Beasley Shines in Skyforce Loss to Oklahoma City
March 31, 2017 - NBA G League (G League)
Sioux Falls Skyforce News Release
Sioux Falls, SD - Denver Nuggets assignee Malik Beasley exploded for a career-high 32 points, a career-high 19 rebounds, and seven assists but the Sioux Falls Skyforce (28-21) fell to the Oklahoma City Blue (33-16) by a final score of 128-113 on Thursday night in Oklahoma City.
The Skyforce led by as many as 15 points early in the game, and a first quarter double-double from Beasley helped them to a 32-21 lead entering the second quarter. However, tides quickly turned as the Blue outscored Sioux Falls 39-23 in the second period and never looked back.
Keith Benson (18 points and seven rebounds) followed Beasley as Sioux Falls' second leading scorer on a night in which Henry Walker, Jabril Trawick, Patrick Miller and Jarnell Stokes all sat out. The shorthanded Skyforce still saw six players score in double figures, including Larry Drew II (13 points), Bubu Palo (14 points), Ike Nwamu (11 points) and Marcus Posley (15 points).
Oklahoma City dominated in the paint throughout the night, scoring 88 points in the paint in comparison to just 44 paint points for Sioux Falls. Daniel Hamilton (23 points and 15 rebounds) and Dakari Johnson (21 points and nine rebounds) both eclipsed 20 points as seven different Blue players scored in double figures.
Reggie Williams (17 points and eight rebounds), Alex Caruso (17 points, five rebounds and five assists) and Josh Huestis (12 points) rounded out the scoring for Oklahoma City's starting lineup in the runaway victory.
Though the Blue shot just 28.6 percent from long range, they shot 52.5 percent from the field in total as the Skyforce are now just 2-9 when their opponents shoot higher than 50 percent on the season. The late lead for Oklahoma City served as a bad omen as well, as Sioux Falls is now 2-15 when trailing after three quarters.
The Skyforce now travel to Austin on Saturday, April 1 to take on the Spurs in their regular season finale. The team will look for their 29th win of the season, the most by any team to have not made the playoffs in NBA D-League history.
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