Tag: NBA G League

NBA G League Finals: Stockton Kings are G League Champs; Kings defeat Osceola 118-110

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

The Stockton Kings got the first step on the Osceola Magic on offense at RP Funding Center in game 3 in the G League Finals on Mon Apr 14, 2025 (Stockton Kings photo)

By William Espy

The Stockton Kings were on the road for the final time this season, as they visited the Osceola Magic in a winner-takes-all game three in the G League Finals and the winner did take all as the Kings took two out of three from the Magic 118-110 at the RP Funding Center.

The Magic got out to a decent lead by the end of the first quarter, leading 29-21 after 12 minutes. The Kings didn’t do much to slow their opposition’s momentum either, as they gave them two quick baskets to start the second quarter.

It very quickly seemed like the game could get out of hand. The Kings didn’t score for nearly three minutes to start the second, when Terry Taylor hit a free throw. The Kings clawed their way back into the game by the end of the half, as they trailed by just six points heading into the break.

Back-to-back three pointers a few minutes into the third quarter swung momentum heavily back in the Magic’s favor. While the Kings nearly evened up the game late in the third quarter, a missed free throw by Dexter Dennis once again gave the advantage to Osceola.

As a result, the Kings were faced with a deficit heading into the final frame. They were down by nine points with 12 minutes remaining. Within two minutes though, the Magic’s lead was down to just three points.

Within three minutes, it was a tie game thanks to a three-point play by Isaiah Crawford. With nine minutes remaining in the game, Stockton took the lead for the first time in the game.

The Kings lost Mason Jones to injury around the midway point of the fourth quarter, but were still fighting without one of their key players. With just over two minutes remaining, the Kings had a seven point lead and victory was within sight.

The Kings were able to hold on, and won their first ever G League Championship with a final score of 118-107. After the game, Mason Jones was named Finals MVP.

NBA G League playoffs: Magic takes 1-0 lead in playoffs beat Kings 129-118

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Stockton Kings guard Dexter Dennis (9) goes for the throw down against the Osceola Magic in game one of the G League Playoffs at Spurs Arena Kissimmee Tue Apr 8, 2025 (Stockton Kings X photo)

By William Espy

The NBA G League Finals are officially underway as the Stockton Kings visited the Osceola Magic at Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee, Florida on Tuesday night. The Magic worked the offense with Myran Gardner leading with 30 points followed by Mac McClung with 29 points as they defeated the Kings 129-118.

It was an evenly matched affair early on. The Magic pulled out to a narrow lead in the first quarter, as they were only able to edge out the Kings by two points in the first frame, taking a 32-30 lead into the second.

The Kings returned the favor in the second quarter, outscoring the Magic by two points and making it a tie game heading into halftime. Stockton and Osceola were tied 60-60 after 24 minutes, and it was clear that it wasn’t a coincidence these two teams ended up in the finals, they certainly appeared to be evenly matched.

The third quarter was when the Magic’s offense really broke through. The Kings were unable to stop them, and Osceola dropped a game-high 38 points in the third frame. Meanwhile Stockton was held to just 27, giving the home side an 11 point lead heading into the final 12 minutes.

The fourth quarter would once again be an evenly matched one, much to the dismay of the Kings. Both teams would end up with 31 points, and the Magic would take a 1-0 series lead in game one.

One of the G League’s most known players Mac McClung had a phenomenal offensive showing for the Magic, scoring 29 points. However, he was actually second on his team in scoring as Myron Gardner just slightly outperformed him with a 30-point game.

Meanwhile, the Kings were led by Terry Taylor’s 28 points while Mason Jones ended the night with 21 of his own.

Stockton will get the opportunity to even up the series on their home court on Friday night, as they look to stop the Magic from sweeping the best-of-three series and hope to force a winner-takes-all matchup back in Florida.

NBA G League Playoffs: Kings continue to roll in post season defeat Spurs 118-112 at Adventist Arena

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Stockton Kings with their win over the Austin Spurs are the G League Western Conference Champions in the G League Playoff action at Adventist Health in Stockton on Sun Apr 6, 2025 (Stockton Kings X photo)

By William Espy

STOCKTON–The Stockton Kings hosted the Austin Spurs in the G League’s Western Conference Final on Sunday night and the Kings once again advanced for the second time in the playoffs with a 118-112 win over the Spurs.

The Spurs got out to a hot start, scoring 27 points in the first quarter while holding Stockton to just 17. A double digit lead after 12 minutes seemed like a good sign for the visiting team, and that wouldn’t change in the second quarter either.

While the Kings out scored the Spurs in the second frame, Austin still maintained a lead heading into halftime. The Kings scored 28 points, but that was only three more than the Spurs, meaning Austin maintained a seven point lead after 24 minutes.

The third quarter would be a major game changer, as the Kings’ offense exploded. They out scored the Spurs by 20 points in the third frame, 43-23.

Austin trailed 97-82 heading into the fourth quarter, as a result they’d need to recreate the performance their opposition just had if they wanted any chance of moving on to the G League Final. They’d outscore the Kings for the second time of the night, but it wouldn’t be by big enough of a margin, as Stockton would walk away victorious.

Mason Jones continued to have a strong playoff run, as he scored a game-high 38 points. Terry Taylor wasn’t far behind him though, as he scored 29 of his own. Undoubtedly, those performances were a major part of what allowed the Kings to make it to the Final for the first time in organization history.

Meanwhile for the Spurs, Malachi Flynn had a strong offensive performance, scoring a team-high 32 points in Austin’s losing effort. David Duke Jr and Kyle Mangas both eclipsed the 20 point mark as well, but it wasn’t enough for them to upset the top seed.

The Kings will face the Osceola Magic in the G League Final starting on the road Tuesday night.

NBA G League Playoffs: Mason Jones 47 points leads Kings to 122-114 win over Valley Suns

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Stockton Kings guard Mason Jones (15) brings the ball up the floor against the Valley Suns in the first round of the NBA G League playoffs at Adventist Health Arena in Stockton on Thu Apr 3, 2025 (Getty photo)

By William Espy

STOCKTON–The Stockton Kings started their postseason with a first round bye before hosting the Valley Suns on Thursday night. The Kings Mason Jones had himself an offensive evening scoring 47 points for a 122-114 win to advance to the next round of the playoffs.

Both teams had a strong offensive performance right out of the gate, with the Suns taking a 31-28 lead after the first quarter. Skal Labissiere was creating the majority of the Kings offense, and if they were going to walk away victorious they were going to need some others to step up as well.

Early in the second quarter, the Suns continued to extend their lead, yet weren’t able to pull too far ahead of the Kings either.

By the end of the first half, the Kings had pulled the game back within reach, and trailed by only a single point after 24 minutes.

While the Kings did take the lead momentarily in the third quarter, the Suns were leading for the majority of it early on. The Suns would maintain their lead at the end of the quarter, making it 97-92 after 36 minutes. Considering the Kings hadn’t been able to maintain a lead all night, it seemed like an upset may be on the horizon.

In the first three minutes of the final frame, the Kings went on a 7-0 run to quickly take the lead with minimal time remaining. It would be a back-and-forth battle until the Kings went on another late run to pull ahead, and secure the victory with a final score of 122-114.

Mason Jones was instrumental in the Kings’ success, as he was on fire following the first quarter. He ended the night with 47 points which led both teams in scoring. Meanwhile, the aforementioned Labissiere finished second on the Kings with 25. TyTy Washington led the Suns with 39 points of his own in the losing effort. The Kings will host the Western Conference Finals against the Austin Spurs on Sunday as they continue their push through the playoffs.

NBA G League: Time runs out on Kings as Clippers win it 126-113

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Stockton Kings guard Mason Jones (15) was listed as inactive against the San Diego Clippers at Adventist Health Arena in Stockton in the G League on Sun Mar 9, 2025 (Stockton Kings X file photo)

By William Espy

STOCKTON–Straight off of their win against the San Diego Clippers Saturday night, the Stockton Kings hosted their California rivals in a matinee matchup on Sunday afternoon. With daylight savings time taking effect and less than 24 hours between games, it seemed clear that both teams would be battling fatigue and either side could walk away victorious. The Clippers walked away with a 126-113 win over the Kings.

Once again, the visiting team got out to an early lead. In the first quarter, San Diego outscored the Kings for the second night in a row, leading 31-27 after the first 12 minutes. The second period was exactly the same, once again the Clippers outscored Stockton 31-27, extending their lead to 62-54 heading into the halftime break.

For the third quarter in a row, the Clippers held the Kings to 27 points in the third frame but scored one more point than they had in the first two quarters, outscoring Stockton 32-27 this time. Heading into the final quarter, the Clippers had a solid 94-81 lead and they only needed to hold on for 12 more minutes to split the series in Stockton.

The Clippers were consistent throughout the night, as they scored 32 points once again in the fourth quarter, bringing their point total up to 126 at the final whistle. The Kings had a better offensive showing in the final frame, scoring 32 of their own and matching San Diego for the only time of the night. It was too little too late though, as the visiting team walked away victorious with a final score of 126-113.

The winning team, San Diego, were led in scoring by Trentyn Flowers who dropped 23 points. It was a strong all-around offensive effort though, as the Clippers had seven players with 14 or more points on the night. Yauhen Massalski’s 10 offensive rebounds helped get some critical second-chance points, and were a big part of the Clippers’ win as well.

Terry Taylor had an impressive outing for the Kings despite it coming in a losing effort. The former Chicago Bull scored 33 points and grabbed 11 rebounds of his own, mostly on the defensive end of the court. Jon Elmore also eclipsed the 20-point mark, getting 25 points on the night.

After splitting the series, the Kings will be heading back on the road as they’ll be going to Birmingham for their next game later this week.

NBA G League: Warriors end 5-game losing streak, by storming the Capitanes 118-107, inside parent Chase Center

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Santa Cruz Warriors against the Mexico City Capitanes in a neutral site game on the opening tip at Chase Center in San Francisco on Sun Mar 9, 2025 (Michael Roberson African American Athlete photo)

By Michael Roberson

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — The Santa Cruz Warriors (13-12) halted their winless streak (5) after subduing the Mexico City Capitanes (11-14) 118-107 on a Sunday afternoon in the City by the Bay

The Warriors played comfortably in the home arena of their major league namesake, while playing host to the guest from the capital city of our bordering nation to the south, Mexico.

The Capitanes got the fiesta started, by scoring the initial points on the game, on a hook shot by guard David Jones Garcia.The Warriors went on a 8-0 run to get their bearings in their temporary home, a little more than 75 miles north of KPA.

SCW led by as many as 8 points in the first quarter, but settled for a one-point lead (21-20) after the first quadrant. There were two ties and the guests also led twice.

The Warriors extended that one-point lead to a 13-point margin during the second quarter. The feisty team from Mexico chipped away at that double-digit deficit and narrowed it to five, by halftime, 61-56. Five players on both teams reached double-figures at recess.

Pat Spencer (10), Javan Johnson (12) and Braxton Key (11) all led SCW through the first half. David Jones led the Capitanes with 17 points and 6 rebounds, while Greg Brown III contributed 15 points.

In the third quarter, the Warriors had leads of nine and 13 at different points of the stanza. However, Mexico City stormed back and actually led (73-71) at the midway point of the period. Shortly thereafter, the home team opened up the lead again, being up by 11 points (89-78) after 36 minutes of game play.

In the final quarter, a couple of fan favorites were putting up numbers. Trayce Jackson-Davis was sent to the G-League on assignment from his Golden State Warriors roster. He gave SCW 22 points and 8 rebounds.

The other player to get a hefty applause, was former Warrior and proud Mexican-American Juan Toscano-Anderson. He represented Mexico as a member of the Capitanes, the Warriors, for playing in the friendly confines of Chase again, and the Bay , for returning to his roots and hometown area. He messed around and got a Triple-Double (22 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists) for his peeps and faithful fans.

The Warriors produced their largest lead (16) in the fourth quarter, and managed to end the game with a double-digits advantage (118-107) at the final buzzer. Four other teammates joined the double-figures brigade. Pat Spence put up 25 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists. Braxton Key helped with 19 points and 8 rebounds, while Blake Hinson (17) and Taran Armstrong (10) gifted their tallies.

In addition to JTA’s triple-double, three other players reached the 10+ points plateau. David Jones had a game-high 33 points and 12 rebounds. Greg Brown III scored 17 points and grabbed 6 rebounds, while Dink Pate chipped in 14 points.

The Warriors are next in action Wednesday, March 12 in Florida to take the Osceola Magic at 7:00 PM ET/4 PM PT. The Capitanes head back south across the border to host the Austin Spurs on Tuesday March 11, TBA.

NBA G League: Kings roll out on Clippers 123-105 at Adventist Health

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

King for a day: Terry Taylor forward (32) of the Stockton Kings is crowned. Taylor was one of three Kings that scored 20 points against the San Diego Clippers on Sat Mar 8, 2025 (Stockton Kings X photo)

By William Espy

STOCKTON–The Stockton Kings hosted the San Diego Clippers on Saturday night at AdventistHealth Arena. The Kings took care of business with a 123-105 win.

The Clippers got out to an early lead, and actually got out to a double-digit lead following an impressive offensive performance in the first quarter. After 12 minutes, the visitors led Stockton 39-28. The Kings didn’t wait long to bounce back though, as they were able to contain the Clippers in the second period and hold them to just 17 points. After scoring 26 of their own, Stockton had brought it back to a two-point game heading into the half. They trailed 56-54 after 24 minutes, and the game was once again within reach for the Kings.

Not only was the game within reach for Stockton, but in the third quarter they were able to pull out to a lead of their own, albeit a small one. The Kings led 91-89 after three quarters and now had victory in their sights if they could close out the fourth quarter.

Stockton was able to do just that, once again shutting down the Clippers’ offense in the fourth quarter. San Diego was limited to just 16 points in the final frame, while the Kings were able to put 32 on the scoreboard. As a result, the Kings walked away with a win, with the final score being 123-105 in favor of the home side.

Mason Jones, Terry Taylor, and Jon Elmore all dropped 20+ points. Jones led the team with 29, but Taylor wasn’t far behind with 27 of his own. Jones’ dominance offensively wasn’t just limited to his own scoring though. He also had 15 assists on the night and was critical in helping his teammates get open. He also completed the triple-double by grabbing ten rebounds. It was a phenomenal night for Jones, who was undoubtedly a key part of the Kings’ win.

Meanwhile, San Diego were led by Patrick Baldwin Jr and Jalen Adaway who had 24 and 20 points respectively.

The Kings and Clippers will have a rematch Sunday afternoon, as the Kings look to sweep the back-to-back and the Clippers will be hoping for immediate revenge.

NBA G League: Warriors Stampeded by Herd 116-98 inside KPA Wednesday Night near Boardwalk; Santa Cruz on 4-game losing streak.

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Read em and weep: Santa Cruz Warriors go down to their fourth straight loss at Kaiser Permanente in Sant a Cruz on Wed Mar 5, 2025 (Santa Cruz Warriors X photo)

Michael Roberson

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — The Santa Cruz Warriors (12-11) lost their fourth straight game, after a 116-98 loss to the Wisconsin Herd (12-13) on a cool evening in Surf City.

The Warriors got on the board first with a floating jumper by Seth Maxwell. The Herd tied it at two, then went on an 11-0 run to produce their largest lead. The Herd made a charge and cut the deficit to two. However, Santa Cruz was able to move the Herd back, and stay in front after 12 minutes of game action.

After one quarter, the home squad held a five-point advantage, 28-23. Braxton Key led the Warriors with ten points and five rebounds, while Henry Ellenson not only led the Herd in scoring (13) after one stanza, he led both teams, in addition to his five rebounds.

The second quarter had the Warriors double their lead and control most of the period. As the Herd did in the first quarter, they stampede around the two-minute mark of the second block. They tied the game at 43 at seconds over two minutes. Then they took their first lead (46-45) of the contest at 1:49 on a made free throw.

The Warriors overcame their four point deficit, and managed to be tied at recess, 49-49. Key led SCW with 21 points and nine rebounds, while Ellenson topped the Herd, also with 21 points and seven rebounds.

The third period had the Warriors get out to a four points lead, but midway through the quarter Wisconsin retook the lead and increased it to ten by the end of 36 regulation minutes. The Herd led 90-80 after three competitive quarters. There were three lead changes and nine ties during that time frame. Wisconsin seemed to be in prime position to totally take over the game at that particular point.

In the final quadrant, the Herd actually increased their lead to as many as 18 points. That also was the margin after 48 minutes, 116-98. Four straight losses for the Warriors, with an immediate revenge opportunity less than 48 hours later. The KPA faithful missed out on ice cream, because the Warriors failed to eclipse triple digits.

Key led the Warriors with 30 points and 13 rebounds, while Javan Johnson added 22 points and Blake Hinson chipped in 17 points, with 5 rebounds.

Three Herd hoopers tallied 28 points: Ellenson also gathered 18 rebounds; Thompson grabbed 10 rebounds and James Akinjo delivered 6 assists. One other player made the double-figures plateau, Justise Winslow scored 14 points and snatched five rebounds.

The two combatants will play Game 2 of this miniseries on Friday, March 7 at 7:00 PM PT inside of the friendly confines of Kaiser Permanente Arena

NBA G League action: Kings avoid Suns 4th quarter onslaught with 136-127 win

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Stockton Kings guard Mason Jones (15) dribble drives on Valley Suns guard David Stockton (11) at Adventist Health Arena in Stockton on Tue Mar 4, 2025 (Stockton Kings X photo)

By William Espy

STOCKTON–The Stockton Kings were back at home on Tuesday night as they once again hosted the Valley Suns in a Western Conference matchup.

The Kings were down another top player, as one of their stars this season, Skal Labissiere signed a 10-day contract with the Sacramento Kings earlier this week and is back in the NBA for the time being.

Mason Jones stepped up in Labissiere’s absence though, and had an incredible night. The Kings’ shooting guard went 15-23 from the field, including 10-14 from beyond the arc. His 49 points led both the Kings and the Suns, and were a major part of the reason that Stockton walked away with a 136-127 victory.

A high-scoring first quarter saw the Kings get out to a narrow, early lead. After 12 minutes, Stockton was ahead of the Suns by a single point, 36-35. It was in the second quarter when the Kings were able to start pulling away though. They dominated offensively, dropping 42 points while only allowing their opposition to score 27. Heading into halftime, Stockton had a 16-point lead, 78-62.

The Suns cut the lead down very slightly in the third quarter, but offensive production was starting to slow down on both ends of the court. The Kings maintained their lead heading into the final frame, as they led 114-104. Despite the Kings holding the lead for most of the night, it could realistically go either way in the last quarter of the night.

The Suns outscored the Kings once again in the fourth quarter, but it was only by a single point. As a result, Stockton was able to walk away victorious once again with a final score of 136-127.

The aforementioned Jones was undoubtedly Stockton’s biggest standout on the night, however Dexter Dennis and Terry Taylor both had great nights offensively as well. Both of them eclipsed the 20 point mark and helped make a major difference for the Kings over the course of the night.

Meanwhile for the Suns, TyTy Washington, David Stockton and Jaden Shackleford all passed the 20 point threshold. Washington led the way with 24 points in the losing effort.

The Kings will be back at home on Saturday as they host the San Diego Clippers in another battle of two California teams. With the season nearing its end, every game will make a difference for Stockton’s playoff seeding.

G League Action: Kings crush Hustle 120-108 at Adventist Health Arena

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Stockton Kings guard Isaac Jones (3) takes aim for the basket against the Memphis Hustle at Adventist Health Arena in Stockton on Wed Feb 26, 2025 (Stockton Kings X photo)

By William Espy

STOCKTON–The Stockton Kings were back at Adventist Health Arena for the first and only time in the month of February, as they hosted the Memphis Hustle in a matinee matchup on Wednesday. The Kings got the best of the Hustle with a convincing 120-108 win.

The Kings got out to a dominant start, leading the Hustle by double digits at the end of the first quarter, making it 38-27 after 12 minutes. They continued their offensive dominance in the second quarter as well, scoring 40 points while only allowing the Hustle to get 29 of their own.

At halftime, Stockton had a commanding 78-56 lead and seemed to be on a clear path to victory. The Hustle didn’t stop fighting though. While they weren’t able to reduce the gap by much in the third quarter, Memphis did outscore the Kings by three points, cutting the lead to 19 with 12 minutes remaining in the game. The Hustle closed the game out with another strong quarter, but it was too little too late as the Kings walked away with a victory on their home court.

The Sacramento Kings’ top prospect Devin Carter had a phenomenal outing for Stockton, scoring a career-high 34 points while also grabbing nine rebounds. Isaac Jones scored 24 of his own, and also made an impact with rebounding, picking up eight boards as well.

The Hustle were led by Armando Bacot, who scored 22 points and 11 rebounds however the most impressive performance was Yuki Kawamura who had a game-leading 16 assists on the night.

Efficiency was the main difference between the two teams, as the Kings’ field goal percentage was 7% higher than that of the Hustle.

The Kings continue the homestand on Sat Mar 1 against the Sioux Falls Skyforce for a 5:00pm PT tip off at Adventist Health Arena in Stockton