16 points and 5 rebounds! Dominating the overtime! Guo Ailun’s spectacular debut

Fast break attack, scoring against the foreign player.

Acting as the commander, connecting with the 2023 top draft pick Chen Guohao.

Using Xu Xin’s screen, sinking a three-pointer.

Signature spin layup.

In the end, Guo Ailun dominated the overtime. Due to playing time restrictions, he came off the bench for about 20 minutes, shooting 4 of 9, including 1 of 3 from three, and making 7 of 9 free throws, contributing 16 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists. The only downside was 5 turnovers. He led Guangzhou to defend their home court with a 112-102 victory over Tongxi.

Besides Guo Ailun, the only local player on Guangzhou to score in double digits was 22-year-old Xu Xin, who posted a huge double-double with 24 points, 14 rebounds, and 2 blocks. He is a strong candidate this season for Most Improved Player and Defensive Player of the Year.

On Tongxi’s side, only Guo Haowen scored in double digits among the local players,playing about 40 minutes, shooting 9 of 22 (5 of 14 from three), and making 7 of 8 free throws, finishing with a comprehensive stat line of 30 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists.After Lin Wei left to compete in the NCAA, he has become the new face of the team.

Back to Guo Ailun, this game marked his return after more than a month. Since December 19 last year, when Guangzhou faced Guangdong in the city derby, he was sidelined due to a groin injury. It proves that as long as he stays healthy, he remains a top domestic guard. Unfortunately, in recent years, his endurance has been a persistent issue.

In the summer of 2024, Guo Ailun was traded in a major three-team deal to Guangzhou. Zhu Mingzhen joined Tongxi, and Wang Lanqin was loaned to Liaoning.

This guy’s first season with Guangzhou is the 24-25 season. He played 11 games, starting 10, averaging 27.5 minutes per game with 15.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 5.7 assists, including a single game where he exploded for 40 points. This season, he has only played three games, averaging 24.3 minutes with 13.7 points, 3 rebounds, and 3.7 assists.

So far, Guo Ailun has only played 14 games for his new team. Before joining Guangzhou, he appeared in 51 regular-season games for Liaoning between 21-24 seasons. Frankly, the label “fragile player” has become associated with him.

By the way, this season is the final year of Guo Ailun’s current type D max contract, and no one can be certain about his future...