Pistons GT Recon Report: Playoff Edition

by Aaron Fox

Pistons GT is set to square off with Warriors Gaming Squad in the first round of the NBA 2K League playoffs Thursday night. This will be the franchise’s second-ever playoff appearance and first since season one.

Ironically enough, we met Warriors Gaming Squad in the first round of THE TURN earlier this summer. The series went a full three contests with games one and two decided by an average margin of three points, giving us an idea of what is possibly in store for Detroit this evening. Results from last time:

• Game One: Warriors Gaming Squad def. Pistons GT, 74-70
• Game Two: Pistons GT def. Warriors Gaming Squad, 74-72
• Game Three: Pistons GT def. Warriors Gaming Squad, 73-63

This will also be the first time in two years that NBA 2K League teams will be playing in-person on stage, and each roster brings a wealth of big-game experience with them. Our three veterans Ramo, Radiant, and Idris bring 12 combined seasons of NBA 2K League action to the table, including three banners, one championship, and eight total playoff appearances.

For Warriors Gaming Squad, CB13 and Gradient were in the finals just a year ago, falling to the eventual champions Wizards District Gaming. Golden State won season two’s THE TICKET behind CB13 and Gradient as well, making a run to the league’s semifinals before falling short. This will be the franchise’s third consecutive playoff appearance since missing the postseason in season one.

 

Lineups

#5 Pistons GT

PG Radiant (27.4ppg-10.3apg-1.1spg-55%-51%)

SG Greenlight (23.7ppg-7.7apg-0.7spg-53%-44%)

SF Pexile (7.5ppg-0.9rpg-1.0spg-63%-58%)

PF Idris (13.5ppg-3.7rpg-1.5apg-73%-65%)

C Ramo (16.3ppg-11.1rpg-3.0apg-1.4spg-1.2bpg-78%)

 

#4 Warriors Gaming Squad

PG CB13 (23.6ppg-10.1apg-0.5spg-54%-46%)

SG Antoine (13.4ppg-4.6apg-0.9spg-53%-51%)

SF Gradient (13.2ppg-1.7apg-1.3spg-73%-60%)

PF KayAus (7.5ppg-4.9rpg-1.2spg-0.9bpg-69%-68%)

C Hezi (16.9ppg-9.4rpg-2.8apg-1.4spg-1.3bpg-78%)

 

Key Matchup

Pistons GT Defense vs. Warriors Gaming Squad Defense

Postseason 2K often comes down to two factors: Who got hot at the right time? Which team tightened up their defenses headed into postseason play? Last year it was Wizards District Gaming who checked both boxes, among many others. Washington’s defense took the necessary extra step on the defensive end and reaped the benefits ($450,000 and a championship) along the way.

Golden State seems to be on their way to checking the first box, winning four of their last five contests to close out the regular season. The team’s defense did allow 91 points to an interesting Jazz Gaming lineup in their season finale. Throw out that performance and Warriors Gaming Squad allowed just barely 70 points per game in their last four games of the year, a few points better than their season average (72.7).

As for Detroit, the team finished their season on a three-game winning streak, claiming a playoff spot and avoiding THE TICKET in the process. Pistons GT’s roster has been a revolving door this year, and their defense has remained a work in progress. As a result, Detroit is the only playoff team to enter postseason play with a negative point differential (-0.5). With higher stakes and two weeks to prepare for a single opponent, we should see improvement on that end of the floor.

The NBA 2K League playoffs will tip off at 5 PM on August 26th. Pistons GT is scheduled to play Warriors Gaming Squad in the first round, with game one beginning at 8 PM. Follow @PistonsGT and @NBA2KLeague on Twitter for more updates. More information:

• When: August 26th @ 8 PM (G1), 9 PM (G2), & 10 PM (G3 if necessary)
• Watch: NBA 2K League Twitch and YouTube
• Where: Mavs Gaming Hub (Dallas, TX)
• Prize Pool (per team): (1st) $450,000, (2nd) $180,000, (3rd/4th) $80,000, (5th-8th) $42,500, (9th-12th) $30,000