The Grand Rapids drive fell at the DeltaPlex when they had a chance to seal a playoff appearance by losing 135-144 to the Deleware Blue Coats. (affiliates of the 76ers) The Drive still need to win just one of their last two games to clinch a playoff birth.

FINAL: Not our night as we fall to the Blue Coats. We’ll have another shot at clinching a playoff berth this Friday at @DeltaPlexArena! #WeAreGR pic.twitter.com/3fYQjm1Bf7

— Grand Rapids Drive (@grdrive) March 21, 2019

Grand Rapids had two Pistons rookies, Khyri Thomas and Svi Mykuiliuk, for the night. Thomas had an effective game but Svi struggled mightily.

Both sides spent most of the game very small with Svi often playing defacto power forward or center with three or four guards around him. He looked very much like a player who was unfamiliar with the players he was with and playing a position he had never really done. On top of that, Grand Rapids almost always has multiple point-guards on the floor at once which can make it difficult for others to get a feel for their own touch.

Two-way players Kalin Lucas and Isaiah Whitehead both had impressive outings. Lucas scored 32 points and 8 assists while Whitehead had 24 points and 8 assists.

The game got off to the start you would expect from two teams starting guards at center, the high-pace and high scoring never really let up. The score was 70-79 at halftime. I asked both coaches about the decision to go small.

Drive coach Ryan Krueger on tonight’s loss pic.twitter.com/koAppk8Iht

— Joe Truck (@Joe_Truck) March 21, 2019

Blur Coats head coach Connor Johnson on his team’s victory pic.twitter.com/dq0SZsAw1p

— Joe Truck (@Joe_Truck) March 21, 2019

Grand Rapids will be back at home for the last time this season on Friday against the Canton Charge. Once again, a victory will punch their tickets to the playoffs.