Shorthanded Texas Legends continue rough January skid but end on high note

The shorthanded Texas Legends are having some issues with injuries this season. Between the call-ups to the Mavericks and a couple of the Legends being hurt, head coach George Galanopoulos has been forced to use an eight-man rotation for most of January. Let's take a look back at the last six games for the Legends to see how they fared. 

Texas Legends lose two straight to Memphis Hustle

The Legends welcomed the Memphis Hustle for a two-game series on January 7th and 8th. The crowd was excited for the first home game of 2023. However, the Hustle spoiled the party as they won 118-105.

Taze Moore had a career night for the Legends as he scored 27 points and had 13 rebounds. Yudu Baba finished with 22 points, and Tyler Hall scored 21. The Legends closed the gap on the Hustle bringing the score within two at the end of the first quarter. The Hustle responded by going on a 14-2 run to pull away in the second quarter, and the Legends couldn't keep up.

The Legends actually did a lot better in the second meeting against the Hustle. The Legends kept up every time the Hustle would go on a massive run. In the second quarter, the lead would change five times as both teams kept fighting for the advantage.

Tyler Dorsey would force overtime on a layup in the fourth quarter. However, the Hustle dominated the extra session to win 119-114. The Legends only had eight players in their rotation, but still gave the Hustle a run for their money.

Texas Legends spilt two games against South Bay Lakers

The Texas Legends would welcome the South Bay Lakers the following weekend on Friday and Saturday.

The Lakers came out swinging on Friday night as they grabbed a double-digit lead early in the first period. The Legends would respond by getting the Lakers' lead down to three before hitting a scoring drought where they couldn't buy a basket. The Lakers would go on to win 125-105 in the opener.

Grant Riller finished with 21 points for the Legends as Taze Moore and Tyler Dorsey scored 17 apiece. The Legends couldn't stop the Lakers' 3-pointers in the second half, which was their downfall.

It was a different story for the Legends on Saturday night as they dominated the fourth quarter with Grant Riller's 18 points to win 113-106. Riller would finish with 27 points for the Legends, while Moore scored 20. The Legends really needed a win after having a rough January, and they finally got one to break the losing streak. They wouldn't get much of a break as they would have their annual Martin Luther King Jr Day game two days later.

Texas Legends fall to Salt Lake City Stars

The Legends hosted the Salt Lake City Stars on Martin Luther King Jr day. When I saw they were hosting the Salt Lake City Stars and Johnny Juzang was on the roster, I knew they would be in trouble. I remember the first time I watched Juzang in a college basketball game. He dominated my Alma Mater Abilene Christian in the second round of the 2021 March Madness Tournament.

Unfortunately, he was the deciding factor in this one as the Legends couldn't contain him off the bench as he finished with 22 points. in the 125-116 Golden Stars win. Tyler Dorsey scored 30 for Texas, and Olin Carter came off the bench with 18 points, but it was a long night for the Legends.

Texas Legends defeat Oklahoma City Blue

The Legends hosted the Oklahoma City Blue this past Saturday and there was a pretty big debut. A.J. Lawson, who the Mavericks signed to a two-way contract, played his first game for the Legends. His presence on the floor was needed after having an eight-man rotation in Frisco for the last two weeks. His 28 points helped the Legends get a narrow win over the Blue 121-117.

Sometimes you got to fight for a win in a grudge match, and that is what the Legends did on Saturday night. With some big matchups against the Austin Spurs and the Mexico City Capitanes ahead, hopefully, the Legends can get some reinforcements healthy and get back on track.