Sports stats



G League NBA G League

Vipers Rattle off Victory to Open up 2013 NBA D-League Showcase

January 7, 2013 - NBA G League (G League) News Release


RENO, NEV., Jan. 7, 2013 -. The Rio Grande Valley Vipers were able to overcome an early deficit behind the performances of Tajuan Porter, Terrence Jones and Christapher Johnson to defeat the Los Angeles D-Fenders 127-104 in the opening contest of the 2013 NBA D-League Showcase in Reno, Nevada.

Porter scored 17 points to go along with 14 assists, the most in single game by any player in the NBA D-League this season. Christopher Johnson had a game-high 29 points and connected on 7-of-12 attempts from behind the arc, including consecutive three-pointers late in the third quarter to give Rio Grande Valley the cushion they needed to finish off Los Angeles. Jones, on assignment from the Houston Rockets tallied 26 points on 9-of-16 shooting

The Vipers fell behind early in the first-quarter behind the sharpshooting of Darius Johnson-Odom and Courtney Fortson. Johnson-Odom, a rookie assignment of the Los Angeles Lakers has been an asset all season for the D-Fenders. He came into his first NBA D-League Showcase averaging 21.1 points in 40.4 minutes through 11 games, and wasted no time helping the D-Fenders to a 35-31 first quarter lead. The standout from Marquette finished with 26 points and seven rebounds. Fortson added 26 points and seven rebounds of his own, to go along with six assists.

The Vipers comeback began in the second quarter, with RGV outscoring the D-Fenders 33-22 to take a 64-57 lead into the half. The rally was sparked by Johnson, a 6-foot-6 forward out of Dayton. Johnson was the first-round selection of the Vipers in the 2012 NBA D-League Draft and graduated as the only college basketball player in the last 20 seasons to have 1,400 points 800 rebounds, 300 offensive rebounds and 200 three-pointers while shooting 80% from the line.

The D-Fenders didn't go quietly, though, as they recaptured the lead at 73-72 on a Johnson-Odon put-back lay-in with four minutes to go in the third quarter. The Vipers were able to counter behind 10 third-quarter points by Jones. The Vipers would not relinquish the lead again as they opened up a 105-81 lead following a lay-up by Porter, their largest lead of the game.

Rio Grande Valley also received a spark from Hassan Whiteside. The former Sacramento Kings draft pick added a double-double with 19 points and 16 rebounds, to go along with five blocked shots.

The Vipers return to the hardwood on Wednesday, when they take on the Fort Wayne MadAnts at 10 A.M. PST. The D-Fenders will conclude their NBA D-League Showcase slate tomorrow when they match-up against the Iowa Energy at 7 P.M. PST. The game will be televised nationally on the CBS Sports Network at 10 P.M. EST.

Check out the NBA G League Statistics

• Discuss this story on the NBA G League message board...

NBA G League Stories from January 7, 2013


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.


Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central