Changwon LG’s ‘New Wind’ basketball has overcome even Busan KCC, who boasted a fearsome offense centered around ‘early offense’. LG’s nine-game winning streak, coupled with Pajuk’s nine-game winning streak, effectively secured the second spot in the playoffs for the four-team playoffs.
LG defeated KCC 101-92 in an away game of the 2023-2024 Korean Basketball Association regular season at Sajik Gymnasium 스포츠토토 in Busan on Feb. 22.
It’s the first time in nine years since January 2015 that LG has won nine straight games. With the win, LG improved to 34-17 and extended its lead over third-place Suwon KT (31-19) to 2.5 games. With three games remaining for LG and four for KT, the standings will only change if LG loses all three games and KT wins all four. In reality, an upset is unlikely. Fifth-place KCC has lost 23 of its last 27 games against LG.
KCC, which has been on fire in its previous six games, scoring an average of 103 points per game with its “early offense,” scored 52 points in the first half to push LG’s stout defense.
However, things changed in the second half, as LG picked up the pace and matched them on offense. They drained seven three-pointers in the third quarter alone to take a 69-67 lead with just over three minutes left in the quarter.
With LG’s pace, KCC started to run out of gas. Even after the start of the fourth quarter, they only scored two points in the first two minutes. In the meantime, LG scored in bunches to extend the lead to double digits, and that’s how it ended.
LG had six players in double figures, led by Lee Jae-do (20 points), Asem Marey (17 points-16 rebounds), Jung Hee-jae (16 points), Justin Gutang (14 points), Yang Hong-seok (11 points), and Lee Kwan-hee (10 points). KCC was led by Heo Woong’s 26 points.