NBA G LEAGUE PLAYOFFS GAME PREVIEW: Skyforce vs Stars

Salt Lake City Stars (20-12)
Last Meeting: L, 124-115 on 2/13/23 in Salt Lake City
Livestream: NBA TV (8:30PM CT)
All-Time Record: 11-6
Streak: L1

It is officially playoff time in the NBA G League and for the first time since 2015-16 the Sioux Falls Skyforce has reached the Western Conference playoffs. 

Sioux Falls comes into the first round contest with the Salt Lake City Stars with the longest winning streak in the NBA G League (six games). The Force owns a 5-1 record against the top three teams in the West (Stockton Kings, Memphis Hustle and South Bay Lakers). 

The team has won 10-of-13 games and clinched the fifth seed in the West on Thursday night, before sweeping second seeded Memphis Hustle on Friday and Saturday in a back-to-back to wrap up the regular season. Four players scored 14-plus points in the 116-88 regular season finale win over the Hustle on Saturday. HEAT two-way player Jamal Cain and Jon Elmore led the way with 38 combined points on 12-24 FGA. 

Tonight's contest marks the first between the two organizations in the playoffs and second of the season. The Force has won four of the last five against the Stars. Without Jamal Cain, Orlando Robinson, Jamaree Bouyea and DJ Stewart, the Skyforce dropped a 124-115 contest. Sioux Falls was down by as many as 15 points, but behind a season-high 43 points from Justin Champagnie, the team was able to cut the deficit to two halfway through the period. 

Tyler Cook led the Stars with 26 points on 13-17 FGA and seven rebounds, while Christian Vital added 23 points on 8-16 FGA off the bench in the victory. Salt Lake City also features Utah Jazz two-way and former Skyforce player Micah Potter. 

The contest tonight features two of the top offenses in the entire league, as Sioux Falls is averaging a league leading 125.2 points and Salt Lake City is averaging 120.5 in the points in the last 10 games. 

 A win tonight for the Skyforce would mean a third trip to Stockton this season, as Sioux Falls swept the second seeded Kings 2-0 in the regular season. The second-round tips off on Thursday at 9:00 PM CST from Stockton Arena. 

THREE THINGS:
MULDER TAKES THE CROWN
• Mychal Mulder broke the Skyforce all-time record this season for 3PM in a career, but also had the most 3PM in the regular season of all G League players (129). Mulder has also broke the Skyforce record for most 3PM in a season, combined with the Showcase Cup this season, as well. 
• “It was important to me coming into this season to be a leader,” Mulder said. “I did come back here and wanted to be in a leadership role. If you ask any of the guys, you know what you’re going to get out of me every single day. They know I’m going to work hard, I’m going to play hard, and I’m going to have their back 100%. That’s important to me.”

KP'S CORNER
• “It means a lot to me to make it into the playoffs,” Powell said. “When I first got here as assistant coach, this was one of the goals that I wanted. For many years, we didn’t make it this far. I know how much this city is invested in the team and I know how much they want it. I know how much I’m invested in this team and how much the guys are invested in this team and how much we want it. This is an accomplishment we shot for at the beginning of the season so to actually get there is a great thing. We want to go further and make a run, but just making this milestone is something to be proud of.” 
• Powell on playing in the NBA G League playoffs: “There is pressure, but it’s good pressure,” coach Powell said. “We embrace that pressure because it’s something we want. (Winning a championship) is a goal that we want. You can look at it and say it’s pressure, but it doesn’t feel like it because those are goals we made for ourselves.”

TWO-WAY FUN... PLUS MISC. STATS
• Sioux Falls is 6-0 this season when having both two-way players.
• The Force is 10-1 in the last 11 games Jamaree Bouyea has played. He is 14-15 FGA in his last two games, as well.