2016 NBA D-League Finals: Sioux Falls Skyforce vs. Los Angeles D-Fenders
Game 1: Sioux Falls @ Los Angeles | Sunday 4/24, 7 PM ET, ESPNU
Game 2: Los Angeles @ Sioux Falls | Tuesday, 4/26, 8 PM ET, ESPNU
*Game 3: Los Angeles @ Sioux Falls | Wednesday, 4/27, 8 PM ET, ESPNU
*If necessary
SERIES PREVIEW
While the Western Conference Finals came down to a winner-take-all Game 3, the East has been controlled by a juggernaut since the season tipped in November. The Sioux Falls Skyforce enter the Finals having won 44 of the 54 games they’ve played this season.
After a 40-10 regular season — the best mark in NBA D-League history — the ‘Force swept through each of their first two playoff series. And they haven’t just won; they’ve won big: by an average of 8.1 points during the regular season and 15.3 points during the postseason.
That’s what the Los Angeles D-Fenders will be up against when the Finals open in El Segundo, Calif. on Sunday. But L.A. has the pieces in place to challenge Sioux Falls.
Few defender in the league have been able to stay in front of guard Vander Blue, who’s stayed in attack mode all year en route to 26.3 points per game. He’s flanked by a pair of versatile NBA vets in forwards Ryan Gomes and Justin Harper and the league leader in assists and steals, point guard Josh Magette.
They will have their hands full with a Skyforce team loaded with NBA prospects. D-League MVP Jarnell Stokes is a nightly 20-10 threat in the frontcourt, Defensive Player of the Year (his second such honor) DeAndre Liggins has the chops to slow down Blue, Rodney McGruder has shined as a “3-and-D” wing, and 6-8 rookie Greg Whittington is the type of long athlete NBA teams seek.
Ultimately, this series will come down to the Skyforce’s stout defense (98.5 Defensive Rating, No. 1 in the league) can impose its will on a fast-breaking, free-flowing L.A. team.
$15 per ticket for groups of 10 or more. All group ticket purchases will receive wristbands for pictures with the Lakers championship trophies postgame. All groups of 50 or more will able to shoot on the court for 30 min postgame.
D-League Finals Preview: Sioux Falls Skyforce vs. Los Angeles D-Fenders
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The Skyforce come in as the favorites having finished the regular season 40-10 and setting a new league record for wins. They have gone 4-0 by sweeping their opening round opponents as well. The D-Fenders were the fourth seed out West and had the worst record at 27-23 of any of the playoff teams. However, they have persevered by downing the No. 1 seeded Reno Bighorns and No. 2 seeded Austin Spurs, winning each round two games to one.
These are teams with two distinct philosophies — the Skyforce are more defensive-minded and the D-Fenders (despite the moniker) are a run-and-gun offensive juggernaut. Playoffs always bring changes to style of play and the D-League is no different. Sioux Falls is actually getting up and down much more while still holding opponents to a ridiculously low 97.3 points per game.
President of the Los Angeles D-Fenders Joey Buss talks about making it to the NBDL Finals, the new Lakers practice facility and the significance of Kobe's final game.
D-Fenders open NBA development league finals Sunday in El Segundo
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The Los Angeles D-Fenders will try to continue their unlikely postseason success Sunday when they open the NBA Development League Finals against the Sioux Falls Skyforce at the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo.
Game 1: Sioux Falls @ Los Angeles | Sunday 4/24, 7 PM ET, ESPNU
Game 2: Los Angeles @ Sioux Falls | Tuesday, 4/26, 8 PM ET, ESPNU
*Game 3: Los Angeles @ Sioux Falls | Wednesday, 4/27, 8 PM ET, ESPNU
Skyforce Edge D-Fenders, 104 - 99 in Finals Game 1
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EL SEGUNDO – The D-Fenders fell to the Sioux Falls Skyforce 104-99 tonight in El Segundo, CA.
Vander Blue (31 points) led the D-Fenders (0-1). Ryan Gomes (24 points), Justin Harper (21 points) and Josh Magette (14 points, 8 assists, 7 steals) also scored in double-figures for Los Angeles.
Rodney McGruder (30 points, 11 rebounds) paced the Skyforce. Jarnell Stokes (22 points, 9 rebounds), Jabril Trawick (13 points) and Greg Whittington (10 points) all reached double-digits for Sioux Falls.
The first quarter was tight, with Los Angeles leading 22-21 at the end of one. Gomes had 11 points in the quarter for the D-Fenders, while Stokes had 10 for the Skyforce. Sioux Falls shot 70% from the field in the second quarter, outscoring Los Angeles 30-23 behind 12 points from McGruder. At the half, Los Angeles trailed 51-45.
A back-and-fourth third quarter finished with the Skyforce outscoring the D-Fenders 24-23 to take a 75-68 lead into the final frame. Blue dropped 15 points in the fourth quarter for Los Angeles, as the D-Fenders outscored the Skyforce 31-29, but nine points from McGruder clinched the victory for Sioux Falls.
The D-Fenders shot .449 from the field, compared to .541 for the Skyforce. Sioux Falls edged the D-Fenders in rebounds (45-25) and points in the paint (64-34).
Game 2 of the best-of-three series will be on Tuesday at 8 pm ET in Sioux Falls, SD. on ESPNU
These teams are led by two of NBADLeague.com’s top-ranked prospects in Sioux Falls’ Jarnell Stokes and L.A.’s Vander Blue. Both have the ability to put up an efficient 20+ on a nightly basis.
Stokes, the league MVP, does most of his damage out of the post with a combination of size and skill that teams haven’t been able to handle. He led the league in field goal percentage (67%) even while shooting 13.4 times per game and averaging 20.6 points.
Blue used his quickness to average a league-high 9.0 free throw attempts per game en route to 26.3 points (No. 2). “When he puts his mind to it, he knows that no one in this league can stay in front of him,” said D-Fenders head coach Casey Owens.”
Despite loss, D-Fenders trying to build a championship one brick at a time
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The Los Angeles Lakers' D-League affiliate may have lost their first and only home game of the three-game D-League Finals 104-99 to the Sioux Falls Skyforce, but the team has a noticeable air of confidence around them heading into two must-win road games because of their trust in their traveling party.
"We have what we call our 17 bricks, that's just the 17 guys we travel with, and that's all we have," said Magette.
The "17 bricks" metaphor was an idea from the coaching staff, meant to signify that each separate member of the team's 17 person travelling party, each player, coach, and assistant, is all a separate brick. When separated, they aren't so impressive. But when put together, they're meant to be unstoppable.
Despite loss, D-Fenders trying to build a championship one brick at a time
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The Los Angeles Lakers' D-League affiliate may have lost their first and only home game of the three-game D-League Finals 104-99 to the Sioux Falls Skyforce, but the team has a noticeable air of confidence around them heading into two must-win road games because of their trust in their traveling party.
"We have what we call our 17 bricks, that's just the 17 guys we travel with, and that's all we have," said Magette.
The "17 bricks" metaphor was an idea from the coaching staff, meant to signify that each separate member of the team's 17 person travelling party, each player, coach, and assistant, is all a separate brick. When separated, they aren't so impressive. But when put together, they're meant to be unstoppable.
The 2016 NBA D-League Finals shift to the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D, on Tuesday night as the Skyforce seek a championship cap to their historic season.
Sioux Falls would clinch its first title in 10 years as a Development League franchise with a win after edging the Los Angeles D-Fenders, 104-99, in Game 1 of the best-of-three series.
💭 8-year NBA vet Ryan Gomes on his comeback with the Los Angeles D-Fenders
#ThisIsWhyWePlay #DLeagueFinals
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"You appreciate things sometimes when you least expect it. I knew I was coming here for the opportunity to play. But meeting the friends that I've met, the teammates and the coaches, I’ll remember this, winning the Western Conference championship. I know it's not the NBA, but I never won the championship in the NBA, so this is something that I'm proud of.
My main objective coming here [in January] was I didn’t want to walk away from playing basketball like, 'What happened to Ryan Gomes?' So I said I want to walk away from the game at least knowing I competed.
If I don’t get an opportunity to play in the NBA, I'm happy with the way it ended up for me. I wanted to use this platform to show that I can play, but also to see what else is out there, what else I can do. Maybe I can be a player development coach or I could be a guy on the sidelines. If not, I want to do commentating. I don’t know everything, but I've seen a lot."
** forces a game #3 tomorrow for the NBA-D League Championship!!!
GO D-FENDERS!!
Gomes, Blue, Harper and maybe Magette are probably NBA bound next season. They will need to have promising summer leagues, but this certainly helps them get a foot in the door.
Just a fairy tale season for this squad. Couldn't be prouder of them. Wish Upshaw was part of it, though.
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