Behind the camera was Stockton Kings guard Dexter Dennis.
Moving through the away locker room at UCLA Health Training Center, past Mitchell Mascari, Isaiah Stevens and DaQuan Jeffries, the camera eventually found its way to Jon Elmore.
When it did, Elmore — his eyes lighting up like a kid on Christmas — delivered the moment.
“Back to back, ’96, ’97,” he said via Stockton Kings social media.
Moments earlier, the reigning NBA G League champion No. 3 Stockton Kings had punched their ticket to the Finals for the second straight year, defeating the No. 1 South Bay Lakers 101-97 in the single-elimination Western Conference finals in El Segundo on Sunday, April 6, in front of 291 fans.
The Kings will travel to Greensboro, N.C., to face the No. 2 seed Greensboro Swarm in Game 1 of the best-of-three Finals on Wednesday, April 8. Tipoff is set for 4:30 p.m PT.
“Since Day 1, we’ve been very cohesive and a great group,” forward Gabe Levin said on the ESPN broadcast postgame.
Jeffries, a recent Sacramento Kings 10-day signee, led the way for the third straight playoff game with 27 points, along with five assists and two blocks.
Dennis followed with 19 points, knocking down six 3-pointers, while Jameer Nelson Jr. added 18 points off the bench. Patrick Baldwin Jr., on a two-way contract with Sacramento, and Gabe Levin each chipped in 14 points.
Two of Levin’s 14 points came on the game-winning one-handed putback dunk with 20 seconds left, following a Baldwin Jr. miss.
“It was a great miss,” Levin said, smiling, of Baldwin Jr.’s shot attempt.
For South Bay, guard RJ Davis led the way with 28 points, while center Drew Timme contributed 19.
With injuries to Los Angeles Lakers guards Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, South Bay was without four key rotation players.
Rookie forward Adou Thiero, second-year forward Dalton Knecht, third-year guard Kobe Bufkin and guard Nick Smith Jr., on a two-way contract, all of whom played in the Western Conference semifinals, were recalled earlier that day to join the Lakers against the Dallas Mavericks.
“We ain’t done nothing yet,” Elmore said. “But we going back-to-back.”
‘It’s about us’
When Stockton coach Will Scott addressed his team after its third-quarter collapse against the Rip City Remix in the previous round, it didn’t come from anger or frustration.
Using words Nelson Jr. joked he probably couldn’t repeat, the message was about understanding what this group is capable of.
So when he was asked after the Western Conference semifinals how the Kings could position themselves to upset the No. 1 seed, he didn’t hesitate.
“We’ve shown the level we can play at,” Scott said. “I don’t think anyone can beat us when we’re playing at that level. It’s about sustaining it. South Bay is a really good team, a lot of talent, but it’s not about them.
“It’s about us — playing our game for as much of the 48 minutes as we can.”
And in this one, that meant weathering every storm.
A 28-17 deficit entering the second quarter. Later, a 50-43 deficit with 3:48 remaining.
It wasn’t surprising. South Bay boasts one of the top defensive ratings in the league.
“They’re super physical,” Nelson Jr. said postgame of the Remix game. “They’re one of the best defensive teams in the G League.”
But like Scott, Nelson Jr. kept the focus inward.
“I feel like we’re the best team,” he said. “If we do what we’re supposed to do, nobody should be able to beat us.”
Down just 56-55 at halftime, South Bay exploded out of halftime, building a nine-point lead at the 6:20 mark and stretching it to 11.
Stockton answered with a 10-0 run to cut it to one.
The storm didn’t stop there.
South Bay stretched it back to 89-80 in the fourth — then Dennis caught fire, drilling his fifth and sixth 3-pointers to tie it late.
Levin’s one-handed putback dunk with 20 seconds left gave the Kings the lead for good.
A defensive stop and two free throws closed it out.
“We know we can handle being down a couple of points,” Levin said. “This is a hell of a group. We know how to win.”
This article originally appeared on The Record: Stockton Kings punch return ticket to NBA G League Finals
Reporting by Dylan Ackermann, The Stockton Record / The Record
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
