Pistons GT and NetsGC earned victories Friday to advance to the upper-bracket final of the NBA 2K League’s 3v3 Slam Open in Washington.
The Pistons defeated Hawks Talon GC 3-1, and the Nets got past T-Wolves Gaming 3-1.
The T-Wolves and Hawks both stayed alive in the competition, though, by winning lower-bracket matches. The T-Wolves swept Celtics Crossover Gaming 3-0, and the Hawks downed NBL OZ Gaming 3-1.
In lower-bracket action earlier Friday, the Celtics edged Wizards District Gaming 3-2 and NBL Oz got past amateur team Glo Navy Glosquitos 3-2.
On Saturday, the Pistons and Hawks will square off, with the loser then moving on to oppose the T-Wolves-Hawks winner. The team that emerges from the lower bracket will then meet the team that comes out of the upper bracket for the title.
Should the lower-bracket team win the first meeting in the last round, the teams will square off again to determine the champion.
The playoffs in the $150,000 tournament began in a best-of-five, double-elimination format, with the opening rounds played remotely. This week, action was held in front of a live crowd at District E in Washington.
All 25 professional teams advanced to the playoffs, with group-play records determining seeding. The top seven teams from the community competition filled out the final seven seeds.
NBA 2K League’s 3v3 Slam Open prize pool
1. $60,000
2. $30,000
3. $17,000
4. $13,000
5-6. $10,000 each — Celtics Crossover Gaming, NBL Oz Gaming
7-8. $5,000 each — Wizards District Gaming, Glo Navy Glosquitos
–Field Level Media