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Florida Flame Postseason Update & Game Notes

April 13, 2006 - NBA G League (G League)
Florida Flame News Release


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. All the action can be heard live on Sportsradio 770 ESPN with the pre-game show starting at 2:45 p.m. ET.

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 21-23 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.

-- FLAME NOTES --

MARKED IMPROVEMENT: Following last season's 17-31 finish, the Flame improved its record by eight games in 2005-06, posting a 25-23 mark overall.

FLAME TRENDS: Florida won four of its last six regular season games to earn a spot in the postseason, but lost 13 of its last 18 games overall.

GETTING DEFENSIVE: The Flame finished the regular season as one of the top defensive teams in the NBA Development League. Florida ranked #2 in the D-League in rebounding (43.9), field goal percentage defense (45.4%), three-point field goal percentage defense (31.7%), and blocked shots average (5.4). Florida also ranked #3 in scoring defense (97.9 ppg).

OFFENSIVE NUMBERS: The Flame ranked #1 in the D-League in assists (1020, 21.3 pg), #3 in free throws made (1088), #4 in free throw percentage (73.6%), three-point percentage (35.4%), and fewest turnovers (16.4 pg), #7 in field goal percentage (46.1%) and scoring (97.2 ppg), and #8 in three-pointers made (109) and attempted (308).

FLAME AMONG STATISTICAL LEADERS: Four Flame players ranked among D-League statistical leaders at the end of the 2005-06 regular season. Guard Bracey Wright led the D-League in scoring average (22.0) and minutes per game (37.6), while finishing #3 in three-point field goal percentage (42.7%), #7 in assists average (4.1), and #9 in free throw percentage (80%). Forward Duane Erwin ranked fourth in rebounding average (7.6), seventh in blocked shots average (1.0), and eighth in free throw percentage (80.3%). Center George Leach finished #3 in total blocks (65) and blocked shots average (1.4), while ranking sixth in field goal percentage (54.7%). Swingman Austin Nichols led the D-League in free throw percentage for the second straight year, hitting 86.6% from the foul line. Last season with the Huntsville Flight, Nichols connected on 88% of his shots from the free throw stripe.

POST PRESENCE: Newly acquired forward Elton Brown has made quite an impact since joining the Flame on March 30. The 6-9, 255 rookie out of the University of Virginia averaged 13.8 points and 9.8 rebounds while shooting 53.2% from the field (25-47) in five games with Florida to end the regular season. Brown tallied double-doubles in three of five contests, including a season-high 18 points along with 10 rebounds in the Flame's season finale versus Fayetteville. Brown registered his first double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds at Fort Worth on April 4.

AWESOME AUSTIN: Flame swingman Austin Nichols is hitting his stride offensively. The 6-6, second-year D-Leaguer from Humboldt State ('04) averaged 18.8 points and 4.8 rebounds, while shooting 59.7% from the floor (46-77) in his last six regular season games. Nichols scored 18 points at Roanoke on March 28, 19 points at Arkansas on April 1, 20 points along with 13 rebounds against the RimRockers on April 2, tied for the game-high with 24 points at Fort Worth on April 4, and tallied a team-high 23 points in the regular season finale versus Fayetteville.

HELLO, GOODBYE: Prior to his re-call to the NBA by the Minnesota Timberwolves on April 10, Bracey Wright proved to a be a major force in the Flame's late season run to the playoffs. Wright averaged 22.5 points, 6.4 assists, and 4.5 rebounds in the Flame's last eight regular season games after missing eight games from February 23-March 18 with a foot injury. The 6-3, shooting guard on assignment from the Minnesota Timberwolves led Florida in scoring in five of the team's last seven games. Wright returned to post a game-high 26 points with six rebounds and five assists on March 24 versus Roanoke. In the Flame's 96-82 win at Roanoke on March 28, Wright tallied a team-high 20 points. The D-League's leading scorer (22.0 ppg), Wright averaged 23.1 points, shooting 47% from the field (103-223) and 46% from three-point range (23-50) in his last 14 games played.



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