Tianjin Pioneers vs Shanghai Sharks, CBA 2025-26, Today Match Prediction

Teams Preview

Tianjin Pioneers Preview

Tianjin head into the contest with a 95-102 loss to Guangsha. It was their sixth consecutive defeat in the regular season. The Pioneers conceded more than 100 points in four of the six defeats. They fell to 9-21 in CBA 2025-26 standings. The hosts are already out of the playoffs contention. They are sitting in the bottom three. Tianjin will now take on the league leaders at home this weekend. With a 3-7 record against the Sharks, they will be in deep pressure. 

The Pioneers were outscored 20-30 in the second quarter and it proved decisive. Tianjin shot 46% from the floor and 33% from the three-point line. They were out-rebounding 33-39. Tianjin are scoring 91.7 points per game, and allowing 96.1 points per game. They are great in offense but lack of solid defense gives them a negative mark. Tianjin are fifth in assists per game (21.2) and third in turnovers per game (10.2). 

Four players reached double figures for Tianjin in the last game. Tingqian Lin led the scoring with 23 points and eight assists. HR Zheng went for 19 points, while Tian Yu dropped 15 points. James David also contributed 13 points. If we pick out an offensive threat for the upcoming game, Hamlet Javion is right up there. The American guard averaged 21.8 points in the regular season. We back him to score 15 or more points in the upcoming game. 

Shanghai Sharks Preview

Shanghai Sharks are high on confidence and they are eyeing a CBA title this season. The leaders defeated Shanxi Loongs 112-80 in the previous encounter to extend their winning streak to 11 matches in the regular season. If we add up their title run in the CBA Club Cup, they are unbeaten from the last 14 games across all competitions. The Sharks are 26-4 in the regular season and main contenders to take the trophy. Shanghai will continue their four-game road trip with a weekend clash against Tianjin. 

The Sharks shot 54% from the floor and 62% from the three-point line. Shanghai had the biggest lead of 35 points and never trailed. They are averaging season-high 97.9 points and allowing second-best 80.2 points per game. They rank first in the field goals (51.6%) and second in three-point shooting (37.3%). They are also leading in blocks per game (4.4) and rebounds per game (44.6). The visitors are forcing 12.2 turnovers per game. 

Li Hongquan led the offense in the previous victory with 27 points and five rebounds. Li Tianrong added 18 points, while Liyongwei Xie dropped 17 points. Brandon Goodwin and Whiteside added 10 points each. The latter completed his double-double by grabbing 11 rebounds as well. Lofton Jr. also had 11 rebounds. Goodwin is a player to watch out for in road game. The former NBA guard averaged 14.5 points in the regular season. We back him to score 15 or more points in the road fixture. 

Tianjin Pioneers vs Shanghai Sharks Starting Lineups