D-Fenders beat rival Vipers in Game No. 2 sending series to Game 3

Los Angeles D-Fenders beat rival Rio Grande Vipers in Game No. 2 sending series to a third and final game.

In the NBA D-League playoffs, a team needs to win two out of three games to move on to the next level. The Rio Grand Vipers won game one in Texas, so this game was a win or stay home game for the D-Fenders.

The D-Fenders eked it another win to extend their season beating the Vipers by a measly two points, 126-124. The Vipers down 14, came back to challenge LA but the team would hold on thankfully, they were ecstatic and emboldened post game.

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The Vipers missed four three’s and seven field goals to start the game where th D-Fenders made four out of seven of their field goals.

Coach Colby Karl had his whole family courtside including dad George Karl, his wife, and two of three of his daughters.

Lakers Head Coach Luke Walton entered the building after the first quarter with D’Angelo Russel and XX Robertson. Lakers guard Tyler Ennis was also in the house from the beginning to take in the excitement.

D-Fenders President Joey Buss and GM Nick Mazella watched on along with the Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey, an analytics guru cheered his team on from behind the Vipers bench with his wife sitting next to him.

The Lakers assigned David Nwaba back to the D-Fenders for the game. The Houston Rockets assigned three of their players, Kyle Wiltjer (Gonzaga), Chinanu Onuaku (Louisville), and Isaiah Taylor (Texas). Couldn’t tell if these assignments helped or hurt the team.

At the end of the first half, the D-Fenders led the Vipers by six points, 64-58. A slim lead, but a lead none-the-less. Vander scored 16 points in the half followed by Justin Harper scoring 13.

The third quarter was all purple and gold. Josh Magette added five assists and the trio of Nwaba, Justin Harper and Vander blue added to their totals. The team as a whole made 60 percent of shots, the and the bench added 29 points. Los Angeles ended the quarter up 14 points 96-82.

A double technical was called on Former Lakers guard and now Viper Darius Morris and David Nwaba to start the fourth quarter. Fans were in for some competitive basketball in the fourth quarter.

Chippy is a mild word for what was to happen next, with 6:30 left on the clock, Isaiah Taylor took out David Nwaba on a layup. When Justin Harper went to help Nwaba up, Onuaku got a little push out of the way from Harper. Onuaku pushed back and while Nwaba was laid out flat face down Harper and Onuaku went at it a bit.

” I was going over there to defend my teammate I got a lookout for my guys,” said Harper.

Thankfully Nwaba was okay, but totally pissed off. The result was another double technical. The D-Fenders were up eight and Nwaba hit both of his free throws to take them back up to a 10-point lead, 107-97.

The game was tied with a minute to go, and that’s when Magette and Harper hit back to back three’s to give the D-Fenders a two-point lead with 22.4 seconds on the clock.

Remember, if the D-Fenders lose this game, their season is OVER!

But that was not to happen, thank goodness, and LA pulled off the glorious win. We got Coach Coby Karl, Vander Blue, and Justin Harper’s thoughts post game, and you don’t want to miss it:

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After the game Vander spoke to the Lake Show Life, he was so pumped up,”Dragons, Vipers, I don’t care, we are The D-Fenders!” Blue’s D-Fenders take on the Vipers in game No. 3 Monday night at 7:30 in the Toyota Sports Center.