2020 NBA 2K League Results: Raptors Uprising Moves to 12-0, Nabs Playoff Spot
July 3, 2020
Week 8 of the NBA 2K League has led to even more history.
The 2020 playoffs have their first official participant with Raptors Uprising GC becoming the fastest team in league history to clinch a berth. Two nights after Bucks GC took the single-game scoring record from the Raptors, Uprising upped the ante again.
With a series victory over Gen.G Tigers, Toronto moved to 12-0 on the year and remains the only club with double-digit wins this year.
A battle of the league's two worst-performing teams provided arguably the best entertainment on the night. While Celtics Crossover Gaming fell to 0-11 on the year, its series with 76ers GC (2-8) went the full three games, including an overtime thriller and a buzzer-beater for the win.
Here's how the rest of Thursday's action played out.
NBA 2K League Results
76ers GC def. Celtics Crossover Gaming: 78-72, 50-66, 56-55
Nets GC def. T-Wolves Gaming: 68-70, 77-65, 78-58
Raptors Uprising GC def. Gen.G Tigers: 101-62, 72-76, 106-63
Knicks Gaming def. Lakers Gaming: 77-67, 72-76, 59-54
Recap
The Raptors remained as dominant as ever against the Tigers (5-7) as all five players scored in double figures during Game 1, led by shooting guard Kenny Got Work (29 points, 11 assists, six steals). Even with Gen.G's ShiftyKaii scoring 44 points, there was hardly enough offense from the rest of the team to keep up.
In a rare down game during the second matchup, only four Raptors players reached double figures.
More so than anything, it looked like Toronto was determined to take back the single-game scoring record after the Bucks scored 111 on June 30, besting the previous mark by two points. The Raptors came close, but they never got within two possessions of setting a new mark.
Game 1 between the Sixers and Celtics saw Philadelphia jump out to a 37-33 halftime lead with Boston battling back in the fourth quarter. Center TuckerLocksUp forced overtime on a buzzer-beater at the end of the frame and allowed Philly to surge ahead again in overtime for the win.
But the comeback attempt gave the Celtics plenty of confidence going into Game 2.
With point guard oFAB leading the way (39 points, four assists) while TooxCool and No xAutographsx each scored 11 points, Boston tied the series and forced a decisive Game 3.
Though the Celtics jumped out to a seven-point lead after the first quarter, the fourth quarter saw another tight battle. The final minute of regulation featured three lead changes with the Sixers once again surging ahead on a last-second layup. As the shot clock hit zero—and with 3.6 seconds remaining on the game clock—Radiant (26 points, eight assists) drained the game-winning bucket and gave Philadelphia its second series win of the season.
The second matchup of the night to go the full three games saw Nets GC (5-4) get back above .500 on the year with a 20-point victory over T-Wolves Gaming in Game 3. After the Wolves (6-5) won Game 1, 70-68, it seemed like Brooklyn would be in trouble—especially considering Minnesota saw both guard JMoney (21 points, 11 assists) and small forward BearDaBeast (25 points, four assists) each score at least 20 points.
Yet the Nets won each of the next two games by double figures, punctuated by a Game 3 in which the backcourt of Choc and Randomz each dropped 30 points. Choc also dished out 12 assists for good measure.
The final series of the night produced yet another Game 3, this time with the Knicks (6-6) holding off the Lakers (2-10).
Knicks point guard Duck flashed his efficiency in Game 1, scoring 36 points on 14-of-18 shooting from the field while OriginalMalik added another 19 himself.
Malik would again prove huge in Game 3, scoring 20 points while New York center CantGuardRob added eight points and 20 rebounds.
The loss keeps Los Angeles tied for second-to-last place with the 76ers and Pistons GT. Still, no team has fared worse than Boston, which keeps getting closer to picking up a victory but has yet to finish the job.