# 1995–96 Chinese Basketball Association season

The 1995–96 CBA season was the first season of the Chinese Basketball Association. The season was held from 10 December 1995 to 7 April 1996.
The league had 12 teams for its inaugural campaign and every club played each other twice in the regular season.

## Teams

| Team | Head coach |
| Air Force | Ma Lianzhong |
| Bayi Rockets | Wang Fei |
| Beijing Ducks | Yuan Chao |
| Guangdong Southern Tigers | Wang Lifa |
| Jiangsu Dragons | Yi Dehua |
| Jinan Army | Zhang Bin |
| Liaoning Hunters | Li Ge |
| Nanjing Army | Yang Xuezeng |
| Shandong Flaming Bulls | Zhao Xuanmin |
| Shenyang Army | Xuan Chengbin |
| Vanguard/Police | Yu Long |
| Zhejiang Squirrels | Pan Jianping |

## Regular season
### League table

| Rank | 1995–96 CBA regular season | 1995–96 CBA regular season | 1995–96 CBA regular season | 1995–96 CBA regular season | 1995–96 CBA regular season | 1995–96 CBA regular season |
| Rank | Team | W | L | Pts | Pct. | Tiebreaker |
| 1 | Bayi Rockets | 22 | 0 | 44 | 100.0% | |
| 2 | Guangdong Southern Tigers | 18 | 4 | 40 | 81.8% | |
| 3 | Liaoning Hunters | 18 | 4 | 40 | 81.8% | |
| 4 | Beijing Ducks | 17 | 5 | 39 | 77.3% | |
| 5 | Shandong Flaming Bulls | 12 | 10 | 34 | 54.5% | |
| 6 | Zhejiang Squirrels | 10 | 12 | 32 | 45.5% | |
| 7 | Jinan Army | 9 | 13 | 31 | 40.9% | |
| 8 | Shenyang Army | 8 | 14 | 30 | 36.4% | |
| 9 | Air Force | 7 | 15 | 29 | 31.8% | |
| 10 | Jiangsu Dragons | 6 | 16 | 28 | 27.3% | |
| 11 | Nanjing Army | 4 | 18 | 26 | 18.2% | |
| 12 | Vanguard/Police | 1 | 21 | 23 | 4.5% | |
Key to colors :
* Qualification for quarter-finals
* Qualification for 5th–8th place playoffs
* Qualification for relegation playoffs

### Results

12 teams played against each other teams twice.
| Home \ Away | AFO | BYR | BJD | GDS | JSD | JNA | LNH | NJA | SDB | SYA | VAN | ZJS |
| Air Force | | 75–103 | 74–86 | 71–83 | 92–73 | 78–80 | 86–89 | 76–68 | 85–94 | 60–67 | 116–83 | 87–68 |
| Bayi Rockets | 101–56 | | 100–69 | 108–80 | 128–89 | 117–78 | 108–80 | 101–88 | 83–63 | 115–82 | 117–87 | 99–69 |
| Beijing Ducks | 64–58 | 74–98 | | 84–77 | 89–61 | 86–77 | 89–70 | 101–77 | 80–70 | 83–55 | 85–56 | 79–59 |
| Guangdong Southern Tigers | 106–75 | 86–97 | 68–60 | | 96–60 | 95–80 | 92–69 | 100–73 | 89–68 | 98–81 | 89–84 | 111–78 |
| Jiangsu Dragons | 70–67 | 80–109 | 70–96 | 81–89 | | 82–68 | 78–87 | 97–106 | 61–72 | 87–81 | 95–84 | 70–71 |
| Jinan Army | 87–78 | 76–109 | 72–64 | 72–87 | 77–67 | | 63–75 | 89–71 | 87–65 | 60–73 | 86–83 | 59–84 |
| Liaoning Hunters | 91–69 | 65–87 | 92–75 | 98–78 | 107–86 | 98–74 | | 109–58 | 96–78 | 90–68 | 107–87 | 104–54 |
| Nanjing Army | 60–95 | 79–95 | 66–79 | 94–99 | 83–88 | 90–78 | 85–99 | | 85–94 | 78–80 | 92–89 | 72–94 |
| Shandong Flaming Bulls | 83–78 | 71–95 | 51–63 | 69–72 | 97–80 | 90–78 | 74–80 | 92–90 | | 93–66 | 84–70 | 51–75 |
| Shenyang Army | 82–72 | 63–88 | 78–87 | 88–92 | 97–76 | 66–68 | 70–79 | 92–77 | 80–93 | | 84–78 | 67–70 |
| Vanguard/Police | 61–80 | 74–100 | 64–87 | 67–95 | 69–93 | 83–96 | 74–89 | 85–88 | 73–88 | 80–68 | | 60–79 |
| Zhejiang Squirrels | 65–75 | 79–108 | 57–62 | 77–104 | 84–70 | 83–74 | 67–70 | 87–81 | 73–83 | 55–60 | 61–51 | |

## Playoffs

The Playoffs used a Home-Away system. Total points were used to decide the winner.

### Bracket

| Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| 1 | Bayi Rockets | 96 | 112 | 2 | | | | | |
| 4 | Beijing Ducks | 76 | 100 | 0 | | | | | |
| 4 | Beijing Ducks | 76 | 100 | 0 | 1 | Bayi Rockets | 97 | 88 | 2 |
| | | | | | 2 | Guangdong Southern Tigers | 63 | 74 | 0 |
| 2 | Guangdong Southern Tigers | 81 | 74 | 2 | 2 | Guangdong Southern Tigers | 63 | 74 | 0 |
| 3 | Liaoning Hunters | 79 | 69 | 0 | Third place game | Third place game | Third place game | Third place game | Third place game |
| | | | | | 4 | Beijing Ducks | 72 | 73 | 1 (145) |
| | | | | | 3 | Liaoning Hunters | 75 | 62 | 1 (137) |
| 5–8th classification semi-finals | 5–8th classification semi-finals | 5–8th classification semi-finals | 5–8th classification semi-finals | 5–8th classification semi-finals | Fifth place game | Fifth place game | Fifth place game | Fifth place game | Fifth place game |
| 5 | Shandong Flaming Bulls | 67 | 106 | 1 (173) | | | | | |
| 8 | Shenyang Army | 68 | 63 | 1 (131) | | | | | |
| 8 | Shenyang Army | 68 | 63 | 1 (131) | 5 | Shandong Flaming Bulls | 76 | 71 | 2 |
| | | | | | 6 | Zhejiang Squirrels | 61 | 45 | 0 |
| 6 | Zhejiang Squirrels | 74 | 77 | 1 (151) | 6 | Zhejiang Squirrels | 61 | 45 | 0 |
| 7 | Jinan Army | 66 | 78 | 1 (144) | Seventh place game | Seventh place game | Seventh place game | Seventh place game | Seventh place game |
| | | | | | 8 | Shenyang Army | 57 | 87 | 1 (144) |
| | | | | | 7 | Jinan Army | 63 | 82 | 1 (145) |
| Relegation playoffs | Relegation playoffs | Relegation playoffs | Relegation playoffs | Relegation playoffs | Ninth place game | Ninth place game | Ninth place game | Ninth place game | Ninth place game |
| 9 | Air Force | 78 | 75 | 2 | | | | | |
| 12 | Vanguard/Police | 64 | 67 | 0 | | | | | |
| 12 | Vanguard/Police | 64 | 67 | 0 | 9 | Air Force | 65 | 81 | 2 |
| | | | | | 10 | Jiangsu Dragons | 58 | 64 | 0 |
| 10 | Jiangsu Dragons | 75 | 102 | 1 (177) | 10 | Jiangsu Dragons | 58 | 64 | 0 |
| 11 | Nanjing Army | 79 | 93 | 1 (172) | | | | | |
* Bold Series winner

### Semi-finals
#### (1) Bayi Rockets vs. (4) Beijing Ducks

* 10 March 1996 19:30
* Boxscore
| Beijing Ducks | 76–96 | Bayi Rockets |
| Scoring by quarter: –, –, –, – |||
* 17 March 1996 19:30
* Boxscore
| Bayi Rockets | 112–100 | Beijing Ducks |
| Scoring by quarter: –, –, –, – |||

#### (2) Guangdong Southern Tigers vs. (3) Liaoning Hunters

* 10 March 1996 19:30
* Boxscore
| Liaoning Hunters | 79–81 | Guangdong Southern Tigers |
| Scoring by quarter: –, –, –, – |||
* 17 March 1996 19:30
* Boxscore
| Guangdong Southern Tigers | 74–69 | Liaoning Hunters |
| Scoring by quarter: –, –, –, – |||

### Finals
#### (1) Bayi Rockets vs. (2) Guangdong Southern Tigers

* 31 March 1996 19:30
* Boxscore
| Guangdong Southern Tigers | 63–97 | Bayi Rockets |
| Scoring by quarter: –, –, –, – |||
* 7 April 1996 19:30
* Boxscore
| Bayi Rockets | 88–74 | Guangdong Southern Tigers |
| Scoring by quarter: –, –, –, – |||

### Third place game
#### (3) Liaoning Hunters vs. (4) Beijing Ducks

* 27 March 1996 19:30
* Boxscore
| Liaoning Hunters | 75–72 | Beijing Ducks |
| Scoring by quarter: –, –, –, – |||
* 7 April 1996 19:30
* Boxscore
| Beijing Ducks | 73–62 | Liaoning Hunters |
| Scoring by quarter: –, –, –, – |||

### 5–8th classification semi-finals
#### (5) Shandong Flaming Bulls vs. (8) Shenyang Army

* 10 March 1996 19:30
* Boxscore
| Shenyang Army | 68–67 | Shandong Flaming Bulls |
| Scoring by quarter: –, –, –, – |||
* 17 March 1996 19:30
* Boxscore
| Shandong Flaming Bulls | 106–63 | Shenyang Army |
| Scoring by quarter: –, –, –, – |||

#### (6) Zhejiang Squirrels vs. (7) Jinan Army

* 13 March 1996 19:30
* Boxscore
| Jinan Army | 66–74 | Zhejiang Squirrels |
| Scoring by quarter: –, –, –, – |||
* 20 March 1996 19:30
* Boxscore
| Zhejiang Squirrels | 77–78 | Jinan Army |
| Scoring by quarter: –, –, –, – |||

### Fifth place game
#### (5) Shandong Flaming Bulls vs. (6) Zhejiang Squirrels

* 24 March 1996 19:30
* Boxscore
| Zhejiang Squirrels | 61–76 | Shandong Flaming Bulls |
| Scoring by quarter: –, –, –, – |||
* 3 April 1996 19:30
* Boxscore
| Shandong Flaming Bulls | 71–45 | Zhejiang Squirrels |
| Scoring by quarter: –, –, –, – |||

### Seventh place game
#### (7) Jinan Army vs. (8) Shenyang Army

* 24 March 1996 19:30
* Boxscore
| Jinan Army | 63–57 | Shenyang Army |
| Scoring by quarter: –, –, –, – |||
* 31 March 1996 19:30
* Boxscore
| Shenyang Army | 87–82 | Jinan Army |
| Scoring by quarter: –, –, –, – |||

### Relegation playoffs
#### (9) Air Force vs. (12) Vanguard/Police

* 13 March 1996 19:30
* Boxscore
| Vanguard/Police | 64–78 | Air Force |
| Scoring by quarter: –, –, –, – |||
* 20 March 1996 19:30
* Boxscore
| Air Force | 75–67 | Vanguard/Police |
| Scoring by quarter: –, –, –, – |||

#### (10) Jiangsu Dragons vs. (11) Nanjing Army

* 13 March 1996 19:30
* Boxscore
| Nanjing Army | 79–75 | Jiangsu Dragons |
| Scoring by quarter: –, –, –, – |||
* 20 March 1996 19:30
* Boxscore
| Jiangsu Dragons | 102–93 | Nanjing Army |
| Scoring by quarter: –, –, –, – |||

### Ninth place game
#### (9) Air Force vs. (10) Jiangsu Dragons

* 27 March 1996 19:30
* Boxscore
| Jiangsu Dragons | 58–65 | Air Force |
| Scoring by quarter: –, –, –, – |||
* 3 April 1996 19:30
* Boxscore
| Air Force | 81–64 | Jiangsu Dragons |
| Scoring by quarter: –, –, –, – |||

## All-Star Game

The first CBA All-Star Game was played on April 9, 1996, in Beijing.
The Blue Team, featuring players including Wang Zhizhi and Adiljan Jun, defeated the White Team 106–98.

## Statistics
### Individual statistic leaders

| Category | Player | Team(s) | Statistic |
| Points per game | Hu Weidong | Jiangsu Dragons | 28.0 |
| Rebounds per game | Yu Leping | Zhejiang Squirrels | 13.0 |
| Assists per game | Huang Yunlong | Guangdong Southern Tigers | 4.4 |
| Steals per game | Ju Weisong | Shandong Flaming Bulls | 3.5 |
| Blocks per game | Wang Zhizhi | Bayi Rockets | 3.8 |
| Turnovers per game | Hu Weidong | Jiangsu Dragons | 4.6 |
| Fouls per game | Shen Zhenhai | Jiangsu Dragons | 3.9 |
| Minutes per game | Ju Weisong | Shandong Flaming Bulls | 39.7 |
| FG% | Ma Yongzhong | Guangdong Southern Tigers | 67.3% |
| FT% | Yu Xuepeng | Liaoning Hunters | 85.0% |
| 3P% | Li Nan | Bayi Rockets | 64.0% |

### Team statistic leaders

| Category | Team | Statistic |
| Points per game | Bayi Rockets | 103.0 |
| Rebounds per game | Guangdong Southern Tigers | 34.3 |
| Assists per game | Guangdong Southern Tigers | 14.5 |
| Steals per game | Bayi Rockets | 11.5 |
| Blocks per game | Bayi Rockets | 5.7 |
| Turnovers per game | Jinan Army | 14.5 |
| Fouls per game | Air Force | 17.9 |
| FG% | Bayi Rockets | 56.7% |
| FT% | Bayi Rockets | 70.6% |
| 3P% | Bayi Rockets | 44.9% |

## Awards

These are the award winners for the 1995-96 CBA regular season.

### Annual awards

1995–96 CBA awards :
| Award | Recipient(s) |
| CBA Most Valuable Player | Hu Weidong (Jiangsu Dragons) |
| CBA Coach of the Year | Wang Fei (Bayi Rockets) Wang Lifa (Guangdong Southern Tigers) |