OKC Blue: Blue Lose to Wolves, Playoff Hopes a Longshot
The forecast is cloudy for the Oklahoma City Blue’s playoff aspirations.
Headed into Thursday evening, the Blue were in solid positioning for a playoff berth with a 15-18 record. Slotted in a three-way tie for seventh place, Oklahoma City needed to check two boxes: win out their back-to-back series against the Iowa Wolves and see the Stockton Kings, the sixth seed, drop one of their next two games.
One box was checked on Thursday. It was the latter.
In Oklahoma City’s meeting against Iowa, both teams entered with an opportunity to make the playoffs – both sides played accordingly. The game mirrored much of a playoff game, as with the lead alternating by the minute throughout the second half, it was anyone’s game until the clock hit zero.
Following a 5-0 run by Zavier Simpson, the Blue entered the four-minute mark with a four-point advantage. McKinley Wright IV had other plans. After a defensive three-second violation had been assessed to the Blue, Wright IV went on a terror, drilling the technical shot in what became seven-consecutive points for the guards. By the time 23-year-old was done, Oklahoma City trailed by three with 18 seconds to go. Fast forward 10 seconds, Iowa’s lead still stood firm at three as a Scotty Hopson layup and a pair of Wolves' foul tries counteracted the notion.
In the Blue’s overtime attempt, three-point specialist Justin Jaworski attempted a stepback three at the left-wing. The ball failed to graze iron – and that was the ball game.
Led by Wright IV’s 27 points and former Blue member Melvin Frazier Jr.’s 15-point, 19-rebound effort – Iowa mustered out the win and a shot at the postseason.
For the Blue, they sourced meaningful offense through Scotty Hopson’s 24 points, a 22-point outing from Justin Jaworski, and a triple-double from Zavier Simpson, concluding the game with 18 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists.
Simpson’s effort marked his first triple-double in his career.
After ranking atop the G League in defense all season, the Blue have shown shades of offensive excellence over the last few weeks. However, their paltry 11-of-38 (28.9%) output on the game became the difference.
There was a stroke of unfortunate luck Thursday evening. Had the Blue defeated the Wolves, they would have controlled their destiny moving forward. Due to the Birmingham Squadron defeating the Stockton Kings 116-106 earlier in the day – the Blue would have positioned themselves for the sixth seed with a win on Friday.
With a 15-19 record, the Oklahoma City Blue are technically still in playoff contention. However, lodged in a two-way tie for tenth place, the Blue not only need to win their back-to-back capper, but they’ll also need all four teams ahead of them to lose out.
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