76ers GC wins NBA 2k League tournament: Recap and highlights

The season-opening tournament for the inaugural season of the NBA 2k League ended with 76ers GC claiming the prize pot and title.

An eight-team, three-round single-elimination tournament to conclude the season-opening tournament of the NBA 2k League’s inaugural season nearly resulted in one team running the table, but 76ers GC ended up claiming the championship in “The Tipoff” by doing what all previous opponents had failed to do.

The first quarterfinals game on Saturday, May 5, pit Cavs Legion GC and Jazz Gaming against each other for a spot in the semifinals. The contest showed both teams knew what was on the line.

Early in the first quarter, Jazz Gaming’s l 24k JSmoove l swipes the rock and goes coast-to-coast.

Sick x 973 helped Cavs Legion end the first half with a 32-29 lead with this catch-and-shoot swish.

Jazz Gaming made a run to start the third quarter, but Hood Is Glitchy put Cavs Legion back on top with this jam.

MrSlaughter01 put Jazz Gaming back on top to start the fourth quarter with a slam of his own.

The back-and-forth action continued through the fourth quarter with Cavs Legion ultimately claiming the win 71-70 on the strength of Hood Is Glitchy’s 46 points and 10 rebounds. Pacers Gaming would take the court looking to advance to semifinals to face Cavs Legion by doing what no team in group play could do; defeat Blazer5 Gaming.

Blazer5 Gaming came out looking every bit the only team that went 3-0 in group play.

Dat Boy Shotz kept Blazer5 Gaming’s momentum going finding a path to the hoop in the second quarter.

Blazer5 Gaming led 35-24 at the half, but they were just getting started. OneWildWalnut started showing off the in third quarter.

With a 50-38 lead to start the fourth quarter, it was time for a victory lap for Blazer5 Gaming.

Blazer5 Gaming moved to a perfect 4-0 in The Tipoff and set up a semifinals match with Cavs Legion by downing Pacers Gaming 66-46. Dat Boy Shotz dropped 22 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to lead the way. Action began on the other side of the bracket as Pistons GT and Warriors Gaming Squad descended on the stage.

iiNsaniTTy keeps Pistons GT in-step with Warriors Gaming by converting defense to offense in the first quarter.

Lets Get It Ramo and iiNsaniTTy combined for 35 of Pistons GT’s 37 first-half points, and Lets Get It Ramo reacted appropriately.

After expanding the lead his team enjoyed in the third quarter, Lets Get It Ramo showed his versatility in the fourth quarter.

Pistons GT cruised to a 61-47 win to punch its ticket to the semifinals. Lets Get It Ramo paced his squad with 30 points and 14 boards.

To earn the final spot in the semifinals facing Pistons GT, 76ers GC needed to go through Mavs Gaming. That would be a tall task, as Mavs Gaming featured top overall draft selection who on Friday night became the first player in NBA 2k League history to score 50 points in a game.

Dimez kept it going in the first quarter for Mavs Gaming to keep his team within reach.

Steez expanded 76ers GC’s advantage in the second quarter on this two-handed dunk.

Different quarter but same story for Steez as 76ers GC continued to build its lead.

Steez again in the fourth quarter but with more authority as 76ers GC was feeling the semifinals.

76ers GC’s 83-56 win over Mavs Gaming completed the tournament’s final four, guaranteeing they would get a piece of the prize pot as all semifinal qualifiers received $10,000. Before 76ers GC could try to earn more, however, the larger question was whether Blazer5 Gaming could stay undefeated and reach the championship game by ousting Cavs Legion.

Late in the first quarter, Blazer5 Gaming’s OneWildWalnut tied the game up by throwing it down.

Early in the second quarter Cavs Legion was getting comfortable as evidenced by this collaboration between Sick x 973 and TURNUPDEFENSE.

Down 36-31 to begin the third quarter, Blazer5 Gaming went on a 17-8 run punctuated by Lavish_phenom.

Hood Is Glitchy did all he could to keep Cavs Legion alive in the fourth quarter.

Blazer5 Gaming moved to an unbelievable 5-0 with the 69-64 win off 28 points and 12 rebounds by OneWildWalnut, guaranteeing themselves at least $25,000 by reaching the championship game. The challenge of keeping them from going undefeated in The Tipoff would go to the winner of the 76ers GC-Pistons GT game.

Opponents were still looking for answers against 76ers GC’s Steez in the first quarter of the semifinals.

Pistons GT showed a sense of urgency to not let the game get away from them in the second quarter.

Newdini33 demonstrated why 76ers GC was a complete team in the third quarter.

The second half was all 76ers GC as they gave themselves a shot at $35,000 by eliminating Pistons GT 66-48. Steez led the way with 24 points.

With 1/3 of the Steel Championship Banner and a $10,000 difference in the prize pot share between the tournament’s champion and runner-up on the line, 76ers GC faced the tall task of becoming the first team to defeat Blazer5 Gaming.

If it’s not broke, don’t fix it, and for 76ers GC that means feeding Steez the rock. That strategy helped 76ers GC finish the first quarter with a 23-10 lead.

In the second quarter Newdini33 made Blazer5 Gaming pay for keying on Steez. The team effort put 76ers GC in the lead 43-29 at the half.

Blazer5 Gaming needed stops to get back into the game in the third quarter and OneWildWalnut delivered. The strong execution enabled Blazer5 to completely erase 76ers GC’s lead and tie the game to start the fourth quarter.

Halfway through the fourth quarter, ZDS helped 76ers GC reassert themselves.

With 21 points in the title game, Steez led the way for 76ers GC to a 75-65 win and the tournament championship. 76ers GC’s Radiant was named the tournament MVP.

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All 17 NBA 2k League teams will return to their home cities and get back into practice, as four weeks of regular-season games will begin on Friday, May 11. If the action continues to be as exciting as that which was put on display during The Tipoff, it promises to be worth watching.