2017–18 NBA G League season

2017–18 NBA G League season
League NBA G League
Sport Basketball
Draft
Top draft pick Eric Stuteville
Picked by Northern Arizona Suns
Regular season
Top seed Austin Spurs
Westchester Knicks
Season MVP Lorenzo Brown (Raptors 905)
Finals
Champions Austin Spurs
  Runners-up Raptors 905
Finals MVP Nick Johnson (Austin Spurs)

The 2017–18 NBA G League season was the 17th season of the NBA G League (formerly the NBA D-League), the minor league for the National Basketball Association (NBA). It is the first season after the league rebranded to become the NBA G League as part of multi-year partnership with Gatorade.[1]

The Austin Spurs won the league title, sweeping Raptors 905 in the NBA G League Finals.

League changes

The league expanded to a record 26 teams from 22 teams during the 2016–17 season. There was one relocation (Erie BayHawks to Lakeland, Florida to become the Lakeland Magic) and four expansion teams introduced this season (the Agua Caliente Clippers, a new Erie BayHawks, the Memphis Hustle, and the Wisconsin Herd), each owned and affiliated with an NBA team. The Iowa Energy were purchased by the Minnesota Timberwolves at the end of the previous season and rebranded as the Iowa Wolves. The Miami Heat purchased the controlling interest in the Sioux Falls Skyforce, their affiliate since 2013. The Los Angeles D-Fenders also relocated to a new facility within El Segundo and were rebranded as the South Bay Lakers. The purchases and expansion of these teams by individual NBA teams left just four NBA teams without a developmental affiliate, down from eight the previous season.[2] It also decreased the number of independently owned D-League/G League teams from seven to four. Meanwhile, the NBA also started using two-way contracts for their team rosters, allowing players to be more easily called up or sent down.

The league retained its Eastern and Western Conferences, but realigned each conference into three divisions each. Along with the league expansion, the league also expanded its playoff field from eight teams to twelve. Each of the division winners and three wild cards per conference qualify. The top two seeds in each conference earn a bye over the first round.[3]

The NBA announced a title sponsorship deal with Gatorade prior to the season, under which it has been renamed the NBA G League.[4] The G League also experimented with new broadcast arrangements, including airing 120 games on Eleven Sports,[5] and streaming games on the typically video game-oriented live streaming service Twitch, which included interactive stats, and commentary provided by prominent Twitch personalities.[6][7]

Regular season

Finals standings.[8]

x – qualified for playoffs; y – Division champion; z – Conference champion

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division
Team (affiliate) W L PCT GB Home Road
z – Westchester Knicks (NYK)3218.640013–1219–6
x – Raptors 905 (TOR)3119.620118–713–12
Long Island Nets (BKN)2723.540514–1113–12
Maine Red Claws (BOS)1733.3401514–113–22
Central Division
Team (affiliate) W L PCT GB Home Road
y – Fort Wayne Mad Ants (IND)2921.580019–610–15
x – Grand Rapids Drive (DET)2921.580016–913–12
Windy City Bulls (CHI)2426.480513–1211–14
Canton Charge (CLE)2228.44079–1613–12
Wisconsin Herd (MIL)2129.42088–1713–12
Southeast Division
Team (affiliate) W L PCT GB Home Road
y – Erie BayHawks (ATL)2822.560015–1013–12
x – Lakeland Magic (ORL)2822.560015–1013–12
Greensboro Swarm (CHA)1634.320129–167–18
Delaware 87ers (PHI)1634.320126–1910–15

Western Conference

Midwest Division
Team (affiliate) W L PCT GB Home Road
y – Oklahoma City Blue (OKC)2822.560015–1013–12
Sioux Falls Skyforce (MIA)2525.500313–1212–13
Iowa Wolves (MIN)2426.480414–1110–15
Memphis Hustle (MEM)2129.420710–1511–14
Pacific Division
Team (affiliate) W L PCT GB Home Road
y – Reno Bighorns (SAC)2921.580014–1115–10
x – South Bay Lakers (LAL)2822.560116–912–13
Santa Cruz Warriors (GSW)2327.460613–1210–15
Northern Arizona Suns (PHX)2327.460613–1210–15
Agua Caliente Clippers (LAC)2327.460614–119–16
Southwest Division
Team (affiliate) W L PCT GB Home Road
z – Austin Spurs (SAS)3218.640017–815–10
x – Rio Grande Valley Vipers (HOU)2921.580314–1115–10
x – Texas Legends (DAL)2921.580316–913–12
Salt Lake City Stars (UTA)1634.3201611–145–20

Playoffs

  First round Conference semifinal Conference final Finals
Best-of-three
                                     
       
  1 Westchester Knicks 80  
    4 Raptors 905 92  
4 Raptors 905 92
5 Grand Rapids Drive 88  
  4 Raptors 905 118  
Eastern Conference
  3 Erie BayHawks 106  
3 Erie BayHawks 96  
6 Lakeland Magic 90  
  2 Fort Wayne Mad Ants 116
    3 Erie BayHawks 119  
     
       
  E4 Raptors 905 0
  W1 Austin Spurs 2
       
       
  1 Austin Spurs 117
    4 Rio Grande Valley Vipers 91  
4 Rio Grande Valley Vipers 107
5 Texas Legends 100  
  1 Austin Spurs 104
Western Conference
  6 South Bay Lakers 93  
3 Oklahoma City Blue 105  
6 South Bay Lakers 125  
  2 Reno Bighorns 109
    6 South Bay Lakers 126  
     

Statistics

Individual statistic leaders

CategoryPlayerTeamStatistic
Points per gameAntonio BlakeneyWindy City Bulls32.0
Rebounds per gameAmile JeffersonIowa Wolves12.9
Assists per gameJosh MagetteErie BayHawks10.2
Steals per gameJosh GrayNorthern Arizona Suns2.4
Blocks per gameAmida BrimahAustin Spurs2.6
Turnovers per gameDaniel HamiltonOklahoma City Blue5.0
Fouls per gameIsaiah HicksWestchester Knicks3.9
Minutes per gameRyan ArcidiaconoWindy City Bulls39.5
FG%Damian JonesSanta Cruz Warriors67.8%
FT%Quinn CookSanta Cruz Warriors94.9%
3FG%Andre IngramSouth Bay Lakers46.7%
Double-doublesAmile JeffersonIowa Wolves35
Triple-doublesDaniel HamiltonOklahoma City Blue9

Individual game highs

CategoryPlayerTeamStatistic
PointsTrey DavisMaine Red Claws57
ReboundsDevin WilliamsMaine Red Claws23
AssistsJosh MagetteErie BayHawks19
StealsTra-Deon HollinsFort Wayne Mad Ants10
BlocksJimmie TaylorSioux Falls Skyforce11
Three pointersMilton DoyleLong Island Nets11

Team statistic leaders

CategoryTeamStatistic
Points per gameRio Grande Valley Vipers120.5
Rebounds per gameSouth Bay Lakers47.0
Assists per gameRio Grande Valley Vipers26.3
Steals per gameRio Grande Valley Vipers10.6
Blocks per gameAustin Spurs6.6
Turnovers per gameRio Grande Valley Vipers18.5
FG%Santa Cruz Warriors50.2%
FT%Austin Spurs79.8%
3FG%Memphis Hustle39.4%
+/−Raptors 905+5.0

Player death

On March 24, 2018, Grand Rapids Drive player Zeke Upshaw collapsed on-court during the final minute of the team's regular season finale. Two days later, Upshaw died at the age of 26. Autopsy reports indicated that Upshaw had died from a sudden cardiac arrest.[9][10] The start of the NBA G League playoffs were delayed out of respect for Upshaw's death, and the NBA's Detroit Pistons gave Upshaw an honorary call-up to their roster.[11]

References

  1. ↑ "NBA Development League to Become NBA Gatorade League" (Press release). NBA Development League. February 14, 2017. Retrieved February 15, 2017.
  2. ↑ "NBA Development League Expansion". dleague.nba.com. Retrieved May 28, 2017.
  3. ↑ "G League to use 4 refs, expands playoffs to 12 teams". TSN.ca. Bell Media. October 4, 2017.
  4. ↑ McCann, Michael (February 14, 2017). "The G League: 12 takeaways on NBA's new deal". Sports Illustrated. Time, Inc. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
  5. ↑ "NBA's G League announces broadcast partnership with Eleven Sports". USA Today. Retrieved 2018-05-27.
  6. ↑ "NBA to broadcast G League games on Twitch". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2018-05-27.
  7. ↑ "Twitch will start streaming US minor league basketball games". The Verge. Retrieved 2018-05-27.
  8. ↑ "NBA G League Standings". NBA G League. Retrieved November 5, 2017.
  9. ↑ "Zeke Upshaw dies after collapsing during NBA G League game". CBSSports.com. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 2018-05-27.
  10. ↑ Hendrix, Leon (2018-03-28). "ME: Drive player collapse was a 'sudden cardiac death'". WOOD-TV. Nexstar Media Group. Retrieved 2018-05-27.
  11. ↑ "G League's Upshaw, 26, dies after collapsing". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2018-05-27.
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