G League Rio Grande Valley Vipers

Vipers Open Semifinals Against Reno At Home On Sunday

Published on April 14, 2011 under NBA G League (G League)
Rio Grande Valley Vipers News Release


HIDALGO, TEXAS - The defending NBA Development League champion and third-seeded Rio Grande Valley Vipers will host the Western Conference champion and second-seeded Reno Bighorns in Game 1 of the best-of-three semifinals on Sunday at 5:00 p.m. at State Farm Arena.

Tickets start at $7 are can be purchased through the Vipers, Ticketmaster or the State Farm Arena box office.

The game will be televised on VERSUS on tape-delay starting at 10:00 p.m. or immediately after the conclusion of the NHL playoffs telecast. VERSUS can be found on Time Warner Cable channel 314 (SD)/1314 (HD), Dish Network channel 151 and DirecTV channel 603.

Games 2 and 3 (if necessary) will take place at the Reno Events Center on Wednesday and Thursday at 9:00 p.m.

The Vipers were 1-1 against the Bighorns during the regular season, with both games coming in Reno. The Vipers fell 119-111 on December 10 and won 126-122 on December 11. Jerel McNeal, who has led the Vipers in scoring in all three games of the playoffs thus far, scored a career-high and Vipers season-high 40 points in the second game. The Vipers are 4-4 all-time against the Bighorns and 2-1 in post-season play, as the Vipers beat the Bighorns in last year's Quarterfinals. The Vipers won the road game and split the home games.

The Vipers are 3-1 in televised games this season, including a 2-1 mark when the game is on VERSUS and an 0-1 mark in the post-season. The Vipers beat the Texas Legends at State Farm Arena on November 18 and the Erie BayHawks during the NBA Development League Showcase at the South Padre Island Convention Centre on January 12 on VERSUS. The Vipers fell to the Bakersfield Jam at the Jam Events Center in Game 1 of the Quarterfinals on April 8 on VERSUS. The Vipers are 1-1 this season when being televised on the road, picking up a win against the Austin Toros on Fox Sports Southwest on February 10.

The Vipers are 8-2 all-time when playing on VERSUS, including a 3-1 mark during last year's playoffs. The Vipers are 2-1 when playing on VERSUS on the road, with victories over the Toros and the Tulsa 66ers during the Semifinals and Finals of last year's playoffs, respectively.

The Vipers are 1-1 against the Bighorns on VERSUS and 0-1 during the post-season, with both games coming last year at State Farm Arena.

The Rio Grande Valley Vipers are the NBA Development League affiliate of the NBA Houston Rockets. The NBA Development League, founded in 2001, is the NBA's official minor league whose teams have direct affiliations to NBA franchises. For the 2010-11 season, the league features 16 teams - including the debut of the Texas Legends. A proven developer of talent, 20 percent of players in the NBA at the conclusion of the 2009-10 season boasted NBA D-League experience, while the league continues to develop coaches, referees, and front-office staff for the NBA and its teams. In fostering the league's connection to the community, its teams, players and staff promote health and wellness, support local needs and interests, and assist in educational development through NBA D-League Cares programs. The NBA D-League also advances the game of basketball as the research and development arm of the NBA. Throughout the league's 10th season, fans can watch all NBA D-League games on NBA Futurecast, the free live Web-streaming initiative found at nba.com/futurecast.

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