Recap
In the 7th round of the CBA regular season, Nanjing Tongxi finally reached the final stop of their four-game road trip in Shanghai, where they suffered an 100-84 defeat. Since leaving Nanjing on 24 October, the team has travelled extensively, with stops in Qingdao, Chengdu, Urumqi and other cities.
The demanding travel schedule, significant temperature differences between destinations, seasonal changes and a high incidence of influenza have reportedly taken a heavy toll on the squad. A large-scale H1N1 influenza outbreak has affected the team, with several players, including Jiang He, Kai Kai, Zhu Zixuan, Guo Haowen and both foreign imports, experiencing flu-like symptoms, including fever. Some players who featured against Shanghai reportedly had to continue playing despite feeling unwell.
Nanjing will now return home for the final game of the first stage of the competition, which will also be the first Jiangsu derby of the season. The visiting team could have an opportunity to take advantage of the situation and achieve a positive result.