Top seeded Colorado selects Erie Bayhawks as first round opponent in 2009 NBDL Playoffs
April 12, 2009 - NBA G League (G League) News Release
NEW YORK, April 12, 2009 - The top seeded Southwest Division champion Colorado 14ers selected the Erie BayHawks as their opponent in the first round of the 2009 NBA Development League playoffs, it was announced today following a teleconference held with the League's eight playoff-bound teams. For the first time, the three division champions, along with the wild card team with the best regular season record, had the opportunity to select their first round opponent among the four lowest seeded playoff teams.
The Utah Flash, the second seeded team and the West Division Champions, opted to play the eighth seeded Bakersfield Jam with the second selection. The Iowa Energy, the Central Division Champion and the third seeded team selected the sixth seeded Dakota Wizards, while the fourth seeded Austin Toros, the team with the best overall regular season record of the five wild cards, will face the fifth seeded Idaho Stampede in a re-match of the 2008 NBA D-League Finals.
For the first time this season, eight teams qualified for the 2009 NBA D-League postseason, including the winners of the three divisions (Colorado, Utah and Iowa) along with the five non-division winning teams with the best regular season records, regardless of division (Austin, Idaho, Dakota, Erie and Bakersfield). The first and second rounds of the 2009 NBA D-League playoffs will be single elimination, while the Finals will be a best-of-three series. The first round will be played on the higher seed's home floor, while the second round will be hosted by the team with the better regular season record and the Finals will begin on the home floor of the team with the worse regular season record, while the team with the better regular season record will host game two, and, if necessary, game three.
The 2009 NBA D-League post-season will begin on Tuesday, April 14.
The NBA Development League, founded in 2001, is the NBA's official minor league and features 16 teams with direct affiliations to NBA teams for the 2008-09 season. An expansion team will begin play in Portland, Maine for the 2009-10 season, and the Anaheim Arsenal will relocate to Springfield, Mass., with a new name, logo, and team colors. Sixty former NBA Development League players were on 2008-09 NBA start-of-season rosters, and the league continues to develop current NBA coaches and referees. In fostering the league's connection to the community, its teams, players and staff promote youth basketball, support local needs and interests, and assist in educational development through NBA D-League Cares programs. The NBA D-League also advances the game of basketball as the research and development arm of the NBA. Throughout this season fans can watch all NBA D-League games on NBA Futurecast, the free live Web-streaming initiative found at nba.com/futurecast.
• Discuss this story on the NBA G League message board...
NBA G League Stories from April 12, 2009
- Stampede To Play Austin Toros In First Round Of D-League Playoffs - Idaho Stampede
- Energy to host rival Dakota in round one - Iowa Wolves
- Wizards Face Central Division Rival Iowa in First Round - Dakota Wizards
- Utah Flash Hosts Bakersfield Wednesday to Open NBADL Playoffs - Utah Flash
- BayHawks Selected to Play Colorado in First Round - Erie BayHawks
- 14ers to Host Erie Tuesday in 1st Round of Playoffs - Colorado 14ers
- Top seeded Colorado selects Erie Bayhawks as first round opponent in 2009 NBDL Playoffs - G League
- NBA D-League Daily Developments - G League
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
