CBA New Year's Clash: Shandong Highspeed vs. Xinjiang Flying Tigers - A Battle of Resurgent Teams

This CBA New Year's opener features a showdown between two teams looking to build on recent victories. Shandong Highspeed, with a 4-4 record, will play at home after defeating Shanxi and ending a three-game losing streak. Xinjiang Flying Tigers, with a 3-5 record, are on the road, having also snapped a losing streak by beating Guangzhou after four consecutive losses. Historically, Xinjiang holds an advantage with a 42-20 record in head-to-head matchups. However, Shandong defeated Xinjiang 111-107 on the road this season, ending Xinjiang's 14-game winning streak. Shandong's foreign player, Chris, ranks second in the league in scoring, while Purcell provides consistent offensive contributions, and Tao Hanlin anchors the interior rebounding. Xinjiang's foreign players haven't performed as expected, with Lawson and Nattor scoring under 15 points. However, local players like Qi Lin and Abudushalamu have been in good form, and their team ranks third in the league in interior rebounding, averaging 46 per game. Recommendation: Shandong Highspeed