Pistons, Grizz, Mavs grab NBA 2K League Tipoff playoff spots
Pistons GT, Grizz Gaming and Mavs Gaming won their groups Friday night, advancing to the quarterfinals of the NBA 2K League’s The Tipoff tournament.
Magic Gaming, who didn’t play Friday, also booked a playoff berth as the lone wild-card team joining seven group winners.
The Pistons went 4-0 to roll through Group 7.
Group 5 saw the Grizz and Hawks Talon Gaming each finish 3-1. The Grizz advanced by virtue of owning a superior point differential, plus-36 to plus-6.
In Group 6, all four teams went 2-2, and their point differentials were excruciatingly close. Mavs Gaming (plus-2) barely edged Jazz Gaming (plus-1), Blazer5 Gaming (minus-1) and Lakers (minus-2).
All 23 NBA 2K League teams competed in the season-opening Tipoff event. Action began with the teams divided into seven groups for round-robin play. Groups 1 through 5 have three teams, while Groups 6 and 7 include four teams. Groups 1 through 4 were contested Wednesday, and Groups 5 through 7 were played Friday.
Each team plays two other teams in its group twice in the opening round. The group winners plus the group runner-up with the best record advance to the quarterfinals, which will be held Saturday. The event will conclude Sunday.
The Tipoff features a $160,000 prize pool. The champion will get $70,000, the runner-up $50,000 and the third- and fourth-place teams $20,000 apiece.
The event is one of three in-season NBA 2K League tournaments, joined by The Turn and The Ticket. Week 1 of the regular season begins May 26.
The quarterfinal matchups for Saturday, with seeding:
No. 1 Pistons GT vs. No. 8 Magic Gaming
No. 2 Wizards District Gaming vs. No. 7 Mavs Gaming
No. 3 Grizz Gaming vs. No. 6 T-Wolves Gaming
No. 4 76ers GC vs. No. 5 Heat Check Gaming
Friday results:
Group 5
Hawks Talon GC def. Raptors Uprising GC 73-63
Hawks Talon GC def. Raptors Uprising GC 76-65
Hawks Talon GC def. Grizz Gaming 81-72
Grizz Gaming def. Hawks Talon GC 94-70
Grizz Gaming def. Raptors Uprising GC 73-72
Grizz Gaming def. Raptors Uprising GC 81-61
Group 6
Blazer5 Gaming def. Jazz Gaming 78-73
Blazer5 Gaming def. Jazz Gaming 77-66
Jazz Gaming def. Mavs Gaming 79-67
Jazz Gaming def. Mavs Gaming 81-76
Lakers Gaming def. Blazer5 Gaming 78-65
Lakers Gaming def. Blazer5 Gaming 75-71
Mavs Gaming def. Lakers Gaming 74-71
Mavs Gaming def. Lakers Gaming 78-62
Group 7
Pistons GT def. NetsGC 73-72
Pistons GT def. NetsGC 88-59
Kings Guard Gaming def. Bucks Gaming 81-77
Kings Guard Gaming def. Bucks Gaming 74-70
Pistons GT def. Kings Guard Gaming 69-65
Pistons GT def. Kings Guard Gaming 68-59
NetsGC def. Bucks Gaming 82-69
NetsGC def. Bucks Gaming 101-73
NBA 2K League The Tipoff group standings
Group 1
1. Heat Check Gaming, 3-1
2. Gen.G Tigers of Shanghai, 2-2
3. Knicks Gaming, 1-3
Group 2
1. T-Wolves Gaming, 3-1
2. Warriors Gaming Squad, 2-2
3. Pacers Gaming, 1-3
Group 3
1. Wizards District Gaming, 3-1
2. Hornets Venom GT, 2-2
3. Celtics Crossover Gaming, 1-3
Group 4
1. 76ers GC, 3-1 (plus-30 point differential)
2. Magic Gaming, 3-1 (plus-16 point differential)
3. Cavs Legion GC, 0-4
Group 5
1. Grizz Gaming, 3-1 (plus-36 point differential)
2. Hawks Talon GC, 3-1 (plus-6 point differential)
3. Raptors Uprising GC, 0-4
Group 6
1. Mavs Gaming, 2-2 (plus-2 point differential)
2. Jazz Gaming, 2-2 (plus-1 point differential)
3. Blazer5 Gaming, 2-2 (minus-1 point differential)
4. Lakers Gaming, 2-2 (minus-2 point differential)
Group 7
1. Pistons GT, 4-0
T2. Nets GC, 2-2
T2. Kings Guard Gaming, 2-2
4. Bucks Gaming, 0-4
–Field Level Media