Kim Joo-Sung's DBs win 6 straight to open season, 'overturn 18-19 point deficit'

Pro basketball's longest opening eight-game winning streak is within reach as they face Samsung on Sunday

DB players celebrate after the win

Professional basketball team Wonju DB is on a roll.

DB won 90-79 away from home against the Ulsan Hyundai Mobis at Dongcheon Gymnasium in Ulsan on Friday.

The game was expected to be a straightforward victory as Hyundai Mobis led 50-31 in the second quarter, but DB fought back in the second half to win by 11 points.

DB will be coached by Kim Joo-sung, who was a fixture in Korean basketball during his playing days, ahead of the 2023-2024 season.

The team was rated as a mid-tier power heading into the season, but the general consensus was that they wouldn't be able to threaten the "two-state system" of Jeonju KCC or Seoul SK.

However, DB has been on a six-game winning streak since the start of the season and is now 2.5 games clear of second-place KCC.

The five-game series isn't the first time DB has overcome a large deficit.

Against KCC on Oct. 28, they overcame a 31-49, 18-point deficit to finish with a 101-90 win.

The longest winning streak after the start of a professional basketball season is eight, achieved by DB's predecessor Dongbu in 2011-2012 and Goyang Sono's predecessor Goyang Orion in 2014-2015.

If DB continues its winning streak this week against Seoul Samsung on Nov. 7 and Anyang Jeongguanjang on Nov. 10, it will be able to match the record for the longest winning streak after opening day.

Dedrick Lawson (No. 13)

Leading the way for DBs in the early going is Dedrick Lawson.

Averaging 30.3 points (2nd), 9.7 rebounds (5th), and 4.8 assists (6th), Lawson is quickly becoming one of the best foreign players this season.

Last season, he averaged 18.7 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 3.3 assists while playing for Sono's predecessor Carot.

In addition, the likes of captain Kang Sang-jae and national team member Kim Jong-kyu have added height and speed to the power of the former DB Acid.

SPOTV commentator Lee Sang-yoon said, "The performance of Lawson, Kim Jong-kyu, and Kang Sang-jae is of course good, but coach Kim Joo-sung has created a team atmosphere where senior players such as Park Chan-hee also fly when they come out on the court." "The sixth men such as Min-su, Choi Seung-wook, and Kim Young-hyun also raise the team atmosphere by doing dirty work," he said. 슬롯