Lakeland Magic take down Delaware Blue Coats to win G League championship

Kyle Irving

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Lakeland Magic take down Delaware Blue Coats to win G League championship image

The Lakeland Magic cruised to a 97-78 victory over the Delaware Blue Coats to win the 2021 NBA G League championship.

It was an impressive defensive performance from the Magic, who held the Blue Coats to a season-low scoring total, shooting just 32 percent from the field and 21 percent from 3-point range. The Blue Coats' standout rookie Paul Reed – whose 23.0 points per game ranked third-best in the G League this season – was held to just 13 points while shooting an inefficient 6-for-18 from the field and 1-for-8 from 3-point range.

Lakeland guard Devin Cannady led the charge offensively, scoring a game-high 22 points to go with six rebounds and four assists to help his team bring home the title.

The Princeton product was the Magic's third single-game scoring leader of the postseason, but his efforts in the championship helped earn him G League Finals MVP.

Lakeland's team basketball and unselfishness played a huge role in their success, dishing out 25 assists in the championship game. Reserve guard Jeff Dowtin's seven assists marked a team-high, while five other Magic players dished out at least two assists.

Rookie Canadian guard Karim Mané (Montreal, QC) finished with six points, eight boards and two assists to also give Lakeland a boost toward the title.

This was the first G League championship in Lakeland Magic history.

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Kyle Irving

Kyle Irving Photo

You read that wrong – not Kyrie Irving. From Boston, graduated from the University of New Hampshire. Sixth season as a content producer for NBA.com's Global editions. Covering the NBA Draft has become his annual "dream come true" moment on the job. Irving has a soft spot for pass-first point guards, with Rajon Rondo and Steve Nash being two of his favorite players of all time.