RotoWire – Jason Shebilske

Kings Guard Gaming increased their chances at a playoff spot with a series win Tuesday after staving off several late rallies from Knicks Gaming.

Kings Guard Gaming got off to a nice start in Game 1 through a true team effort on both sides of the ball. As a team, they forced four turnovers during the first quarter while shooting 10-for-13 from the floor, but none of their players had a double-digit point total over the first frame. Meanwhile, Knicks Gaming went 4-for-10 on their field-goal attempts as the Kings jumped out to a 22-11 lead heading into the second quarter. Both teams were efficient over the start of the second quarter, so neither team was able to gain much of an advantage over the first few minutes. The trend continued heading into the half, as Kings Guard Gaming held a 39-28 lead at the half.

The Knicks were able to regroup at halftime and made the game interesting during the third quarter by riding a productive game by Duck. By the end of the third quarter, Duck had accumulated 29 points, which helped Knicks Gaming remain in striking distance as they brought the deficit to 53-49 heading into the final quarter. However, Kings Guard Gaming quickly closed the door on Knicks Gaming’s comeback hopes in the fourth quarter. The Kings went on an 8-3 run over the first three minutes and continued to grow their lead heading into the final minute. The Knicks made a run as time was running out by going on a 9-2 run over the final 1:10, but the Kings held on for a 72-65 win in the first game. For Kings Guard Gaming, Bash led scorers on both teams with 37 points along with nine assists and three steals. Yusuf_Scarbz shot 75 percent on his field goals and finished with a 12-point, 11-rebound double-double, while Dat Boy Shotz also had a solid showing with 14 points. Duck was cold for Knicks Gaming over much of the first game but still finished with 31 points along with six assists and six turnovers. OriginalMalik (17 points) and CantGuardRob (12 rebounds) each generated some production in the losing effort.

After a disconnect in the opening seconds of Game 2, the teams remained fairly even over the first quarter. Although Knicks Gaming shot just 33 percent from the floor in the first frame, the team forced three turnovers to keep the contest relatively close as Knicks Guard Gaming carried a 19-12 lead at the end of the quarter. It was a similar story over the second quarter. Kings Guard Gaming continued to shoot efficiently, but Knicks Gaming forced three more turnovers. Although the Knicks converted on just 11 of 30 field goals at halftime, the Kings held a 34-28 lead heading into the half.

Knicks Gaming brought the game within one point in the first few minutes of the second half, but the Kings still maintained a comfortable lead despite committing five more turnovers in the third quarter. Heading into the fourth quarter, Kings Guard Gaming held a fairly comfortable 49-42 lead. However, Knicks Gaming continued to chip away at the deficit. Although Duck was cold for much of the fourth quarter once again, the Knicks brought the game within one point with two minutes remaining. OriginalMalik drilled a deep three-pointer to give Knicks Gaming a two-point lead with 42 seconds left, forcing a timeout by Kings Guard Gaming. Crush responded with a 3-pointer from the corner for Kings Guard Gaming soon after, but the Knicks drilled a pair of late free throws before Yusuf_Scarbz missed two shots from underneath the basket as time expired as the Knicks picked up a 60-59 win to force a third game. For Knicks Gaming, OriginalMalik totaled 33 points and four steals while CantGuardRob had eight points and 22 rebounds. Crush led Kings Guard Gaming with 17 points and Yusuf_Scarbz had 11 points and 19 rebounds, but Bash was less productive than he was in Game 1 with 13 points and seven turnovers.

Neither team was particularly efficient over the first quarter of Game 3, and Kings Guard Gaming had a narrow 14-12 lead at the end of the frame. The trend generally continued over the second quarter, but the Kings slightly increased their advantage as they had a 28-21 lead at halftime.

Kings Guard Gaming continued to grow their lead to begin the second half by getting some help from Knicks Gaming. The Knicks shot just 3-for-10 in the third quarter, but unlike Game 2, the team wasn’t able to create enough second chances, and the Kings jumped out to a 49-32 lead heading into the final frame. Neither team was particularly effective with ball control in the fourth quarter, but Kings Guard Gaming maintained their pace as they picked up a series win with a 68-46 victory in the final game. Dat Boy Shotz stepped up for Kings Guard Gaming with a team-leading 22 points, while Seemo had 13 points and nine assists. Yusuf_Scarbz picked up his third double-double of the series with 14 points and 20 assists. Duck led Knicks Gaming with 22 points while OriginalMalik scored 14, but the team was unable to put together another rally in their fourth quarter as their playoff hopes got even slimmer with their series loss.

Both teams will have quick turnarounds with their next regular season contests coming Wednesday. Kings Guard Gaming (10-4) will face undefeated Raptors Uprising GC, and Knicks Gaming (6-8) will take on Pacers Gaming.