Grizz Gaming Week Four Preview

Grizz Gaming Schedule

Thursday, May 2
Grizz Gaming vs. Bucks Gaming: 5 p.m. CT

Friday, May 3
Jazz Gaming vs. Grizz Gaming: 9 p.m. CT
Watch LIVE on YouTube and Twitch

 

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A Look Back

A third quarter slide (14-6) felled Grizz Gaming in a three-point Week 2 loss against Lakers Gaming. The game was delayed in the final second due to a glitch in the game causing a missed Lakers free throw. The following night, Kings Guard Gaming pulled away in the second half to hand Grizz a 64-46 loss.

 

NBA 2K League Standings

1. Mavs Gaming (5-0)
2. Pacers Gaming (3-0)
3. Blazer5 Gaming (4-1)
4. Bucks Gaming (3-1)
5. Hawks Talon GC (2-1)
6. Kings Guard Gaming (4-2)
7. 76ers GC (2-1)
8. Warriors Gaming Squad (2-1)
9. Heat Check Gaming (3-2)
10. Cavs Legion GC (3-3)
11. Raptors Uprising GC (2-2)
12. Nets GC (2-2)
13. Magic Gaming (2-2)
14. Knicks Gaming (1-2)
15. Jazz Gaming (1-2)
16. T-Wolves Gaming (1-3)
17. Pistons GT (1-4)
18. Lakers Gaming (1-4)
19. Grizz Gaming (0-3)
20. Wizards District Gaming (0-3)
21. Celtics Crossover Gaming (0-3)

 

GRIZZ BYTES

Four Quarters

Part of the reason for Grizz Gaming’s early struggles is consistency, with the team seemingly snakebitten by one bad quarter or stretch every time out. In the team’s Week 1 loss (46-45), they started off ice cold, scoring just four points in the first quarter. Against Lakers Gaming, they were outscored 14-6 in the third quarter of a four-point loss. Avoiding these slumps might not just get Grizz Gaming off the mat, but into high gear.

De-Tox

ToXSik upped his game offensively in Week 2, starting with a 13-point first half performance against Lakers Gaming. He would be held scoreless in the second half but finished 5-of-7 from the field and 3-of-5 from threepoint range. He averaged 10.5 points last week on 9-of-14 shooting after being held scoreless in Week 1 against Mavs Gaming.

Turning it over

Grizz Gaming averaged a turnover every other minute in Week 2, including 16 against Kings Guard Gaming in an 18-point loss. Additionally, the team committed 13 turnovers in Week 1 against Mavs Gaming and has lost the turnover battle in each game this season. Righting that ship is likely the key to getting the team’s first win and more.

Lang’s World

“It’s not any one quarter, it’s just not stringing four quarters consistently together. Defensively, we’ve been pretty good. But offensively, we just haven’t scored enough points to win games. I don’t know if it’s being able to focus on the first quarter or third quarter, or both of those quarters… It’s just trying to put four quarters together that will get us a win.” – Lang Whitaker, General Manager

 

OPPONENT PRIMER

BUCKS GAMING

Bucks Gaming appears to be among the league’s elite through the early stages of the regular season, starting 3-1 and making it to the knockout round of THE TIPOFF. Grizz Gaming took last season’s matchup by a score of 73-63 during the regular season. ARooks leads the league in regular season scoring (27.3 ppg) while BigMeek is shooting 56 percent from three-point range and averaging 18.8 points of his own.

JAZZ GAMING

Jazz Gaming, like Grizz Gaming, is coming off its first bye week after a couple of nailbiters in Week 2. After a blowout loss in Week 1, Jazz lost to undefeated Mavs Gaming by just five before taking down Hawks Talon GC for its first victory. Jazz Gaming took the only meeting from Grizz Gaming last season. This year’s first overall pick, Ria, has lived up to the hype, averaging 13.0 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.3 steals in his rookie campaign.

POTENTIAL MATCHUPS TO WATCH

Vandi vs. ARooks

Vandi matches up with the league’s leading scorer in ARooks at the point guard position. It’s been very clear through the early stages of the season that when Vandi is at his best, Grizz Gaming is at its best and they will need him to handle the point guard matchup to earn the team’s first win. On the defensive end, ToXSiK will be relied upon as the team’s lockdown defender to give Vandi the assist.

AuthenticAfrican vs. Ria

A true battle of the bigs, Grizz Gaming’s biggest producer goes up against this year’s first overall pick at the center position. AuthenticAfrtican currently averages a double-double (14.7 ppg, 12.0 rpg) and is shooting 77.8 percent from the field. He’ll be tasked with neutralizing Ria down low in order to help secure the win for Grizz Gaming.