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Flame Open 2006 Postseason at Albuquerque on Saturday, April 15

April 9, 2006 - NBA G League (G League)
Florida Flame News Release


FORT MYERS, Fla., April 9 - The Florida Flame will square off against the Albuquerque Thunderbirds on Saturday, April 15 in the semifinals of the 2006 NBA Development League Championship presented by Delta Airlines. Tip-off is 3 p.m. ET/ 1 p.m. MT at Tingley Coliseum in Albuquerque, N.M.

Both Florida and Albuquerque are making their first postseason appearance. Florida enters the postseason as the number three seed, posting a 25-23 overall record during the 2005-06 regular season. Albuquerque enters the playoff round as the number two seed after posting a 26-22 regular season mark.

In Saturday's other semifinal game, the 2005-06 D-League regular season champion and number one seed Fort Worth Flyers (28-20) will meet the number four seed Roanoke Dazzle (25-23) at the Fort Worth Convention Center in Fort Worth, Texas. Tip-off time is 8 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. CT.

The winners of both games will meet for the D-League championship on the weekend of April 21-22 at the home arena of the highest remaining seed.

The Flame posted a 1-3 head-to-head record against the Thunderbirds during the regular season. Florida won the first meeting 104-95 at Germain Arena on February 9, but Albuquerque earned victories in the final three regular season match-ups. The Thunderbirds defeated the Flame 72-65 at Germain Arena on February 10, and posted back-to-back wins over Florida with an 87-86 victory on March 17 and a 91-75 win on March 18 at Tingley Coliseum.

Defense dominated the regular season series between the Flame and Thunderbirds. In four games versus Albuquerque, Florida averaged just 82.5 points per game and shot 42.7 percent from the field, well below its regular season averages in scoring (97.2) and field goal percentage (46.1 percent). The Thunderbirds were held to 86.3 points per game and shot just 42.4 percent from the floor in their four meetings with the Flame, also well below their season averages in scoring (94.9) and field goal percentage (45.5 percent).

Both Florida and Albuquerque head into the postseason on winning trends. The Flame has won four of its last six games, while the Thunderbirds have won nine of their last 12 contests overall.

Saturday's semifinal will also be a coaching match-up of former NBA greats in Flame Head Coach Jeff Malone and Albuquerque Head Coach Michael Cooper. Malone was a two-time All-Star during his 13-year NBA career with Washington, Utah, Philadelphia, and Miami. Cooper was a member of five NBA championship teams with the Los Angeles Lakers and won the league's Defensive Player of the Year award in 1987 during his 12-year playing career.

The Florida Flame is the official D-League affiliate of the NBA's Miami Heat, Boston Celtics, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Orlando Magic. Showcasing the best young talent in professional basketball outside of the NBA, the Flame play a 48-game schedule during the 2005-06 season with 23 home games at Germain Arena. Led by a group of local investors, the Flame is now in its second season of providing affordable, family entertainment to sports fans throughout Southwest Florida.

For additional information, please visit floridaflame.com or contact Florida Flame Director of Media Relations, Tim Becwar at (239) 561-8130 and tbecwar@floridaflame.com. For additional information on the NBA Development League please visit NBADLEAGUE.com.

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