OKC Blue: Blue Enter Winter Showcase Pitted Against Valley Vipers
The Oklahoma City Blue have punched their ticket to the Winter Showcase.
Following a 3-2 start on the season, the Blue charged a three-week rally to finish Winter Showcase group stages with an 8-4 record. The Blue notched their tournament-bid with respective 20-point and 28-point victories earlier in the week.
With the Motor City Cruise and Fort Wayne Mad Ants also finishing group stages with 8-4 records, Oklahoma City capped its 12-game stint in a three-way tie. Under the league’s listed tiebreaker, plus-minus (+/-), the Blue broke tiebreakers with both franchises with a 12.6 +/-, good for second league-wide.
As a result of the tiebreaker, the Blue enter the Showcase Cup Tournament as the sixth-seed out of eight teams. Under the single-elimination format, the tournament champion will need to win three-consecutive games – netting the franchise a Showcase Cup Championship while awarding an $100,000 cash prize for players on the winning team.
For the first round of play, the Oklahoma City Blue will face the third-seeded Rio Grande Valley Vipers.
KEYS TO THE GAME:
After starting the season 8-0, the Valley Vipers have slid into a 1-3 pit across their past four games. Plus, with first-round selection Josh Christopher and recently upgraded guard Garrison Matthews expected to remain with the Rockets – their unit may heavily rely upon G League signees.
As a result, this game could devolve to paint-play as the Valley Vipers rank first league-wide in points in the paint (58.8) while the Blue rank first defensively in points in the paint, allowing 40.3 per game.
The Blue’s starting rotation has been sporadic all season as with Thunder assignments frequently on their way in-and-out, the squad has handled nine separate starting units. With recent assignments in Aleksej Pokusevski, Tre Mann, and Ty Jerome back from assignment, it’s likely the Blue will have to roll the dice on their tenth different unit in Vegas.
Oklahoma City has found refuge with DJ Wilson at the center spot as of recent while guards Rob Edwards and Melvin Frazier Jr. have dropped 20-point performances in bench roles during group play. As a result, the Blue are prone to garner points in bunches, and their means of scoring can come from a variety of different sources.
RECORDS:
Oklahoma City Blue (8-4) vs. Rio Grande Valley Vipers (9-3)
WHEN:
Sunday, December 19, 2021 at 7:00 PM CST
LOCATION:
Mandalay Bay Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada
TV/RADIO:
NBAGLeague.com (Livestream)
X-FACTOR:
Rob Edwards has led all non-Thunder assignees in scoring (12.6 PPG) for the Blue in a condensed 20.3-minute role. Edwards’ microwave-esque play saw the 24-year-old unleash 11 points in four minutes Friday while also pushing the guard into double-figures in 8-of-12 games.
If the Arizona State alum receives the keys to the offense, keep an eye on for a potential scoring outburst.
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