The Chinese Basketball Association (CBA China) standings - and you can't deny it's where the most powerful domestic league in Asia is built - reflects the shape of the league. With 20 pro teams fighting it out over a long regular season, the standings lay bare which clubs have the consistency, scoring power and strength to really push for that championship title.
The regular season usually kicks off in October and keeps going strong through the winter months before the playoffs bring it all to an end in April or May. With teams playing dozens of games during the regular season, the standings table often - though not always - shows a clear gap between the title contenders and the middle-of-the-pack teams.
The CBA operates in the time-honoured way - regular season, then the playoffs kick in, where the top teams make it through to the final rounds and knock each other out.
The standings are worked out by:
You can be sure that with a season as long as this one and a game that's all about scoring, the teams with the strongest rosters will shoot to the top of the standings in no time.
A few clubs seem to be able to rely on appearing near the top of the CBA table - teams like:
These teams have actually been the ones who have driven the modern era of Chinese pro basketball - and they're always the ones to beat.
The league has had its fair share of dominant champions in recent years.
Just in the last few years we've had:
Much of the modern era of the CBA has been dominated by the rivalry between Liaoning and Guangdong - the two teams who always seem to be vying for top spot in the standings and reaching the finals on a regular basis.
There are a few players who've played crucial roles in championship teams and really helped shape the league's story.
Domestically, some of the stars who stand out are:
And then there are the international players who've all made a huge impact.
Some of the most well-known imports to play in the CBA have been:
What happens is a lot of these foreign players lead the league in scoring and really drive the offence for their teams, which can make all the difference in the finals.
But beyond the on-court drama, the CBA has also produced some pretty impressive records over the years.
Some of the stats that stand out include:
Looking at the OddsRun database tells us that there are a few interesting trends that show up in the data.
Things like:
These numbers really highlight what the CBA is all about - fast-paced, high-scoring games and a very clear gap between the top teams and the ones struggling near the bottom of the standings.