NBA G League: Ignite look to have ‘short memory’ after consecutive losses

After suffering two consecutive losses, the Ignite are hoping a couple of days off can help push the team in the right direction.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — After suffering two consecutive losses, the NBA G League Ignite are hoping a couple of days off can help push the team in the right direction.

Just one night after suffering a 40-point loss to the Erie BayHawks, the Ignite played well enough to win on Thursday but were ultimately unable to slow down the Westchester Knicks, losing 121-113 in overtime. Donta Hall scored a team-high 19 points while Jalen Green had 15 points, and Isaiah Todd produced 14 points and seven rebounds off the bench.

The Ignite led by as many as 15 points in the first half, aided by a blistering 43.8% shooting display from 3-point range on 16 team assists. The strong start eventually wore off, and the Ignite were unable to match that effort in the second half before falling to 4-2 on the season.

“I thought our bounce back was good,” Ignite head coach Brian Shaw said. “We played the right way, especially in that first half. We had season-high assists in a half with 16 in that first half. It energized everybody, offensively and defensively.

“Then, I think we kind of came out real flat at the beginning of the third quarter and that lead at halftime, they absorbed that right away in a couple of minutes. We just didn’t seem to play with that same kind of zest we had early on in the game.”

The Ignite entered play on Wednesday with a 4-0 record, posting a 6.8-point differential. Then, they produced their worst game of the season against the experienced BayHawks.

The group turned the ball over 21 times, which resulted in 36 points for Erie, and they were outmatched in every other category. To paint a full picture of their troubles, the Ignite shot just 12.9% from 3-point range after entering the game second-best in the league from distance.

The Ignite turned it around by Thursday, limiting their turnovers to just 12, while they dominated points in the paint (62-42) and topped the Knicks in fastbreak situations and second-chance points. In the end, though, they just couldn’t make enough plays late.

“When you have a close game like that on this level, you are going to get the best from both teams,” Todd said. “That will prepare us for the next level. We can’t make many mistakes in overtime. Both teams are trying to capitalize on any little mistake you make, especially defensively. I think this does give us some experience going forward.”

Following the loss, the Ignite now have two days off to get back on track.

Teams this season in the NBA G League typically have one day off, but the Ignite will have two. The team can work on getting back to the basics as they attempt to return to the win column and end their two-game losing streak on Sunday versus the Greensboro Swarm.

“These next two days are going to consist of watching film for me,” Todd said. “I think, as a team, we’re going to get up a ton of shots. We’re going to regroup. After two losses, it is kind of hard on guys that are so competitive. We are all really competitive. We got to have a short memory and a quick turnaround over these next two days.”

This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

[lawrence-related id=28129,28015,27916]

[listicle id=28048]