CBA 2004-05

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The 2004-05 regular season lasted from November 14, 2004 to March 2, 2005, with games scheduled on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

Yunnan, the 2004 CBL champion, was promoted to the CBA to replace one of the two Beijing teams from the previous season, the Beijing Olympians, who were disqualified for one season. Two other teams also made their debut (Fujian and Henan), for a net gain of two teams, from 12 to 14.

For this season, the league was divided into a North Division (北区) and a South Division (南区), and a new playoff system was also introduced. The regular season consisted of 266 matches, with each team playing 38 matches (four against each of six other teams within its division and two against each of seven teams in the other division), a considerable increase from previous years. The former system of promotion and relegation between the CBA and the "B" division (now CBL) was also abolished, with a one-time exception to promote a replacement for the disqualified Beijing Olympians.

The all-star game was played on March 6, 2005 in Nanjing, after the end of the regular season and before the beginning of the playoffs: the North Division defeated the South Division 103-99, and Mengke Bateer was the MVP. Also, all-star games were played against the KBL, on January 28, 2005 in Korea and January 30, 2005 in Harbin, China. Korea won the first game 85-82; China won the second game 93-77. [6]

1 Regular Season
- 1.1 North Division
- 1.2 South Division
2 Playoffs
3 Imports
4 See also

[edit] Regular Season

[edit] North Division

Team	From	Wins	Losses	Points	Formerly/also?
Liaoning Panpan Hunters	Liaoning	29	9	67
Beijing Jinyu Ducks	Beijing	22	16	60	Beijing Shougang
Xinjiang Guanghui Flying Tigers	Xinjiang	20	18	58
Jilin Tonggang Northeast Tigers	Jilin	19	19	57
Shaanxi Gaitianli Kylins	Shaanxi	12	26	50	Shaanxi Dongsheng
Shandong Jinsidun Lions	Shandong	11	27	49	aka Shandong Kingston Lions
Henan Jigang Dragons	Henan	11	27	49	Henan Renhe

[edit] South Division

Team	From	Wins	Losses	Points	Formerly/also?
Jiangsu Nangang Dragons	Jiangsu	35	3	73
Guangdong Hongyuan Southern Tigers	Guangdong	30	8	68
Bayi Shuanglu Rockets	Ningbo	24	14	62	aka Army Rockets or Deers
Yunnan Honghe Bulls	Yunnan	22	16	60
Shanghai Xiyang Sharks	Shanghai	12	26	50	Shanghai Dongfang
Zhejiang Wanma Cyclones	Zhejiang	11	27	49
Fujian SBS Xunxing	Fujian	8	30	46

[edit] Playoffs

[edit] Divisional playoffs

In the divisional playoffs (分区赛), the 1st and 4th teams and the 2nd and 3rd teams within each division faced each other in a best-of-three series. The two winners then contended for 1st and 2nd place within the division, while the two losers contended for 3rd and 4th place, again in a best-of-three series.

In a best-of-three series, the higher-ranking team plays the first game away and the next two at home.

However, no teams were eliminated; this round simply determined a ranking of 1st through 4th place for purposes of the second round of playoffs; this ranking could naturally differ from the first through fourth places determined in the final standings of the regular season.

Teams	Matches	March 9	March 12	March 13
Liaoning vs. Jilin	2-1	85-94	103-90	110-93
Beijing vs. Xinjiang	2-1	88-94	108-99	115-112
Jiangsu vs. Yunnan	2-0	117-104	125-116	—
Guangdong vs. Bayi	2-1	103-113	124-92	112-107

Teams	Matches	March 16	March 19	March 20
Liaoning vs. Beijing	2-0	114-92	109-102	—	1st place (North)
Xinjiang vs. Jilin	2-1	103-119	138-111	124-103	3rd place (North)
Jiangsu vs. Guangdong	0-2	86-107	89-102	—	1st place (South)
Bayi vs. Yunnan	2-0	118-101	114-103	—	3rd place (South)

As it turned out, the only change from the regular season final standings was that Jiangsu and Guangdong switched places.

[edit] Quarter-finals

The quarter-finals were interdivisional. That is, the 1st team in each division played the 4th team in the other division, and the 2nd team in each division played the 3rd team in the other division, in a best-of-three series.

In a best-of-three series, the higher-ranking team plays the first game away and the next two at home.

Note the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th teams in each division were determined by the previous round of playoffs, not by the final standings of the regular season.

Teams	Matches	March 23	March 26	March 27
Guangdong vs. Jilin	2-0	102-94	124-103	—
Liaoning vs. Yunnan	1-2	120-125	96-81	80-83
Jiangsu vs. Xinjiang	2-0	108-97	124-99	—
Beijing vs. Bayi	1-2	117-110	98-129	112-132

As it turned out, all four South Division teams defeated their North Division rivals and thus moved on to the semi-finals.

[edit] Semi-finals

The semi-finals were a best-of-five series.

In a best-of-five series, the higher-ranking team plays the first game away, the next two at home, the fourth (if necessary) away, and the fifth and final game (if necessary) at home.

Teams	Matches	March 30	April 2	April 3	April 6	April 9
Guangdong vs. Bayi	3-0	104-90	116-79	90-82	—	—
Jiangsu vs. Yunnan	3-0	135-129	116-93	129-108	—	—

Guangdong and Jiangsu each swept their series and moved on to the finals. Bayi failed to make the finals for the first time ever (in ten years).

[edit] Finals

The finals were a best-of-five series. For the first time, the NBA's 24-hour channel NBA TV televised the CBA finals in the United States. [7].

In their four regular season matches, Jiangsu had prevailed 3-1. Jiangsu and Guangdong finished first and second respectively in the regular season South Division standings, but Guangdong then swept Jiangsu 2-0 in the non-eliminatory South Division divisional playoffs.

This was the first time that the best-of-five finals had ever gone the full five games. Guangdong had trailed 0-1 and 1-2 in the series, and in the final game in Jiangsu's home court in Nanjing they staged a dramatic comeback, overcoming a 14-point deficit in the early minutes of the fourth quarter and scoring a remarkable 42 points in that final quarter to defeat Jiangsu by eight points.

Teams	Matches	April 13	April 16	April 17	April 20	April 24
Jiangsu vs. Guangdong	2-3	111-103	103-133	105-101	100-107	99-107

[edit] Imports

Guangdong: Jason Dixon, Peter Cornell
Jilin: Rod Gregoire, Shawnelle Scott, Melvin Whitaker
Jiangsu: Ryan Forehan-Kelly, Jelani McCoy, Keith Bean, Simeon Haley
Xinjiang: Lorenzo Coleman, Corey Benjamin, Jamal Kendrick
Bayi: None
Beijing: Olumide Oyedeji, Paulinho Boracini, Carlos Nascimento, Donnell Knight
Yunnan: DeAngelo Collins, Antonio Latimer, Lee Benson
Liaoning: Ernest Brown, Chris Alexander, TJ Cummings, Wesley Wilson
Shanghai: Davor Pejcinovic, Rob Dryden
Zhejiang: Soumaila Samake, Doug Smith, Isaac Fontaine
Shandong: Mack Tuck, Kevin Lyde, Marcus Fleming, Cedric Suitt
Fujian: Brian Hendrick, Ryan Lorthridge, Alton Ford, Damon Thornton
Henan: Darrell Johns, Odell Bradley, Eddie Elisma
Shaanxi: Garth Joseph, Corey Hightower, Lincoln Smith, Tate Decker