NBA2K Players Tournament: First-round results and reactions
By Ian Levy
Here’s everything you need to know, from results to reactions, from the first round of ESPN’s16-seed NBA2K Players Tournament.
Actual NBA basketball can’t be played right now but ESPN, the NBA and the NBA Player’s Association have teamed up to bring you the next best thing — digital hoops. The 16-seed tournament is kicking off Friday, Apr. 3 with some of the NBA’s brightest stars facing off.
According to ESPN, “Each player will use a simulated NBA team, from a group selected in advance by the player, in the standard Play Now mode. Once a player has used one of his eight pre-selected teams, he cannot use it again in the tournament.” The first round is split between Friday and Sunday, with play continuing into next week. The winner will receive $100,000 to donate to a charity of their choice, in support of coronavirus relief efforts.
Here are the results, highlights and hottest reactions from each first-round matchup.
Friday
(1) Kevin Durant vs. (16) Derrick Jones Jr.
FINAL SCORE: Derrick Jones Jr. (Bucks) 78 — Kevin Durant (Clippers) 62
Interestingly, neither player opted to play with themselves or their own team. Maybe this is an abundance of confidence and saving the good stuff for the finals?
TEAM SELECTIONS @KDTrey5 ➡️ @Clippers@TheRea1DJones ➡️ @Bucks
— NBA 2K (@NBA2K) April 3, 2020
KD said "You play computer defense orrrr" 🤣 pic.twitter.com/oSWvfFYTxi
If you miss players complaining about the officials, wait until you get a load of them complaining about robot officials.
5 min and NBA players already trashing 2k 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/kjPYmIIlU2
— Gifdsports (@gifdsports) April 3, 2020
Remember what dunks felt like?
KD punches in the fast-break slam with Kawhi 💥#NBA2KTourney pic.twitter.com/8fW7OD4KsI
— ESPN (@espn) April 3, 2020
This guy is kind of missing the point.
https://twitter.com/OGLeveledUp/status/1246222941911691266
Somebody is working out some injury rehab aggression right here.
.@KDTrey5 put Giannis on ⛸️⛸️ with Kawhi pic.twitter.com/vuKemCoLed
— NBA 2K (@NBA2K) April 3, 2020
Don’t sleep on Ersan.
so i'm checking out a little of this 2k tournament, and what i've learned so far is kevin durant has no respect for what ersan ilyasova brings to the table.
— bomani (@bomani_jones) April 3, 2020
Durant is getting hammered and the jokes are flowing.
KD down by 15 late in the 4th...#NBA2KTourney pic.twitter.com/9lcGPAc7Yn
— Sportsbet.com.au (@sportsbetcomau) April 4, 2020
3 3's in a row for @TheRea1Djones
— NBA 2K (@NBA2K) April 4, 2020
*KD sits up in chair* #NBA2KTourney pic.twitter.com/qVltpHWQlw
Kevin Durant right now while he getting smacked in @NBA2K #NBA2KTourney #NBA2K20 pic.twitter.com/3RM8eLXavl
— HipHopWired (@HipHopWired) April 4, 2020
(7) Zach LaVine vs. (10) Deandre Ayton
FINAL SCORE: Deandre Ayton (Rockets) 57 — Zach LaVine (Heat) 41
Interesting team choices here for both players. Ayton, true center, picks the one team that would never let him get on the floor.
TEAM SELECTIONS #NBA2KTourney@ZachLaVine ➡️ @MiamiHEAT @DeandreAyton ➡️ @HoustonRockets
— NBA 2K (@NBA2K) April 4, 2020
Who would you take?
Eek.
https://twitter.com/DefPenHoops/status/1246236658871291907
Zach’s skills (or lack thereof) are catching some attention.
.@ZachLaVine playing computer D!!
— Bobby BP Portis (@BPortistime) April 4, 2020
.@DeandreAyton 🕹️ @JHarden13 pic.twitter.com/lZHUJAETRz
— NBA 2K (@NBA2K) April 4, 2020
And that’s a wrap
.@DeandreAyton takes down @ZachLaVine and advances to the next round 🙏 #NBA2KTourney pic.twitter.com/BSKiDvikXD
— NBA 2K (@NBA2K) April 4, 2020
(2) Trae Young vs. (15) Harrison Barnes
FINAL SCORE: Trae Young (Bucks) 101 — Harrison Barnes (Raptors) 59
It’s the Eastern Conference Finals rematch we all wanted!
#NBA2KTourney Trae Young playing as #Bucks and Harrison Barnes playing as #Raptors
— BIG ED (@NYCKING) April 4, 2020
Everyone’s an expert…
https://twitter.com/ringernba/status/1246253648436289536
Game recognize game.
https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1246255906905624578
This one got out of hand quickly.
Trae up 30+ on Harrison. #NBA2KTourney pic.twitter.com/z5M2eeaaI7
— JJ (@JameelahJNBA) April 4, 2020
.@hbarnes gets 40 pieced 🤣 @TheTraeYoung is movin on #NBA2KTourney pic.twitter.com/NMBvPByBCE
— NBA 2K (@NBA2K) April 4, 2020
(3) Hassan Whiteside vs. (14) Patrick Beverley
FINAL SCORE: Patrick Beverley (Bucks) 84 — Hassan Whiteside (Lakers) 54
Finally, the NBA Finals matchup we were supposed to see.
https://twitter.com/NBA2K/status/1246265892339478528
The lead got big and the trash talk came out.
Alright, the @patbev21 we know has arrived 🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️ pic.twitter.com/WciN8JwpxX
— NBA 2K (@NBA2K) April 4, 2020
Even with no NBA games, Pat Bev still found a way to trash talk LeBron 😅#NBA2KTourney pic.twitter.com/gThGJXq8pK
— ESPN (@espn) April 4, 2020
.@youngwhiteside:
— NBA 2K (@NBA2K) April 4, 2020
"Giannis is a cheat code"@patbev21:
"It ain't Giannis playin, I'm controlling him. So I'm just a cheat code" pic.twitter.com/De394EsiZJ
Sunday
(8) Montrezl Harrell vs. (9) Domantas Sabonis
FINAL SCORE: Montrezl Harrell (Clippers) 73 — Domantas Sabonis (Pacers) 51
Keeping it real!
https://twitter.com/NBA2K/status/1246922148565757954
An extremely authentic representation of the Pacers’ wing defense.
https://twitter.com/NBA2K/status/1246933274032623616
Big win for Trez.
All gas. No brakes.⛽️@MONSTATREZZ with a convincing opening round W to start the #NBA2KTourney. pic.twitter.com/u9GEVMYXBR
— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) April 5, 2020
(4) Donovan Mitchell vs. (13) Rui Hachimura
FINAL SCORE: Rui Hachimura (Lakers) 74 — Donovan Mitchell (Nets) 71
And the teams are locked in!
Rui (Lakers) vs Donovan (BKN) this should be a good one #NBA2KTourney #NBA2K20 pic.twitter.com/Myujohxm9o
— B E A N Z (@BeanzGotGamez) April 5, 2020
Success is all about having a support system.
Rui takes a real life water break 🤣 He got a waterboy and everything pic.twitter.com/aFSQUnBbWR
— NBA 2K (@NBA2K) April 5, 2020
Only two more days until Taco Tuesday!
🎮 @NBA2K Players Tournament 🎮@rui_8mura punishes the rim with @KingJames!
— NBA (@NBA) April 5, 2020
📺: #NBA2KTourney on ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/m486iJH96z
#leaguepassalert
RUI FIRED UP ⼋@rui_8mura | #NBA2KTourney pic.twitter.com/V0C8gJVX8Z
— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) April 5, 2020
And that’s all she wrote!
https://twitter.com/NBA_AU/status/1246953690201600005
(5) Devin Booker vs. (12) Michael Porter Jr.
FINAL SCORE: Devin Booker (Bucks) 85 — Michael Porter Jr. (Lakers) 75
Feels like we’ve seen this one before…
Book didn't wanna run with the Suns 🤣@DevinBook ➡️ Bucks
— NBA 2K (@NBA2K) April 6, 2020
@MPJr ➡️ Lakers pic.twitter.com/ITcn4y5xOl
Trading buckets.
.@DevinBook hits a clutch one
— NBA 2K (@NBA2K) April 6, 2020
@MPJr answers right back #NBA2KTourney pic.twitter.com/jD6NwNj6rs
Big win for Booker.
.@DevinBook gets the DUB.. Book said no one gettin within 10 the whole tourney
— NBA 2K (@NBA2K) April 6, 2020
Facts or nah? #NBA2KTourney pic.twitter.com/TdGolPl0mo
(6) Andre Drummond vs. (11) DeMarcus Cousins
FINAL SCORE: Andre Drummond (Lakers) 101 — Michael Porter Jr. (Nets) 49
SHOCKED that no one has actually opted to play with the Cavs.
Drummond said he was gonna rock with Cleveland then switched up lol@AndreDrummond ➡️ @Lakers @boogiecousins ➡️ @BrooklynNets pic.twitter.com/oM28XzSrIx
— NBA 2K (@NBA2K) April 6, 2020
Not great, Bob.
https://twitter.com/NBA2K/status/1246970602906243073
OOF.
https://twitter.com/NBA2K/status/1246982426129100806
dark. Next. 5 things for NBA fans to cling to right now
Stay tuned for the quarterfinals on Tuesday, Apr. 7 and the semifinals and finals on Saturday, Apr. 11. All the game action is available live or after the fact as videos on demand through ESPN and their streaming platforms.
For more basketball news, analysis, opinion and unique coverage check out The Step Back and subscribe to The Whiteboard, our daily hoops email newsletter.