Game Preview: One Final Test Before the Bye Week
June 25, 2021
By Kristian Cuaresma
Even with a much-deserved bye week dangling in front of NetsGC, the team sets its eyes on Celtics Crossover Gaming in an Eastern Conference showdown. This marks the first time this season NetsGC will not play two opponents in a week, but that doesn’t make the matchup any less significant. With a 4-4 record, Boston can leapfrog Brooklyn in the standings with a sweep.
NetsGC is coming off an up-and-down Week 4, dropping both games against Wizards District Gaming before sweeping Hawks Talon GC. With 16 of its 28 regular season games already played, NetsGC will look to complete a sweep in hopes of creating some separation between itself and the rest of the logjam formulating in the east.
Celtics Crossover Gaming Expected Lineup
PG: WalkingBucket
SG: FT
SF: TayZo
PF: Bulleyy
C: worthingcolt
Players to Watch
FT – 20.3 points, 3.8 assists. 2.0 turnovers, 55% FG, 51% 3P
It’s still difficult to bring up FT’s name without mentioning Boston’s former franchise point guard oFAB. Even before Celtics Crossover Gaming finally pulled the trigger on a trade this past offseason, FT was already trying to fill the shoes left by his predecessor. In his season three debut as a free agent pickup, FT turned heads after scoring 109 points over three games against Hawks Talon GC. This year, FT has moved away from the traditional point guard role and now shares the backcourt with rookie WalkingBucket. In his first full season in the NBA 2K League, FT leads Celtics Crossover Gaming in points and three pointers made.
worthingcolt – 14.6 points, 12.1 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.1 steals, 1.3 blocks
After spending the first two years of the NBA 2K League with Kings Guard Gaming, worthingcolt was left out of the league last season. The former second round selection has since made the most of his second opportunity, averaging a double-double for Celtics Crossover Gaming. On a team with three rookies – four if you include FT who has yet to complete a full season – worthingcolt provides Celtics Crossover Gaming with the experience it needs as the franchise attempts to escape the ghosts of its past.
Road to Victory
Coming off its Week 4 bye, Celtics Crossover Gaming enter tonight’s games riding a three-game winning streak. Like NetsGC, the team is also coming off a sweep of Hawks Talon GC and is now only one game back of the final playoff spot in the East, despite starting the season 1-3. Celtics Crossover Gaming’s .500 record is potentially deceiving, with five of its games being decided by one possession.
An interesting storyline to watch will be how Dante and Faiz attempt to contain the duo of FT and WalkingBucket. While FT is the team’s leading scorer, WalkingBucket may be the key to elevating Boston’s ceiling. The rookie has shown improvement every week, most recently averaging 28.5 points on 59 percent shooting in Week 3 against Hawks Talon GC. If there is area for improvement for the No. 6 overall pick, it’s his three-point shooting. WalkingBucket is currently shooting a lowly 36.7 percent from deep.
