The opening rounds of the Guangdong Men’s Basketball League have already shown just how competitive this season will be. Newcomer Chaozhou, playing in its very first provincial league, lost narrowly to Qingyuan by 3 points in the opener and then fell to Heyuan by just 5 points in the second game. With only a combined 8-point deficit after two matches, their performance impressed many observers who didn’t expect such resilience from a debuting team. As fans tracked the progress on Cricket Exchange, the tight margins became a hot topic of discussion, highlighting how the league is growing in intensity each year.
After two rounds, 25 percent of the teams have started with perfect 2–0 records. The surprise is not in the number, but in who they are. The five unbeaten teams are Zhuhai, Heyuan, Qingyuan, Shunde, and Yangjiang. Among them, only Heyuan and Shunde were quarterfinalists last year. Zhuhai, which finished 10th a season ago, upset seventh-place Yunfu on the road in the opener. Qingyuan, who ranked 12th last year and lost their top star Li Yiyang, still managed two steady performances. Yangjiang, ninth last season, edged Huizhou by one point in their first game and followed it up by defeating a much-improved Maoming in Round 2. Next, they face reigning champion Dongguan away from home—a test many fans are eager to see. Discussions on Cricket Exchange repeatedly highlight how unpredictable this season’s early results have been.
Out of 20 teams, 11 have already tasted victory, meaning more than half of the league has opened its account in the first two rounds. This group includes traditional powerhouses Dongguan, Shenzhen, Zhongshan, Heyuan, and Shunde, but also ambitious sides like Shantou, Jiangmen, Yangjiang, and Zhuhai. Such diversity in results suggests the battle for playoff spots will only become more dramatic by midseason. For Chaozhou, despite being a newcomer, the team has already displayed remarkable fighting spirit and immediate competitiveness. In their first game, they led for long stretches before falling just short against Qingyuan. In the second, they pushed black-horse Heyuan all the way to the final minute, using foul tactics to stay alive before losing by only 5 points.
Of the 16 games played so far, five were decided by 5 points or fewer, representing 31.25 percent—nearly one in every three. These close finishes have elevated the excitement level dramatically. In one highlight, Yangjiang claimed a thrilling one-point buzzer-beater over Huizhou, while former bottom side Shaoguan nearly shocked perennial quarterfinalist Shunde before falling by 3 points. Meanwhile, only two teams have broken the 100-point barrier in a game: last year’s champion Dongguan and runner-up Shenzhen. By Round 2, no team managed to cross the century mark, showing how defensive intensity has become a central theme. Long-term league participants are clearly developing stronger defensive systems, and while such statistics may seem minor, they represent significant growth in a competition once dominated purely by offense.
As the third round approaches, all 20 teams have now made their debut, and the overall picture of the league is taking shape. With the gap between sides narrowing, every game feels like a coin toss, and each group’s qualification spots remain wide open. Analysts and fans on Cricket Exchange agree on one point: this fourth year of the provincial league may be its most unpredictable yet, and the suspense of who will advance makes it a season to watch closely.