Yi Jianlian (R) of the Guangdon g Southern Tigers tries to break through the defense of Zhou Qi of the Xinjiang Flying Tigers at the Hongshan Arena in Urumqi, the capital city of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, January 21, 2020. (Photos: CGTN)

China's top basketball league, the CBA, announced on Friday that it is suspending the season because of the coronavirus outbreak.

The league is currently on a break and was due to resume on February 1 but officials said all forthcoming matches will now be postponed.

Fans who have already bought tickets can either seek a refund from the point of sale or wait until the league confirms the new schedule.

Delaying the rest of the season can be good news for teams that can use the extended vacation to get better rest. For example, though the Guangdong Southern Tigers currently hold a safe lead with a 28-2 record, many of their players are not so young anymore. Besides, their ace forward Zhou Peng who has missed over half of the regular season is reportedly coming back for the playoffs. As the regular season gets longer, he will have more time to adapt himself to the competition, increasing the champions' chance of retaining the title.

Zhou Qi (L) of the Xinjiang Flying Tigers faces the defense of Yi Jianlian (R) of the Guangdong Southern Tigers in a CBA game at the Hongshan Arena in Urumqi, the capital city of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, January 21, 2020.

The second-ranked Xinjiang Flying Tigers will like the news too. The team have already lost their best wingman Abdusalam Abdurishit and their national team big man Zhou Qi has just returned from injury. The regular season is a long one that consumes players physically and mentally. Currently, the Flying Tigers trail the Southern Tigers by 5.5 games.

An extended vacation may, however, be a double-edged sword. One of the reasons teams do not let their players rest too long in the middle of the season is that they need the players to stay focused. The competition for rankings and playoff qualifications has turned white-hot and if any team's players cannot stay sharp when the season restarts, it will only take two or three games for them to drop off.