Greensboro Swarm Take Game 1 Of NBA G League Finals, Defeat Kings 111-107

GREENSBORO, N.C. – The Greensboro Swarm, the NBA G League affiliate of the Charlotte Hornets, defeated the Stockton Kings in Game 1 of the NBA G League Finals presented by Google, 111-107, on Wednesday night at Novant Health Fieldhouse.

After leading most of the contest, the Swarm withstood a fourth-quarter surge after the Kings logged 10-straight points to open the fourth quarter, leading as large as seven down the stretch. The Swarm sourced key contributions with six players ending in double-digit scoring, with three-year veterans Jaylen Sims, Terrell Brown Jr. and Marcus Garrett playing the lead role in the win.

Greensboro will head to Stockton for Game 2 of the NBA G League Finals presented by Google on Friday at 10 p.m. ET on ESPNU, with the Swarm earning its first-ever title should it win. A best-of-three series, a potential Game 3 contest would take place in Greensboro on Monday, April 13, at 8 p.m. ET (ESPN2), with potential tickets available here.

The Swarm was led by guard Marcus Garrett who sourced 21 points (9-of-23 FG) and seven rebounds across 27 minutes, with Liam McNeeley placing a 14-point, 13-rebound double-double and Tidjane Salaun who had a 10-point, 10-rebound double-double of his own. Brown Jr. starred in the stretch, nailing back-to-back layups in the fourth quarter to cut the deficit to one point, 105-104, with Garrett and Sims responding to jump ahead, 109-105. Sims hit the key 3-pointer which yielded the four-point lead, ultimately closing with 15 points and six rebounds.

Greensboro bested Stockton, 49-21, in bench points, and won the rebound game, 66-46, grinding out the win despite splits of .381 FG%, .275 3PT%, .737 FT%. Stockton held better shooting splits in all categories (.412 FG%, .304 3PT%, .800 FT%) on the same amount of shot attempts, but lost in transition points, 21-3, and were doubled in free-throw points, 26-13. Stockton was led by DaQuan Jeffries and Dexter Dennis, who posted 25 and 24 points, respectively.

The Swarm caught fire to open the contest, starting the game with a 16-3 burst that saw it shoot 6-of-9 (4-of-6 3PT). The Swarm doubled the Kings’ margin through six minutes with a 24-12 edge; however, the Kings responded with eight-straight points to dwindle the margin. Stockton built another 8-0 run in the closing minutes of the frame to put Greensboro in a, 34-32, deficit. 

The Swarm pushed a 37-36 lead through the first quarter, with both sides drilling six 3-pointers while shooting a 12-of-27 (44.4%) clip.

Greensboro maintained control in the second quarter, never surrendering the lead while outscoring Stockton, 25-20, in the frame. The Swarm pushed their advantage to double digits midway through the period, highlighted by a stretch that saw transition three-pointers from Terrell Brown Jr. and Antonio Reeves, along with a steal-and-score from Liam McNeeley. 

Greensboro extended its lead to as many as 14 before the Kings trimmed the deficit late, sending the Swarm into halftime with a 63-57 edge. Garrett led Greensboro with 13 first-half points, while McNeeley added 12 points and a team-high seven rebounds. Stockton was paced by DaQuan Jeffries’ 12 points and Jameer Nelson Jr. 's 10, but the Swarm’s nine made three-pointers and a second quarter that held the Kings without a triple helped Greensboro take control into the break.

Both sides exchanged blows to begin the third quarter, with the game even at 71-71 at the midway mark of the frame. The Swarm fired back with 11-straight points, opened with five points from Antonio Reeves and stacked to double digits with back-to-back layups from Jaylen Sims. Greensboro entered the fourth quarter ahead, 90-84.

The Kings opened the fourth quarter on a 10-0 run to lead, 94-90, after two minutes in the frame behind DaQuan Jeffries, who reached the 25-point mark early in the period. The Swarm opened the quarter shooting 3-of-15 compared to Stockton’s 8-of-13 tally – opening the door for the lead change. Stockton built its lead as large as seven, 101-94, following a Jon Elmore 3-pointer with hopes of staying in front.

After cutting the lead to five, Brown Jr., Garrett and Sims helped spur a 9-0 run to reclaim the lead and jump ahead four with one minute to play. Patrick Baldwin Jr. converted a layup with 15 seconds to go – but Sims held strong at the line to earn the win. Next up, Greensboro will head to Stockton for Game 2 of the NBA G League Finals presented by Google on Friday at 10 p.m. ET on ESPNU, with the Swarm earning its first-ever title should it win. A best-of-three series, a potential Game 3 contest would take place in Greensboro on Monday, April 13, at 8 p.m. ET (ESPN2).