts them one win away from advancing to the CBA Finals for the fifth consecutive year. Shanghai, despite the loss, showed resilience, cutting what had been a 20-point Liaoning lead in the second half to just two points with 3:18 left in regulation before falling short.
Liaoning head coach Yang Ming praised his team’s composure after the game, stating, “We knew Shanghai would reach out fighting, especially at home. Zhao’s return gave us stability, but it was our collective defense in overtime that made the difference.” Shanghai coach Li Chunjiang acknowledged the challenge, saying, “We had our chances, but Liaoning executed better in the clutch. We’ll regroup and attempt to force a Game 5 back in Shenyang.”
The series now shifts to Liaoning’s home court in Shenyang for Game 5 on April 22, 2025, scheduled for 7:35 p.m. Local time (11:35 a.m. UTC) at the Liaoning Gymnasium. A win there would secure Liaoning’s fourth straight CBA Finals appearance and extend their dynasty-era run, which began with their first title in 2018.
Across the CBA landscape, other playoff series continued on April 20. In the quarterfinals, Zhejiang Guangsha defeated Guangdong 106-99 to seize a 2-1 series lead, fueled by 34 points from Sun Minghui. Meanwhile, Beijing Shougang held off a late surge by Shenzhen to win 110-105 and even their series at 1-1.
Internationally, NBA playoff action continued on April 20, with the Denver Nuggets defeating the Los Angeles Lakers 108-106 in Game 2 of their Western Conference semifinal series to take a 2-0 lead. Nikola Jokić recorded his third triple-double of the playoffs with 28 points, 14 rebounds, and 12 assists.
In Europe, Real Madrid clinched a spot in the EuroLeague Final Four with a 78-75 win over Olympiacos in Game 4 of their playoff series, setting up a semifinal clash against Fenerbahçe. The Final Four will be held in Abu Dhabi from May 23-25, 2025.
Looking ahead, the CBA Semifinals resume on April 22 with Liaoning aiming to close out the series in Shenyang, while Zhejiang and Guangdong prepare for Game 4 in Hangzhou later that evening. Fans can follow live updates and official statistics through the CBA’s website and mobile app.
As the playoff picture sharpens across global basketball, April 21 has become a pivotal date for teams positioning themselves for championship runs. Whether in Shanghai, Shenyang, or beyond, the next 48 hours will determine which squads advance and which begin planning for next season.
Stay tuned to Archysport for continued coverage of the CBA playoffs and all major basketball developments worldwide.
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