PACERS GAMING WIN, THEN LOSE IN THE SLAM OPEN TOURNAMENT

INDIANAPOLIS (March 14, 2024) – After Wednesday’s upset to the Gen.G Tigers of Shanghai, No. 3-seed Pacers Gaming was forced to win both series Thursday night in its fight to come back in the Lower Bracket of the NBA 2K League 3v3 THE SLAM OPEN Tournament. Indiana stayed alive with a 3-0 sweep in its first series of the night but then lost a heart-breaking 3-2 series to end its run in the 2K League’s season-opening event. The first action of the night for Indiana included an historic Game 3 triumph – with a dominant 3-0 series sweep over No. 9-seed Warriors Gaming Squad; but Rim Runners won a thrilling five-game battle with a 22-18 Game 5 victory to end Indiana’s hopes for a SLAM crown. Play begins next week in the league’s next 3v3 event – THE SWITCH OPEN Tournament.

In the night’s first series, the Pacers took Game 1, 22-15 behind a perfectly balanced attack as COOKS (Mike Campbell) scored eight points, JAYSNAGS (Julio Laboy) netted seven and CHESS (Kory Taylor) tallied seven in the first-to-21, win-by-two, format. COOKS tied his season-high with six assists in the victory. KENNYGOTWORK led Golden State with eight points. COOKS exploded for 14 points in Game 2 to lead Indiana to a 23-21 triumph. CHESS added five points and a season-high five assists. KENNYGOTWORK paced Warriors Gaming Squad with ten points. The Pacers completed the sweep with a clinching 23-17 win in Game 3 as COOKS scored ALL 23 points, on nine-of-nine (five-of-five from three) shooting! KENNYGOTWORK had 10 for the Warriors.

Facing elimination in its second series of the night, the Pacers dropped Game 1 to the Rim Runners, 22-15. SHIFTY led RR with 12 points while COOKS (seven points) and CHESS (six points) paced Indiana’s effort. The Pacers evened the series with a 21-17 victory in Game 2 as CHESS led the way with 10 points and COOKS added eight. SHIFTY had 11 for the Runners. Indiana took a 2-1 series advantage with a convincing 23-10 win in Game 3 as COOKS scored 16. The Blue & Gold were five-of-six from the arc in the game while the Runners were 0-for-three from three. The Runners gutted out a desperate 23-19 win in Game 4 behind SHIFTY’s 15 tallies to tie the series at 2-2 and force the pivotal Game 5. COOKS had 11 and the Pacers lost despite shooting nine-of-ten from the field. Game 5 was a heartbreaker for Indiana; the Pacers led 18-17 only to lose and be eliminated, 22-18. SHIFTY led the winners with 16 points. Both CHESS and COOKS each scored eight points for the Pacers.