# 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).
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).
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

| 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 |
| 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

| 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 |
| 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.
| Quarterfinals April 5–12 Best of 3 | Quarterfinals April 5–12 Best of 3 | Quarterfinals April 5–12 Best of 3 | Semifinals April 12–19 Best of 3 | Semifinals April 12–19 Best of 3 | Semifinals April 12–19 Best of 3 | Finals April 24, April 26 & April 27 Best of 3 | Finals April 24, April 26 & April 27 Best of 3 | Finals April 24, April 26 & April 27 Best of 3 |
| E1 | Sioux Falls Skyforce | 2 | | | | | | |
| E4 | Westchester Knicks | 0 | | | | | | |
| E4 | Westchester Knicks | 0 | E1 | Sioux Falls Skyforce | 2 | | | |
| | | | E3 | Canton Charge | 0 | | | |
| E2 | Maine Red Claws | 0 | E3 | Canton Charge | 0 | | | |
| E3 | Canton Charge | 2 | | | | | | |
| E3 | Canton Charge | 2 | | | | E1 | Sioux Falls Skyforce | 2 |
| | | | | | | W4 | Los Angeles D-Fenders | 1 |
| W1 | Reno Bighorns | 1 | | | | | | | W4 | Los Angeles D-Fenders | 1 |
| W4 | Los Angeles D-Fenders | 2 | | | | | | |
| W4 | Los Angeles D-Fenders | 2 | W4 | Los Angeles D-Fenders | 2 | | | |
| | | | W2 | Austin Spurs | 1 | | | |
| W2 | Austin Spurs | 2 | W2 | Austin Spurs | 1 | | | |
| W3 | Rio Grande Valley Vipers | 1 | | | | | | |

### Finals boxscore

* April 24, 2016 6:00 p.m. CT
* Boxscore
Sioux Falls Skyforce 104, Los Angeles D-Fenders 99 :
| Scoring by quarter: 21–22, 30–23, 24–23, 29–31 |||
| Pts: Rodney McGruder 30 Rebs: Rodney McGruder 11 Asts: DeAndre Liggins 8 | Pts: Vander Blue 31 Rebs: Justin Harper 7 Asts: Josh Magette 8 |
* Toyota Sports Center, El Segundo, California Attendance: 550 Referees:
* #14 JB DeRosa
* #26 Brett Nansel
* #70 Aaron Smith
* April 26, 2016 7:00 p.m. CT
* Boxscore
Los Angeles D-Fenders 109, Sioux Falls Skyforce 102 :
| Scoring by quarter: 27–26, 25–27, 28–26, 29–23 |||
| Pts: Vander Blue 29 Rebs: Ryan Gomes 11 Asts: Josh Magette 10 | Pts: Greg Whittington 17 Rebs: DeAndre Liggins 10 Asts: DeAndre Liggins 6 |
* Sanford Pentagon, Sioux Falls, South Dakota Attendance: 3,250 Referees:
* #39 CJ Washington
* #45 Ray Acosta
* #48 Vladimir Voyard-Tadal
* April 27, 2016 7:00 p.m. CT
* Boxscore
Los Angeles D-Fenders 63, Sioux Falls Skyforce 91 :
| Scoring by quarter: 17–22, 18–20, 13–27, 15–22 |||
| Pts: Josh Magette 21 Rebs: D.J. Shumpert 8 Asts: Josh Magette 3 | Pts: Jarnell Stokes 25 Rebs: Jarnell Stokes 12 Asts: DeAndre Liggins 6 |
| Sioux Falls wins series, 2–1 |||
* Sanford Pentagon, Sioux Falls, South Dakota Attendance: 3,016 Referees:
* #26 Brett Nansel
* #39 CJ Washington
* #45 Ray Acosta

## 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