Pilots and Kings vie for first P. LEAGUE+ title

The P. LEAGUE+ Finals tip off Sunday (June 9) with 2023 P. LEAGUE+ finalists the New Taipei Kings squaring off against the Taoyuan Pauian Pilots, who are playing their first-ever league finals.

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As P. LEAGUE+ finalists, both Taoyuan and New Taipei automatically qualify for the EASL 2024-25 season.

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Taoyuan Pauian Pilots vs. New Taipei Kings (Best-of-7)

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Last season’s finalists and EASL fourth-place finishers the New Taipei Kings will take on P. LEAGUE+ Finals debutants the Taoyuan Pauian Pilots.

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The Pilots struggled out of the gate, hovering around mid-standings until February 4. A remarkable turnaround saw them finish the season with a 26-14 record, clinching their first regular season championship.

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In the semis, the Pilots, down 2-1 in the series against the Hsinchu Toplus Lioneers, staged a comeback to win three consecutive games, clinching their first playoff series victory.

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The Kings are seeking redemption after last season’s finals loss to the Taipei Fubon Braves in six games.

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Former NBA star Jeremy Lin joined his brother Joseph at the Kings last offseason, bolstering the team’s firepower.

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The Kings started the season strongly, winning their first nine games in the P. LEAGUE+ and the EASL combined.

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However, misfortune struck when Jeremy Lin suffered a plantar fascia injury in late January, forcing him to miss 15 of the team’s following 16 games, including the EASL Final Four.

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New Taipei only managed to secure four victories in those 16 games. They lost all three EASL matches Lin missed, ending with a fourth-place finish at the EASL Final Four 2024.

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Lin returned from his injury on April 13 and New Taipei finished the season strong, winning seven of their final 11 games. The team ended the year with a commendable 22-18 record, securing third place in the regular season standings.

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New Taipei took a 3-1 series lead against the Dreamers in the semifinals. After losing Game 5, a strong fourth quarter in Game 6 secured the series 4-2 for the Kings.

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The New Taipei Kings and the Taoyuan Pauian Pilots split the season series with four wins each.

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Players to Watch

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Taoyuan Pauian Pilots – #69 Justin Lu Chun-Hsiang – G

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Manning the point for the Pilots is Lu Chun-Hsiang, who has made significant strides during the P. LEAGUE+ playoffs.

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The 26-year-old was the league’s second-leading scorer in the playoffs, averaging 19.8 points, 6.3 assists, and 4 rebounds in six games against the Lioneers.

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Lu set career highs this season, averaging 16.8 points and 3.3 assists in 37 games.

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New Taipei Kings – #7 Jeremy Lin – G

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JLin7 provided the offensive spark the Kings needed during the playoffs.

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After his return from injury on April 13, Lin played six games with limited minutes, averaging under 20 minutes per game.

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His playing time ramped up from May 7, and his performance improved greatly, averaging 19 points in the following 10 games.

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Lin ranks third in scoring during the playoffs, averaging 19.5 points in six games against the Dreamers, including a 33-point effort in the Game 6 clincher that secured the Kings’ finals berth and qualification for the EASL in consecutive seasons.

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Lin averaged 19.8 points per game against the Pilots this season, including a 37-point effort back in November.

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One more stat you should know

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Dominating the interior

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During the 2024 P. LEAGUE+ playoffs, the Taoyuan Pauian Pilots and the New Taipei Kings topped the rankings in two-point field goals.

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The Pilots led the four semifinalists with 22.8 two-point field goals, scoring at 46.6 percent, while the Kings closely followed with 22.7 two-point field goals, at 49.5 percent.

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Game schedule

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All times China Standard Time

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• Game 1: New Taipei Kings (Away) vs. Taoyuan Pauian Pilots (Home), Sunday, June 9, 17:00
• Game 2: New Taipei Kings (Away) vs. Taoyuan Pauian Pilots (Home), Wednesday, June 12, 19:00
• Game 3: Taoyuan Pauian Pilots (Away) vs. New Taipei Kings (Home), Saturday, June 15, 17:00
• Game 4: Taoyuan Pauian Pilots (Away) vs. New Taipei Kings (Home), Monday, June 17, 19:00
• Game 5: New Taipei Kings (Away) vs. Taoyuan Pauian Pilots (Home), Thursday, June 20, 19:00*
• Game 6: Taoyuan Pauian Pilots (Away) vs. New Taipei Kings (Home), Saturday, June 22, 17:00*
• Game 7: New Taipei Kings (Away) vs. Taoyuan Pauian Pilots (Home), Monday, June 24, 19:00*

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* = if necessary