The Rio Grande Valley Vipers secured their spot in the Western Conference Semifinals with a hard-fought 117-106 victory over the Austin Spurs on Tuesday night at Bert Ogden Arena. The fourth-seeded Vipers, affiliate of the Houston Rockets, overcame a late push from their in-state rivals to advance in the NBA G League Playoffs presented by Google.
The game began as a back-and-forth affair with Austin briefly holding a 9-7 advantage early in the first quarter. However, the Vipers quickly seized control with a decisive 15-0 run that gave them a commanding 22-9 lead with under five minutes remaining in the opening period. Rio Grande Valley closed the quarter with a 36-20 advantage.
Second-quarter dominance saw the Vipers establish their largest lead of the night at 25 points. Houston Rockets two-way player Tristen Newton contributed significantly to the effort, finishing with 18 points in the contest.
Austin mounted a comeback attempt in the third quarter, cutting the deficit to 12 points behind an explosive performance from Kyle Mangas, who scored 18 of his team's 29 points in the period. The Spurs continued their push in the final frame, narrowing the gap to just seven points at 109-103 with a 28-27 quarter advantage.
Despite Austin's late surge, the Vipers' early dominance proved insurmountable. Daishen Nix delivered a standout performance with 34 points to lead all Rio Grande Valley scorers. John Knight III provided crucial support off the bench with 15 points.
Mangas finished with a game-high 45 points for the Spurs in a remarkable individual effort. Adam Flagler added 20 points, while Austin Spurs two-way player Harrison Ingram recorded a double-double with 16 points and 13 rebounds.
The victory advances Rio Grande Valley to the Western Conference Semifinals where they will await the winner of the South Bay Lakers versus San Diego Clippers series. The Vipers will look to continue their playoff run with improved defensive execution after nearly surrendering a substantial lead in the closing moments.
