NBA D-League Showcase 2017: Day 1 recap

This week is the NBA D-League Showcase, a five-day event featuring all 22 D-league teams playing multiple games. The event, hosted in Mississauga, Ontario (home of the Raptors 905, Toronto’s affiliate), is a chance for NBA teams to scout potential talent and roster additions all in one place. It’s also an all-day basketball buffet.

You can find our daily recaps of the event here at The Step Back and check out the complete schedule to see what’s coming up. For more coverage of the NBA D-League Showcase, be sure to follow Ashley Docking on Twitter and Instagram.

Delaware 87ers – 124 — Windy City Bulls -109: Opening action!

The third game of the season series between the Bulls and 87ers, which was tied 1-1, kicked off the Showcase in Mississauga. This contest was the same as the others, featuring a ton of buckets with Delaware scoring 124 points. The winner of each game between these clubs has eclipsed 120. These scores are not out of the ordinary any more, as this NBADL is churning out offensive weapons like a factory.

Uncharacteristically, the Bulls had 33 3-point attempts, well above their season average, and at a 25 percent clip you can understand why they don’t rely on that aspect as much as some other teams in the NBADL.

Despite the loss, Will Bynum was the star for the Bulls. Undrafted in 2005, Bynum was the D-League Rookie of the Year in 2005 during his first NBADL go around. This afternoon, 11 years later, he flashed MVP numbers. Bynum dropped 43 painfully efficient points, shooing 11-of-19 from the field, 4-of-6 from beyond the arc, adding 4 assists, 4 rebounds and 3 steals.

Someone (not me!) dared asked after his performance, “If at his age, he thinks about how long he has left to play?.” To which Bynum responded, “I mean if you was watching today you probably wouldn’t [have known his age]. I’m fine. I’m in great shape. I’ve never had any injuries, you know knock on wood, but it’s not something I’m thinking about right now.”

On the other side, between Richaun Holmes, Shawn Long, and David Laury III, it seemed like every the ball entered the paint on every Delaware possession. The “new’ NBA dictates that the 3-ball will get you where you need to be, but 43 of 84 shot attempts in the paint while shooting 54.8 percent, seemed like a pretty good game plan for the 87ers. In all, eight Delaware players scored in double figures.

Holmes was down on assignment from the 76ers and had a good day, 15 points, 6 rebounds. He should see more run in the D-League so coaches can hone his potential, with the Sixers he is buried on the depth chart.

Holmes told me that losing time to the likes of Joel Embiid, Jahlil Okafor, and Nerlens Noel doesn’t bother him. He really does trust the process, but just the one laid out by a different type of GM.

“There’s no worries for me, I just continue to play where they tell me to play. Continue to play and work hard and let the rest take care of itself. Me, personally, I trust God first and foremost. I put all my trust in him and I know he’ll get me where I need to go.”

Holmes showed some perimeter defense capabilities, which is a bonus.

With so many different scorers, shoutout to Mikh McKinney who had a game-high 8 assists. He was crafty. A few of his pass attempts didn’t translate into dimes, but they were the kind of moments where coaches chime in with a, “Good idea,” quip.

Raptors 905 – 135 — Grand Rapids Drive – 122: Kings of the court

We know no lead is safe in the D-League, and a 20-point 905 lead was riddled down in various increments throughout the second half by Grand Rapids. Eventually, and I really mean eventually, the 905 held on. This game went on FOR-EV-ER (please read this like Squints in The Sandlot), due in large part to the 66 combined fouls committed, a D-League record. The 84 free throw attempts didn’t help the pace of the game.

It was however great for Toronto as that got the Drive’s Ramon Harris and bench weapon, Jordan Crawford into trouble early with three apiece. Harris would later be injured and left the game.

There were a couple of notable performances from the 905 contingent, but Edy Tavares (16 points and 11 rebounds) stood out. He remains very tall and very problematic in the paint, impacting opponent shooting if he doesn’t completely swat them into another dimension. However, Tavares a liability if he’s forced to cove the perimeter. Tavares is not going to be able to defend many, if any, players on the outside, in particular the stretchy, hybrid bigs we’re seeing today.

Pay no attention to the Drive’s bad luck as of late, losing five of seven to start the new year. Between Ray McCallum, Kevin Murphy and Jordan Crawford they can do some damage. As head coach Rex Walters told me, “We want to see our guys moving on. We want our roster to change. Guys like Ray, Jordan and Kevin, we hope they get call-ups. That’s really our focus. It’s even, at times, more important than wins and losses.”

All three are on the prospect list and more on that trio is coming in later coverage from the Showcase.

Greensboro Swarm – 109 — Erie Bayhawks – 102: Triple Threat

Greensboro’s roster is packed with a threesome that all have NBA experience — Christian Wood, Xavier Munford, and Archie Goodwin. It’s a testament to each individual that one’s play doesn’t mute the others.

Wood, Munford and Goodwin are all impactful on the scoresheet, but in different ways. While Goodwin’s shooting struggles have been well documented, his athleticism makes him a threat at the rim.

Wood is averaging a 19.5 points and 10.1 rebounds per game, and has five consecutive double-doubles, including 21 points and 10 rebounds against Erie. Not to mention he’s a shot blocking threat at nearly three a game. Wood has had games with eight, six, and five blocks, respectively. Eight?! (The Long Island Nets won that game, both teams scored 130+).

As for Munford, he’s a utility guy. Whatever you need from him, on any given day, that’s what he can provide to you. A triple-double today basically proves the point. He notched 20 points, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds, while hitting just one of five 3-point attempts. It’s just a matter of time before he’s called-up again.

As for the outcome of the game, some say that you only need to watch the last two minutes of a basketball game to know what happened. If that’s your philosophy than you should probably know that after Cliff Alexander pulled the Bayhawks within one, 103-102, Wood had an and-1 play that he converted, and Rasheed Sulaimon hit the 3-pointer that iced it.

Oklahoma City Blue – 103 — Northern Arizona Suns – 98: All I want to do is watch Derrick Jones Jr. sky!

Jones Jr. is a name you may not have heard but his hops are out of control and his forced entry into the pro ranks makes him a young talent with a ton of growing to do. Jones Jr. was involved in a controversy at UNLV. He was prepping with his team, getting ready for the season finale and a plethora of school officials broke the news to him that he was ineligible. His ACT score was at a Baltimore facility under investigation for nine months.

So Jones Jr. decided on the draft. He didn’t get selected, but the Suns took a chance at him. Earl Watson remarked during training camp, “He is the most athletic guy on the team, including Marquess Chriss.” High praise and high expectations for the kid born in 1997. Jones didn’t make the Suns roster thought and has spent the season with their D-League affiliate.

For all his athleticism, Jones is a project. His body hasn’t filled out yet, but he’s quick and his defense will be a reason to forgive his (at times) hesitant offense. He will take patience, but it could be worth it. If he finds away to get that confidence he carries himself with in the open court into every halfcourt set, he’ll be just fine.

With 20 seconds left in the game, Jones got the ball with a chance to tie. He missed a layup with a ton of contact, no foul, but he’s obviously got the trust of his coach.

Austin Spurs – 119 — Rio Grande Vipers – 100: We roll together

It felt like I saw a lot of one-on-one/ISO basketball today. So to close out NBADL Showcase: Day 1 with the Vipers and Spurs who were so eager to share, was the equivalent to sweet tea on a hot day. Refreshing.

Rio Grande recorded 14 assists on their 22 first half field goals, that’s 67 percent for all you mathematicians. Austin was moving the rock too, but impressed more by shooting a fiery 57 percent clip from the field.

Patricio Garino, was fun to watch tonight. The forward deciding to do his damage from the perimeter early on, but changing his strategy in the second half. Garino laid down a mean reverse slam, then drove to the hoop and drew a foul, and subsequent tech on Chinanu Onuaku.

Garino has played for the Argentinian National Team and received tutelage from FIBA sensation Luis Scola. That’s enough of a co-sign from me. Is he jaw dropping, no, but he’s a solid piece. Five of six players to come off the bench for Austin scored in double-digits. It was a true group effort.

And finally, Chinanu Onuaku is still shooting underhanded from the foul line, and as cringe-inducing as it is, he owns it (which I love) and is probably extremely proud of his 69.6 percent free throw percentage. Lets reward his confidence and just round it up to 70.

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