Have you ever seen a CBA playoff win-or-go-home game where the head coach completely lost his composure right in front of the cameras? That’s exactly what happened to the Shandong Hi-Speed men’s basketball team. Playing at home, they suffered a humiliating 28-point defeat against Shanghai, leaving nearly 10,000 ticket-buying fans in the stands watching a lifeless collapse. Even the usually calm coach Qiu Biao couldn’t hold back, directly pointing out that some players’ performances were unworthy of the word “professional.” His words immediately struck a nerve with every Shandong fan.
Before this quarterfinal elimination match, no one expected such an outcome. In the first leg, Shandong lost by only five points on the road, giving the team genuine hope for a comeback. Before the game, Qiu Biao publicly expressed confidence in his squad. The arena was packed with nearly 10,000 fans, all hoping for a back-against-the-wall victory to push forward.
But the game went completely off script from the very first quarter.
After Tao Hanlin opened with a dunk to put Shandong on the board, the entire team seemed to lose its spirit. Shots clanked, defense broke down, and Shanghai went on a 15-0 run. By the end of the first quarter, Shandong had managed only 12 points, while Shanghai had 29. The outcome was essentially decided within the first 12 minutes.
The rest of the game felt like a countdown. After three quarters, Shandong’s total score hadn’t even reached 50. At one point they trailed by 36 points. The final score was 68-96. Statistics never lie—the gap was glaring. Shandong’s overall shooting percentage was just 35.1%, compared to Shanghai’s 57.1%—a difference of more than 20 percentage points that was simply insurmountable.
What hurt most was the collective failure of the four foreign players. They combined for just 6 of 31 field goals, scoring only 18 points in total—less than Shanghai import Loveton’s 20 points alone. Chris was 1-for-8 for 3 points. Purcell and Jones didn’t score at all. Johnson went 5-for-19 for 15 points, which was ironically the best among them. To put up such numbers in a playoff elimination game is nothing short of disastrous.
Among the domestic players, only Chen Linjian remained steady. Gao Shiyan and Tao Hanlin fought through injuries, but they couldn’t overcome the team’s overall breakdown. When the final buzzer sounded, Tao Hanlin was subbed off and covered his head with a towel, silently shedding tears. The veteran, who has given more than a decade to Shandong basketball, is facing a contract expiration this season and now must decide whether to continue his career. To end such a season with a crushing defeat—his tears became the image that hurt every Shandong fan.
In the post-game press conference, Qiu Biao didn’t sugarcoat anything. “Today I truly feel ashamed,” he said. “All the pre-game motivational talks had zero effect. Only Johnson was really trying. How can we become a strong team like this?” Qiu Biao, a former CBA player and former domestic scoring champion, has always demanded high professionalism from his players. What he couldn’t accept wasn’t missed shots or poor defense—it was the total lack of fighting spirit in a must-win game. When all the preparation and encouragement become meaningless, with only a few players truly battling, Qiu Biao’s criticism wasn’t about technical ability—it was about the fundamental standard of professionalism.
Shandong’s season wasn’t all bad. They finished the regular season with a 24-18 record, ranked eighth. After a slow start, they bounced back with grit. In the first round of the playoffs against defending champions Liaoning, they lost the first game at home but then won two straight, eliminating Liaoning for the first time in franchise history. Fans celebrated wildly, believing the team could go further.
But no one expected such an absurd collapse after that peak. The contrast was too much to bear. Qiu Biao’s words about lacking professionalism were ultimately a desperate call for a professional spirit.
In basketball, it’s acceptable to be outplayed or outmatched, but it’s never acceptable to abandon the fight and lose the basic dignity of being on the court. Tao Hanlin’s tearful exit, Chen Linjian’s solitary efforts, Gao Shiyan’s injury-ridden runs—these were the few worthy professional moments in this game. Those players who disappeared on the court, failing to score or contribute, left fans deeply disappointed and frustrated.
For Shandong Hi-Speed, this season has ended. Reaching the quarterfinals is their best result in five seasons, but it also serves as a warning monument etched with painful lessons. Hopefully, the team can regroup, reclaim their professional identity, and bring new surprises to fans next season.