Game Preview: vs Grand Rapids Gold

Last Meeting: W, 123-112 on 12/6/23 in Sioux Falls

Live Stream: NBAGLeague.com, FanDuel Sports Network - SUN

All-Time Record: 6-1

Streak: W6

The Sioux Falls Skyforce looks to win their seventh-straight game against the Grand Rapids Gold today. A win would also mark the third-straight season of nine-plus wins during the Tip-Off Tournament, as well. 

Sioux Falls currently sits on the inside for the Tip-Off Tournament (the top-eight teams make the tournament portion). They have the best point differential in the NBA G League right now (10.2), which is the tie breaker for seeding. 

The team bounced back from their first loss since Nov. 12 with a 102-81 victory over the Windy City Bulls on Thursday night from the Sanford Pentagon. 

HEAT two-way player Josh Christopher led the Force again, with 30 points on 9-14 FGA, five rebounds, six assists and five steals. Assignee Kel'el Ware contributed 17 points and 12 rebounds, while Nassir Little added 17 points, eight rebounds and four assists to round out top performers for Sioux Falls. 

Grand Rapids started the Tip-Off Tournament 3-3, but has since reeled off three wins in its last four games. They defeated the Wisconsin Herd 115-99 on Thursday behind 28 points from Denver two-way Trey Alexander. Center Charles Bediako added 10 points and 16 rebounds in the winning effort. 

Alexander, who has played in just three games for the Gold (but their last two), is averaging 26.7 points on 48.4 percent shooting and 41.2 percent from deep, 6.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists. 

The Skyforce wraps up play in the Central Division next Friday against the Windy City Bulls and at the Wisconsin Herd (Dec. 16) before heading to Orlando for the NBA G League Winter Showcase.

CHRISTOPHER'S CASE

· Josh Christopher posted his eighth-straight game of 20-plus points on Thursday. He added his second game of 30-plus points in the last four games. It also marked his fifth game of 20-plus points, five-plus rebounds and five-plus assists in the last six games, as well. 

· He ranks second in the NBA G League in points per game during the eight-game stretch (26.4 points on 48.5 percent shooting), 7.4 rebounds and 4.9 assists. Christopher's +127 +/- ranks second in the league, behind teammate Isaiah Stevens (+145).

CALL THE LOCKSMITH

· Sioux Falls gave up just 81 points on Thursday night (Windy City shot 31.8 percent from the field (27-85 FGA) and just 9.5 percent from deep (4-42 3PA). 

· It marked the least amount of points a Skyforce team has given up since Nov. 27, 2015 (77 points given up to the Maine Celtics) and also the lowest point total in the NBA G League this season. SXF is giving up just 104 ppg (third in the NBA GL) and has held opponents under 100 points three times in the last eight games. 

WELCOME TO THE SIOUX, KEL'EL

· The Miami HEAT have assigned the 15th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, Kel'el Ware, to the Sioux Falls SkyforceWare becomes the 69th assignment and 34th player in franchise history to be assigned to the club. Ware becomes the third HEAT first round pick to be assigned to Sioux Falls (Shabazz Napier 2014-15, Nikola Jovic 2022-24). 

· He has appeared in 10 regular season games for Miami this season and was All-Tournament First Team of the 2024 NBA2K Summer League. Ware averaged 18.2 points on 58.4 percent shooting, 8.4 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.9 blocks in eight NBA Summer League and California Classic games. Both he and Skyforce guard Bryson Warren were born and raised in North Little Rock, AR.