Kay Felder sat out with back spasms, but that was not enough to keep the Grand Rapids Drive (28-21) from continuing to win down the stretch as they notched their fifth straight win, coming in a blowout over the Greensboro Swarm. (16-33)

DRIVE WIN! 6 guys score in double figures (including 4 double-doubles) as we take down the Swarm and move to 28-21 on the season! We haven’t technically clinched a playoff berth yet…more to come. #WeAreGR pic.twitter.com/NJ7mK0571A

— Grand Rapids Drive (@grdrive) March 24, 2018

Speedy Smith filled in for Kay Felder just fine and the team around him adjusted accordingly. The Drive had six players in double figures, led by K.J. McDaniels who had 25 points. Smith had 18 points and 11 assists on the night. Pistons two-way player Reggie Hearn had a very strong 16 points and a +25 on the night.

.@KJMcDaniels led tonight’s @grdrive W with a 25-point & 10-board performance, including several jams! pic.twitter.com/VBhv2rmZ3U

— NBA G League (@nbagleague) March 24, 2018

The win puts the Drive very near to a playoff birth. It was believed before the game that a win would give the Drive a playoff birth but the tiebreakers work out in such a way that if there is a three-way (and only a three-way) tie it would be possible for the Drive to end up on the outside.

The Drive jumped out of the gates strong and never looked back, they never trailed in the game, and other than a brief stretch late in the third quarter the Swarm never really got back into it, even in that stretch they didn’t manage to bring it lower than single digits.

The Swarm were led by Damien Wilkins who scored 24 points on the night.

The blowout victory is of extra benefit to the Drive given that they will play again tomorrow night on a back to back. Only two players played more than 30 minutes in this game so the Drive should be better rested than they typically would be for a back to back.

Triple Threat:

1. Ben Wallace was once again in attendance. The newly minted minority owner sat courtside and has hopes to get more involved with the team as time goes on. Someone yelled “DEEETROIT BASKETBALL” at him and without turning he raised his fist and nodded in acknowledgment.
2. Kay Felder is going to be a game-time decision for tomorrows game.
3. Speedy Smith said after the game that he felt like he could’ve taken better care of the ball by pointing out a few specific instances of carelessness. Smith finished with 11 assists and three turnovers. That is the kind of mindset a guy has when he averages nearly three assists per turnover I guess.

The Drive play tomorrow (Saturday) at 7:00pm EST at the Deltaplex. Watch on Facebook or come to the arena!