While the NBA season is still on hold, a form of hoops returned to national television on Friday. Although it wasn’t professional basketball, the players-only NBA 2K Tournament kicked off for the first round on ESPN.
The tournament started with a major upset as the top overall seed for the contest Kevin Durant went down in the first round against Derrick Jones Jr. of the Miami Heat.
Durant played with the Los Angeles Clippers as Jones used the Milwaukee Bucks. Jones and Bucks rolled the former Warriors’ forward in a 78-62 victory.
3 3's in a row for @TheRea1Djones
*KD sits up in chair* #NBA2KTourney pic.twitter.com/qVltpHWQlw
— NBA 2K20 (@NBA2K) April 4, 2020
Another former Warrior was eliminated in the first round when Trae Young took to the sticks. Atlanta’s young All-Star cruised to a comfortable victory against Harrison Barnes. Young chose to play with Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Bucks in his blowout 101-59 win against Barnes and the Toronto Raptors.
🎮 @NBA2K Players Tournament 🎮
"It's going that way!" @TheTraeYoung takes the charge and has the lead against @hbarnes. #NBA2KTourney on ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/t4Vao4Ibzg
— NBA (@NBA) April 4, 2020
Along with Young and Jones, Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton and Clippers point guard Patrick Beverley punched tickets for the second round of the 2K tournament.
With two former members of the Warriors already eliminated, DeMarcus Cousins is the only remaining player in the tournament connected to Golden State. The former Los Angeles Lakers center will faceoff against Andre Drummond on Sunday.
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