Rim Runners and Hawks Talon GC pulled off upsets of the opening round of bracket play at the NBA 2K League’s 3v3 Slam Open on Friday, setting up an unlikely winners-bracket matchup in the double-elimination tournament.
After falling behind 2-0, the 27th-seeded Rim Runners pulled off a reverse sweep and won three straight games — the final a narrow 26-23 victory — to take down No. 6 Hornets Venom GT 3-2. It was the only win by an amateur team over an NBA 2K League team in the first round.
Dhwan “ShiftyKaii” White scored 60 points over the five games, including 21 in the decisive fifth game, to pace Rim Runners.
The 22nd-seeded Hawks Talon GC had a much easier time, sweeping No. 11 Bucks Gaming. Mark David “MDS” Smith tallied 34 points for the Hawks in the sweep. Hawks Talon and Rim Runners will face off in one of Saturday’s second-round games.
In the other two first-round matches on Friday, No. 8 Pistons GT pulled off their own reverse sweep, taking down 25th-seeded Kings Guard Gaming 3-2; and the 19th-seeded Gen.G Tigers topped No. 14 Wizards District Gaming 3-1.
In Friday’s losers-bracket action, NBL Oz Gaming beat Triple Threat 3-0, Isles Gaming Team topped DUX Infinitos 3-2, Cavs Legion GC beat Dribble Godz 3-1, Jazz Gaming won 3-2 against Dreamshakers, Raptors Uprising GC took down Glitchy 3-2, Warriors Gaming Squad beat Kings Guard Gaming 3-0, Wizards District Gaming edged GCL Underdogs 3-2, and Hornets Venom GT won 3-2 over Bucks Gaming.
Bracket play for the Slam Open resumes next Wednesday and concludes March 16.
The Slam Open is the first of 3v3 tournaments in the NBA 2K League season, with the Switch Open (March 20-April 6) and the Steal Open (April 19-20) to follow. The playoffs are set for April 24-27 in Washington.
–Field Level Media