Tulsa Takes Game 1 over Canton, 118-99
April 10, 2013 - NBA G League (G League)
Tulsa 66ers News Release
TULSA, Okla., April 10, 2013 - The Tulsa 66ers opened the postseason with a 118-99 win over the Canton Charge on Wednesday night inside the SpiritBank Event Center behind Jeremy Lamb's 24 points, four rebounds and two assists.
Fellow Oklahoma City Thunder assignees Perry Jones and DeAndre Liggins scored eight points each.
With the win, Tulsa takes a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three first round. The 66ers win was its largest margin of victory in a playoff game in franchise history.
Tulsa sunk 48 field goals (an all-time playoff high) on 79 attempts (.608) while dishing out 23 assists.
Rasual Butler and Andy Rautins each scored 18 points off the bench, with all of Rautins' points coming in the second half. Tony Taylor added 18 points on 7-for-8 shooting with five assists.
Tulsa took an early 33-24 lead after one quarter, shooting 13-for-20 (.650) from the field and forcing seven Charge turnovers in the first frame. Canton closed the gap to 54-51 before Tulsa responded with an 8-2 run in the final two minutes of the second quarter to take a 62-53 lead into halftime.
The 66ers outscored Canton 28-23 in the third quarter to take a 14-point lead into the fourth. The Tulsa defense held the Charge to four field goals in the third, something 66ers Head Coach Darko Rajakovic emphasized following the game.
"Defense has been a big part of our system and our game all year," said Rajakovic. "We are establishing that culture with the Thunder and then inside our program with the 66ers."
Tulsa led by nine or more the entire fourth quarter to seal the win and improve to 5-1 all-time in the first round of the NBA D-League playoffs and 3-0 at home in the opening round.
The series now shifts to Canton with Game 2 tipping off Friday night at 6:30 on CBS Sports Network. If a third game is necessary, it's set for Sunday at 2 p.m. in Ohio.
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NBA G League Stories from April 10, 2013
- Santa Cruz Warriors Defeat Mad Ants in First Game of Playoffs - Santa Cruz Warriors
- Tulsa Takes Game 1 over Canton, 118-99 - Tulsa 66ers
- Canton Falls to Tulsa in Game 1 - Cleveland Charge
- Two Charge Games Highlight CBS Sports Network Opening Round Coverage - Cleveland Charge
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