Raptors (11-0) set NBA 2K League for best start

Mavs Gaming previously had the league's best mark to open a season, going 10-0 at the beginning of the 2019 campaign. In other Monday matches, Hornets Venom GT swept Magic Gaming 2-0, Cavs Legion GC came from behind to defeat NetsGC 2-1, and Warriors Gaming Squad topped Hawks Talon GC 2-0.


Reuters | Updated: 30-06-2020 09:24 IST | Created: 30-06-2020 09:24 IST
Raptors (11-0) set NBA 2K League for best start

After an easy two-game sweep of Heat Check Gaming on Monday, Raptors Uprising GC are off to the best start in the three-season history of the NBA 2K League. The Raptors routed the Heat 92-54 and 80-58 to improve to 11-0 on the season. Mavs Gaming previously had the league's best mark to open a season, going 10-0 at the beginning of the 2019 campaign.

In other Monday matches, Hornets Venom GT swept Magic Gaming 2-0, Cavs Legion GC came from behind to defeat NetsGC 2-1, and Warriors Gaming Squad topped Hawks Talon GC 2-0. Each match is a best-of-three, with the outcome of each three-game series counting as one win or one loss in the standings.

The match between the Raptors and the Heat also was the first of 23 "cash matches" to be played through July 10, with teams vying for a total of $60,000 in bonus prize money. Each club will participate in two cash matches. The winner of each of the 23 designated matches will get $2,500, and the team with the highest scoring average in its two designated matches will get an extra $2,500.

The full list of cash matches: Monday -- Heat Check Gaming def. Raptors Uprising GC 2-0

Tuesday -- Cavs Legion GC vs. Wizards District Gaming Tuesday -- Bucks Gaming vs. Celtics Crossover Gaming

Wednesday -- Wizards District Gaming vs. Jazz Gaming Wednesday -- Blazer5 Gaming vs. Mavs Gaming

Wednesday -- Gen.G Tigers vs. Heat Check Gaming Wednesday -- Warriors Gaming Squad vs. Hornets Venom GT

Thursday -- Lakers Gaming vs. Knicks Gaming Thursday -- Raptors Uprising GC vs. Gen.G Tigers

July 7 -- Mavs Gaming vs. Grizz Gaming July 7 -- 76ers GC vs. Lakers Gaming

July 7 -- NetsGC vs. Bucks Gaming July 7- Magic Gaming vs. Hawks Talon GC

July 8 -- Kings Guard Gaming vs. Pistons GT July 8 -- Knicks Gaming vs. 76ers GC

July 8 -- Hornets Venom GT vs. T-Wolves Gaming July 8 -- Pacers Gaming vs. NetsGC

July 9 -- T-Wolves Gaming vs. Warriors Gaming Squad July 9 -- Grizz Gaming vs. Blazer5 Gaming

July 10 -- Celtics Crossover Gaming vs. Pacers Gaming July 10 -- Pistons GT vs. Magic Gaming

July 10 -- Jazz Gaming vs. Cavs Legion GC July 10 -- Hawks Talon GC vs. Kings Guard Gaming

Kenneth "Kenny Got Work" Hailey paced the Raptors in their two-game sweep with averages of 32.5 points and 10 assists. Gerald "Sick One" Knapp added 21 points and 23 rebounds in the opener. The Heat's Juan "Hotshot" Gonzalez put up averages of 18 points and 13 boards. The Hornets won their first game 70-54, getting 26 points apiece from Alexander "Expose" Whelan and Justin "Snubby" Stemerman. Brendan "Reizey" Hill scored a game-high 29 points for the Magic.

Snubby's 19 points helped the Hornets seal the match with a 54-51 decision. Zaeya "Zae" Ishak contributed 10 points and 11 rebounds for the Hornets. Reizey managed 21 points, and Magic teammate Robert "May" May contributed 10 points and 18 rebounds. The Nets jumped on top of the Cavs with a 69-63 decision thanks to double-doubles from Josh "Choc" Humphries (31 points, 10 assists) and Aziz "Shuttles" Salem (16 points, 11 rebounds). The Cavs got 39 points from William "Strainer" Morales.

Strainer's 41 points were the difference as the Cavs took the second game 67-63. Choc had 20 points and eight assists. In the decisive third game, Frederick "Doza" Mendoza racked up 30 points while Strainer had 21 points and nine assists in the Cavs' 68-56 victory. Shuttles topped the Nets with 16 points and eight rebounds.

Charlie "CB13" Bostwick amassed 36 points and eight assists, and Samuel "Gradient" Salyers scored 29 points as the Warriors took Game 1 against the Hawks 73-69. Mykel "Kel" Wilson managed 32 points for the Hawks. The Warriors wrapped up the series with an 89-66 win. Gradient poured in 31 points, CB13 scored 20 points and handed out 16 assists, and teammate Malik "Slaughter" Leisinger had 18 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists. Michael "BP" Diaz-Cruz wound up with 29 points for the Hawks, who got 12 points and 12 boards from Levi "Lee" Lamb

Hawks Talon coach Wesley Acuff said in a statement, "Credit to Warriors Gaming Squad. They never let up throughout the entire night, and it's why they came away with the victory." Week 8 will continue Tuesday with four matches:

--Magic Gaming vs. 76ers GC --Wizards District Gaming vs. Cavs Legion GC

--Jazz Gaming vs. Hawks Talon GC --Celtics Crossover Gaming vs. Bucks Gaming

NBA 2K League standings, based on winning percentage 1. Raptors Uprising GC, 11-0

T2. Jazz Gaming, 7-1 T2. Wizards District Gaming, 7-1

4. Mavs Gaming, 8-3 T5. Hornets Venom GT, 7-3

T5. Kings Guard Gaming, 7-3 T5. Warriors Gaming Squad, 7-3

8. T-Wolves Gaming, 6-4 T9. Gen.G Tigers of Shanghai, 5-5

T9. Grizz Gaming, 5-5 T9. Bucks Gaming, 4-4

T9. Cavs Legion GC, 4-4 T9. NetsGC, 4-4

14. Hawks Talon GC, 3-4 15. Knicks Gaming, 5-6

16. Blazer5 Gaming, 4-5 17. Pacers Gaming, 4-6

18. Magic Gaming, 3-7 19. Heat Check Gaming, 2-7

20. Pistons GT, 2-8 21. Lakers Gaming, 2-9

22. 76ers GC, 1-7 23. Celtics Crossover Gaming, 0-9

--Field Level Media

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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