Guangzhou Long-Lions suffered a crushing 60-point defeat! The NBA world remains incredibly ruthless!

Guangzhou Long-Lions ended their NBA preseason trip after losing to the Timberwolves by a 60-point margin in their third game.

Oladipo scored 14 points, Kaminsky had 10 points and 8 rebounds, Frazer posted 8 points and 3 assists, and Chen Guohao added 6 points and 2 rebounds.

For the Wolves, the core playoff lineup including Huazi, Conley, DiVincenzo, McDan, Gobert, Randle, and Reed didn’t play, but that didn’t prevent the "NBA beating CBA" scenario.

Because the star players were absent, this kind of game was actually even harder for Guangzhou to compete in.

Why? The Timberwolves’ bench players played with greater determination, fighting hard for their spots in the new season. The substitutes played aggressively to secure their jobs...

Once the defense intensifies, it’s not just the domestic players on the Long-Lions who struggle, even their foreign signings, including former All-Star Oladipo, find it difficult to perform.

Watching the live broadcast, I couldn’t help but think: It’s no surprise they can’t find a spot in the NBA.

After three consecutive heavy losses, some will definitely question the purpose of Guangzhou Long-Lions’ trip.

For example, fans commented: "They’re not playing at the same level, how can they compete?"

Others even said: "It’s embarrassing."

Our local fans and media are really hard to please.

Before stepping out, they criticized players for "living in a greenhouse." Now that Guangzhou is leading in the CBA and taking this path, people still find things to complain about.

Regarding the significance of this journey, I think the Long-Lions’ official Weibo after losing to the Clippers summarized it best:

“This game, especially the third quarter, acted like a mirror reflecting our gaps and shortcomings, which are the very marks we must face while shaping our future.”

It’s a very honest expression.

An average loss of 46 points over three games? If you don’t play, you’ll never lose.

If asked what this preseason trip aims for, I believe it’s not just to witness NBA’s high level or experience the competition and recognize the gap.

An equally important point is hoping the players will cherish and respect the professional basketball career more upon returning.

In some ways, our Chinese players are very fortunate.

In contrast, the NBA world is extremely harsh.

When you question how the Long-Lions lost to the Timberwolves’ bench by 60 points, have you ever thought:

Every NBA team substitute appearing in the preseason is basically a Michael Jordan in their own world?

Rob Dozier, from Kentucky, the 8th overall pick;

Terrence Shannon, whose jersey was retired by the University of Illinois, averaged 23 points in his senior year;

Nashton Hyland, also a first-round pick, former Clipper and Nugget, a highly entertaining player, now unable to secure a fully guaranteed contract.

It’s only natural Guangzhou Long-Lions can’t compete with these “gods.”

During the breaks in Guangzhou’s games, I came across this news:

The Nets officially announced the release of two players: guard Dariq Whitehead and forward Drew Timme.

If you follow NCAA, you won’t be unfamiliar with these two.

Whitehead was once ranked second nationally in high school; after graduating from Duke, he was picked 22nd in the first round by the Nets... but injuries and other factors prevented him from fulfilling his potential.

Drew Timme is described as a "classic center," with delicate footwork and strong low-post scoring skills.

This guy was a dominant force in college basketball, Gonzaga’s all-time leading scorer, went undrafted in 2023, then joined the Bucks via Exhibit 10 contract and fought his way up.

Last season, he got his chance with the Nets, playing 12 games, averaging 12 points and 7.2 rebounds.

He is the fifth player in NBA history to record a double-double in his debut...

And now, he’s been cut.

If you understand their backgrounds and compare them to Zeng Fanbo, isn’t the latter quite fortunate?

At least young Zeng is back in Beijing with a guaranteed big contract.

American players have few fallback options: either stay in the NBA or travel abroad, playing in various leagues worldwide at different levels.

How many American pro players leave home for a $3,000 monthly salary?

From the Timberwolves’ bench players’ hunger for games to the Nets’ roster cuts, you see many truths about the NBA world:

Players around you are all gifted beasts; to survive, you must do everything possible to grab your share.

Do the lower-tier players on the Timberwolves and Nets have the right to complain about limited minutes? Or to blame coaches for no opportunities? If you can play, you play; if not, others are waiting for their chance.

So from this perspective, not counting that the games were in Macau, Zeng’s 10 minutes of playing time is actually quite a lot.

High-level players and leagues always revolve around two words:

Competition.

I believe this trip will leave a deep impression on Guangzhou’s domestic players.