On the night Beijing eliminated Guangdong at home, both of their foreign imports, JaVale McGee and Omari Spellman, failed to deliver the expected performances. McGee’s offensive game, in particular, was a disaster. Had it not been for Zhou Qi’s dominant presence in the paint, Beijing’s victory over Guangdong would have been far from secure.
Here is a breakdown of their performances:
– McGee came off the bench for 14 minutes, shooting 0-of-6 from the field, 2-of-2 on free throws, finishing with 2 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 block.
– Spellman started but played only 8 minutes and 48 seconds, shooting 0-for-3, with just 3 rebounds and 1 steal.
Qingdao-based reporter Du Jincheng commented on their attitude, saying: “With the attitude these two veterans show on and off the court, Beijing will find it very difficult to get past Shanghai.”
During the game, Spellman took a rushed three-pointer in the second quarter that appeared to deviate from the team’s plan. Coach Xu Limin immediately called a timeout and pulled him from the game. Spellman did not return to the rotation in the second half.
Their professionalism has been questioned since the regular season. At one point, Spellman was seen angrily pointing at Xu Limin, and according to Beijing media, he was subsequently disciplined internally.
When McGee first joined the Beijing team, he displayed a high level of intensity on both ends of the floor, earning comparisons to Shanghai’s elite big man Hassan Whiteside. However, as the season progressed, especially as the playoffs approached, McGee appeared to be “going through the motions,” leading fans to question his focus and whether he was fully committed on the court.
According to Yang Yi, McGee’s contract is among the top-tier in the CBA. If he is earning such a high salary without delivering convincing performances, the criticism from outside will only grow louder.
