“They can have their fries again and we got the win again.” – Eric Musselman

Eric Musselman/AP Photo.

The Erie BayHawks made Los Angeles D-Fenders coach Eric Musselman sweat through another close game, but the former NBA coach left Tullio Arena with another win and parting shot.

For last season’s D-League playoffs when Musselman was head coach of the Reno Bighorns, he had his player personnel assistant, Sammy Glefand, pick the playoff opponent out of a hat after failing to pick a team following team and staff meetings.

The top three seeds can pick their first-round playoff opponent. Glefand chose Erie. The BayHawks fans rode him all night, but the Bighorns won Game 1 of the three-game series in Erie, 106-101, and won the series, 2-1.

In the closing moments of that Game 1 win, Musselman shouted at the fans, “You got your free fries, and we got the win.” Fans get free fries from McDonald’s when Erie scores 100 points at home.

Tonight, the crowd wasn’t on him much at all, but were left speechless after Erie blew a 12-point, fourth-quarter lead in a 117-112 loss to the D-Fenders at Tullio Arena.

I interviewed Musselman after the game and his final words were, “They can have their fries again and we got the win again.”

Erie plays at Los Angeles on Feb. 4 and Feb. 6.