2018–19 NBA G League season

The 2018–19 NBA G League season was the 18th season of the NBA G League, the official minor league basketball organization owned by the National Basketball Association (NBA).

2018–19 NBA G League season
LeagueNBA G League
SportBasketball
Draft
Top draft pickWillie Reed
Picked bySalt Lake City Stars
Regular season
Top seedLong Island Nets
Rio Grande Valley Vipers
Season MVPChris Boucher (Raptors 905)
Finals
ChampionsRio Grande Valley Vipers
  Runners-upLong Island Nets
Finals MVPIsaiah Hartenstein (Rio Grande Valley)
NBA G League seasons

League changes

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The league expanded by one team, the Capital City Go-Go owned by the Washington Wizards, to have 27 teams for the season.[1]

There were three relocations, with two of them within the team's existing market. The most significant relocation was that of the Reno Bighorns, which were moved by their parent club, the Sacramento Kings, to Stockton, California and renamed the Stockton Kings.[2] One of the in-market relocations was that of the Delaware 87ers, which were moved into a new nearby facility in Wilmington from their former home in Newark, and rebranded as the Delaware Blue Coats.[3] Finally, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers moved within the urban area at the southernmost end of Texas, going from Hidalgo to nearby Edinburg with the opening of Bert Ogden Arena.[4]

With the addition of the Go-Go, the league slightly realigned its six divisions. The Go-Go were added to the Southeast and Delaware was shifted to the Atlantic.[5]

During the season, league president Malcolm Turner stepped down to become the athletics director at Vanderbilt University. He was replaced by Shareef Abdur-Rahim.[6]

Regular season

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Final standings:[7]

x – qualified for playoffs; y – Division champion; z – Conference champion

Eastern Conference

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Atlantic Division
Team (affiliate) W L PCT GB Home Road
zLong Island Nets (BKN) 34 16 .680 0 19–6 15–10
xWestchester Knicks (NYK) 29 21 .580 5 16–9 13–12
xRaptors 905 (TOR) 29 21 .580 5 13–12 16–9
Delaware Blue Coats (PHI) 21 29 .420 13 13–12 8–17
Maine Red Claws (BOS) 19 31 .380 15 11–14 8–17
Central Division
Team (affiliate) W L PCT GB Home Road
yGrand Rapids Drive (DET) 28 22 .560 0 14–11 14–11
xWindy City Bulls (CHI) 27 23 .540 1 15–10 12–13
Fort Wayne Mad Ants (IND) 23 27 .460 5 14–11 9–16
Canton Charge (CLE) 22 28 .429 6 10–15 12–13
Wisconsin Herd (MIL) 12 38 .240 16 8–17 4–21
Southeast Division
Team (affiliate) W L PCT GB Home Road
yLakeland Magic (ORL) 32 18 .640 0 18–7 14–11
Capital City Go-Go (WAS) 25 25 .500 7 14–11 11–14
Greensboro Swarm (CHA) 24 26 .480 8 10–15 14–11
Erie BayHawks (ATL) 24 26 .469 8 17–8 7–18

Western Conference

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Midwest Division
Team (affiliate) W L PCT GB Home Road
yOklahoma City Blue (OKC) 34 16 .680 0 17–8 17–8
xMemphis Hustle (MEM) 28 22 .560 6 16–9 12–13
Sioux Falls Skyforce (MIA) 24 26 .480 10 13–12 11–14
Iowa Wolves (MIN) 20 30 .400 14 13–12 7–18
Pacific Division
Team (affiliate) W L PCT GB Home Road
ySanta Cruz Warriors (GSW) 34 16 .680 0 20–5 14–11
xStockton Kings (SAC) 30 20 .600 4 18–7 12–13
Agua Caliente Clippers (LAC) 26 24 .520 8 14–11 12–13
South Bay Lakers (LAL) 21 29 .420 13 13–12 8–17
Northern Arizona Suns (PHX) 12 38 .240 22 7–18 5–20
Southwest Division
Team (affiliate) W L PCT GB Home Road
zRio Grande Valley Vipers (HOU) 34 16 .680 0 18–7 16–9
xSalt Lake City Stars (UTA) 27 23 .540 7 15–10 12–13
Austin Spurs (SAS) 20 30 .400 14 13–12 7–18
Texas Legends (DAL) 16 34 .320 18 14–11 2–23

Playoffs

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For the second straight season, the league enacted a six-team playoff, with one-game series for the first three rounds and first-round byes for the top two seeds in each conference. For the Finals, a tiebreaker was required since both teams had the same record, for which there existed three tiebreakers: best winning percentage against each other, record against the other conference, or random drawing, which resulted in the Long Island Nets hosting the first and last game of the Finals against the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. The Nets won Game 1 117–107, but the Vipers won Game 2 127–116 and then won the series in Game 3 129–112 to win their third league title, most for any team in history.[8][9]

First Round (March 26 & March 27) Conference Semifinals (March 29) Conference Finals (April 2) Finals (April 7, 9, 12)
Best-of-three
            
1 Long Island Nets 112
4 Raptors 905 99
4 Raptors 905 91
5 Grand Rapids Drive 90
1 Long Island Nets 108
Eastern Conference
2 Lakeland Magic 106
3 Westchester Knicks 95
6 Windy City Bulls 82
2 Lakeland Magic 104
3 Westchester Knicks 91
E1 Long Island Nets 1
W1 Rio Grande Valley Vipers 2
1 Rio Grande Valley Vipers 135
5 Memphis Hustle 118
4 Stockton Kings 119
5 Memphis Hustle 122
1 Rio Grande Valley Vipers 144
Western Conference
2 Santa Cruz Warriors 125
3 Oklahoma City Blue 118
6 Salt Lake City Stars 113
2 Santa Cruz Warriors 117
3 Oklahoma City Blue 102

Finals boxscore

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April 7, 2019
7:00 p.m. ET
Rio Grande Valley Vipers 107, Long Island Nets 117
Scoring by quarter: 18–37, 31–22, 27–31, 31–27
Pts: Jordan Johnson 23
Rebs: Isaiah Hartenstein 17
Asts: Jordan Johnson 3
Pts: Dzanan Musa23
Thomas Wimbush 23
Rebs: Alan Williams 16
Asts: Tahjere McCall 4
Island Federal Credit Union Arena, Stony Brook, New York
Attendance: 2,431
Referees:
  • #16 Nate Green
  • #65 Andy Nagy
  • #76 Toni Patillo
  • #31
April 9, 2019
8:00 p.m. ET
Long Island Nets 116, Rio Grande Valley Vipers 127
Scoring by quarter: 27–27, 29–37, 30–30, 30–33
Pts: Theo Pinson 32
Rebs: Theo Pinson 11
Asts: Jordan McLaughlin 6
Pts: Isaiah Hartenstein 33
Rebs: Isaiah Hartenstein 13
Asts: Jordan Johnson 9
Bert Ogden Arena, Edinburg, Texas
Attendance: 8,208
Referees:
  • #17 Matt Kallio
  • #49 Evan Scott
  • #35 John Butler
April 12, 2019
8:00 p.m. ET
Rio Grande Valley Vipers 129, Long Island Nets 112
Scoring by quarter: 38–24, 37–23, 28–27, 26–38
Pts: Isaiah Hartenstein 30
Rebs: Isaiah Hartenstein 17
Asts: Michael Frazier II 6
Pts: Alan Williams 26
Rebs: Alan Williams 21
Asts: Jordan McLaughlin 9
Rio Grande Valley wins series, 2–1
Island Federal Credit Union Arena, Stony Brook, New York
Attendance: 2,783
Referees:
  • #49 Evan Scott
  • #16 Nate Green
  • #42 Kevin Fahy
  • #35 John Butler

Statistics

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Individual statistic leaders

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Category Player Team Statistic
Points per game Jordan McRae Capital City Go-Go 30.4
Rebounds per game Isaiah Hartenstein Rio Grande Valley Vipers 14.8
Assists per game Marcus Williams Stockton Kings 9.6
Steals per game Gary Payton II Rio Grande Valley Vipers 3.0
Blocks per game Amida Brimah Austin Spurs 3.0
Turnovers per game Gary Payton II Rio Grande Valley Vipers 3.9
Fouls per game Norvel Pelle Delaware Blue Coats 3.7
Minutes per game Nick Johnson Wisconsin Herd 35.5
FG% Norvel Pelle Delaware Blue Coats 70.3
FT% Dusty Hannahs Memphis Hustle 92.6
3FG% Keith Hornsby Texas Legends 48.5
+/− Chris Boucher Raptors 905 8.4
Double-doubles Ángel Delgado Agua Caliente Clippers 36
Triple-doubles Shannon Scott Long Island Nets 3

Individual game highs

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Category Player Team Statistic
Points Tyler Harvey Memphis Hustle 58
Rebounds Angel Delgado Agua Caliente Clippers 31
Assists Shannon Scott Long Island Nets 20
Steals Brianté Weber Sioux Falls Skyforce 8
Blocks Chris Boucher Raptors 905 9
Three-pointers Tyler Harvey Memphis Hustle 12

Team statistic leaders

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Category Team Statistic
Points per game Long Island Nets 117.7
Rebounds per game Long Island Nets 53.9
Assists per game Erie BayHawks 26.7
Steals per game Santa Cruz Warriors 10.8
Blocks per game Austin Spurs 7.8
Turnovers per game Rio Grande Valley Vipers 19.8
FG% Agua Caliente Clippers 47.9
FT% Lakeland Magic 78.6
3FG% Lakeland Magic 37.8
+/− Oklahoma City Blue 5.2

References

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  1. ^ Dybas, Todd (June 20, 2017). "Washington Wizards purchase a G League team". The Washington Times. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  2. ^ Phillips, Roger (April 17, 2018). "A regal welcome for the Stockton Kings". The Record. Retrieved June 26, 2018.
  3. ^ Tornoe, Rob (March 28, 2018). "Sixers rename G-League team as work continues on new sports complex". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved June 26, 2018.
  4. ^ "Doors officially open at Bert Ogden Arena in Edinburg". Harlingen, TX: KGBT-TV. August 27, 2018. Retrieved September 5, 2018.
  5. ^ "NBA G League Tips Off 2018-19 Season On November 2". G League. August 27, 2018.
  6. ^ "Shareef Abdur-Rahim Named NBA G League President as Malcolm Turner Steps Down". OurSportsCentral.com. December 11, 2018.
  7. ^ "NBA G League Standings". NBA G League. Retrieved March 23, 2019.
  8. ^ "NBA G League Playoffs 2019 Schedule".
  9. ^ "2018-19 Tiebreakers".
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