Game Preview: at Austin Spurs

Last Meeting: W, 129-118 on 1/13/24 in Sioux Falls
Live Stream: ROKU
All-Time Record: 18-21
Streak: W4

The Sioux Falls Skyforce wraps up a four-game road trip today at the Austin Spurs, for the first matchup in ATX in over three years. 

A win today would bring the Skyforce back to .500, after splitting the two-game series in Mexico City and dropping a 114-98 contest to Rio Grande Valley on Friday in Edinburg, TX. 

With the loss to the Vipers, it knocked the Skyforce out of the playoffs for the first time so far in the regular season. They sit a half-game back of the Salt Lake City Stars (whom they play in a week in a back-to-back). 

Malik Williams led the way yet again for Sioux Falls, with 21 points and 15 rebounds. Nassir Little added 18 points on 6-12 FGA (4-7 3PA) and four rebounds. Bryson Warren helped off the bench with 15 points on 5-10 FGA.

Sioux Falls looks to bounce back from giving up 39 second chance points (17-19 FGA) and 34 points off 24 turnovers against Rio Grande Valley. 

Austin started the regular season 4-4, but has reeled off five wins in its last seven games. They recently split a two-game series at Rip City, with a 115-106 loss on Wednesday night. Spurs two-way Malachi Flynn led the way with 26 points and eight assists. 

Flynn leads the team with 18.7 points on 50.4 percent shooting, 4.1 rebounds and 4.2 steals per game. Austin also features former Skyforce guard Jamaree Bouyea, who earned five NBA Call-Ups in Sioux Falls in two seasons. He's averaging 18.1 points on 52.5 percent shooting, 3.9 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game in the regular season. 

The Spurs are just 1-3 in the regular season when they score under 17 points on turnovers and 8-2 when scoring over that amount. They rank fourth in the NBA GL in points off turnovers per game, with 22.0. 

The Skyforce returns home to face the Santa Cruz Warriors on Tuesday to complete seven games in 11 days at 7:00 PM CST. 

WELCOME, PELLE

· Miami HEAT assignee Pelle Larsson makes his NBA G League debut today with the Sioux Falls Skyforce. He marks the third rookie to make an assignment for the Skyforce this season (Kel'el Ware and Keshad Johnson).

· Larsson has appeared in 30 games for the HEAT so far this season, averaging 4.1 points on 46.3 percent shooting and has the second best defensive rating among rookies (with 15 games played and 10.0 mpg) with 102.4. 

· He played with a number of Skyforce players on the 2024 NBA Summer League championship team, as Larsson scored 16 points on 7-9 FGA in the championship game. 

LEEK'S LOCKED IN

· Over his last six games, Skyforce center Malik Williams is averaging 17.7 points, 14.7 rebounds and 1.5 blocks, with five double doubles. His lone game without a double-double in that stretch was nine rebounds on 1/25 vs Memphis. 

· Williams has 55 rebounds in his last three games and currently ranks third in the NBA GL in total rebounds (164), second in defensive boards (112). He's also third among centers with 26 three pointers made so far this season. 

· His 23 rebounds tied a career-high on Wednesday night, but also was the second most boards grabbed in a game during the NBA G League season so far. 

ROAD RUNNIN' IN ATX

·  The best team so far on the road in the NBA G League (11-5 record, good for first in NBA GL) continues on the back-end of a four-game road trip. The Skyforce owns a league best +139 +/- away from the Pentagon this season.