Usually when a series happens in professional sports, it takes place in baseball. However, as Iowa Energy and Dakota Wizards fans have experienced this past week, the D-League has scheduling quirks of its own.

The two teams have done battle twice already this week ... and they're not done yet. Dakota and Iowa have thus far split the series at one game apiece with one more coming up on Friday night in Des Moines. Here's a recap of what happened last weekend.

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The second of four days is underway at the 2012 NBA Development League Showcase in lovely Reno, Nev., and your's truly is in a decent mood after making it back to even at the blackjack tables on Monday night. My day got better when I woke up and realized I'd get to watch Donyell Marshall coaching Ricky Davis to start my morning.

At halftime of the first game of the day, the Maine Red Claws lead the Sioux Falls Skyforce 54-50 at halftime. Davis looked as good as he's looked thus far in the D-League with nine points, two rebounds and two assists while getting the start, but nobody was overly impressive in the first 24 minutes of Tuesday's action.

The Red Claws and Skyforce have identical 5-12 records thus far this season and, unfortunately, the talent on the floor reflects that. Charles Garcia is always going to be an intriguing dude and likely the top prospect on the floor, but until he clears up a couple of his flaws, that's going to be the extent of it.

Other players to watch for during Tuesday's first game include NBA camp invites Jerome Randle, Xavier Silas, Kenny Hayes, Gabe Pruitt and Casey Mitchell along with Anthony Mason Jr. and Paul Harris. At this point, though, it doesn't seem like anyone from Tuesday's first game is quite ready for a look at the NBA.

If my internet cooperates today, by the way, this will hopefully serve as a bit of a live blog.

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The 2012 NBA D-League Showcase is underway in Reno, Nev., with the Idaho Stampede and Erie BayHawks playing in the first game of the day. Your's truly is here and, since it's going to be tough to stay focused as I watch 16 games over the next four days, I figured it might be a good idea to leave some thoughts here.

Most of my stuff will be hosted over at NBC Sports' Pro Basketball Talk over the next few days, but this'll serve as the B Side of sorts -- or at least that's the plan. For my official writings, be sure to check out my D-League Showcase primeras well as my preview of Day 1's action over at PBT (and thank them for letting me write over there this week while you're at it).

Anyway, stay tuned to NBA TV for the first couple of games and D-League Futurecast so you can watch for me and everything else happening at the beautiful Reno Events Center. Any thoughts I have on today's action will be posted below.

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To end the calendar year out in style, the Iowa Energy sent themselves out of 2011 with a pair of impressive home wins. The familiar foe, Sioux Falls, and the Idaho Stampede came into Wells Fargo Arena to try to knock off the leading team of the Eastern Conference. Instead, they were greeted with the returns of Moses Ehambe, Jarrid Famous and Marqus Blakely as they all returned from NBA training camps.

Tuesday, December 27, 2011 – Iowa 121, Sioux Falls 103

In the fourth match-up between the two teams so far this season, Iowa took advantage of being the aggressor in this game by going to the free throw line 40 times compared to the Skyforce’s 17 visits of the line on Tuesday. Marqus Blakely, who was playing his first game for the Energy since returning from last season, made it to the stripe 13 times on his own; he converted eight times. The foul ratio, which was in Iowa’s favor as well, was 29-19.

Three different Energy members reached the 20-point plateau – Michael Tveidt led the way with 24 points, followed by Blakely and Moses Ehambe each pulling in 22 points, respectively.

"We like to get points in the paint, and tonight, that’s what we wanted to do," Tveidt said.

Three Sioux Falls players also got to the 20-point mark as Casey Mitchell topped the Skyforce, and the game with 29 points. Mitchell shot 11-for-18 from the floor, including draining three 3-point baskets. The other two Skyforce players who got 20+ were Anthony Mason with 21 and Charles Garcia with 27.

In their last match-up, on December 10, it was Sioux Falls who got more visits to the line whereas Iowa got more chances to score in the paint.

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Add an injury, a couple bad breaks, handling a couple of runs (for and against) in each game, and that's what you get from a crazy weekend for the Iowa Energy.

The injury sustained was by Brandon Ewing in Friday night's win over Fort Wayne where he dislocated his right middle finger. His return is unknown but Ewing is optimistic he will only miss a few weeks.

"He's a steady hand for us," said Head Coach Kevin Young, who is in his first season with Iowa. "The thing about the D-League however is that you have to coach who's out there. We had guys who stepped up."

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The Iowa Energy have been racking up the wins on this long home stand before the holiday break, but they learned Friday two of their most productive players went to try out for NBA squads.

Moses Ehambe, who is the only returning player on the squad for Iowa this season, went down to New Orleans to try out for the Hornets. The Hornets are one of three affiliates associated with the Energy. While playing for Iowa this year, Ehambe has averaged 21 points and four rebounds in six starts.

Jarrid Famous, a rookie out of South Florida, received an invite to the Pacers training camp. Prior to leaving for Indiana, Famous contributed 24 points and 12 rebounds - nearly half of those from the offensive glass - in his first taste in the D-League.

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The Iowa Energy are in Ohio to take on the Canton Charge in one of seven games happening on the opening night of the NBA Development League season. While the rest of the games were lumped into one quick preview, this game deserved a bit more considering it will take place live on NBA TV at 7:30 p.m.

The most difficult thing about writing a preview for this game is that there isn't a lot of continuity in the D-League so the first few games are often a feeling out period, but this game will be a bit more difficult to project than most. Both teams are employing new coaches and only three of the 20 players played in the league this past season, leaving a lot of this game up to guesswork.

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The NBA Development League season tips off Friday night with seven games on the menu so hopefully everyone enjoyed D-League Opening Night Eve and is ready to watch some live basketball. There will be six games available to watch online for free, via Futurecast, while the Iowa Energy vs. Canton Charge game will be shown live on NBA TV.

Ideally there would be a beautiful preview on Ridiculous Upside for each match-up in this bevy of games, but your's truly is currently suffering from what most call a food coma. Instead, listed below is one reason for everyone to be thankful that the game will be broadcast live (and in hopefully high definition).

Los Angeles D-Fenders vs. Dakota Wizards

If someone is going to watch this one, it should be for the chance to catch Scott Schroeder on their computer screen. If that reason isn't good enough, however, Jamaal Tinsley's D-League debut against the best team in the Eastern Conference is probably worth a few minutes of your Friday night.

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