Hornets Venom GT Eliminated by Nets GC in 2021 NBA 2K League Playoffs
August 30, 2021
Brooklyn Records Huge Opening Victory, Then Edges Charlotte in Closing Seconds of Game 2 For Sweep
By Sam Perley (@sam_perley)
Just a little over one year after Hornets Venom GT ended Nets GC’s 2020 season in the opening round of the NBA 2K League Playoffs, the latter returned the favor on Friday night via a 2-0 sweep in their 2021 postseason matchup.
Eight of the 12 qualified playoff teams began play on Thursday night in Dallas, marking the NBA 2K League’s first live in-person games since the Season 2 Finals. The #4-seeded Nets GC knocked off #5 76ers GC on Opening Night, 2-1, sending the squad into an Eastern Conference Semifinals showdown with Hornets Venom GT.
Brooklyn’s momentum kept rolling right through the Game 1 tipoff on Friday evening, with the squad opening up a 23-point lead by the end of the first quarter. The one-sided-ness leveled off somewhat after the first frame, but Charlotte never came close to threatening the outcome as Nets GC coasted to an easy 102-68 win.
Guard Justin “Sherm” Sherman and lock Gio “Trap” Elizondo both had 17 points for Hornets Venom GT in the loss and center Peter “PeteBeBallin” Malin double-doubled with 16 points and 14 rebounds. Point guard Josh “Choc” Humphries – the NBA 2K League’s second-leading scorer this season – had 32 points on 12-of-13 shooting, an eye-popping 22 assists and just two turnovers in the victory.
It’s getting 🌶@NBA2KLeague | #LetsGo2KL pic.twitter.com/y7MGepfxNg
— Hornets Venom GT (@HornetsVenomGT) August 27, 2021
Game 2 presented itself to be a much more tightly-contested battle with both sides neck and neck deep into the fourth quarter. A Sherm three-pointer put Hornets Venom GT up 69-68 with 1:03 left on the clock, but Choc quickly responded with a finger-roll layup to push Brooklyn back in front.
Sherm and Nets GC center Connor “DatBoyShotz” Rodrigues each scored on their respective team’s next possession, keeping Brooklyn’s one-point lead intact with 38 seconds to go. Guard CJ “rigby” Burnett would miss Charlotte’s go-ahead attempt on the other end, leading to a foul and two made free throws by Nets GC shooting guard Wahid “Faiz” Faiz. Now down three, Hornets Venom GT unfortunately turned it over on the next possession, sealing Brooklyn’s eventual 76-71 triumph.
Rigby scored a game-high 29 points in the loss and Sherm (19 points and 15 assists) and PeteBeBallin (17 points and 10 rebounds) both had double-double performances. Choc (26 points) and Faiz (21) each recorded 20-point outings for Nets GC in the Game 2 victory.
.@rigbycb in attack mode‼️ 😤@NBA2KLeague | #LetsGo2KL pic.twitter.com/nQSqZcVPBr
— Hornets Venom GT (@HornetsVenomGT) August 27, 2021
With Head Coach Lawrence “BiggWest” West (@BiggWest_) and Hornets Venom GT’s season officially over, Nets GC advanced to play reigning champions Wizards District Gaming on Saturday night, resulting in a 2-0 Washington sweep. Wizards DG will now face Jazz Gaming in the best-of-five NBA 2K League Finals on Saturday, Sept 4 beginning at 5 PM ET.
Photo credit: NBAE/Getty Images