Tonight In The D-League
7.06 games on tap tonight. That's way too many to break down, so you're getting snippets. I'll break it down in order of games that might mean something. Enjoy!
First, Colorado @ Utah is going to be what some might call a "doozie." First, there will be a 25.2 second game, a half hour before the actual game. Random? Yes. But Marat Kogut officiated their first meeting and craziness ensued. Don't act surprised. This game will feature an amazing amount of NBA talent, including assignees Sonny Weems, Mo Almond, JR Giddens and Kosta Koufos. Utah needs to win for a chance at winning the division. Colorado doesn't need to win, but I'm told they're not shutting their team down yet - especially considering the 155 they hung on Albuquerque after clinching the D-League's best record earlier this week. I'm taking Colorado in this one. In fact, I'm taking Colorado in every one. The jinx is on.
Bakersfield @ Idaho. Wow. This game has already reached epic proportions. It's Randy Livingston day. Deane Martin will be assisting on the opposite bench. Bakersfield can clinch with a win. Idaho can keep their grip on the division with a win. Rumble will be in attendance. Joel Abelson wine cooler coozies may or may not be given out. Nate Jawai hopefully will be upset that a guard, albeit retired and his current coach, is getting recognition pre-game. Should be fun.
Sioux Falls @ Iowa could be a good one. SIoux Falls is fighting for their playoff lives. Iowa clinched, but can clinch the division with a win. The series is tied 3-3. I'm interested in seeing if John Edwards can play well again. If so, Iowa could scare me going into the playoffs. I'm taking Sioux Falls - expecting a big night out of Sioux Falls assistant Tony Fritz.
Erie @ Fort Wayne probably won't be much of a game, but I'd expect Jaren Jackson is fighting for his coaching job. He's got the opportunity to roll over as they're out of the playoffs and his best player, Chris Hunter, is out. Maybe if he can play spoiler to Erie, who still has a chance to take the division with a couple wins in Fort Wayne, his job will remain intact. If not, I'm all for bringing back Doug Noll! Darkhorse candidate: My old assistant in Minot, Mike Sanders. Love that man.
Anaheim @ Dakota probably won't be an exciting game. As far as I can tell, Dakota clinched last night with the Reno loss. Anaheim has lost 10 in a row. Sam Vincent won more games in the NBA last season (32) than he has in the D-League this season (15). Watch this one to see if you see me talking to Paul Mokeski. I'll hopefully join in on the chat if anyone else is around.
RGV @ Austin won't mean anything. Watch this to see how hurt Austin has been from their two recent call-ups. OR to watch Kurt Looby do his thing for RGV. OR if you like Quin Snyder.
Tulsa @ Albuquerque may as well go unwatched. I don't see a positive in this game, besides Will Conroy. He's positive! He also was just named Sportsman of the Year.
Be ready. Futurecast is going to break. I'm fairly certain President Reed himself read my blog, noticed that I needed to watch the Dakota-Iowa game to break blogging records, and shut down Futurecast the night before to get all buffering out of the way. Thanks Dan!
Anyway, with 7.06 games on tap tonight, I'm going out on a limb and saying it's going to be choppy. I'll try checking in frequently, but I'll be at the Anaheim-Dakota game, and occasionally my local-celebrity status keeps me busy.
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41 comments
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Comments
Anyone going to be around tonight?
Worth taking my laptop to the game?
Blogging at RidiculousUpside
by Scott Schroeder on Apr 10, 2009 2:42 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I may be for a bit.
It’s worth a shot.
by Aisander D on Apr 10, 2009 3:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Got a new Fanpost
hope you like it.
by Aisander D on Apr 10, 2009 4:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Sam Vincent has not had a good 2 years.
Fell bad for the guy.
by Aisander D on Apr 10, 2009 5:00 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Hunter will be missed
He’s been the biggest offensive force on the team these past few games. There’s no one on the roster to take his place.
And I hope Walker Russell gets at least 9 assists to break 500 for the season tonight.
by Hoosier Dragon on Apr 10, 2009 5:39 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Just talked to Coach Mo
He’s coaching tonight. Sam didn’t travel. Anaheim is going to be good.
Blogging at RidiculousUpside
by Scott Schroeder on Apr 10, 2009 6:43 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
1st QTR Mad Ants 31, Bayhawks 19
Mad Ants doing it with defense and rebounding. Taj McCullough stepping up and showing he has range.
by Hoosier Dragon on Apr 10, 2009 8:10 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Coleman Collins
Wow. I thought he should be starting all year… This might prove that..
Blogging at RidiculousUpside
by Scott Schroeder on Apr 10, 2009 8:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
2nd QTR: Mad Ants 61 Bayhawks 39
Collins is stepping up to replace Hunter. Howard and Kent are performing well. In fact, the entire team seems to be playing with more drive and hustle for the entire game (so far) than I’ve seen in a long time.
Russell has 8 assists, just needs one more for 500 for the season.
by Hoosier Dragon on Apr 10, 2009 8:43 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Iowa has some good talent
Nichols is knocking down shots from deep.
by hkf on Apr 10, 2009 9:07 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
3rd QTR: Mad Ants 82, Bayhawks 73
Mad Ants have been flat all quarter: they’re not playing with the same intensity and Erie has been shooting much better. Maybe they’re tired or did they just sit on the ball with that lead?
Big mistake to let the Bayhawks get under 10 points at the end of the quarter.
by Hoosier Dragon on Apr 10, 2009 9:26 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Coleman Collins baptized one of the Erie players
That was a serious baseline dunk.
by hkf on Apr 10, 2009 9:41 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Erie has been great in this 4th quarter...
This is how you put yourself into the playoffs.
by hkf on Apr 10, 2009 9:51 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
The Mad Ants let it get away
I don’t think there was a significant substitution the entire half. The team was tired and it showed.
A thirty point turn-around in about a quarter and a half.
by Hoosier Dragon on Apr 10, 2009 9:58 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Iowa wins the Central Division
They host the playoff game on Thursday.
by hkf on Apr 10, 2009 10:32 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Correct me if I'm wrong
If Bakersfield wins, all 8 teams are set..
Blogging at RidiculousUpside
by Scott Schroeder on Apr 10, 2009 10:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Bakersfield is in now regardless.
All 8 teams are set, just not who is playing who. No one else can reach 26 wins.
by hkf on Apr 10, 2009 10:44 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
You are correct!
Blogging at RidiculousUpside
by Scott Schroeder on Apr 10, 2009 10:48 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Bakersfield looks like they are going to lose...
Which means that the team with technically the worst record in the playoffs would be them (since Erie won the tiebreaker). Colorado swept both teams, but Bakersfield will have lost 5 of their last 6. I think we can expect to see Colorado hosting Bakersfield in the first round.
by hkf on Apr 10, 2009 11:33 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
How was futurecast tonight?
Blogging at RidiculousUpside
by Scott Schroeder on Apr 10, 2009 10:49 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I haven’t had any problems with it at all and I was watching a few different games.
by TorosGirl on Apr 10, 2009 10:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Futurecast has been good
My problem is Firefox just eats so much memory on this laptop. I don’t feel like going on my stronger machine because I like watching while in bed. LOL
by hkf on Apr 10, 2009 10:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Bakersfield-Idaho are going at it
This is a really good game. Utah did their part, now Idaho needs to do theirs.
by hkf on Apr 10, 2009 11:21 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Austin-RGV
It’s still midway through the fourth quarter, but it looks like RGV was reallllly able to slow this one down. Squeaky’s missed all seven of his threes. amaal Thomas getting less PT and having a quieter game. Looby and Jordan haven’t done as much as you might expect, but it looks like Senseley has caused problems for the Toros again. I think he’s one of those guys who’s just a randomly bad matchup for them. As I mentioned the other day, he’s big enough to play inside but can take it out to the perimeter, too. He’s not great at either, but passable enough to cause problems. But still, Dwayne Jones with 22 points and 23 rebounds so far. Nice.
Now writing for Ridiculous Upside, where we knew who Mike Taylor was before you did.
by Jon L on Apr 10, 2009 11:21 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Whoa, Austin with the come-from-behind W
It looks like Hairston and Jones took over. From the time RGV went up 92-79 with 8:42 left, it looks like Craig Winder fouled three times, shot 1-3 from the field and 1-2 on free throws, and turned it over once. Ernest Scott missed three three pointers and two jumpers. Also, Ryan Bright had two blocks on Senseley. Hairston finished with 41 points on 26 shots and Jones had 31 points, 28 rebounds.
Now writing for Ridiculous Upside, where we knew who Mike Taylor was before you did.
by Jon L on Apr 11, 2009 12:05 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah those two looked epic
Think they miss Nelson and Williams? Methinks Hairston and Jones were trying to prove otherwise.
by Aisander D on Apr 11, 2009 12:15 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Well...
Hairston and Jones were always good players, and RGV’s not exactly Colorado. It’s encouraging, but the Toros also had no one with more than four assists, and only had 21 total assists on 98 shots. If they’re going to make noise in the playoffs, they need to spread the ball around more. They also shot 15.8% on threes (including 1-9 for Squeaky), and that’s just abysmal.
Now writing for Ridiculous Upside, where we knew who Mike Taylor was before you did.
by Jon L on Apr 11, 2009 12:28 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah I only caught the last 5 of the Futurecast
I knew those guys were proven commodities, but from the stat sheet tonight it looked like they were trying to make a statement (or perhaps the only available scoring options). Hairston was approaching Will Conroy numbers.
by Aisander D on Apr 11, 2009 12:31 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I like Sensley
He’s a talented guy. As you said, a definite matchup problem. He can play.
Blogging at RidiculousUpside
by Scott Schroeder on Apr 11, 2009 12:37 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
There you are Scott
how was the game?
by Aisander D on Apr 11, 2009 12:40 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Lob to Petway
and one… Idaho is pulling away.
by hkf on Apr 10, 2009 11:24 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Hey Guys
Sorry I missed this one. My parents girlfriend took me out to dinner at McDonalds a fancy Italian place. Then I got back and realized that my Star Wars collector set had arrived that she probably wanted to make out. But now I’m done.
Sounds generally like you guys had fun. I’m looking forward to playoff speculation.
by Aisander D on Apr 10, 2009 11:39 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Well the eight teams in the playoffs are set:
As I wrote earlier Bakersfield in a traditional playoff alignment would be the 8th seed (having lost to the tiebreaker to Erie). Erie also is locked into having the 7th best record regardless, because Dakota won the season series.
Utah/Idaho is pretty interesting because the winner obviously clinches the 2nd best record in the league. Utah being at home has no excuses for not getting this done. Even though Idaho has pretty much owned them, you couldn’t be happier than to have a division title on the line in the regular season finale at home.
The loser of that game is also going to be on the road against Austin (even if they lose to RGV tomorrow) as well in the first round, so this is pretty much a huge game. This game is difference between having two home games in the first two rounds of the playoffs and starting on the road against what might be the 2nd best team in the league in Austin.
If I had to take a guess as to how the playoffs will look:
Colorado vs. Bakersfield
Austin vs. Utah/Idaho game loser
Iowa vs. Dakota
Utah/Idaho winner vs. Erie
by hkf on Apr 10, 2009 11:48 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Fanpost this....
it’s all really good stuff. I personally am looking forward to speculating on this. Seriously post this.
by Aisander D on Apr 10, 2009 11:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I fanposted it...
I don’t know how long it takes to show.
by hkf on Apr 11, 2009 12:01 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Thanks, looks good
that will give us a formal place to argue.
by Aisander D on Apr 11, 2009 12:19 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Holy Crap
D-Jones with 31-28 for Austin tonight. Looks like he and Hairston were happy to see DeMarcus and Williams go
by Aisander D on Apr 10, 2009 11:57 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Anyone see Utah-Colorado?
Why didn’t Mo Almond play?
Blogging at RidiculousUpside
by Scott Schroeder on Apr 11, 2009 1:09 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Maybe he got cut...
by Will Conroy.
by Aisander D on Apr 11, 2009 1:11 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Haha
Joel Abelson wants to know. Should I just tell him that?
Blogging at RidiculousUpside
by Scott Schroeder on Apr 11, 2009 1:14 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Sure why not....
It’s not implausible. It;s either that. Or Mo was hanging ’round with JamesOn and got peed on before the game.
by Aisander D on Apr 11, 2009 1:15 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

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