Recap of Week 1, Night 2 Action
April 11, 2019
Cavs Legion GC Silence Late Rally
April 11, 2019
By RotoWire
Cavs Legion GC managed to hold off Raptors Uprising GC by a score of 58-50 in their regular season opener in the second night of Week 1 action of the 2K League.
It was a terrific start for Cavs Legion, who opened up the game on a 12-3 run thanks to their stellar full-court pressure and high-pressure half-court defense. Raptors Uprising looked rattled throughout the first six minutes as they missed numerous shots up close when they weren’t turning the ball over.
Cavs Legion’s lead grew to as much as 13 points in the second quarter, but from there, Raptors Uprising continued to chip away at the lead thanks to their three-point shooting. The team connected on a scorching 10-of-17 from behind the arc, with shots from long range accounting for more than half of their field goals made. They got the deficit down to nine by halftime, seven by the end of the third quarter, and with just under two minutes left in the final period, a dunk from KingQuai614 had Raptors Uprising down just one point.
That, however, was as close as they got as Cavs Legion countered with a 7-0 run to end the game.
Raptors Uprising’s start to the season continues to be defined by their interior defense, as Cavs Legion’s frontcourt had no issues generating open looks inside all game. Sick x 973 led the way scoring with 16 points to go along with six rebounds, while his running mate in the frontcourt, oLARRY, posted 14 points and a team-high eight rebounds. Together, the two combined to shoot 12-of-19 from the floor Thursday night.
However, the real difference maker for Cavs Legion was their ability to take care of the ball and make smart decisions on offense, with the team dishing out 14 assists while only committing one turnover.
If it wasn’t for Raptors Uprising’s impressive three-point shooting, Cavs Legion’s margin of victory would have been much higher. Shooting guard TsJosh and power forward All Hail Trey were the catalysts behind the sharpshooting, combining to go 8-of-9 from behind the arc. All Hail Trey ended up being the team’s top scorer with 16 points, while TsJosh finished with 12.
Bucks Gaming Wins Double-OT Classic
April 11, 2019
By RotoWire
Bucks Gaming defeated Blazer5 Gaming, 68-67, in a double overtime classic during Week 1 of the 2K League on Thursday night.
In a game where 24 minutes wasn’t enough, and one where there were too many clutch shots to count, Bucks Gaming managed to hit the final decisive shot and defeat the 2K League’s defending regular season champions for the second time in as many weeks.
For Bucks Gaming, it started and ended with the play of small forward Arooks, who hit the game-winning mid-range jump shot with one second left to play in the second overtime. But his heroics went well beyond that, as he went back and forth with Blazer5 Gaming star point guard Mama Im Dat Man all night.
It started in the closing moments of the fourth quarter with Bucks Gaming down two points. Arooks hit a three to go up 49-48, but then Mama Im Dat Man tied it with a technical free throw and then hitting a three of his own to put Blazer5 up three. But it wasn’t long before Arooks would tie the game with another three, and the squads headed to overtime. After the two went back and forth over the course of two overtimes, Arooks and Bucks Gaming had the ball with the clock winding down, and he pulled up at the free throw line to confidently make the game-winning jumper.
For most of the night, Blazer5 did an excellent job defending the three-point line and stopping Bucks Gaming’s dangerous shooters from getting hot. They even had a lead as large as 11 points in the second half, but they left the window open for Arooks, and the Bucks Gaming star took over.
Arooks tied the record for most threes made in a single 2K League game with eight shots from behind the arc, which was a record he set Wednesday night in a victory over T-Wolves Gaming. The sharpshooter finished with 41 points and managed to dish out eight assists under pressure from double teams. He was the only Bucks Gaming player to score in double figures, but center Plondo did have a big night on the boards, grabbing a game-high 17 rebounds.
Mama Im Dat Man was stellar, scoring a team-high 31 points and dishing out 11 assists while center OneWildWalnut added a double-double of his own with 19 points and 16 rebounds. But what ultimately led to Blazer5 Gaming’s demise was their poor pick-and-roll defense down the stretch, which Bucks Gaming managed to pick apart on their comeback trail.
Cavs Electric in Surge Helps Stave off Magic Gaming
April 11, 2019
By RotoWire
Cavs Legion GC walked away with a 59-57 victory over Magic Gaming in a game that lasted much longer than expected because of technical difficulties. Despite the pause in action, the Cavs managed to maintain focus and emerged victorious in Week 1 of the NBA 2K League regular season.
Both teams came out of the gate slow in this one, although Cavs Legion GC finally kicked off the scoring by nailing a trey, and they took an early 14-7 lead in the first few minutes of action with the help of a few more triples from Strainer. Magic Gaming would answer with some scoring of their own, as KingCamRoyalty threw down a few dunks to remain within striking distance. At the end of one, the Cavs held a 21-14 advantage.
Cavs Legion GC remained in control early during the second period with the help of their perimeter play, although Magic Gaming rolled with the punches and managed to make a run of their own to cut the deficit to just two points with a minute remaining. The score was tied at 33 heading into the half following a slam by KingCam with 0.5 second left. KelMav led all scorers with 12 points and Sick x 973 led the Cavs with 11 points after two quarters of play.
It was more of the same from both squads to open up quarter No. 3, as each team knocked home a trey in their first possession. A lengthy delay due to an equipment issue halted play just a few minutes into the half, although the matchup ultimately commenced and the quarter ended again in a tie, 44-44. The Cavs blitzed into the opening portions of the final frame, holding a 55-49 lead with two minutes to play. Despite a late push by Magic Gaming, Cavs Legion GC would come away with the win. For the Cavs, Sick X 973 was named the player of the game.
T-Wolves Run Away with First Regular Season Win
April 11, 2019
By RotoWire
The last contest of the night featured two expansion teams, and it was T-Wolves Gaming who managed to secure a 69-58 victory in Week 1 of the regular season over Lakers Gaming.
The T-Wolves took control of this game early, jumping out to an 11-5 lead with a barrage of threes. Minnesota then proceeded to set up camp in the post, which resulted in a few quick dunks. Following a dominant first quarter, T-Wolves Gaming held a 10-point advantage (19-9).
It was more of the same in the second period, as the Lakers struggled to keep the game relatively close. The dominant play of T-Wolves Gaming earned them a 40-20 lead going into the break, and the Lakers failed to make a real push for the lead in the second half.
T-Wolves Gaming opened up the court early with some impressive three-point shooting which allowed for a slew of easy dunks later on. They also managed to do some damage on the break, and the Lakers simply couldn’t keep up. Yet another key to success was FEAST’s impressive rebounding — he finished with 16 boards in the win along with 12 points, three assists, two steals and two blocks. BearDaBeast (19 points), Hood (14 points) and JoJo (16 points) also finished in double figures in the scoring column.
It was quite the off night for Lakers Gaming as a squad, although Detoxys managed to piece together a stellar performance. He totaled 19 points along with eight rebounds, two steals and a block, while the backcourt was led by Kev, who scored 22 points on 6-for-12 from downtown. As a team, the Lakers committed 12 turnovers which certainly didn’t help their cause, particularly in the pick-and-roll game, which proved to be a struggle for the second consecutive week.
