Since his suspension was lifted, Li Nan has been fully immersed in his role as an assistant coach. Despite his title, his experience commands respect, and he has consistently offered advice to players across the team. That pattern continued in the previous games and was especially evident in Game 3.
Late in the fourth quarter, Li Nan spotted potential issues on the court. He quickly pulled Jieman aside for a private conversation, while head coach Xu Limin listened nearby and chimed in with his own suggestions.
After finishing with Jieman, Li Nan turned to Zhao Rui to discuss specific details. Zhao Rui gestured actively during the talk, showing they were deep in discussion. Even though Zhao Rui was not having his best game, Li Nan still made sure to provide as much input as possible.
Throughout the game, Li Nan was also shouting instructions from the sideline like a head coach, matching the intensity of the head coach’s workload. At times, he seemed even more engaged than Xu Limin himself.
This wasn’t an isolated scene—whenever issues arose on the floor, Li Nan went straight to the players involved and communicated with them to help them perform better.
When Zhou Qi suggested putting two small guards on the court, Li Nan immediately took the advice and relayed it to Xu Limin. Xu Limin then executed the adjustment, which turned out to be a crucial game-changer.
Given Li Nan’s growing familiarity with the Beijing team, he is ready to step in as head coach if Xu Limin ever steps down. With an assistant like Li Nan contributing so much, and Zhou Qi also providing strategic input, Xu Limin might just be the most fortunate head coach in the CBA right now.
