2015–16 NBA Development League season

Sports season
2015–16 NBA Development League season
LeagueNBA Development League
SportBasketball
DurationNovember – April
Draft
Top draft pickJeff Ayres
Picked byIdaho Stampede
Regular season
Top seedSioux Falls Skyforce
Season MVPJarnell Stokes (Sioux Falls Skyforce)
Finals
ChampionsSioux Falls Skyforce
  Runners-upLos Angeles D-Fenders
Finals MVPJarnell Stokes
NBA Development League seasons

The 2015–16 NBA Development League season was the 15th season of the NBA Development League (NBA D-League). The NBA D-League is the official minor league basketball organization owned by the National Basketball Association (NBA).

The League expanded to a record 19 teams for the 2015–16 season. An expansion team, Raptors 905, joined the 18 teams from the previous season, while the Fort Wayne Mad Ants were purchased by the Indiana Pacers, leaving just 11 NBA teams without a D-League affiliate for this season (in the 2016–17 season the number of NBA teams without a D-League affiliate will reduce to 8 with the debuts of franchises owned by the Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte Hornets, and Chicago Bulls).[1]

The league consisted of two conferences with two divisions each, three with five and one with four. To even out the divisions, the Canton Charge were moved from the East Division to the Central Division.

Teams

Regular season

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division
Team W L PCT GB Home Road
y-Maine Red Claws 31 19 .620 -- 15–10 16–9
x-Westchester Knicks 28 22 .560 3 13-12 15–10
Raptors 905 23 27 .460 8 10-15 13-12
Delaware 87ers 21 29 .420 10 13-11 8-18
Erie BayHawks 12 38 .240 19 9-16 3-22
Central Division
Team W L PCT GB Home Road
z-Sioux Falls Skyforce 40 10 .800 -- 22–3 18–7
x-Canton Charge 31 19 .620 9 18-7 13-12
Iowa Energy 26 24 .520 14 15-11 12-13
Grand Rapids Drive 21 29 .420 19 14-11 7-18
Fort Wayne Mad Ants 20 30 .400 20 13-12 7-18

Western Conference

Pacific Division
Team W L PCT GB Home Road
z-Reno Bighorns 33 17 .660 -- 20-5 13–12
x-Los Angeles D-Fenders 27 23 .540 6 17–8 10–15
Bakersfield Jam 22 28 .440 11 13–12 9-16
Idaho Stampede 20 30 .400 13 13–12 7–18
Santa Cruz Warriors 19 31 .380 14 12–13 7–18
Southwest Division
Team W L PCT GB Home Road
y-Austin Spurs 30 20 .600 -- 15–10 15–10
x-Rio Grande Valley Vipers 29 21 .580 1 18–7 11–14
Texas Legends 23 27 .460 7 13–12 10–15
Oklahoma City Blue 19 31 .380 11 10–15 9–16

Playoffs

The Sioux Falls Skyforce (winners of a record forty games during the regular season) won the title over the Los Angeles D-Fenders in three games, winning Game 1 104-99 before Los Angeles tied it up with a 109-102 victory in Game 2, and the Skyforce closed out the title with a 91-63 victory at home. It was their first D-League title and their third overall title, having won two titles (1996, 2005) in the Continental Basketball Association.[2][3]

Quarterfinals
April 5–12
Best of 3
Semifinals
April 12–19
Best of 3
Finals
April 24, April 26 & April 27
Best of 3
         
E1 Sioux Falls Skyforce 2
E4 Westchester Knicks 0
E1 Sioux Falls Skyforce 2
E3 Canton Charge 0
E2 Maine Red Claws 0
E3 Canton Charge 2
E1 Sioux Falls Skyforce 2
W4 Los Angeles D-Fenders 1
W1 Reno Bighorns 1
W4 Los Angeles D-Fenders 2
W4 Los Angeles D-Fenders 2
W2 Austin Spurs 1
W2 Austin Spurs 2
W3 Rio Grande Valley Vipers 1

Finals boxscore

April 24, 2016
6:00 p.m. CT
Boxscore
Sioux Falls Skyforce 104, Los Angeles D-Fenders 99
Scoring by quarter: 21–22, 30–23, 24–23, 29–31
Pts: Rodney McGruder 30
Rebs: Rodney McGruder 11
Asts: DeAndre Liggins 8
Pts: Vander Blue 31
Rebs: Justin Harper 7
Asts: Josh Magette 8
Toyota Sports Center, El Segundo, California
Attendance: 550
Referees:
  • #14 JB DeRosa
  • #26 Brett Nansel
  • #70 Aaron Smith
April 26, 2016
7:00 p.m. CT
Boxscore
Los Angeles D-Fenders 109, Sioux Falls Skyforce 102
Scoring by quarter: 27–26, 25–27, 28–26, 29–23
Pts: Vander Blue 29
Rebs: Ryan Gomes 11
Asts: Josh Magette 10
Pts: Greg Whittington 17
Rebs: DeAndre Liggins 10
Asts: DeAndre Liggins 6
Sanford Pentagon, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Attendance: 3,250
Referees:
  • #39 CJ Washington
  • #45 Ray Acosta
  • #48 Vladimir Voyard-Tadal
April 27, 2016
7:00 p.m. CT
Boxscore
Los Angeles D-Fenders 63, Sioux Falls Skyforce 91
Scoring by quarter: 17–22, 18–20, 13–27, 15–22
Pts: Josh Magette 21
Rebs: D.J. Shumpert 8
Asts: Josh Magette 3
Pts: Jarnell Stokes 25
Rebs: Jarnell Stokes 12
Asts: DeAndre Liggins 6
Sioux Falls wins series, 2–1
Sanford Pentagon, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Attendance: 3,016
Referees:
  • #26 Brett Nansel
  • #39 CJ Washington
  • #45 Ray Acosta

Awards and honors

First team
Second team
Third team

References

  1. ^ Pacers Sports and Entertainment Acquires Fort Wayne Mad Ants
  2. ^ "2016 NBA D-League Finals: Sioux Falls Skyforce Defeat Los Angeles D-Fenders, 2-1".
  3. ^ "Skyforce win NBA D-League championship". April 28, 2016.

External links

  • Official website
  • 2015–16 season overview