The Stockton Kings are heading back to the NBA G League Finals after Drew Timme and company erased a nine-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat the South Bay Lakers 101–97 on Wednesday at the UCLA Health Training Center in El Segundo. Stockton, the No. 3 seed, secured its second straight championship appearance with a late burst that flipped the Western Conference Finals in the closing minutes.
DaQuan Jeffries led Stockton with 27 points, Dexter Dennis added 19 points and six three-pointers, and Jameer Nelson Jr. scored 18 off the bench. Patrick Baldwin Jr. and Gabe Levin each finished with 14 points, and Levin’s one-handed putback dunk with 20 seconds left gave Stockton the lead for good before a defensive stop and two free throws sealed it.
Coach Will Scott said the group stayed composed when the game tightened and leaned on the habits it has repeated all season. He said the team kept emphasizing playing together and staying connected since day one, and that it took everyone making plays when Stockton needed them most.
That balance has carried the Kings through the postseason, with different players stepping up in different moments rather than a single scorer carrying the load. Stockton now turns quickly to Game 1 of the G League Finals, scheduled for Wednesday in Greensboro, North Carolina, against the Greensboro Swarm, with little time to savor a comeback that kept its title chase alive.