CEDAR PARK – An atrocious second quarter would doom the Austin Spurs in Game 3 of the D-League Western Conference Finals, as the silver and black were eliminated by the Los Angeles D-Fenders on Wednesday night, 117-104.
Brandon Fields had a monster performance in the elimination game, putting up 27 points, five rebounds and four assists in 36 minutes of action. DeMetri McCamey also had a terrific game with 18 points and five assists, while Deshaun Thomas and Keifer Sykes both chipped in 16 points apiece.
For the newly crowned Western Conference champions, Ryan Gomes went beastmode with 35 points and 12 rebounds in Game 3. Justin Harper added 25 points and eight rebounds, with Vander Blue chipping in a modest 21 points, three rebounds, two assists and three steals. The D-Fenders finished with a staggering 112 of their 117 points coming from their starting lineup.
Austin started off strong with the trio of Sykes, Thomas and McCamey combining for 22 of the Spurs 32 first quarter points. The Spurs eight point lead would quickly evaporate midway through the second quarter as Gomes exploded for 16 points in the frame, leading Los Angeles to a 62-52 halftime lead.
Gomes and Harper would continue their assault on the hearts of the Austin faithful, extending the D-Fenders halftime lead out to 14 points at the end of the third quarter.
The Spurs managed one last charge behind Brandon Fields, who managed to score 18 of the Spurs 32 fourth quarter points. Fields going nuclear in the fourth allowed the Spurs to go on a 16-2 run to bring Austin within six points with 6:45 left in the game, but the silver and black failed to stop Los Angeles on defense while suffering from an offensive drought down the stretch that saw the Spurs score only two field goals in the final four minutes of action.
As the season ends for the Austin Spurs, the Los Angeles D-Fenders advance to the D-League Finals versus the Eastern Conference juggernauts, the Sioux Falls Skyforce. Game 1 of the Finals will take place on Sunday, April 24th at 7 p.m. Eastern from the Toyota Sports Center.
Stay tuned to Spurs on Sixth as we continue to provide coverage of the NBA Development League’s Austin Spurs throughout the remainder of the playoffs and the off-season.
