Grizz Gaming burst into the playoff picture with a reverse sweep of NetsGC, while Vandi, JBM, Reizey, and Bsmoove all had nights to remember in a three-sweep night.
Magic Gaming def. Heat Check 2-0
What Went Right
Magic Gaming finally went back to its lineup of Djbama at the two, Toxsik at lock, and, most importantly, DT at center. The roster adjustment passed the eye test and seemed to really widen the court for 2019 Rookie of the Year Reizey. Using a dazzling array of moves, the Magic point guard carved up Heat Check Gaming near the basket, in the midrange, and from deep. Reizey averaged a devastating 48 points during the sweep.
What Went Wrong
The Heat weren’t necessarily bad tonight. They hit threes at a similar clip to Orlando. GlennRatty received support on the offensive end from various teammates in both games. While Miami lost the turnover battle, it was by a slim margin. Unfortunately, Reizey had his best game of the season, and there was nothing Miami could have done to prepare for or halt the onslaught.
X-Factor: DT at center
While Reizey is an obvious candidate for tonight’s series MVP, the move to slide DT back at center was a complete game-changer for Orlando. If the Magic stick to this lineup for the rest of the season, they could string together enough success in time to make them a tough out for anyone.
Grizz Gaming def. NetsGC 2-1
What Went Right
Heading into this matchup, we pinned Choc vs. Vandi as our key matchup for the series. While the two weren’t primarily guarding one another, the pair of talented point guards put on a show, with the win going to the more efficient player. Aside from game two, where both ball-handlers struggled shooting the rock, Vandi was on absolute fire. Vandi put together scoring totals of 47, 27, and 54 during the series. His most important stat? Limiting turnovers to just 3 total during Memphis’ pair of wins.
What Went Wrong
NetsGC was up one game, with all momentum in their favor after dominating game one’s overtime period, but walked away from this series empty-handed. The Gritty Grizz Gaming scrapped and clawed its way back in this series, and Brooklyn just allowed it. An abysmal second half of game two carried over into the series-deciding match, proving to be disastrous for Choc and his troops. The 2020 No. 9 overall pick shot under 50% while combining for 9 turnovers in Brooklyn’s pair of losses.
X-Factor: Goofy
Memphis’ blockbuster offseason acquisition has been a driving force behind Grizz Gaming’s season turnaround. Last night the big man was just a few buckets and an assist shy of notching a game one triple-double. Goofy averaged 9 points and 16 rebounds per contest while recording eight total blocks during the series win.
Wizards DG def. Pacers Gaming 2-0
What Went Right
Outside of rebounding (even that was the result of Pacers Gaming misses, turnovers, and extra defensive “opportunities”), Wizards District Gaming was dominant across the board. JBM continues to look for his three points shot, JustAwkward and ReeseDaGod are knocking down their looks, and Newdini’s wizardry as an elite corner defender is a joy to watch. The Wizards are ready for the playoffs.
What Went Wrong
Everything just looked extremely difficult for the Pacers. Whether it was desperately trying to find open looks in the half court or getting a simple stop, Indiana just wasn’t up to the task. While the Pacers’ defense can be elite, it’s not as useful in scenarios where they’re trailing by double digits. Indiana needs to implement more three-point shots into its offense if it wants to make any noise during the remainder of the season.
X-Factor: Dayfri
The Pacers live and die in the paint, and Dayfri did a spectacular job of patrolling that area of the court. On the offensive end, he settled comfortably into his role as a second or third option. Dayfri still attempted 18 total shots and only missed three of them. His highlight of the night came when he revved up his spin move and threw down a vicious dunk on an unsuspecting Bobby Buckets. Congratulations to Dayfri for finally making the playoffs.
Warriors Gaming Squad def. Bucks Gaming 2-0
What Went Right
While CB13 may not have been perfect, this is why the best teams in the league have at least two capable, talented scoring options. Bsmoove stepped up in a big way last night, averaging 22 points and 3 assists per game (more on him below). After erasing an early double-digit deficit, it was nothing but a clear road for Warriors Gaming Squad. This series win all but clinched a playoff berth for WGS. Now, CB13 and co. aim to improve their playoff positioning as much as possible with their remaining games.
What Went Wrong
After claiming a double-digit lead just six minutes into the series, Bucks Gaming’s momentum was dismantled by Golden State. Star rookie point guard Regg was able to score well most of the night, averaging 33 points per game, but had as many turnovers as he did assists for the series (10). Arooks, after greening plenty against Jazz Gaming last week, didn’t make the most of his opportunities, including an 0/6 three-point outing in game two. This loss places Bucks Gaming directly in the middle of the pack in terms of the playoff race. Milwaukee, now with a cloudy playoff forecast, essentially needs to be perfect the rest of the way.
X-Factor: BSmoove
Last night was simple: WGS had Bsmoove and Bucks Gaming didn’t. It is truly that simple sometimes. The veteran scoring guard shot 93% (!) on his 15 three-point attempts last night, including 8/8 in game two’s blowout win.
