The CBA playoffs have brought a major concern for the Chinese men’s basketball team. Following the intense Beijing-Guangdong series, where Beijing advanced after eliminating Guangdong, both forwards Cui Yongxi and Zeng Fanbo have delivered subpar performances, reigniting worries about the team’s small forward position.
Cui Yongxi failed to score in two consecutive playoff games, and his overall output in the postseason has been alarmingly low, far from the expectations set during his brief stint with the Brooklyn Nets in the NBA. This sharp decline has drawn criticism from fans, especially given Cui’s previous statement that the CBA is a “greenhouse” for players. He now struggles to produce even in that environment. 
Meanwhile, Beijing’s Zeng Fanbo has been inconsistent. He shot 5-of-7 from three-point range for 23 points in the first game, earning praise, but followed up with just 3 points in the second. In the decisive third game, he regained his touch, hitting 2-of-3 from deep for 15 points. Such dramatic fluctuations make him an unreliable option. 
Both promising young forwards have been hampered by injuries. Cui suffered a torn ACL and missed over a year, while Zeng has been plagued by back and other ailments, causing him to play on and off. Zeng’s technical development has also stalled – he lacks ball-handling ability, serves mainly as a spot-up shooter, and struggles defensively with both foot speed and strength. Cui, who has better ball control and was once a focus of former coach Aleksandar Djordjevic, has failed to meet expectations in terms of physicality and toughness.
These issues leave head coach Guo Shiqiang with a significant selection headache. With World Cup qualifiers approaching, China will face a fully loaded Japanese team at home, featuring Rui Hachimura and Yuta Watanabe in the frontcourt. Without tall, ball-handling forwards, limiting those NBA-level threats will be extremely difficult.
The persistent weakness at the forward position for Chinese basketball remains an unresolved problem, and time is running out for Guo to find solutions.
