The Guangdong Southern Tigers’ early playoff exit has cast a harsh spotlight on point guard Xu Jie, whose performance in the decisive Game 3 against the Beijing Ducks was nothing short of disastrous. After a promising start to the season that faded, Xu’s playoff run mirrored that decline, peaking with 19 points in the first game against Guangzhou and then plummeting.
In the must-win Game 3 versus Beijing, Xu started but managed only 17 minutes on the court. He shot 0-for-3 from the field, scored zero points, and posted a minus-10 plus-minus rating. While teammate Hu Mingxuan carried the offense early, Xu picked up two fouls within the first three minutes, a setback that derailed his rhythm entirely. When the team’s offense stalled, Xu struggled both in scoring and playmaking, as Beijing’s tight defense isolated him from his teammates. The second quarter saw Beijing outscore Guangdong 25-14, with Xu missing all three of his shot attempts and contributing nothing on the scoreboard.
Prior to the game, reports emerged that Guangdong’s owner had offered a 2 million yuan ($200,000) win bonus for the team. The loss not only ended their season but also dashed hopes of that bonus, with Xu widely criticized as the primary culprit for the failure.
Xu’s season followed a familiar pattern: a strong start with multiple 15+ and 20+ point games, followed by severe inconsistency. His struggles deepened around the time he was named an All-Star starter, sparking debate over whether he deserved the honor. In the final stretch of the regular season, his poor form contributed to a losing streak, and in the playoffs, history repeated itself—a promising beginning gave way to a costly collapse in the elimination game.
However, a more rational analysis suggests that Xu, standing under 1.8 meters, faces inherent limitations in high-stakes games. When officiating tightens, his lack of size and physicality becomes exposed. Basketball ultimately rewards athleticism and size, especially at the elite level.
During this postseason, Xu averaged a team-high 30.7 minutes per game but produced only 8.3 points on 37% shooting from the field and 29.4% from three-point range. In contrast, Hu Mingxuan, who also faced criticism during the regular season, averaged 14.2 points and 4.2 assists with a stellar 48.6% three-point percentage in the playoffs.
This series should serve as a lesson for coach Du Feng: undersized guards with physical limitations cannot be relied upon as primary options in crucial moments. Xu may excel as a complementary piece, but he falls short when asked to be a difference-maker. For national team coach Guo Shiqiang, Xu’s playoff struggles likely reinforce the decision to leave him off the national roster. As for Xu himself, self-awareness may be the first step toward improvement.