2015–16 NBA Development League season

The 2015–16 NBA Development League season was the 15th season of the NBA Development League (NBA D-League). The NBA D-League is the official minor league basketball organization owned by the National Basketball Association (NBA).

2015–16 NBA Development League season
League	NBA Development League
Sport	Basketball
Duration	November – April
Draft
Top draft pick	Jeff Ayres
Picked by	Idaho Stampede
Regular season
Top seed	Sioux Falls Skyforce
Season MVP	Jarnell Stokes (Sioux Falls Skyforce)
Finals
Champions	Sioux Falls Skyforce
Runners-up	Los Angeles D-Fenders
Finals MVP	Jarnell Stokes
NBA Development League seasons
← 2014–15 2016–17 →

The League expanded to a record 19 teams for the 2015–16 season. An expansion team, Raptors 905, joined the 18 teams from the previous season, while the Fort Wayne Mad Ants were purchased by the Indiana Pacers, leaving just 11 NBA teams without a D-League affiliate for this season (in the 2016–17 season the number of NBA teams without a D-League affiliate will reduce to 8 with the debuts of franchises owned by the Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte Hornets, and Chicago Bulls).^[1]

The league consisted of two conferences with two divisions each, three with five and one with four. To even out the divisions, the Canton Charge were moved from the East Division to the Central Division.

Teams

• Austin Spurs (affiliated with the San Antonio Spurs)
• Bakersfield Jam (affiliated with the Phoenix Suns)
• Canton Charge (affiliated with the Cleveland Cavaliers)
• Delaware 87ers (affiliated with the Philadelphia 76ers)
• Erie BayHawks (affiliated with the Orlando Magic)
• Fort Wayne Mad Ants (affiliated with the Indiana Pacers)
• Grand Rapids Drive (affiliated with the Detroit Pistons)
• Idaho Stampede (affiliated with the Utah Jazz)
• Iowa Energy (affiliated with the Memphis Grizzlies)
• Los Angeles D-Fenders (affiliated with the Los Angeles Lakers)
• Maine Red Claws (affiliated with the Boston Celtics)
• Oklahoma City Blue (affiliated with the Oklahoma City Thunder)
• Raptors 905 (affiliated with the Toronto Raptors)
• Reno Bighorns (affiliated with the Sacramento Kings)
• Rio Grande Valley Vipers (affiliated with the Houston Rockets)
• Santa Cruz Warriors (affiliated with the Golden State Warriors)
• Sioux Falls Skyforce (affiliated with the Miami Heat)
• Texas Legends (affiliated with the Dallas Mavericks)
• Westchester Knicks (affiliated with the New York Knicks)

Regular season

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division Team W L PCT GB Home Road y-Maine Red Claws 31 19 .620 -- 15–10 16–9 x-Westchester Knicks 28 22 .560 3 13-12 15–10 Raptors 905 23 27 .460 8 10-15 13-12 Delaware 87ers 21 29 .420 10 13-11 8-18 Erie BayHawks 12 38 .240 19 9-16 3-22 Central Division Team W L PCT GB Home Road z-Sioux Falls Skyforce 40 10 .800 -- 22–3 18–7 x-Canton Charge 31 19 .620 9 18-7 13-12 Iowa Energy 26 24 .520 14 15-11 12-13 Grand Rapids Drive 21 29 .420 19 14-11 7-18 Fort Wayne Mad Ants 20 30 .400 20 13-12 7-18

Western Conference

Pacific Division Team W L PCT GB Home Road z-Reno Bighorns 33 17 .660 -- 20-5 13–12 x-Los Angeles D-Fenders 27 23 .540 6 17–8 10–15 Bakersfield Jam 22 28 .440 11 13–12 9-16 Idaho Stampede 20 30 .400 13 13–12 7–18 Santa Cruz Warriors 19 31 .380 14 12–13 7–18 Southwest Division Team W L PCT GB Home Road y-Austin Spurs 30 20 .600 -- 15–10 15–10 x-Rio Grande Valley Vipers 29 21 .580 1 18–7 11–14 Texas Legends 23 27 .460 7 13–12 10–15 Oklahoma City Blue 19 31 .380 11 10–15 9–16

Playoffs

The Sioux Falls Skyforce (winners of a record forty games during the regular season) won the title over the Los Angeles D-Fenders in three games, winning Game 1 104-99 before Los Angeles tied it up with a 109-102 victory in Game 2, and the Skyforce closed out the title with a 91-63 victory at home. It was their first D-League title and their third overall title, having won two titles (1996, 2005) in the Continental Basketball Association.^[2][3]

Quarterfinals April 5–12 Best of 3

Semifinals April 12–19 Best of 3

Finals April 24, April 26 & April 27 Best of 3

E1

Sioux Falls Skyforce

2

E4

Westchester Knicks

0

E1

Sioux Falls Skyforce

2

E3

Canton Charge

0

E2

Maine Red Claws

0

E3

Canton Charge

2

E1

Sioux Falls Skyforce

2

W4

Los Angeles D-Fenders

1

W1

Reno Bighorns

1

W4

Los Angeles D-Fenders

2

W4

Los Angeles D-Fenders

2

W2

Austin Spurs

1

W2

Austin Spurs

2

W3

Rio Grande Valley Vipers

1

Awards and honors

• NBA Development League Most Valuable Player Award: Jarnell Stokes, Sioux Falls Skyforce
• Dennis Johnson Coach of the Year Award: Dan Craig, Sioux Falls Skyforce
• NBA Development League Rookie of the Year Award: Quinn Cook, Canton Charge
• NBA Development League Defensive Player of the Year Award: DeAndre Liggins, Sioux Falls Skyforce
• NBA Development League Impact Player of the Year Award: Ryan Gomes, Los Angeles D-Fenders
• NBA Development League Most Improved Player Award: Axel Toupane, Raptors 905
• Executive of the Year: Adam Simon, Sioux Falls Skyforce
• Jason Collier Sportsmanship Award: Scott Suggs, Raptors 905
• Development Champion Award:
• All-Star Game MVP: Jimmer Fredette, Westchester Knicks
• All-NBA Development League Team

First team Erick Green, Reno Bighorns Vander Blue, Los Angeles D-Fenders Jarnell Stokes, Sioux Falls Skyforce Jeff Ayres, Idaho Stampede/Los Angeles D-Fenders Alex Stepheson, Iowa Energy

Second team Jimmer Fredette, Westchester Knicks Will Cummings, Rio Grande Valley Vipers Coty Clarke, Maine Red Claws Nick Minnerath, Canton Charge DeAndre Liggins, Sioux Falls Skyforce

Third team Sean Kilpatrick, Delaware 87ers Quinn Cook, Canton Charge Devin Ebanks, Grand Rapids Drive Ryan Gomes, Los Angeles D-Fenders Jordan Bachynski, Westchester Knicks

References

1. Pacers Sports and Entertainment Acquires Fort Wayne Mad Ants
2. "2016 NBA D-League Finals: Sioux Falls Skyforce Defeat Los Angeles D-Fenders, 2-1".
3. "Skyforce win NBA D-League championship". April 28, 2016.

External links

• Official website
• 2015–16 season overview