BNK, Samsung Life Insurance, and BNK will play each other in two consecutive games. Is it the first time for Samsung Life to take the lead?
Jan 15, 2025
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While BNK, Woori Bank, and Samsung Life Insurance have virtually entered the stable position of advancing to the playoffs by forming a '3 strongest', BNK, the leader, and Samsung Life Insurance, the third-ranked team, will face off on the 16th and 19th in a row. As of the 15th, there are only two games between the two teams, so the rankings of the three teams, not only the two teams but also Woori Bank, can change as much as possible depending on the results.
In terms of current momentum, it can be said that it is a 'crisis' for BNK, and an 'opportunity' for Samsung Life Insurance. BNK dominated the first place in the first half with 12 wins and 3 losses and a whopping 80% win rate. However, on the 3rd, the first game of the new year, he began to twist a little after suffering a come-from-behind loss against KB Stars, and is only 50% with 2 wins and 2 losses in the second half.
The most painful part is the number of injured players. Park Hye-jin was unable to come out for three consecutive games due to chronic plantar fasciitis and ankle injuries, and Lee So-hee was unable to come out for two consecutive games due to plantar fasciitis. It can be said to be fatal for BNK, which is highly dependent on its main players. Six men, including Byun So-jung, Park Sung-jin and Shim Soo-hyun, are stepping up, but even if it was inevitable for the opponent's ace Kim Dan-bi in the match against Woori Bank on the 12th, he failed to properly block Shim Sung-young and Han Um-ji, and lost 56-73 and overshadowed the title of the match between first and second place.
On the other hand, Samsung Life Insurance has 3 wins and 1 loss in the second half, and in the last two games, the balance of offense and defense and teamwork are in harmony to the extent that they overpowered the opponent by more than 20 points. Main gun Kiana Smith has completely found her pace and Lee Hae-ran, who is only in his fourth year, has been steadily scoring from inside and outside by penetrating the opponent's defense, building a strong 'triangular formation' with center Bae Hye-yoon. On top of that, if guards such as Lee Ju-yeon and Yoon Ye-bin overcome their injuries and add strength, they will be reborn as the team with the most abundant bench resources among the three strongest teams.
In addition, the results of the first half of the two teams' first-half showdowns are also an absolute advantage for Samsung Life. BNK lost two of its three losses in the first half to Samsung Life Insurance. They were defeated by 25 points and 17 points, respectively. BNK is playing fast transition basketball mainly using guards and forwards without the main center, exposing significant weaknesses to Samsung Life Insurance, centered on Bae Hye-yoon's under-the-goal play and feeding ability. As a result, Park Jung-eun, head coach of BNK, said he would use the All-Star Game break to change and hone his tactics against the opponent's big man defense, but he is meeting Samsung Life for the second time in a row in a bad atmosphere.
However, Lee So-hee and Park Hye-jin were not in a state where it was difficult to run completely, and they have been resting, rehabilitating, and strengthening their physical strength, so there is a high possibility of putting them in the Samsung Life Insurance match. He boasts an enormous winning rate of 8-1 at his home this season, Busan Sajik Indoor Gymnasium, and psychological confidence is considerable as he will play the first match of two consecutive games at home on the 16th. The following match will be held at Yongin Indoor Stadium, the home of Samsung Life Insurance.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
