Legends Open Showcase with Close Defeat
January 10, 2011 - NBA G League (G League)
Texas Legends News Release
South Padre Island, TX (January 10, 2011) - The Texas Legends dropped a nail-biter in their opening game of the 2011 NBA D-League Showcase on Monday afternoon, falling 95-94 to the New Mexico Thunderbirds in the South Padre Island Convention Centre.
The Legends got off to a blistering start, running off with a 20-4 lead less than eight minutes into the game.
That would be the largest lead that Texas would get in the game. After leading 30-16 through one quarter, New Mexico outscored the Legends 27-18 in the second quarter to go into halftime down by just five, 48-43.
Despite out-shooting the T-Birds (48.8% to 35.7% FG; 60% to 33.3% 3-PT FG) in the opening half, the Legends held just a slight lead going into the second.
New Mexico came crawling back and with 7:06 remaining in the third quarter, Stephen McDowell nailed a 3-pointer to tie the game at 56. The T-Birds would take their first lead in the game on the ensuing possession when it was McDowell again hitting a driving layup.
An 11-4 run from that point would give New Mexico their largest lead at nine. Texas would fight right back and end the third on an 8-2 sprint and down just three.
The fourth quarter was a back-and-forth battle that saw the T-Birds leading 95-94 with 9.6 second to go in the game and the Legends holding the basketball. Justin Dentmon drove to the hoop but slipped and lost the ball, sending the T-Birds on to the win.
Neither team took great control of the basketball as the Legends committed a season-high 31 turnovers and the T-Birds turned the ball over 28 times as well.
Dentmon led the way for the Legends, with 22 points, 5 rebounds and 8 assists. Joe Alexander added 21 points and 10 boards in the loss.
The former Legend Dar Tucker paced the way for the T-Birds with 28 points and 10 rebounds. He was 5-of-6 from beyond the arc.
Texas fell to 9-9 following the loss and New Mexico improved to 11-9.
The Legends will take on the Iowa Energy on Thursday at 4:30 p.m. in their final game of the 2011 NBA D-League Showcase.
Great tickets for all Legends home games are still available by calling (214) 469-0822 or emailing the team at info@TexLegends.com.
TEXAS LEGENDS UPCOMING SCHEDULE: Thursday, January 13 vs. Iowa 4:30 p.m. (Showcase); Saturday, January 15 @ Reno 9:00 p.m.; Sunday, January 16 @ Reno 5:00 p.m.
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