HOME CROWD TREATED TO EXPLOSIVE VICTORY
OKLAHOMA CITY -- It's hard to believe that Seattle actually led 18-16 after one quarter, because from then on it was scoring carnage, courtesy of Naf Naf and the Oklahoma City Lariats, who went on to a 97-64 Game 1 triumph. It took him until his fourth season to make the Finals, but Naf Naf seemed ecstatic to be here and put on quite the show.
Along the way:
** Naf Naf scored 41 points, breaking the playoff scoring record of 38 in one game which he had tied in Game 1 of this playoff season vs. Milwaukee. (Hall of Famer Dan Mann's two 38-point games were also erased from the record book.)
** Naf Naf buried 11 3s, breaking the playoff record of 9 he set in that same Game 1 against Milwaukee.
** Oklahoma City tied the playoff record of 15 3s for a team originally set by Houston vs. Seattle in Season 33.
Ginger Vampire was ice cold for Seattle, and the magic of Jairo Capoeira also faded for the Stampede, which managed but a 45.9 percent shooting game. Meanwhile, the Lariats shot 63.3 percent, including 65.2 from beyond the arc.
PLAYER OF THE GAME
NAF NAF's peformance for Oklahoma City in his first Finals game is arguably the best single post-season game of all time. Not only did he score a record 41 on 14-of-21 shooting, he tossed in a record 11 treys in 16 tries, dished out 2 assists, and grabbed a game-high and personal best ever 7 rebounds in the process. The 41-point effort ties Naf for seventh-best scoring game all-time with Uncle Bob Masterson and Tommy Zoop.
OTHER 20-PLUS GVP PERFORMANCES
-- Naf Naf running mate at guard Yipeekayee Masterfalcon contributed a trio of treys and 17 points, as well as 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal.
-- Oklahoma City second-year forward Bang-Bang Reiner had 23 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal in a superlative game.
-- Bob Kittle, the 5-11 veteran guard for Seattle, continues to play well, getting a team-high 23 and pulling down 2 rebounds.
-- Seattle's power forward Tea Time Typhoo played another excellent game, getting 14 points and a team-high 6 rebounds. He also had 2 assists.
(In a recent discussion with Tyler, it was mistakenly said that Naf Naf's top scoring game was 39 points...not so...I forgot about him scoring 44 during a Season 38 game against Seattle. This effort today is his second-best single-game output ever.)
Top Scoring Games All Time
50 Tommy Zoop, Oklahoma City, Season 24
49 Horn E. Goatweed, Milwaukee, Season 24
44 Soul Duran, Chicago, Season 7
44 Naf Naf, Oklahoma City, Season 38
44 Tommy Zoop, Chicago, Season 21
42 Funsy VanSlochum, San Jose, Season 26
41 Naf Naf, Oklahoma City, Playoffs Season 40
41 Uncle Bob Masterson, Philadelphia, Season 11
41 Ching-Chong Chung, Houston, Season 31
40 Shooter Flatch, Dallas, Season 20
NEXT UP; To the West Coast, where Game 2 takes place in Seattle amidst an air of inevitability.
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