NBA D-League Announces Schedule For 2016 Annual Showcase

The NBA D-League season is just over a month away. Once the campaign gets rolling, things move rather quickly, and before you know it, it'll be time for the minor league's twelfth annual showcase. This coming January will mark the second straight season that the unique event will be hosted in the heart of Santa Cruz, California, which is now considered the home of the NBADL's defending champion Warriors.

What's more, the D-League revealed a new wrinkle in its latest press release. See here:

"Following the conclusion of all 19 games, a 2016 NBA D-League Showcase Champion will be crowned based first on a team's overall win-loss record at the event. The advanced basketball statistic Net Rating (calculated by subtracting Defensive Rating from Offensive Rating) will be used to break any ties among records. Offensive Rating is calculated by dividing a team's total points by its total offensive possessions, while Defensive Rating is derived by dividing a team's total points allowed by its opponent's total offensive possessions. Any remaining ties will then be resolved using a team's Strength of Schedule, as determined by that team's pre-Showcase opponents' winning percentage."

With all of this in mind, the league also formally announced the full schedule for the five day session. Take a look below for the outlined plan.

Wednesday, Jan. 6

Game 1     Canton vs. Idaho

Game 2     Westchester vs. Texas

Game 3     Delaware vs. Oklahoma City 

Game 4     Iowa vs. Austin

Thursday, Jan. 7

Game 1     Fort Wayne vs. Rio Grande Valley

Game 2     Bakersfield vs. Maine

Game 3     Raptors vs. Sioux Falls

Game 4     Texas vs. Delaware

Friday, Jan. 8

Game 1     Oklahoma City vs. Grand Rapids

Game 2     Reno vs. Westchester

Game 3     Austin vs. Erie

Game 4     Santa Cruz vs. Iowa

Saturday, Jan. 9

Game 1     Los Angeles vs. Canton

Game 2     Idaho vs. Fort Wayne 

Game 3     Rio Grande Valley vs. Raptors

Game 4     Sioux Falls vs. Santa Cruz

Sunday, Jan. 10

Game 1     Erie vs. Bakersfield

Game 2     Grand Rapids vs. Los Angeles

Game 3     Maine vs. Reno