NBA Summer League 2015

[awhom111]

It is time to start this thread with games starting Saturday. Of course there is some news filtering out about Duke players, but teams are starting to gather their full rosters.

The Pacers are routinely one of the first teams to announce their team and this year is no different:
http://www.nba.com/pacers/news/hill-whittington-draft-picks-participate-2015-rookie/free-agent-camp

[subzero02]

Interesting roster. Myles Turner is the youngest guy by over 3 years.

[awhom111]

Obviously Jahlil will be playing for Philadelphia. This year marks the return of the Utah summer league, so he is scheduled to play both there and in Las Vegas. He will have slightly different teammates in each case:
http://www.nba.com/sixers/news/150630-sl-rosters

Orlando is left with an odd number of teams in its summer league, so it will field two teams, loading up most of its contracted players on one:
http://www.nba.com/magic/orlando-magic-announce-rosters-southwest-airlines-orlando-pro-summer-league

Nets:
http://www.nba.com/nets/news/brooklyn-nets-announce-summer-league-roster-and-schedule-2015

Hornets:
http://www.nba.com/hornets/hornets-announce-2015-orlando-pro-summer-league-roster

[Duvall]

Obviously Jahlil will be playing for Philadelphia. This year marks the return of the Utah summer league, so he is scheduled to play both there and in Las Vegas. He will have slightly different teammates in each case:
http://www.nba.com/sixers/news/150630-sl-rosters

Does Philadelphia know there's no benefit to tanking Summer League games?

[dukelifer]

Does Philadelphia know there's no benefit to tanking Summer League games?

Practice makes perfect

[duke blue brewcrew]

It appears Q. Cook is playing for both the Thunder and the Cavs this summer. It sounds exhausting, but like a great opportunity for increased exposure. I hope he does well and lands a gig w/ one of those two title contenders!

http://collegespun.com/acc/duke/duke-basketball-congratulates-quinn-cook-on-catching-on-with-oklahoma-city-thunder

[BD80]

It appears Q. Cook is playing for both the Thunder and the Cavs this summer. It sounds exhausting, ...
http://collegespun.com/acc/duke/duke-basketball-congratulates-quinn-cook-on-catching-on-with-oklahoma-city-thunder

Coach K prepares his guys to play a lot at the next level

calipari prepares his guys to sit

[Furniture]

More basketball that I just have to watch! I am totally screwed. My wife is going to murder me!!
Go QC!!

[gwlaw99]

You can watch see the schedule on the NBA Game Time android or iOS app.

[awhom111]

Justise and teammates for Miami:
http://www.nba.com/heat/news/heat-announce-summer-league-information

Grizzlies:
http://www.nba.com/grizzlies/news/2015-summer-league-roster-150630

Kings:
http://www.nba.com/kings/kings-hold-mini-camp-prior-2015-nba-summer-league


Does Philadelphia know there's no benefit to tanking Summer League games?

Oddly enough, the Sixers are the defending Orlando Summer League Champions. The Kings are the defending Las Vegas champions so no correlation seems to exist.

[awhom111]

Seth's teammates with the Pelicans:
http://www.nba.com/pelicans/news/pelicans-announce-2015-samsung-nba-summer-league-roster-and-mini-camp-schedule

Celtics:
http://www.nba.com/celtics/news/pressrelease/celtics-announce-2015-summer-league-roster

Bucks:
http://www.nba.com/bucks/release/bucks-announce-2015-summer-league-roster

Clippers:
http://www.nba.com/clippers/press-release-summer-league-roster

[MCFinARL]

Wizards:

http://wizardsmysticstoday.monumentalnetwork.com/2015/07/02/wizards-announce-2015-nba-summer-league-mini-camp-roster-and-practice-schedule

Not horning in, awhom, just saw this and thought I would save you the trouble.

[awhom111]

Quinn's Thunder teammates:
http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/.element/media/2.0/teamsites/thunder/2015%20OKC_Summer_League_Roster.pdf

Pistons:
http://www.nba.com/pistons/features/detroit-pistons-announce-schedule-and-roster-orlando-summer-league

Nuggets:
http://www.nba.com/nuggets/news/nuggets-announce-2015-samsung-summer-league-roster

Warriors:
http://www.nba.com/warriors/news/warriors-announce-2015-nba-summer-league-roster-and-tv-schedule

Lakers:
http://www.nba.com/lakers/news/15_summerLeagueRoster

Saturday marks the start of the Orlando Summer League and the quintuple header will be live on NBATV with replays later.
Schedule (all times EDT):
Heat (Justise) vs Pacers, 9am
Detroit vs White, 11am
Blue vs Clippers, 1pm
Hornets vs Thunder (Quinn), 3pm
Grizzlies vs Nets, 5pm


Wizards:

http://wizardsmysticstoday.monumentalnetwork.com/2015/07/02/wizards-announce-2015-nba-summer-league-mini-camp-roster-and-practice-schedule

Not horning in, awhom, just saw this and thought I would save you the trouble.

Not a problem for me. I am always happy to have the assist. The Wizards should probably inform NBA.com to update their links though. Every year I do this these team websites seem to get worse.

[awhom111]

Spurs:
http://www.nba.com/spurs/spurs-announce-2015-summer-league-rosters-utah-las-vegas

Way to just miss my last check. Noteworthy because Becky Hammon will be the Head Coach of the team in Las Vegas.

[Mabdul Doobakus]

If you don't get NBATV, today's the one day you can tune in for free on NBA.com.

Heat-Pacers on now, 1st quarter, if you want to check out Winslow.

[Mabdul Doobakus]

Winslow is kind of picking his spots early, which is kind of hard to do in the NBA Summer League, where everyone seems more than willing to take your shots for you. But overall he's played reasonably well. He's led both teams in minutes, while posting a +12 in a game the Heat lead by 7, for whatever that's worth. His impact was felt most strongly at the end of the half when he had a couple of steals that led to fast break opportunities. He's got 7 points on 1-4 shooting, 4-6 at the line.

[Mabdul Doobakus]

Winslow will end with 15 points on 4-8 shooting. His +28 while on the floor was the best in this game. Myles Turner played pretty well for the Pacers.

[Indoor66]

Winslow will end with 15 points on 4-8 shooting. His +28 while on the floor was the best in this game. Myles Turner played pretty well for the Pacers.

Miles went heavy into fouling for the whole game. Winslow played well - very smart on the court.

[Mabdul Doobakus]

Miles went heavy into fouling for the whole game. Winslow played well - very smart on the court.

Yeah, well, that's true. In a real NBA game, he would've been on the floor for about 6 minutes. At one point it looked worrisome that he might foul out, even though players in the Summer League are given 10 fouls in a 40 minute game.

[Dukeford]

Is Andre Dawkins playing for anybody?

[Indoor66]

P J Hairston still shoots and shoots and shoots and misses and misses and misses! He sucks.

Quinn looks effective.

[brevity]

P J Hairston still shoots and shoots and shoots and misses and misses and misses! He sucks.

Quinn looks effective.

This game turned out to be a real thriller. With the Hornets down 2 points with 4 seconds to go, Frank Kaminsky gets the inbound pass and... misses. Thunder win. Kaminsky, the future of the franchise, gets 19 and 12 but is scoreless in the final period.

"It was a fun game. We had a good start," said Kaminsky in a televised postgame interview. Dennis Scott, one of the NBA TV broadcast announcers, told Kaminsky that he needed to bulk up a little, and suggested Twinkies as a quick solution.

"Pay no mind to the final score," said Patrick Ewing, head coach of Charlotte's Summer League team. "Frank Kaminsky is changing lives." He added that the team will finally realize owner Michael Jordan's championship aspirations once they make a trade with the 76ers to get JP Tokoto.*

*The Twinkie comment and the Patrick Ewing quote may have been imagined.

[Indoor66]

This game turned out to be a real thriller. With the Hornets down 2 points with 4 seconds to go, Frank Kaminsky gets the inbound pass and... misses. Thunder win. Kaminsky, the future of the franchise, gets 19 and 12 but is scoreless in the final period.

"It was a fun game. We had a good start," said Kaminsky in a televised postgame interview. Dennis Scott, one of the NBA TV broadcast announcers, told Kaminsky that he needed to bulk up a little, and suggested Twinkies as a quick solution.

"Pay no mind to the final score," said Patrick Ewing, head coach of Charlotte's Summer League team. "Frank Kaminsky is changing lives." He added that the team will finally realize owner Michael Jordan's championship aspirations once they make a trade with the 76ers to get JP Tokoto.*

*The Twinkie comment and the Patrick Ewing quote may have been imagined.

What a backcourt - P. J. and J. P. It don't get no better.... :cool::cool::cool::cool:

[awhom111]

Rodney Hood and Antonio Lang's Utah Jazz team:
http://www.nba.com/jazz/news/jazz-announce-mini-camp-roster-2015-summer-league

I do not really feel like making certificates this year, so I will just mention prolific foulers in linking the boxscores:

I guess Justise kept people from fouling too much:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150704/MIAIND/gameinfo.html

Spencer Dinwiddie had 8 for the Pistons and Keith Appling had 8 for Orlando White, which won 87-76:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150704/DETORW/gameinfo.html

Liam McMorrow had 8 for the Clippers as they lost 75-74 to Orlando Blue:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150704/ORBLAC/gameinfo.html

Quinn had 3 points and 3 assists in 11 minutes as the Thunder beat the Hornets 75-74, but nobody fouled too much:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150704/CHAOKC/gameinfo.html

A disappointing lack of fouls in the last game of the day as the Grizzlies beat the Nets 81-73:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150704/MEMBKN/gameinfo.html

Sunday games will all be live on NBATV (all times EDT):
Clippers vs Pistons, 1pm
Grizzlies vs Hornets, 3pm
Nets vs Heat (Justise), 5pm


Is Andre Dawkins playing for anybody?

He has not been announced for any teams yet but there are still a handful who have not announced and also the D League select team.

[awhom111]

Nobody wants to foul today.

Pistons beat Clippers 77-69:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150705/LACDET/gameinfo.html

If we added the Harrison Twins' fouls up, that would be more than 6 as the Grizzlies beat the Hornets 79-75:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150705/MEMCHA/gameinfo.html

Justise had 14 points and the game-winning assist as the Heat beat the Nets 71-70:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150705/BKNMIA/gameinfo.html

Quintuple header on Monday on NBATV including four Duke relevant games at the end. All times EDT (including the Utah games):
Pacers vs White, 1pm
Blue vs Thunder (Quinn), 3pm
Pistons vs Heat (Justise), 5pm
Sixers vs Spurs (Jahlil), 7pm
Celtics vs Jazz (Rodney), 9pm

[Mabdul Doobakus]

Justise had 14 points and the game-winning assist as the Heat beat the Nets 71-70:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150705/BKNMIA/gameinfo.html



In case you missed it (and, let's face it, if you have more of a life than me, you probably did...), the game-winning assist was a lob pass on an inbounds from near half-court with 0.4 seconds on the clock. It was kind of like Hill-to-Laettner, and if the Heat go on to win the Summer League will be talking about this for decades, give or take.

[subzero02]

Nobody wants to foul today.

Pistons beat Clippers 77-69:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150705/LACDET/gameinfo.html

If we added the Harrison Twins' fouls up, that would be more than 6 as the Grizzlies beat the Hornets 79-75:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150705/MEMCHA/gameinfo.html

Justise had 14 points and the game-winning assist as the Heat beat the Nets 71-70:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150705/BKNMIA/gameinfo.html

Quintuple header on Monday on NBATV including four Duke relevant games at the end. All times EDT (including the Utah games):
Pacers vs White, 1pm
Blue vs Thunder (Quinn), 3pm
Pistons vs Heat (Justise), 5pm
Sixers vs Spurs (Jahlil), 7pm
Celtics vs Jazz (Rodney), 9pm
I'm in... I can't wait to see some Duke players tomorrow. Particularly Jahlil the thrill

[subzero02]

Winslow looks good. Driving the lane and finishing with his left hand.

[DBFAN]

I gotta say, and yes I know I'm biased, but I think Winslow is in great position to win ROY. With his skill set, the team he's on, position, and being one of the most NBA ready players in this class, he is in great position to run away with it.

[dukelifer]

Winslow looks good. Driving the lane and finishing with his left hand.

They are using him as the primary ball handler. He looks like Harden out there driving and getting fouled.

[CDu]

I gotta say, and yes I know I'm biased, but I think Winslow is in great position to win ROY. With his skill set, the team he's on, position, and being one of the most NBA ready players in this class, he is in great position to run away with it.

The biggest threat to him winning is that he won't be a starter for the Heat. Wade and Deng will start at SG and SF, and both will play a lot. It's possible that Winslow will also average 30+ mpg, but not a guarantee. Whereas guys like Okafor, Russell, Towns, and others will get every chance to start and star. Winslow is going to be on a better team, but he is likely to be a role player on that team whereas a bunch of other guys will be in bigger roles.

[dukelifer]

The biggest threat to him winning is that he won't be a starter for the Heat. Wade and Deng will start at SG and SF, and both will play a lot. It's possible that Winslow will also average 30+ mpg, but not a guarantee. Whereas guys like Okafor, Russell, Towns, and others will get every chance to start and star. Winslow is going to be on a better team, but he is likely to be a role player on that team whereas a bunch of other guys will be in bigger roles.

He also needs to work on his jumper. He is only going to be able to drive if they respect his shot. Right now it is a weakness

[Billy Dat]

Watching Jah in 76ers vs Spurs and loved the following quote from the color man, "Duke is one of those schools like Kentucky...and maybe North Carolina and UCLA back in the day...where they only need to show interest and wait for the player to say yes to a scholarship offer"

[dukelifer]

Watching Jah in 76ers vs Spurs and loved the following quote from the color man, "Duke is one of those schools like Kentucky...and maybe North Carolina and UCLA back in the day...where they only need to show interest and wait for the player to say yes to a scholarship offer"

Jah not having an easy time so far.

[Edouble]

Winslow looks good. Driving the lane and finishing with his left hand.

He's left handed.

[CDu]

He went 3-11 from the field with 6 points, 5 rebounds. In summer league, that's pretty shaky. Hopefully it's just jitters.

[dukelifer]

He went 3-11 from the field with 6 points, 5 rebounds. In summer league, that's pretty shaky. Hopefully it's just jitters.

Particularly with no elite bigs out there playing against him.

[dukelifer]

He went 3-11 from the field with 6 points, 5 rebounds. In summer league, that's pretty shaky. Hopefully it's just jitters.

Much better second half- must have been nerves

[NashvilleDevil]

Much better second half- must have been nerves

That and trying to hard to prove he should've been a top 2 pick.

[BD80]

Winslow looks good. Driving the lane and finishing with his left hand.

Winslow: 33 min, 17 pts, 5-15 shooting, 0 3s, 4 rbs, 1 A, 0 St 0 blk

Stanley Johnson may have had a better game, 29 min, 14 pts, 4-5 shooting, 2-3 from 3, 7 rb, 2 A, 2 St, and a block.

Winslow started 3-4 from the field, then went 2-11.

[awhom111]

I think that we may have solved one mystery at least. One eagle-eyed poster (Billy Dat) spotted a David McClure listed as a Spurs assistant for a summer league from a couple of years ago. I believe that was our David right behind the Spurs bench today. After not playing pro basketball this season and last being seen in Istanbul hanging with Marty and Nolan, I now wonder if my initial suspicion is correct from when I first read this article and he is the David referenced in this article:
http://www.poundingtherock.com/2014/9/17/6328923/spurs-livio-jean-charles-davis-bertans

Keeping an eye on Eurostash seems like a cool job. I think Trajan Landon is still one of their scouts. Another NBA organization for Duke guys to infiltrate (Chip Engelland too).

I will do the usual full update and schedule after Rodney and crew are done with this game.

I did want to say that I hope that Quinn gets more chances in Las Vegas than he has had in Orlando. Oddly enough, he ended up in the exact same position as Nolan, playing behind a guy that the Thunder have a much greater need to fully evaluate (Semaj Christon, an unsigned 2014 second round pick)

[dukelifer]

Winslow: 33 min, 17 pts, 5-15 shooting, 0 3s, 4 rbs, 1 A, 0 St 0 blk

Stanley Johnson may have had a better game, 29 min, 14 pts, 4-5 shooting, 2-3 from 3, 7 rb, 2 A, 2 St, and a block.

Winslow started 3-4 from the field, then went 2-11.

Winslow played better than Johnson but Johnson shot better. Winslow ran the offense. That said Winslow forced a lot down the stretch and struggled with his shot. He played with a lot of confidence, however.

[brevity]

Jah not having an easy time so far.


He went 3-11 from the field with 6 points, 5 rebounds. In summer league, that's pretty shaky. Hopefully it's just jitters.


Particularly with no elite bigs out there playing against him.


Much better second half- must have been nerves


That and trying to hard to prove he should've been a top 2 pick.

Okafor finished his Summer League debut with 9 rebounds and a team-high 20 points. But more importantly, JP Tokoto came off the bench to deliver this scorching line in just 18 minutes of play:

4 points (2/7 FG, 0/1 3pt FG)
5 rebounds
1 assist
0 blocks
0 assists
3 fouls
1 turnover
plus/minus of +2

Extrapolate these fantastic numbers to a full game and you can see how Tokoto has the league flush with anticipation. John Hollinger, creator of the PER (Player Efficiency Rating), said Tokoto is "a statistical dream" and expects the Sixers to keep their star rather than trade him to the Oakland A's.

[Mabdul Doobakus]

3 games in 3 days, plus having primary ball handling responsibilities for most of that game may have taken its toll on Winslow in the 4th. The Heat sat 3/5 of their usual Summer starting lineup.

Willie Reed has looked pretty good for the Heat. Tall, strong, good touch around the basket. Hard to believe he can't find his way onto an NBA roster.

[awhom111]

Myles Turner had 8 fouls as the Pacers lost 85-76 to the bad Magic team:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150706/INDORW/gameinfo.html

Quinn had 3 points in 14 minutes as the Thunder beat the good Magic team 73-65:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150706/ORBOKC/gameinfo.html

In addition to Justise doing his thing, Josh Richardson had 8 fouls in the 78-73 Heat win over the Pistons:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150706/DETMIA/gameinfo.html

Cady Lalanne must have been tired dealing with Jahlil as he had 8 fouls while Jordan McRae had 7 fouls for the Sixers:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150706/PHISAS/gameinfo.html

Rodney led the Jazz with 23 points and added 10 rebounds in 29 minutes as they beat the Celtics 100-82:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150706/BOSUTA/gameinfo.html

Wednesday is another quintuple header live on NBATV (all times EDT):
Blue vs Grizzles, 1pm
Nets vs Hornets, 3pm
Thunder (Quinn) vs Clippers, 5pm
Celtics vs Sixers (Jahlil), 7pm
Spurs vs Jazz (Rodney), 9pm

Here is the team Tyus will be playing with as the Timberwolves hold back some players from playing in Las Vegas:
http://www.nba.com/timberwolves/wolves-announce-summer-league-roster

Raptors:
http://www.nba.com/raptors/press-releases/summerleagueroster-070615

Mavericks (I assume they will fix this at some point, but Mark Cuban must have invented human cloning, because the original release has Maalik Wayns and Justin Anderson listed twice. Wait until Sam Hinkie learns that you can get two players out of one draft choice.):
http://www.mavs.com/mavericks-announce-2015-summer-league-roster-and-schedule/

[Indoor66]

Okafor finished his Summer League debut with 9 rebounds and a team-high 20 points. But more importantly, JP Tokoto came off the bench to deliver this scorching line in just 18 minutes of play:

4 points (2/7 FG, 0/1 3pt FG)
5 rebounds
1 assist
0 blocks
0 assists
3 fouls
1 turnover
plus/minus of +2

Extrapolate these fantastic numbers to a full game and you can see how Tokoto has the league flush with anticipation. John Hollinger, creator of the PER (Player Efficiency Rating), said Tokoto is "a statistical dream" and expects the Sixers to keep their star rather than trade him to the Oakland A's.

I agree that Tokoto had a good game - but that said, he proved again that he can't shoot from more than 3 feet.

[CDu]

Much better second half- must have been nerves

Yeah, 14 and 4 in the second half. Much better showing. Hopefully he builds off of that second half and continues to play well!

[firstpost]

Winslow played better than Johnson but Johnson shot better. Winslow ran the offense. That said Winslow forced a lot down the stretch and struggled with his shot. He played with a lot of confidence, however.

Not to mention, Johnson was in foul trouble early. I believe he had 4 fouls in the first quarter, and that resulted in *I believe* 8 free throws for Justise. If this were a real game, Johnson would've been done.

[oakvillebluedevil]

Yeah, 14 and 4 in the second half. Much better showing. Hopefully he builds off of that second half and continues to play well!


Agreed.

From (the admittedly limited) footage I saw looked like he had a hard time beating his man to the basket to get easy points. That was one of the things that made him so great in college - it felt like he could regularly use moves, countermoves, and sometimes flat out quickness to get an easy, fairly open shot.

A lot of his points last night were tough, lot of fadeaways, a lot of them contested. That'll be the main thing I'm looking for over the course of summer league - can he get to the rim more easily?

I'd imagine a lot of the technical moves are rhythm-based, and he can't be in much of a flow after not playing meaningful 5-on-5 ball for so long.

[CDu]

The Bulls have announced their summer league roster for the Las Vegas Summer League:
http://www.nba.com/bulls/news/bulls-announce-nba-summer-league-2015-roster

Aside from a couple of high draft picks, it's far from intriguing.

[subzero02]

He's left handed.

I know but he was using his left even when driving right...

[Edouble]

I know but he was using his left even when driving right...

Wait... was your point that that's good? Fundamentally you should finish on the right side of the basket with your right hand, finish on the left side with your left hand. Ya know, the Mikan drill?

[subzero02]

Wait... was your point that that's good? Fundamentally you should finish on the right side of the basket with your right hand, finish on the left side with your left hand. Ya know, the Mikan drill?

Nope. My point was every drive that I had seen from Winslow at that point in the game resulted in a left handed layup attempt (or a pass to the right wing that led to missed 3 pointers). He was especially strong with the ball on his drives and usually got off quality shots even after absorbing contact.

[Indoor66]

The Philly game is absolutely unwatchable.

[JasonEvans]

The Philly game is absolutely unwatchable.

Is this a post that has been waiting in the queue since the regular season or are you talking about a summer league game. Philly (http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/201501190WAS.html) was (http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/201411090TOR.html) involved (http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/201411130DAL.html) in (http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/201412300GSW.html) many (http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/201501030LAC.html) games (http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/201503270PHI.html) that one might deem unwatchable.

-Jason "all the above links go to boxscores from 30+ point blowouts... and I didn't even pick every 30+ point blowout from the season" Evans

[brevity]

JP Tokoto in Game 1 (18 minutes):

4 points (2/7 FG, 0/1 3pt FG)
5 rebounds
1 assist
0 blocks
0 steals
3 fouls
1 turnover
plus/minus of +2

And now Game 2 (24 minutes):

4 points (2/8 FG, 0/2 3pt FG)
5 rebounds
1 assist
0 blocks
0 steals
1 foul
2 turnovers
plus/minus of -2

That kind of consistency has to be rewarded. The Sixers are already talking max extension.

[awhom111]

The Bulls have announced their summer league roster for the Las Vegas Summer League:
http://www.nba.com/bulls/news/bulls-announce-nba-summer-league-2015-roster

Aside from a couple of high draft picks, it's far from intriguing.

I was intrigued by which intern of theirs could not get the spelling of Delaware right. Presumably this will be correct at some point although the Mavericks still have not corrected their roster.

We are almost at a full set.

Andre pops up with the Trailblazers, creating the possibility of a major Duke colony there:
http://www.nba.com/blazers/trail-blazers-announce-summer-league-roster

Quinn's Las Vegas teammates:
http://www.nba.com/cavaliers/releases/summer-league-roster-2015

Knicks:
http://www.nba.com/knicks/sl15/knicks-summer-league-roster-announced

Suns:
http://www.nba.com/suns/press-release/suns-announce-2015-summer-league-roster


Two overtimes were still not enough for people to foul as the Grizzlies beat the good Magic team without the good Magic players 73-71:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150707/ORBMEM/gameinfo.html

People were still avoiding fouls when the Hornets beat the Nets 64-55:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150707/BKNCHA/gameinfo.html

Quinn had 8 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists in 17 minutes as the Thunder lost 80-63 to the Clippers. Liam McMorrow reached 7 fouls in the win, which makes sense because he was just playing in the Philippines, where blood is a prerequisite, but not necessarily sufficient, to cause a foul call. The locals like to complain about foreign players giving up halfway through the season and only launching three pointers to avoid banging inside.
http://www.nba.com/games/20150707/OKCLAC/gameinfo.html

Jahlil's final totals are 13 points and 9 rebounds in 29 minutes as the Sixers beat the Celtics 76-62:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150707/BOSPHI/gameinfo.html

Rodney led the Jazz with 18 points in 26 minutes as they beat the Spurs 72-70. He was missing all the other former first round picks, so it was his show. Livio Jean-Charles got his money's worth with 7 fouls:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150707/SASUTA/gameinfo.html

Wednesday is the off day in Utah, so it is just an Orlando tripleheader live on NBATV (all times EDT):
White vs Hornets, 1pm
Pacers vs Pistons, 3pm
Clippers vs Heat (Justise), 5pm

[dukelifer]

I was intrigued by which intern of theirs could not get the spelling of Delaware right. Presumably this will be correct at some point although the Mavericks still have not corrected their roster.

We are almost at a full set.

Andre pops up with the Trailblazers, creating the possibility of a major Duke colony there:
http://www.nba.com/blazers/trail-blazers-announce-summer-league-roster

Quinn's Las Vegas teammates:
http://www.nba.com/cavaliers/releases/summer-league-roster-2015

Knicks:
http://www.nba.com/knicks/sl15/knicks-summer-league-roster-announced

Suns:
http://www.nba.com/suns/press-release/suns-announce-2015-summer-league-roster


Two overtimes were still not enough for people to foul as the Grizzlies beat the good Magic team without the good Magic players 73-71:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150707/ORBMEM/gameinfo.html

People were still avoiding fouls when the Hornets beat the Nets 64-55:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150707/BKNCHA/gameinfo.html

Quinn had 8 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists in 17 minutes as the Thunder lost 80-63 to the Clippers. Liam McMorrow reached 7 fouls in the win, which makes sense because he was just playing in the Philippines, where blood is a prerequisite, but not necessarily sufficient, to cause a foul call. The locals like to complain about foreign players giving up halfway through the season and only launching three pointers to avoid banging inside.
http://www.nba.com/games/20150707/OKCLAC/gameinfo.html

Jahlil's final totals are 13 points and 9 rebounds in 29 minutes as the Sixers beat the Celtics 76-62:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150707/BOSPHI/gameinfo.html

Rodney led the Jazz with 18 points in 26 minutes as they beat the Spurs 72-70. He was missing all the other former first round picks, so it was his show. Livio Jean-Charles got his money's worth with 7 fouls:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150707/SASUTA/gameinfo.html

Wednesday is the off day in Utah, so it is just an Orlando tripleheader live on NBATV (all times EDT):
White vs Hornets, 1pm
Pacers vs Pistons, 3pm
Clippers vs Heat (Justise), 5pm
Rodney is not 100% - recovering from a shoulder strain- but he has a great stroke and has been the best player on the court. I expect he will have a very good sophomore season.

[Indoor66]

JP Tokoto in Game 1 (18 minutes):

4 points (2/7 FG, 0/1 3pt FG)
5 rebounds
1 assist
0 blocks
0 steals
3 fouls
1 turnover
plus/minus of +2

And now Game 2 (24 minutes):

4 points (2/8 FG, 0/2 3pt FG)
5 rebounds
1 assist
0 blocks
0 steals
1 foul
2 turnovers
plus/minus of -2

That kind of consistency has to be rewarded. The Sixers are already talking max extension.

You mean that he gets to play the full summer league season? :cool: If so, his arm will need rehabbing and the rims will have to be sent to a blacksmith for refurbishment to remove all the dents from the bricks he threw at them.

[BD80]

You mean that he gets to play the full summer league season? :cool: If so, his arm will need rehabbing and the rims will have to be sent to a blacksmith for refurbishment to remove all the dents from the bricks he threw at them.

I believe JP's shooting prowess would best be characterized by cinder blocks

[subzero02]

That Zoran dragic guy looks pretty good out there for the heat. If only Josh Smith could his weight under control, the talent is there.

[awhom111]

Not a lot of fouling in the early game, unless you add Hairston violations as the bad Magic team (are they the good ones now that the other team is resting the stars?) beat the Hornets 81-68:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150708/ORWCHA/gameinfo.html

Nobody decided to make the blowout exciting with fouls as the Pistons beat the Pacers 90-65:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150708/INDDET/gameinfo.html

Justise played 8 minutes early and then called it a night as the Heat beat the Clippers 87-85. This sort of thing does seem to happen often with the star players, so we will see if he plays again in the final game. Liam McMorrow must be encouraging his teammates to foul or they need practice for possible hack-a-Jordan at training camp as Yanick Moreira had 7 and D.J. Newbill decided to pick up 9:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150708/LACMIA/gameinfo.html

Utah is back in action tomorrow, so we have a quintuple header of live games again on NBATV (all times EDT):
Pacers vs Blue, 1pm
Nets vs White, 3pm
Thunder (Quinn) vs Grizzlies, 5pm
Celtics vs Spurs, 7pm
Sixers (Jahlil) vs Jazz (Rodney), 9pm

[blynch923]

does anyone know if Andre is playing in the summer league? I couldn't find anything when I googled him so I figured my best bet would be to ask in this thread.

[JohnJ]

Yes - the Trail Blazers:

http://www.nba.com/blazers/trail-blazers-announce-summer-league-roster

[Edouble]

Yes - the Trail Blazers:

http://www.nba.com/blazers/trail-blazers-announce-summer-league-roster

Wow, with Daniel Orton and Arnett Moultrie, no less. I would love to catch a game.

[MCFinARL]

Quinn Cook scored 15 points with 5 rebounds and 5 assists in 26 minutes off the bench tonight as OKC lost to the Grizzlies (http://www.nba.com/games/20150709/OKCMEM/gameinfo.html).

[awhom111]

Here are the last two rosters:

Rockets:
http://www.nba.com/rockets/news/las-vegas-summer-league-schedule

D League Select:
http://dleague.nba.com/news/2015-nba-dleague-select-team-roster-summer-league-las-vegas/

The Pacers beat the good Magic team that did not have any of its contracted players 91-85 as Maurice Walker took advantage of more playing time with 8 fouls in the loss:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150709/INDORB/gameinfo.html

The bad Magic team beat the Nets 65-58 and had 2 players reach 7 fouls in Melvin Ejim and Keith Appling:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150709/BKNORW/gameinfo.html

A note from Quinn's game linked in the last post is Michael Holyfield's 7 fouls in the win. Preumably Quinn will play the last game for the Thunder before flying to Vegas to join the Cavs, although it would be crazy if he played the game, hopped on a flight immediately and tried to play late Friday night in the Finals rematch.

Livio Jean-Charles must like the foul limit as he had another 7 in the Spurs' 85-71 loss to the Celtics:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150709/BOSSAS/gameinfo.html

Jahlil had 11 points and 6 rebounds as the Sixers lost 84-78 to the Jazz. Rodney did not play due to a possible injury, but at this stage of the summer it is never clear whether the concern is real or rest is involved.
http://www.nba.com/games/20150709/PHIUTA/gameinfo.html

Friday is an 11 game schedule.

First is the 5 games from the Orlando Summer League Championship day, all live on NBATV and times are in EDT:
5th Place: Clippers vs Thunder (Quinn), 8am
3rd Place: Pistons vs Heat (Justise?), 10am
1st Place: Grizzlies vs White, 12pm
7th Place: Pacers vs Blue, 2pm
9th Place: Nets vs Hornets, 4pm

There are 6 games on the opening day in Las Vegas. Games are live on NBATV unless otherwise noted and times are in EDT:
Bucks vs Pelicans (Seth), 6pm (first part of game may be on NBATV, game can be seen in entirety on ESPN3 live and also delayed on NBATV at 12:00pm Saturday)
Kings vs Raptors, 6:30pm
Hawks vs Nuggets, 8:00pm (delayed on NBATV at 9:00am on Saturday)
Timberwolves (Tyus) vs Lakers, 8:30pm
D League Select vs Rockets, 10:00pm (ESPN3)
Warriors vs Cavaliers, 10:30pm

[Turk]

Jah had a couple nice moves in the highlights. I caught the end of the 4th quarter and OT, but Jah did not play well in the parts that I saw. Sixers came from 15 down to be up 4 in the last minute. Sixers couldn't close the game out. Jazz tied the game, Sixers had the last shot, and Jah lost the handle on his dribble. He had team high 6 turnovers, and didn't finish a couple putbacks under the basket.

[ChillinDuke]

JP Tokoto in Game 1 (18 minutes):

4 points (2/7 FG, 0/1 3pt FG)
5 rebounds
1 assist
0 blocks
0 steals
3 fouls
1 turnover
plus/minus of +2

And now Game 2 (24 minutes):

4 points (2/8 FG, 0/2 3pt FG)
5 rebounds
1 assist
0 blocks
0 steals
1 foul
2 turnovers
plus/minus of -2

That kind of consistency has to be rewarded. The Sixers are already talking max extension.


Okafor finished his Summer League debut with 9 rebounds and a team-high 20 points. But more importantly, JP Tokoto came off the bench to deliver this scorching line in just 18 minutes of play:

4 points (2/7 FG, 0/1 3pt FG)
5 rebounds
1 assist
0 blocks
0 assists
3 fouls
1 turnover
plus/minus of +2

Extrapolate these fantastic numbers to a full game and you can see how Tokoto has the league flush with anticipation. John Hollinger, creator of the PER (Player Efficiency Rating), said Tokoto is "a statistical dream" and expects the Sixers to keep their star rather than trade him to the Oakland A's.

The fake quotes are amazing. Please keep them coming.

Also, are you now the Board's Official JP Tokoto Tracker? I'd absolutely die for updates - particularly, negative ones.

- Chillin

[duke blue brewcrew]

Jah had a couple nice moves in the highlights. I caught the end of the 4th quarter and OT, but Jah did not play well in the parts that I saw. Sixers came from 15 down to be up 4 in the last minute. Sixers couldn't close the game out. Jazz tied the game, Sixers had the last shot, and Jah lost the handle on his dribble. He had team high 6 turnovers, and didn't finish a couple putbacks under the basket.

His REB Totals (6) equaled his TO Totals (6) - not the best overall night despite some nice moves at times.

[huey]

Quinn Cook is having a pretty good game against the Clippers. His production has increased to match his increased playing time over the past few games. Nothing like a little overtime to help the stats:

http://www.nba.com/games/20150710/LACOKC/gameinfo.html?hpt=buzz&ls=iref:nba:homepage:gametracker:tacobell:livestat e

Hopefully he get's some long hard looks from the Cavs. I was really excited when they selected Tyus to back up Kyrie. Would be equally happy if Quinn could get that spot.

[dukelifer]

Jah had a couple nice moves in the highlights. I caught the end of the 4th quarter and OT, but Jah did not play well in the parts that I saw. Sixers came from 15 down to be up 4 in the last minute. Sixers couldn't close the game out. Jazz tied the game, Sixers had the last shot, and Jah lost the handle on his dribble. He had team high 6 turnovers, and didn't finish a couple putbacks under the basket.

I thought Jah really struggled at times. A big problem is that he did not get the ball in his hands in the right spots. Still he is not able to use his body as he did in college and that limits his effectiveness. He is going have to develop a little jumper or banker from 10 or 12 feet out. He also will need to be a bit more aggressive on the boards. He will be okay- but I would be surprised if he gets much above 12 -14 pts a game in his first year.

[brevity]

The fake quotes are amazing. Please keep them coming.

Also, are you now the Board's Official JP Tokoto Tracker? I'd absolutely die for updates - particularly, negative ones.

- Chillin

You anticipate positive updates?

Being an official tracker of JP Tokoto would require me to follow the Sixers throughout the regular season and possibly the playoffs. (So, exactly 82 games.) Which is pointless, seeing as how Adam Silver has already gotten the NBA to engrave Tokoto's name on the 2015-2016 Rookie of the Year trophy.

D'Angelo Russell? More like D'Angelo Runner-Up.

JP Tokoto in Game 3 (29 minutes)

6 points (2/3 FG, 0/0 3pt FG, 2/2 FT)
8 rebounds
0 assists
0 blocks
1 steal
3 fouls
3 turnovers
plus/minus of 0

Utah Jazz player Rodney Hood, who was allowed to rest and skip this game, was asked about Tokoto afterwards. "Glad I didn't play. Watching Tokoto made me want to throw up."

[ChillinDuke]

Quinn Cook is having a pretty good game against the Clippers. His production has increased to match his increased playing time over the past few games. Nothing like a little overtime to help the stats:

http://www.nba.com/games/20150710/LACOKC/gameinfo.html?hpt=buzz&ls=iref:nba:homepage:gametracker:tacobell:livestat e

Hopefully he get's some long hard looks from the Cavs. I was really excited when they selected Tyus to back up Kyrie. Would be equally happy if Quinn could get that spot.

Quinn had a very nice game. And one that compared quite favorably to his (starting) competitor, Semaj Christon, who(m) Awhom referenced above.

Quinn had: 22 pts on 8 of 15, including 2 of 5 from deep and 4-4 from the line, to go with 9 dimes:1 turnover and 3 boards in 33 minutes. +4
Christon had: 23 on 7 of 18, including 0-3 and 9-11, to go with 7:7 and 4 in 32 minutes. He also added 2 steals and a block. -3

Both had 4 fouls.

- Chillin

[devildeac]

You anticipate positive updates?

Being an official tracker of JP Tokoto would require me to follow the Sixers throughout the regular season and possibly the playoffs. (So, exactly 82 games.) Which is pointless, seeing as how Adam Silver has already gotten the NBA to engrave Tokoto's name on the 2015-2016 Rookie of the Year trophy.

D'Angelo Russell? More like D'Angelo Runner-Up.

JP Tokoto in Game 3 (29 minutes)

6 points (2/3 FG, 0/0 3pt FG, 2/2 FT)
8 rebounds
0 assists
0 blocks
1 steal
3 fouls
3 turnovers
plus/minus of 0

Utah Jazz player Rodney Hood, who was allowed to rest and skip this game, was asked about Tokoto afterwards. "Glad I didn't play. Watching Tokoto made me want to throw up."

Best fake quote yet. Going to get wash cloth to clean coffee off my monitor screen. Keep 'em coming!

[awhom111]

It was a very long day of hoops.

First, in Orlando:

The 5th place game went to sudden death overtime before Quinn's team won 101-100. His stats are in an above post as he then got to make the long trip to Las Vegas.
http://www.nba.com/games/20150710/LACOKC/gameinfo.html

For 3rd place, Justise was again held out as the Heat beat the Pistons 91-68. We will see if he plays much in Las Vegas.
http://www.nba.com/games/20150710/DETMIA/gameinfo.html

The 1st place game went to sudden death overtime as well with the Grizzlies winning 75-73 as Keith Appling at least got to bring home another game of 7 fouls as a souvenir for the weaker Magic team.
http://www.nba.com/games/20150710/MEMORW/gameinfo.html

The weakened stronger Magic team beat the Pacers 98-74 for 7th place.
http://www.nba.com/games/20150710/INDORB/gameinfo.html

Of course the weakest teams have to stay until the bitter end with the Hornets beating the Nets 82-73. The Nets only played 6 guys, so Rondae Hollis-Jefferson was able to pick up 7 fouls after playing all 40 minutes.
http://www.nba.com/games/20150710/BKNCHA/gameinfo.html

Las Vegas time:

Seth came out on fire as the Pelicans beat the Bucks 101-89. He finished with 30 points in 30 minutes to lead the team.
http://www.nba.com/games/20150710/MILNOP/gameinfo.html

The Raptors beat the Kings 90-68.
http://www.nba.com/games/20150710/SACTOR/gameinfo.html

The Nuggets beat the Hawks 86-71.
http://www.nba.com/games/20150710/ATLDEN/gameinfo.html

Tyus struggled mightily in 16 minutes as the Timberwolves beat the Lakers 81-68 in one of the more foul-plagued games that you will ever see. Karl-Anthony Towns had 9 and Adreian Payne had 8 in the win. Tarik Black actually managed to foul out with 10 and D'Angelo Russell had 7 in the loss. Only the Lakers coaches prevented more as Larry Nance Jr. and Robert Upshaw were shut down after picking up 6 each as they played about 12 minutes.
http://www.nba.com/games/20150710/MINLAL/gameinfo.html

Taylor Griffin had 7 for the D League Select as he could not keep things in house and Alan Williams had 7 for the Rockets, spawning a new award from his big fan Ken Pomeroy, as they won 111-104.
http://www.nba.com/games/20150710/DLSHOU/gameinfo.html

The Warriors beat the Cavaliers again 83-75.
http://www.nba.com/games/20150710/GSWCLE/gameinfo.html

Saturday Schedule (times EDT, game live on NBATV unless otherwise noted):
Pelicans (Seth) vs Mavericks, 4:00pm (starts on NBATV, shown in its entirety at 4:00am on Sunday)
Knicks vs Spurs, 4:30pm
Wizards vs Suns, 6:00pm (not broadcast on TV)
Bulls vs Timberwolves (Tyus), 6:30pm
Celtics vs Trailblazers (Andre), 8:00pm (delayed at 6:00am on Sunday)
Lakers vs Sixers (Jahlil), 8:30pm
Nets vs Cavaliers (Quinn?), 10:00pm (delayed at 9:00am on Sunday)
Heat (Justise?) vs Jazz (Rodney?), 10:30pm

[huey]

Quinn had a very nice game. And one that compared quite favorably to his (starting) competitor, Semaj Christon, who(m) Awhom referenced above.

Quinn had: 22 pts on 8 of 15, including 2 of 5 from deep and 4-4 from the line, to go with 9 dimes:1 turnover and 3 boards in 33 minutes. +4
Christon had: 23 on 7 of 18, including 0-3 and 9-11, to go with 7:7 and 4 in 32 minutes. He also added 2 steals and a block. -3

Both had 4 fouls.

- Chillin

While Semaj looks like he might be stronger going to the hoop (only saw some highlights) I hope teams are focusing on Cook's good for summer league shooting (43.5/33.3/100) vs. Semaj (33.8/12.5/76.7). Don't know if they're direct competition but Semaj made 1(!) 3p the entire Orlando SL while Quinn was putting them up at his Duke pace. Thought we'd get a double game day out of Quinn when I saw him on the Cavs Vegas roster but unfortunately he didn't get any burn. They really could have used him out there last night. Only 2 players (both bench players) hit double figures for the Cavs.

Anyone catch any of the Wolves game? Tyus had a real bad stat line and no assists. Just wondering how he looked.

[theAlaskanBear]

While Semaj looks like he might be stronger going to the hoop (only saw some highlights) I hope teams are focusing on Cook's good for summer league shooting (43.5/33.3/100) vs. Semaj (33.8/12.5/76.7). Don't know if they're direct competition but Semaj made 1(!) 3p the entire Orlando SL while Quinn was putting them up at his Duke pace. Thought we'd get a double game day out of Quinn when I saw him on the Cavs Vegas roster but unfortunately he didn't get any burn. They really could have used him out there last night. Only 2 players (both bench players) hit double figures for the Cavs.

Anyone catch any of the Wolves game? Tyus had a real bad stat line and no assists. Just wondering how he looked.

Tyus looked overmatched physically. Lakers play a bunch of big athletic guards. In particular, Buycks really harassed him. As a smaller guard he can't bring the ball up slowly and set up the offense as he did at Duke, or defenders are going to dig in and make life hell. He needs push it, get defenders on their heels and then set up the offense on quick pick and rolls. Once there is a little ball movement and defense is reacting Tyus should have a little more space to operate, but he is going to need to make quick decisions and develop a very quick release on his shot.

As far as Semaj vs Cook. I don't see them in competition and they are very different type of guards. Semaj is a slashing playmaker who is trying to develop a defensive reputation. Cook is going to have to impress people with his decision making and shooting. Neither one will be playing guard for OKC next year.

[awhom111]

Tyus looked overmatched physically. Lakers play a bunch of big athletic guards. In particular, Buycks really harassed him. As a smaller guard he can't bring the ball up slowly and set up the offense as he did at Duke, or defenders are going to dig in and make life hell. He needs push it, get defenders on their heels and then set up the offense on quick pick and rolls. Once there is a little ball movement and defense is reacting Tyus should have a little more space to operate, but he is going to need to make quick decisions and develop a very quick release on his shot.

As far as Semaj vs Cook. I don't see them in competition and they are very different type of guards. Semaj is a slashing playmaker who is trying to develop a defensive reputation. Cook is going to have to impress people with his decision making and shooting. Neither one will be playing guard for OKC next year.

The Semaj comparison is because the Thunder own his rights after drafting him in 2014. They could stash him in the D League again, but at some point they probably will need to make a decision on whether to sign him, even for a non-guaranteed deal or to trade his rights since at some point it becomes bad publicity to be blocking a player from getting a fair shot at the NBA. Of course as you point out, they are unlikely to add much this year. Counting Payne, Huestis, and Kanter, they would have 16 fully guaranteed contracts. They are still trying to get rid of Novak and Christon's rights might be something attached to him to make a deal.

[dukelifer]

Tyus looked overmatched physically. Lakers play a bunch of big athletic guards. In particular, Buycks really harassed him. As a smaller guard he can't bring the ball up slowly and set up the offense as he did at Duke, or defenders are going to dig in and make life hell. He needs push it, get defenders on their heels and then set up the offense on quick pick and rolls. Once there is a little ball movement and defense is reacting Tyus should have a little more space to operate, but he is going to need to make quick decisions and develop a very quick release on his shot.

As far as Semaj vs Cook. I don't see them in competition and they are very different type of guards. Semaj is a slashing playmaker who is trying to develop a defensive reputation. Cook is going to have to impress people with his decision making and shooting. Neither one will be playing guard for OKC next year.

Played much better today.

[awhom111]

Seth had a game high 25 points and 6 rebounds in 32 minutes as the Pelicans beat the Mavericks 90-86:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150711/NOPDAL/gameinfo.html

Travis Wear had 7 fouls, which I have heard can be redeemed for timeouts at the Roy Williams Bank of Greece as the Knicks spoiled Becky Hammon's head coaching debut 78-73:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150711/NYKSAS/gameinfo.html

The Suns beat the Wizards 86-77:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150711/WASPHX/gameinfo.html

Tyus bounced back with 14 points in 25 minutes as the Timberwolves lost to the Bulls 84-71 with Cameron Bairstow committing 7 fouls in the win:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150711/CHIMIN/gameinfo.html

Andre had 9 points via his favorite shot in 15 minutes, but the Trailblazers lost 85-76 as his teammates were more interested in collecting fouls with Allen Crabbe fouling out with 10 and Daniel Orton reaching 9:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150711/BOSPOR/gameinfo.html

Jahlil had 19 points and 11 rebounds in 32 minutes and drew a ton of fouls from Tarik Black, who finished with 8, but the Lakers beat the Sixers 68-60:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150711/LALPHI/gameinfo.html

Quinn made it in time to score 4 points in 9 minutes for the Cavaliers, who lost 76-75 to the Nets:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150711/BKNCLE/gameinfo.html

A game that was supposed to have 2 Duke guys ended up with 0 as Justise was rested and Rodney is still battling injury. The Heat beat the Jazz 82-79 getting 7 fouls each from Greg Whittington and Gabriel Olaseni:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150711/MIAUTA/gameinfo.html

Sunday's games (all times EDT, live on NBATV unless otherwise noted):
Wizards vs D League Select, 4:00pm (start of game on NBATV, show in its entirety 6:00am Monday)
Suns vs Rockets, 4:30pm
Bulls vs Raptors, 6:00pm, (delayed at 4:00am Monday)
Bucks vs Spurs, 6:30pm
Kings vs Nuggets, 8:00pm (delayed at 1:30am Monday)
Warriors vs Hawks, 8:30pm
Trailblazers (Andre) vs Mavericks, 10:00pm (delayed at 9:00am Monday)
Sixers (Jahlil) vs Celtics, 10:30pm

[brevity]

The Sixers are now in Las Vegas, and a new star is born.

Despite a late lead they lost to the Lakers. Okafor led Philadelphia in minutes, points, and rebounds, but I'm not here to talk about that.

JP Tokoto in Game 4 (25 minutes)

1 point (0/7 FG, 0/3 3pt FG, 1/2 FT)
5 rebounds
2 assists
0 blocks
2 steals
2 fouls
1 turnover
plus/minus of +1

Vegas legend Wayne Newton was courtside for the game. "Tokoto is the best show in town," he said. "I'd like to sing him a song to thank him, but nothing comes to mind."

"Those shooting numbers are downright Kobe-esque," said rookie opponent Larry Nance Jr. "Wait, that was off the record, right? No? Man, Kobe's gonna hate me all over again."

[dukelifer]

Seth had a game high 25 points and 6 rebounds in 32 minutes as the Pelicans beat the Mavericks 90-86:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150711/NOPDAL/gameinfo.html

Travis Wear had 7 fouls, which I have heard can be redeemed for timeouts at the Roy Williams Bank of Greece as the Knicks spoiled Becky Hammon's head coaching debut 78-73:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150711/NYKSAS/gameinfo.html

The Suns beat the Wizards 86-77:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150711/WASPHX/gameinfo.html

Tyus bounced back with 14 points in 25 minutes as the Timberwolves lost to the Bulls 84-71 with Cameron Bairstow committing 7 fouls in the win:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150711/CHIMIN/gameinfo.html

Andre had 9 points via his favorite shot in 15 minutes, but the Trailblazers lost 85-76 as his teammates were more interested in collecting fouls with Allen Crabbe fouling out with 10 and Daniel Orton reaching 9:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150711/BOSPOR/gameinfo.html

Jahlil had 19 points and 11 rebounds in 32 minutes and drew a ton of fouls from Tarik Black, who finished with 8, but the Lakers beat the Sixers 68-60:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150711/LALPHI/gameinfo.html

Quinn made it in time to score 4 points in 9 minutes for the Cavaliers, who lost 76-75 to the Nets:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150711/BKNCLE/gameinfo.html

A game that was supposed to have 2 Duke guys ended up with 0 as Justise was rested and Rodney is still battling injury. The Heat beat the Jazz 82-79 getting 7 fouls each from Greg Whittington and Gabriel Olaseni:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150711/MIAUTA/gameinfo.html

Sunday's games (all times EDT, live on NBATV unless otherwise noted):
Wizards vs D League Select, 4:00pm (start of game on NBATV, show in its entirety 6:00am Monday)
Suns vs Rockets, 4:30pm
Bulls vs Raptors, 6:00pm, (delayed at 4:00am Monday)
Bucks vs Spurs, 6:30pm
Kings vs Nuggets, 8:00pm (delayed at 1:30am Monday)
Warriors vs Hawks, 8:30pm
Trailblazers (Andre) vs Mavericks, 10:00pm (delayed at 9:00am Monday)
Sixers (Jahlil) vs Celtics, 10:30pm

Curry is transforming himself. 25 points after a 30 point performance. Somebody better sign him. He is bigger and stronger and an elite shooter/scorer now. Yes it is summer league but Curry looks like a star out there. He just needs to get minutes with the big boys.

[Troublemaker]

Okafor's highlights against the Lakers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlM6Sq1JYCQ

He looked good. The extra space he's going to receive at this level will help him.

There are two blocks on D'angelo Russell in the highlights, one on the pick-n-roll.

[Furniture]

https://mobile.twitter.com/sn_nba/status/620068707935481857/photo/1

[huey]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kmvm-Te02o

His 'lack of size' sure wasn't hurting his ability to attack the rim for some And-1's

[CDu]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kmvm-Te02o

His 'lack of size' sure wasn't hurting his ability to attack the rim for some And-1's

Yeah, as a Bulls fan, I was definitely watching that one with special interest (Tyus on one side, two potential rotation players for the Bulls on the other). Granted, it was against D-League competition, but Jones looked solid out there. He was able to attack the rim and finish in traffic. He had several really nice plays.

[Duvall]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kmvm-Te02o

His 'lack of size' sure wasn't hurting his ability to attack the rim for some And-1's

Malkovich?

[Des Esseintes]

Curry is transforming himself. 25 points after a 30 point performance. Somebody better sign him. He is bigger and stronger and an elite shooter/scorer now. Yes it is summer league but Curry looks like a star out there. He just needs to get minutes with the big boys.

Hopefully. But summer league is such a mirage, especially for guys who've been out of college a while. They can curbstomp fresh-from-college no-hopers without proving much of anything about how they'd fare against even a mediocre NBA vet. The ninth man in most regular season NBA rotations could ANNIHILATE summer league play.

That said, I love Seth. It's better that he's crushing it than that he not, and I want badly for him to get another shot.

[phaedrus]

Hopefully. But summer league is such a mirage, especially for guys who've been out of college a while. They can curbstomp fresh-from-college no-hopers without proving much of anything about how they'd fare against even a mediocre NBA vet. The ninth man in most regular season NBA rotations could ANNIHILATE summer league play.

That said, I love Seth. It's better that he's crushing it than that he not, and I want badly for him to get another shot.

I think Seth would be happy to become a ninth man. So maybe this is a good sign.

[OldPhiKap]

The Sixers are now in Las Vegas, and a new star is born.

Despite a late lead they lost to the Lakers. Okafor led Philadelphia in minutes, points, and rebounds, but I'm not here to talk about that.

JP Tokoto in Game 4 (25 minutes)

1 point (0/7 FG, 0/3 3pt FG, 1/2 FT)
5 rebounds
2 assists
0 blocks
2 steals
2 fouls
1 turnover
plus/minus of +1

Vegas legend Wayne Newton was courtside for the game. "Tokoto is the best show in town," he said. "I'd like to sing him a song to thank him, but nothing comes to mind."

"Those shooting numbers are downright Kobe-esque," said rookie opponent Larry Nance Jr. "Wait, that was off the record, right? No? Man, Kobe's gonna hate me all over again."

That was painful to watch. familiar, but painful.

[dukelifer]

Hopefully. But summer league is such a mirage, especially for guys who've been out of college a while. They can curbstomp fresh-from-college no-hopers without proving much of anything about how they'd fare against even a mediocre NBA vet. The ninth man in most regular season NBA rotations could ANNIHILATE summer league play.

That said, I love Seth. It's better that he's crushing it than that he not, and I want badly for him to get another shot.

I agree that it does not translate to the NBA but also a bit of a stretch to think that the ninth man would be putting up 40 in the summer league. Still Curry was hitting all kinds of shots. He looks like his brother with his floaters and bankers. He is crafty and is a much better ball handler than he was at Duke. He is very close.

[theAlaskanBear]

I was finally able to watch Tyus vs the Bulls and he looked much more comfortable. A good job playing with pace and moving without the ball. Tyus was more aggressive and it showed, and Galloway wasn't nearly as aggressive defensively as the Lakers.

It's good to see Seth really score. I think this is the year he sticks on the bench with some team. His 3 pt shot has been awful so far, so it's good to see him utilize his other skills to score.

Jah has impressed me with his poise during games. The Sixers have been awful shooting the ball, as well as generally terrible entry passers other than McConnell and Jackson. Jakarr Sampson in particular last night took a lot of boneheaded shots and missed some passes, but Jahlil did a job resetting, reposting, and passing out of doubles. I thought there would be a bit of a learning curve when guys became larger than college, but he is going to have a big impact this year, especially with the Embiid news.

One more thing. Towns has played alright, but his lack of scoring is a bit concerning to me, and Reggie miller hit the nail on the head (shocker I know) when he had defensively towns has a lot to work on. Players are taking it into his chest and going through him, as well as his pick and roll defense hasn't been good. Probably just a matter of putting on some more muscle. Jahs decision not to try to drop weight right off the bat makes a lot more sense to me now. Okafor will have to work on his conditioning certainly, but if his body can play at a high weight it may benefit his game.

[awhom111]

Malkovich?

I expect a fake quote from him before the end of the week.

[brevity]

A big letdown in Las Vegas today. Sixers fan site Liberty Ballers (http://www.libertyballers.com/2015/7/12/8937259/sixers-celtics-summer-league-preview-thread) cites the following tweet:

Keith Pompey (https://twitter.com/PompeyOnSixers/status/620310067812786176) ‏@PompeyOnSixers

Jahlil Okafor, TJ McConnell and JP Tokoto will not play tonight vs the Celtics to rest. #Sixers #NBASummerLeague

12:13 PM - 12 Jul 2015

Liberty Ballers added:


Steve Zack will also be around to replace Okafor, with the assumption that Sam Hinkie was doing his agent a favor. Regardless, he'll get an extended look.

Resulting in these comments:


"Who is Steve Zack?"
"Think Jahlil Okafor, only the exact opposite."

But more importantly, no Tokoto action tonight. (Obviously, he's earned it, based on his stellar play thus far. What more does he have to prove?) Many fans were not pleased, and expressed their displeasure during halftime.

"Our show is dark tonight, so we have some free time, and Wayne [Newton] suggested we see Tokoto play," said Penn Jillette, half of the illusionist act Penn & Teller. "Hey, I'm still having some fun here, but I'm not the hardcore basketball fan that Teller is."

"I'm pissed!" added Teller, to a shocked crowd. "Was that out loud? Oh crap."

[awhom111]

It was almost a Sunday with no Duke action.

D League Select beat the Wizards 94-74:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150712/WASDLS/gameinfo.html

The Rockets beat the Suns 108-89:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150712/PHXHOU/gameinfo.html

The Raptors beat the Bulls 81-66:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150712/CHITOR/gameinfo.html

The Spurs beat the Bucks 89-74 with Jorge Gutierrez committing 7 fouls in the loss:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150712/MILSAS/gameinfo.html

The Nuggets beat the Kings 98-76:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150712/SACDEN/gameinfo.html

The Hawks beat the Warriors 71-70:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150712/GSWATL/gameinfo.html

Andre came off the bench late to knock down a few more threes as the Trailblazers beat the Mavericks 93-80 (because we all wanted to see Keith Bogans play). Dwight Powell and Jeremy Tyler had 7 fouls each as the Mavericks are clearly getting ready to hack-a-everyone:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150712/PORDAL/gameinfo.html

Lots of rest made the last game boring (and the schedule makers were stupid for rematching the teams in the first place) as the Celtic beat the Sixers 85-76:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150712/PHIBOS/gameinfo.html

Monday's games (all times EDT, live on NBATV unless noted otherwise):
Cavaliers (Quinn) vs Bucks, 4:00pm
Pelicans (Seth) vs Nets, 4:30pm (live on ESPN3, delayed on NBATV at 4:00am on Tuesday)
D League Select vs Hawks, 6:00pm (live on ESPN3)
Warriors vs Kings, 6:30pm
Heat (Justise) vs Nuggets, 8:00pm (delayed on NBATV at 9:00am on Tuesday)
Lakers vs Knicks, 8:30pm
Raptors vs Rockets, 10:00pm (live on ESPN3, delayed on NBATV at 6:00am on Tuesday)
Jazz (Rodney) vs Timberwolves (Tyus) 10:30pm

[NashvilleDevil]

I know it's summer league and nothing should be made of it but please explain to me, again, why Towns was such a lock for the 1st pick? As I write this he's got 11 points on 3 of 10 shooting. He also has 7 fouls and there is still two minutes left in the 3rd. I know it's early but if I'm Minnesota and this is happening against guys who are D-Leaguers, I'd be concerned.

[awhom111]

Quinn had a quiet 3 minutes as the Cavaliers beat the Bucks 94-87 in overtime. Micheal Eric was not quiet as he committed 8 fouls in the loss:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150713/CLEMIL/gameinfo.html

Seth came out firing and finished with 20 points in 34 minutes as the Pelicans beat the Nets 89-83 and have a decent shot at the top seed even though Victor Rudd got 8 fouls:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150713/NOPBKN/gameinfo.html

The D League Select beat the Hawks 84-74:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150713/DLSATL/gameinfo.html

The Kings beat the Warriors 90-71:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150713/GSWSAC/gameinfo.html

Justise only played 12 minutes and had 3 points as the Heat lost 86-83 to the Nuggets:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150713/MIADEN/gameinfo.html

The Knicks beat the Lakers 76-66:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150713/LALNYK/gameinfo.html

8 fouls for Montrezl Harrell in a 95-87 Rockets loss to the Raptors:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150713/TORHOU/gameinfo.html

No Rodney Hood again for the Jazz as they beat Tyus and the Timberwolves 91-82. Tyus had 6 points in 24 minutes and Karl Anthony Towns had 9 fouls as he must stick to 6 from now on:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150713/UTAMIN/gameinfo.html

Tuesday schedule (times EDT, live on NBATV unless otherwise noted):
Trailblazeres (Andre) vs Spurs, 3:00pm
Wizards vs Mavericks, 3:30pm, (delayed on NBATV at 4:00am on Wednesday)
Nets vs Bulls, 5:00pm (live on ESPN3, delayed on NBATV at 6:00am on Wednesday)
Knicks vs Sixers (Jahlil), 5:30pm
Heat (Justise) vs Celtics, 7:00pm (delayed on NBATV at 1:30am on Wednesday)
Suns vs Jazz (Rodney?), 7:30pm

[JasonEvans]

The Knicks beat the Lakers 76-66:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150713/LALNYK/gameinfo.html

Worth noting that D'Angelo Russell again struggled. 8 points and 8 turnovers in this game. Not good. He really seems to be trying to force the action too much. He now has an ugly 20 turnovers in 3 games. Umm, that is not good.

-Jason "Russell may end up being a good player, but the Lakers will regret not taking Okafor" Evans

[nmduke2001]

I watched portions of the T-Wolves game and I was not impressed with Karl Anthony Towns. He had 6 fouls in the first half and most of them were because he wasn't moving his feet and was just reaching. For a guy that moved up to number 1 because of his all around game and defensive ability, he sure didn't show it last night.

[Zmac32]

Overall, the 2015 Summer League has not been overly impressive for the high first round picks. I expected the adjustment to be smoother for some of the top guys up to this point. Hopefully this will temper the expectations for some of the rookies initially (Towns in particular). To this point, Jahlil has probably looked the best of the premier draft selections...color me not surprised....smh Lakers :mad:

[InSpades]

I watched portions of the T-Wolves game and I was not impressed with Karl Anthony Towns. He had 6 fouls in the first half and most of them were because he wasn't moving his feet and was just reaching. For a guy that moved up to number 1 because of his all around game and defensive ability, he sure didn't show it last night.

You guys are surprised that Towns fouls a lot? This is a guy who averaged 3 fouls per game in college playing 20 minutes per game next to the best defender in all of college basketball. 3 fouls per game against SEC big men who aren't dreaming of playing in the d-league. Now he's trying to play that same defense against actually talented big men... I'd be surprised if he didn't have a ton of fouls. I hope he's great, I hope the T'Wolves are actually good very soon... but I never bought into Towns as a good defender. He fouled out 6 times, only 2 of them did he play more than 20 minutes. None of them elite teams. He fouled out in 10 minutes vs. Buffalo.

Meanwhile the video I see of Okafor is super impressive. Not sure it will translate against NBA centers but he looks really good w/ the ball in his hands.

[Zmac32]

If Jah becomes Big Al at the next level (Career averages of 17 and 9..but has hit 20 PPG three times) are we OK with that? The more I watch him in an NBA system..the more of Jefferson I see in his game.

I will be very interested to see what percentage of Jah's touches he is doubled on over the next 2-3 years. Philly has a dearth of perimeter weapons and Noel will do very little to draw away the other big's attention. I know a lot of people are expecting 20/10 plus out of Jah, but would a career similar to Al's necessarily be the worst thing?

[sagegrouse]

If Jah becomes Big Al at the next level (Career averages of 17 and 9..but has hit 20 PPG three times) are we OK with that? The more I watch him in an NBA system..the more of Jefferson I see in his game.

I will be very interested to see what percentage of Jah's touches he is doubled on over the next 2-3 years. Philly has a dearth of perimeter weapons and Noel will do very little to draw away the other big's attention. I know a lot of people are expecting 20/10 plus out of Jah, but would a career similar to Al's necessarily be the worst thing?

Horford or Jefferson or someone else?

[JasonEvans]

Horford or Jefferson or someone else?

He was talking about Jefferson, who is not nearly the defender that Horford is, but is certainly a better offensive player (or at least more of a scorer).

I would have no problem with Okafor being either Jefferson or Horford. At the age of 28, Horford is a 3-time All-Star and probably the best player on a team that won 60 games a year ago. Jefferson has been a consistent offensive force for many years, though he has largely toiled on weaker teams which is why he does not get noticed very much. He's also a pretty weak defensive player.

-Jason "that said, I think Okafor's ceiling is higher than both of those guys... not much, but a little higher" Evans

[jimsumner]

If Jah becomes Big Al at the next level (Career averages of 17 and 9..but has hit 20 PPG three times) are we OK with that? The more I watch him in an NBA system..the more of Jefferson I see in his game.

I will be very interested to see what percentage of Jah's touches he is doubled on over the next 2-3 years. Philly has a dearth of perimeter weapons and Noel will do very little to draw away the other big's attention. I know a lot of people are expecting 20/10 plus out of Jah, but would a career similar to Al's necessarily be the worst thing?

Is he doing this for teams that finish 52-30? Or teams that finish 30-52?

Tim Duncan has averaged 19.5 and 11.0 for his NBA career. DeMarcus Cousins has averaged 18.9/10.6, albeit in a much shorter span. But one is iconic, one is not. Team success matters a lot here.

[JohnJ]

He was talking about Jefferson, who is not nearly the defender that Horford is, but is certainly a better offensive player (or at least more of a scorer

-Jason "that said, I think Okafor's ceiling is higher than both of those guys... not much, but a little higher" Evans

Thanks! I did a search for "Big Al" and all I found was a cell phone repair shop and a BBQ place. I might have to check out the BBQ place.........

[Selover]

Thanks! I did a search for "Big Al" and all I found was a cell phone repair shop and a BBQ place. I might have to check out the BBQ place.........

Nothin' beats some brisket while getting your phone fixed!

[Troublemaker]

-Jason "that said, I think Okafor's ceiling is higher than both of those guys... not much, but a little higher" Evans

Yeah, I agree. I think Jahlil will eventually be a dominant enough post scorer that he will (a) be considered the best in the NBA at that skill and (b) be considered one of the top 10 players in the NBA. People think Al Jefferson is a very good player, but nobody regards him THAT highly.

Jah can't be Tim Duncan where Duncan was considered to be a top 3 player for several years in a row. And it's because of the obvious reason, defense. But I think Jah does have a ceiling as a top-10 player in the league, which would be fantastic.

[Duvall]

Is he doing this for teams that finish 52-30? Or teams that finish 30-52?

Tim Duncan has averaged 19.5 and 11.0 for his NBA career. DeMarcus Cousins has averaged 18.9/10.6, albeit in a much shorter span. But one is iconic, one is not. Team success matters a lot here.

Of course Duncan was drafted by a franchise that employed David Robinson and Gregg Popovich, and Cousins...wasn't.

[duke09hms]

Jah can't be Tim Duncan where Duncan was considered to be a top 3 player for several years in a row. And it's because of the obvious reason, defense.

I am VERY curious to see how Jah actually does on defense. I personally think his poor defensive reputation is overblown since we really wanted to keep him out of foul trouble, and he was out of shape from twisting his ankle in the UNC game. I don't see why he couldn't at least be decent on defense. Sure he might always be exploited if he gets switched out onto guards, but the same would happen to Duncan too.

[awhom111]

I will post the schedule later tonight once they firm up the bracket.

Andre made a brief cameo, but did not do much in 6 minutes as the Trailblazers lost 79-75:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150714/PORSAS/gameinfo.html

The Wizards beat the Mavericks 85-79 in a battle of winless teams as Jeremy Tyler got the consolation prize of 8 fouls:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150714/WASDAL/gameinfo.html

The Nets edged the Bulls 87-86:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150714/BKNCHI/gameinfo.html

Jahlil had 18 points and 6 rebounds in 31 minutes as the Sixers lost to the Knicks 84-81 in overtime with Kristaps Porzingis collecting 7 fouls:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150714/NYKPHI/gameinfo.html

Justise had 5 points in an 11 minute appearance in a 101-69 loss to the Celtics as one has to question the Heat's continuation of this halfway shutdown instead of either playing him heavily or just calling it a summer:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150714/MIABOS/gameinfo.html

No Rodney as the Jazz lost 91-82 to the Suns:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150714/PHXUTA/gameinfo.html

[oakvillebluedevil]

Nothin' beats some brisket while getting your phone fixed!

I was eating brisket while waiting for my phone to be fixed when Ingram committed - was watching on my laptop in a Philly BBQ place. Can confirm that it was by far the best brisket and phone fixing experience I've had (though Philly BBQ deserves no mention on the Duke vs. Kentucky thread :)).

Happy offseason y'all.

[awhom111]

Wednesday (times all EDT, games live on NBATV unless otherwise indicated, numbers indicate seeds in brackets, winning teams advance to play Thursday and losing teams play consolation games on Friday):

24 Bucks vs 9 Rockets, 4:00pm (delayed on NBATV at 1:30am on Thursday)
23 Sixers (Jahlil) vs 10 Nets, 4:30pm
19 Heat (Justise) vs 14 Hawks, 6:00pm (delayed on NBATV at 4:00am on Thursday)
21 Kings vs 12 Warriors, 6:30pm
20 Wizards vs 13 Jazz (Rodney?), 8:00pm (delayed on NBATV at 6:00am on Thursday)
22 Mavericks vs 11 Lakers, 8:30pm
17 Bulls vs 16 Cavaliers (Quinn), 10:00pm (delayed on NBATV at 12:00pm on Thursday.
18 Timberwolves (Tyus) vs 15 Trailblazers (Andre), 10:30pm

[brevity]

Sorry for the late entry. The big matchup between Porzingis and Tokoto went into overtime, and after all that excitement, I needed the rest. Everyone did. Even the casinos shut down for a few hours.

JP Tokoto in his 5th Summer League game (24 minutes):

7 points (3/7 FG, 0/3 3pt FG, 1/2 FT)
2 rebounds
0 assists
1 block
1 steal
1 foul
2 turnovers
plus/minus of -5

Roy Williams, Tokoto's former coach at North Carolina, awoke from his recruiting nap and took issue with a recent discussion (http://forums.dukebasketballreport.com/forums/showthread.php?36213) that called into question Tokoto's outside shooting. "Look, he's attempted nine 3-pointers this summer in a Sixers uniform, and each time the result was the same. I'd say he's pretty dadgum consistent."

"I give my thanks to... Mr. Tokoto," said actor John Malkovich, who was visiting Las Vegas for other reasons. "I don't... actually care about basketball, but when the casino security fell asleep, I was able to complete my... secret mission." Mr. Malkovich did not clarify his statement, but some fans are speculating that he was conducting hands-on research for his next project, a jewel heist film.

[Devil77]

Worth noting that D'Angelo Russell again struggled. 8 points and 8 turnovers in this game. Not good. He really seems to be trying to force the action too much. He now has an ugly 20 turnovers in 3 games. Umm, that is not good.

-Jason "Russell may end up being a good player, but the Lakers will regret not taking Okafor" Evans

Yep, the Russell pick was ludicrous. Russ is the kind of combo guard that can be had in any draft. I think that Oak will prove to be a once in a generation player.

[luburch]

Yep, the Russell pick was ludicrous. Russ is the kind of combo guard that can be had in any draft. I think that Oak will prove to be a once in a generation player.

I think anyone making bold assertions after a handful of summer league games is ludicrous. Why not let the players play a season or two before attempting to pass judgement?

[BD80]

I think anyone making bold assertions after a handful of summer league games is ludicrous. Why not let the players play a season or two before attempting to pass judgement?

Ummm. It's summer. It's kind of what we do around here.

Just wait until the clandestine reports of the Duke guys playing pick-up games start filtering in.

I hear Sean Obi has the defensive ability of Dikembe Mutumbo, the offensive skills of Tim Duncan, the leaping ability of David Thompson and the libido of Wilt Chamberlin. He should get around 36 mpg because he shoots 99.4% from the line and will be our primary ball handler at the end of close games.

[NashvilleDevil]

Ummm. It's summer. It's kind of what we do around here.

Just wait until the clandestine reports of the Duke guys playing pick-up games start filtering in.

I hear Sean Obi has the defensive ability of Dikembe Mutumbo, the offensive skills of Tim Duncan, the leaping ability of David Thompson and the libido of Wilt Chamberlin. He should get around 36 mpg because he shoots 99.4% from the line and will be our primary ball handler at the end of close games.

Is it possible to clone this guy? Duke would never lose.

[luburch]

Ummm. It's summer. It's kind of what we do around here.

Just wait until the clandestine reports of the Duke guys playing pick-up games start filtering in.

I hear Sean Obi has the defensive ability of Dikembe Mutumbo, the offensive skills of Tim Duncan, the leaping ability of David Thompson and the libido of Wilt Chamberlin. He should get around 36 mpg because he shoots 99.4% from the line and will be our primary ball handler at the end of close games.

No, I get that. It's the offseason and there's not much to do, but I always found it funny to judge people on summer league performances. If I've learned one thing from summer league, it's that you cant learn anything from summer league. :D

[flyingdutchdevil]

No, I get that. It's the offseason and there's not much to do, but I always found it funny to judge people on summer league performances. If I've learned one thing from summer league, it's that you cant learn anything from summer league. :D

Completely agree. Summer league is a joke and doesn't provide a barometer for future performance. All these, "These last few games prove that Okafor should have been taken before Russell" posts are pretty hilarious. I have no idea if Russell will be better than Okafor (or vise versa), but I do know that both players have a lot of potential. And a few summer games a few weeks after the players are drafted isn't going to show that potential.

And if we're using Summer League as a barometer, than let's not be bias and look at Tyus Jones. He's averaging 6.7 points (not great, not bad), 1.3 assists (pretty terrible), and 3.0 turnovers a game in 22 minutes of action per game! That is not very good at all. But does it matter? Of course not! Tyus is a smart cerebral player who is probably overwhelmed by the initial physicality, size, speed, and talent of the NBA. He'll be okay.

[Billy Dat]

Is he doing this for teams that finish 52-30? Or teams that finish 30-52?

Tim Duncan has averaged 19.5 and 11.0 for his NBA career. DeMarcus Cousins has averaged 18.9/10.6, albeit in a much shorter span. But one is iconic, one is not. Team success matters a lot here.

I agree with the feeling behind this statement because I would rather see one of our guys playing a key role on a great team then being a number hanger on a bad team.


I would have no problem with Okafor being either Jefferson or Horford. At the age of 28, Horford is a 3-time All-Star and probably the best player on a team that won 60 games a year ago. Jefferson has been a consistent offensive force for many years, though he has largely toiled on weaker teams which is why he does not get noticed very much. He's also a pretty weak defensive player.

I agree and will add that Big Al has been knocked back by injury consistently throughout his career, and I think he very well may have been better served by a year in college under a good fundamental coach to give him a little better base on defense.


Yeah, I agree. I think Jahlil will eventually be a dominant enough post scorer that he will (a) be considered the best in the NBA at that skill and (b) be considered one of the top 10 players in the NBA. People think Al Jefferson is a very good player, but nobody regards him THAT highly.

Jah can't be Tim Duncan where Duncan was considered to be a top 3 player for several years in a row. And it's because of the obvious reason, defense. But I think Jah does have a ceiling as a top-10 player in the league, which would be fantastic.

Thinking about being a top 10 guy, I looked at the All NBA teams which are fair proxy even though the voting is done by position which means that guys who might be top 10 might not make it if their position is loaded. The front court players on the teams this year include Marc Gasol, Lamarcus Aldridge, Pau Gasol, Anthony Davis, Demarcus Cousins, Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan, Tim Duncan. When I first read Troublemaker's note, I thought the projected ceiling was a little aggressive but I certainly think Jah has the same potential of nearly all of these guys, especially if one considers how they were rated compared to Jah when they entered the league. Go get it Big Fella!

[Turk]

I was eating brisket while waiting for my phone to be fixed when Ingram committed - was watching on my laptop in a Philly BBQ place. Can confirm that it was by far the best brisket and phone fixing experience I've had (though Philly BBQ deserves no mention on the Duke vs. Kentucky thread :)).

Happy offseason y'all.

Care to mention the Philly BBQ place? Even if not worthy of Duke vs. Kentucky, those of us around here on this side of the Mason-Dixon line have to make do with what we have...

[devildeac]

Care to mention the Philly BBQ place? Even if not worthy of Duke vs. Kentucky, those of us around here on this side of the Mason-Dixon line have to make do with what we have...

Give it up, Turk. You'll just have to settle for some delicious pork sammiches, outrageous cheese steaks and hand-tossed pizzas, all washed down by some fine Victory ales and finished off with some Tastykake Chocolate Juniors and/or some cream-filled chocolate cupcakes. Philly BBQ? WTH?

(;))

[MChambers]

Ummm. It's summer. It's kind of what we do around here.

Just wait until the clandestine reports of the Duke guys playing pick-up games start filtering in.

I hear Sean Obi has the defensive ability of Dikembe Mutumbo, the offensive skills of Tim Duncan, the leaping ability of David Thompson and the libido of Wilt Chamberlin. He should get around 36 mpg because he shoots 99.4% from the line and will be our primary ball handler at the end of close games.
I heard Obi was schooling Nick Horvath. Top that.

[luburch]

I heard Obi was schooling Nick Horvath. Top that.

How Obi is managing all this basketball time with the new Star Wars set to roll out in December is impressive.

[sagegrouse]

Care to mention the Philly BBQ place? Even if not worthy of Duke vs. Kentucky, those of us around here on this side of the Mason-Dixon line have to make do with what we have...

I have had reasonably tasty good barbecue at Baby Blues BBQ at 3402 Sansom St., just north of the UPenn campus.

[tux]

I heard Obi was schooling Nick Horvath. Top that.


I heard the same thing. Apparently, Obi and Kenny Blakeney are the two best players on the court...

[JasonEvans]

I heard Obi was schooling Nick Horvath. Top that.

Oh, I can top it.

When he saw Sean Obi playing pick-up ball, Patrick Davidson uttered the word, "Nice."

It should be noted that the last time Davidson described something as, "Nice," it was when Steve Jobs asked for his blessing on the creation of the iPhone.

-Jason "uh-oh, this could get fun!" Evans

[NSDukeFan]

I heard Obi was schooling Nick Horvath. Top that.

I heard Nate James called Obi a badass.

[BD80]

Oh, I can top it.

When he saw Sean Obi playing pick-up ball, Patrick Davidson uttered the word, "Nice."

It should be noted that the last time Davidson described something as, "Nice," it was when Steve Jobs asked for his blessing on the creation of the iPhone.

-Jason "uh-oh, this could get fun!" Evans

MJ snuck into peek at a pick-up game, upon seeing Sean Obi play, he admitted he was only the second best player of all-time.

[Indoor66]

I heard Nate James called Obi a badass.

Never Happened!

[brevity]

The Sixers, seeded 23rd of 24 teams, established themselves as the worst team in Las Vegas, going 0-4 and getting eliminated from the Summer League playoffs today by the Brooklyn Nets. (They play Houston in a consolation game Friday. The Rockets were upset by the 24-seed Milwaukee Bucks.)

Who can they blame? Okafor, who skipped the game to attend the ESPYs? Hinkie, for his Dukakis-level tanking? Or maybe we can just point a finger at the calendar, which shows it's the summer and the games don't actually matter.

One person we can't blame is Summer League sensation JP Tokoto. In his 6th game as a Sixer, and his first as a starter (thanks, fake ESPN award show), Tokoto produced the following stat line in 19 minutes of action:

9 points (3/3 FG, 0/0 3pt FG, 3/4 FT)
2 rebounds
1 assist
1 block
2 steals
6 fouls
3 turnovers
plus/minus of +1

So he didn't miss a field goal, but more importantly didn't attempt a 3-pointer. Here is a high-percentage play (real, undoctored screenshot, click to enlarge):

5293

Where did his legs go? You can read the Station Casino properties where his knees should be. This is proof positive that sometimes he CAN be invisible on offense. That's some Marty McFly illusion stuff there.

[awhom111]

The Bucks stunned the Rockets 97-93 as Ken Pomeroy favorite Alan Williams fouled out in the loss. I would also love to give Jason Kidd props for finding ways to get not one, but two former Cal point guards on the roster (I hope Jorge Gutierrez writes Kidd a long thank you letter after his career). As we speak, Doc Rivers is looking at ways to get all of his other kids involved with the Clippers (insert Callie joke here).
http://www.nba.com/games/20150715/MILHOU/gameinfo.html

As mentioned, the sandbagging technique did not work for Sixers, who did not have Jahlil. Tokoto did not even take advantage of all of the more important players not playing as he fouled out in 19 minutes.
http://www.nba.com/games/20150715/PHIBKN/gameinfo.html

No Justise either as the Heat lost 75-64 to the Hawks.
http://www.nba.com/games/20150715/MIAATL/gameinfo.html

Luke Walton must have struck the Warriors with lightning at halftime to get them to show up and beat the Kings 83-67.
http://www.nba.com/games/20150715/SACGSW/gameinfo.html

Rodney's injury kept him out for the Jazz as they lost 86-78 to the Wizards:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150715/WASUTA/gameinfo.html

The Mavericks beat the Lakers 88-86 in a battle of two Filipino guards.
http://www.nba.com/games/20150715/DALLAL/gameinfo.html

Quinn got the start and had 10 points in 25 minutes as the Cavaliers lost 91-73 to the Bulls.
http://www.nba.com/games/20150715/CHICLE/gameinfo.html

Tyus did not play but Andre did and had 8 points in 14 minutes as the Trailblazers beat the Timberwolves 82-77.
http://www.nba.com/games/20150715/MINPOR/gameinfo.html

Thursday's second round (all times EDT, games on the :00 live on ESPN3, games on the :30 live on NBATV, second time listed is delayed broadcast on NBATV):
24 Bucks vs 8 Suns, 1:00pm, 1:30am
12 Warriors vs 5 Knicks, 1:30pm
10 Nets vs 7 Spurs, 3:00pm, 4:00am
22 Mavericks vs 6 D League Select, 3:30pm
20 Wizards vs 4 Pelicans (Seth), 5:00pm, 6:00am
14 Hawks vs 3 Nuggets, 5:30pm
17 Bulls vs 1 Raptors, 7:00pm, 9:00am
15 Trailblazers (Andre) vs 2 Celtics, 7:30pm


The Sixers, seeded 23rd of 24 teams, established themselves as the worst team in Las Vegas, going 0-4 and getting eliminated from the Summer League playoffs today by the Brooklyn Nets. (They play Houston in a consolation game Friday. The Rockets were upset by the 24-seed Milwaukee Bucks.)

Who can they blame? Okafor, who skipped the game to attend the ESPYs? Hinkie, for his Dukakis-level tanking? Or maybe we can just point a finger at the calendar, which shows it's the summer and the games don't actually matter.

One person we can't blame is Summer League sensation JP Tokoto. In his 6th game as a Sixer, and his first as a starter (thanks, fake ESPN award show), Tokoto produced the following stat line in 19 minutes of action:

9 points (3/3 FG, 0/0 3pt FG, 3/4 FT)
2 rebounds
1 assist
1 block
2 steals
6 fouls
3 turnovers
plus/minus of +1

So he didn't miss a field goal, but more importantly didn't attempt a 3-pointer. Here is a high-percentage play (real, undoctored screenshot, click to enlarge):

5293

Where did his legs go? You can read the Station Casino properties where his knees should be. This is proof positive that sometimes he CAN be invisible on offense. That's some Marty McFly illusion stuff there.

I was really hoping for a fake quote that would mention how nobody told him that the ten foul limit was over and that he only had six to use.

[SilkyJ]

Care to mention the Philly BBQ place? Even if not worthy of Duke vs. Kentucky, those of us around here on this side of the Mason-Dixon line have to make do with what we have...


Give it up, Turk. You'll just have to settle for some delicious pork sammiches, outrageous cheese steaks and hand-tossed pizzas, all washed down by some fine Victory ales and finished off with some Tastykake Chocolate Juniors and/or some cream-filled chocolate cupcakes. Philly BBQ? WTH?

(;))

Hey now! I'd like to hear about this philly BBQ place as well. Need a backup plan when the 5 lbs of Stamey's sitting in my parents' freezer runs out :)

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Seth Curry getting a little national media (http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/13263823/stephen-curry-younger-brother-seth-shines-vegas) after lighting up the Summer League games....

[subzero02]

Seth Curry getting a little national media (http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/13263823/stephen-curry-younger-brother-seth-shines-vegas) after lighting up the Summer League games....

Great call. I am going to watch Seth tonight at 8. I look back at 2013 and wonder what might have been if Seth and Kelly had been healthy the whole year. I know K said that he believed Seth would've led the country in scoring. 25 points per game in summer league is definitely noteworthy.

[TKG]

I heard Obi was schooling Nick Horvath. Top that.


Oh yeah, well I heard - from a very reliable inside source - that Shav is schooling everybody.....

[subzero02]

Keith Bogans summer league spotting with the Portland squad... he must be trying to impress a Euro league.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/keith-bogans-is-trying-to-rewrite-his-ending-before-closing-the-nba-book-222446180.html

Nope. He's delusional

[duke blue brewcrew]

Seth Curry getting a little national media (http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/13263823/stephen-curry-younger-brother-seth-shines-vegas) after lighting up the Summer League games....

Loved watching Seth get his own highlight segment on SportsCenter tonight, all Seth all the time!

[awhom111]

Here are the day's playoff results:

The Suns beat the Bucks 106-80:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150716/MILPHX/gameinfo.html

The Warriors beat the Knicks 76-54:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150716/GSWNYK/gameinfo.html

The Mavericks beat the D League Select 104-88 as Justin Anderson fouls out:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150716/DALDLS/gameinfo.html

The Spurs hold off the Nets 74-71:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150716/BKNSAS/gameinfo.html

Seth's final totals were 26 points and 6 rebounds in 33 minutes as the Pelicans beat the Wizards 97-81:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150716/WASNOP/gameinfo.html

The Hawks beat the Nuggets 82-73, but Mike Muscala fouling out was beaten by Nikola Jokic doing it in only 14 minutes:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150716/ATLDEN/gameinfo.html

The Bulls beat the Raptors 84-80:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150716/CHITOR/gameinfo.html

The boxscore is currently stuck before the end of the game, but we will go with 9 points in 24 minutes for Andre as the Trailblazers lost 91-85 to the Celtics:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150716/PORBOS/gameinfo.html

Friday's consolation schedule (times EDT and game live on NBATV unless otherwise indicated):
Rockets vs Sixers (Jahlil?), 4:00pm (delayed on NBATV at 3:00am Saturday)
Heat (Justise?) vs Kings, 4:30pm
Cavaliers (Quinn) vs Timberwolves (Tyus), 6:00pm (delayed on NBATV at 6:00am Saturday)
Lakers vs Jazz (Rodney?), 6:30pm
Bucks vs Knicks, 8:00pm (delayed on NBATV at 9:00am Saturday)
Nets vs D League Select, 8:30pm
Wizards vs Nuggets, 10:00pm (delayed on NBATV at 12:00pm Saturday)
Raptors vs Trailblazers (Andre), 10:30pm

[MPandolfi]

Seth Curry getting a little national media (http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/13263823/stephen-curry-younger-brother-seth-shines-vegas) after lighting up the Summer League games....

While brief, there's a segment at about the halfway point on Friday morning's SportsCenter highlighting his progress from the past two Summer Leagues, and highlights from Thursday's game.

[dukelifer]

Loved watching Seth get his own highlight segment on SportsCenter tonight, all Seth all the time!

Seth is looking very good. I am hoping he get signed. Those Curry kids have something special- perhaps from being underestimated their whole lives on the bball court.

[Ichabod Drain]

Seth is looking very good. I am hoping he get signed. Those Curry kids have something special- perhaps from being underestimated their whole lives on the bball court.

That and having Dell Curry teaching you how to shoot and play ball.

[duke blue brewcrew]

That and having Dell Curry teaching you how to shoot and play ball.

Very good point. That said, their games are so evolved from their dad's game. A lot more multi-dimensional than Dell...and I loved to cheer for Dell throughout his career!

[ChillinDuke]

No, I get that. It's the offseason and there's not much to do, but I always found it funny to judge people on summer league performances. If I've learned one thing from summer league, it's that you cant learn anything from summer league. :D

You can't learn anything from summer leagues.

You can't learn anything from highlight videos.

You can't learn anything from small minutes sample sizes in games.

You can't learn anything from games in which Duke wins by > 20.

When exactly do we learn around here?

- Chillin

[BD80]

You can't learn anything from summer leagues.

You can't learn anything from highlight videos.

You can't learn anything from small minutes sample sizes in games.

You can't learn anything from games in which Duke wins by > 20.

When exactly do we learn around here?

- Chillin

With those constraints, I hope we learn nothing about this year's team

[JasonEvans]

I always found it funny to judge people on summer league performances. If I've learned one thing from summer league, it's that you cant learn anything from summer league. :D

I would agree that you can't leap to any large conclusions based on summer league play, but I think the fact that Seth is the leading scorer of the entire summer league by a pretty good margin (bonus - he is averaging 3.5 steals per game) at least tells us that he is one of the top players in summer league competition this year. I fully expect him to get a lot of interest from teams over the next few weeks. He will certainly have to weigh several training camp invitations and it is not impossible that someone will offer him at least a partially guaranteed contract.

-Jason "Seth's size is a real issue, cause I'm still not sure he is really an NBA PG and he does not have the size to guard 2-guards" Evans

[cato]

You can't learn anything from summer leagues.

You can't learn anything from highlight videos.

You can't learn anything from small minutes sample sizes in games.

You can't learn anything from games in which Duke wins by > 20.

When exactly do we learn around here?

- Chillin

Disagree with your last point. If Duke wins an important late season game or tournament game by >20 points, that is a very good sign. See, e.g.,
82-50; Duke v NC State, 2015 ACC tournament

[subzero02]

Disagree with your last point. If Duke wins an important late season game or tournament game by >20 points, that is a very good sign. See, e.g.,
82-50; Duke v NC State, 2015 ACC tournament

Or our 79-53 win over the heels for the 2001 ACC Tournament Title.

[devildeac]

Or our 79-53 win over the heels for the 2001 ACC Tournament Title.

Or this one:


http://goduke.statsgeek.com/basketball-m/games/boxscore.php?gameid=20020131

My memory may be a bit fuzzy, but I think this is the game Ozzie and I attended at the dump. IIRC, the lead reached (neared) 40 points about midway through the second half and, as the t*rh**l faithful (cough), exited en masse, we chanted "drive home safely" as they stumbled over one another trudging down the aisles to escape the misery.

And that folks is one of the reasons we are ensconced on the Mount;).

[luburch]

You can't learn anything from summer leagues.

You can't learn anything from highlight videos.

You can't learn anything from small minutes sample sizes in games.

You can't learn anything from games in which Duke wins by > 20.

When exactly do we learn around here?

- Chillin


This was actually pitched as a slogan for UNC Athletics a few years back.

[subzero02]

Or this one:


http://goduke.statsgeek.com/basketball-m/games/boxscore.php?gameid=20020131

My memory may be a bit fuzzy, but I think this is the game Ozzie and I attended at the dump. IIRC, the lead reached (neared) 40 points about midway through the second half and, as the t*rh**l faithful (cough), exited en masse, we chanted "drive home safely" as they stumbled over one another trudging down the aisles to escape the misery.

And that folks is one of the reasons we are ensconced on the Mount;).

While that was a memorable beat down of a truly terrible unc squad... it was not a prelude to an NCAA championship (although if a ref hadn't swallowed his whistle in the sweet 16 it might have been)

[subzero02]

Dawkins is on fire down the stretch for Portland... 3 unanswered 3 pointers to give Portland a 70 to 64 lead with 30 seconds to go

[awhom111]

No Jahlil of course as the Sixers finished their summer with a 100-96 win over the Rockets:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150717/PHIHOU/gameinfo.html

No Justise either as the Heat lost 73-68 to the Kings in overtime as the players clearly had nothing better to do in Vegas than play basketball:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150717/SACMIA/gameinfo.html

It was Tyus and Quinn going head to head with the Cavaliers winning 78-73. Quinn had 6 points in 23 minutes and Tyus had 11 points in 31 minutes. Appropriately, I just realized that Tyus has a teammate named Tyler Stone. I guess consolation games allow more than 6 fouls because Karl Anthony Towns and Rakeem Christmas each managed 7:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150717/MINCLE/gameinfo.html

No Rodney for the Jazz as they beat the Lakers 84-78:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150717/UTALAL/gameinfo.html

D League Select beat the Nets 85-64:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150717/BKNDLS/gameinfo.html

The Knicks beat the Bucks 83-76:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150717/MILNYK/gameinfo.html

Nikola Jokic got to 7 fouls as the Nuggets lost 97-89 to the Wizards:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150717/WASDEN/gameinfo.html

As mentioned, Andre put up big numbers as other absences allowed him to play 35 minutes and lead all scorers with 24 points in the Trailblazers' 72-64 win over the Raptors:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150717/PORTOR/gameinfo.html

Here is Saturday's quarterfinal schedule (all times EDT and all games live on NBATV):
Spurs vs Celtics, 4:00pm
Mavericks vs Hawks, 6:00pm
Bulls vs Suns, 8:00pm
Warriors vs Pelicans, 10:00pm

[brevity]

No Jahlil of course as the Sixers finished their summer with a 100-96 win over the Rockets:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150717/PHIHOU/gameinfo.html

Looking at the box score, I imagine that the Rockets didn't help their cause by going 0-for-13 from long range. Speaking of hapless 3-point shooting, JP Tokoto ends his tour of summer domination with 10 failed shots.

"The law of averages says he'll hit the next 10, right?" said North Carolina assistant coach Hubert Davis. "I'm actually asking. I didn't learn anything in my college math classes."

Doug Gottlieb, who called some of the Summer League games on NBA TV, got to see Tokoto firsthand. He said Tokoto's play was "alarmingly unalarming," and added by way of apology that his two-word critiques had become "alarmingly unoriginal."

JP Tokoto's 7th Summer League game stat line (in 21 minutes):

9 points (3/5 FG, 0/1 3pt FG, 3/4 FT)
2 rebounds
1 assist
2 blocks
0 steals
2 fouls
0 turnovers
plus/minus of +9

"No turnovers?" asked former North Carolina star Sean May, now playing overseas in France. "Tell me you've still got some of those chocolate-filled croissants."

[BD80]

... Doug Gottlieb, who called some of the Summer League games on NBA TV, ...

What happened to the movement to have the western half of the summer session called the "Gottlieb League?"

Or was that the D-league?

[Dukeford]

Dawkins is on fire down the stretch for Portland... 3 unanswered 3 pointers to give Portland a 70 to 64 lead with 30 seconds to go

I watched Andre play for about the first 2-1/2 quarters. He definitely looks bigger and a little tougher nowadays.
However, during the time I watched he didn't seem very enthusiastic. But I missed the last part of the game when he got hot.

[nmduke2001]

NBA TV just interviewed the Pelicans GM. They said that there were rumors that NO was about to offer Seth a multi-year guaranteed contract. They asked the GM and he did his best to deny it but wasn't very convincing. Sounds like Seth will be a Pelican this year.

[awhom111]

The Spurs beat the Celtics 95-81:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150718/SASBOS/gameinfo.html

The Hawks beat the Mavericks 91-83:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150718/DALATL/gameinfo.html

The Suns beat the Bulls 91-84 despite Alex Len fouling out:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150718/CHIPHX/gameinfo.html

Final totals for Seth are 24 points and 7 rebounds in 34 minutes as the Pelicans beat the Warriors 100-91:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150718/GSWNOP/gameinfo.html

Both semifinals are live on NBATV on Sunday. The Hawks and Spurs play at 6:00pm EDT and then Seth and the Pelicans face the Suns at 8:00pm EDT.

[blynch923]

All Seth really needs is to sign a guaranteed deal to get on a roster and I think he will be in the NBA for years to come. There isn't much he really can't do. He's improved in every category since he left Duke and it's not like any team is bringing him in to be a defensive minded guard or fill up the stat sheet. They're gonna bring him in to knock down jumpers.

[Des Esseintes]

All Seth really needs is to sign a guaranteed deal to get on a roster and I think he will be in the NBA for years to come. There isn't much he really can't do. He's improved in every category since he left Duke and it's not like any team is bringing him in to be a defensive minded guard or fill up the stat sheet. They're gonna bring him in to knock down jumpers.

He cannot defend, and he is a poor distributor. He doesn't drive the lane with great effectiveness. Those are three things you'd really like to see from a point guard. What he *can* do is shoot, and he is fantastic at that. It may well be enough to get him a gig in the world's most competitive sports league. But let's not suggest his skill set is wide. It isn't. He just happens to be good at the very most important skill. I will be so happy if the Pelicans give him a real contact. What it takes to make it at his size and athleticism is incredible dedication, and he will have 100% earned his chance.

[sagegrouse]

He cannot defend, and he is a poor distributor. He doesn't drive the lane with great effectiveness. Those are three things you'd really like to see from a point guard. What he *can* do is shoot, and he is fantastic at that. It may well be enough to get him a gig in the world's most competitive sports league. But let's not suggest his skill set is wide. It isn't. He just happens to be good at the very most important skill. I will be so happy if the Pelicans give him a real contact. What it takes to make it at his size and athleticism is incredible dedication, and he will have 100% earned his chance.

Sorry, Des Esseintes, but this is a bit of a gratuitous slap, although I am sure that wasn't your intention. Seth has always had some defensive skills -- mostly quick hands and good positioning. His one-on-one defense will improve. (His quick hands, of course, were developed at the dinner table, as the little kid sitting between ultra-quick Dell and Stephen.)

In terms of being a "poor distributor," he wasn't asked to distribute the ball at Duke -- Quinn was the PG. He had 5.8 and 4.2 assists per game in the D League, which seems like good numbers for a team's leading scorer. I really don't know how you reached such a stark conclusion.

Anyway, his Summer League coaches are convinced he will be an NBA player for years to come. I look forward to the news of a multi-year contract.

[JNort]

He cannot defend, and he is a poor distributor. He doesn't drive the lane with great effectiveness. Those are three things you'd really like to see from a point guard. What he *can* do is shoot, and he is fantastic at that. It may well be enough to get him a gig in the world's most competitive sports league. But let's not suggest his skill set is wide. It isn't. He just happens to be good at the very most important skill. I will be so happy if the Pelicans give him a real contact. What it takes to make it at his size and athleticism is incredible dedication, and he will have 100% earned his chance.
I agree his defense isn't great mostly due to his size at the sg spot but he does have quick hands. Not sure what you are watching when it comes to driving the lane cause he's a master (well really good anyhow) at driving the lane and scoring, primarily with the floater and scooping layups. Besides he will be a shooting guard not a point in the nba. Again his size and quickness is his biggest challenge

[awhom111]

The Spurs beat the Hawks 75-68:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150719/ATLSAS/gameinfo.html

Seth ended up with 21 points in 35 minutes as the Pelicans lost 93-87 to the Suns:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150719/PHXNOP/gameinfo.html

With Becky Hammon coaching, expect a little more attention than usual on Monday's final.

[dukelifer]

He cannot defend, and he is a poor distributor. He doesn't drive the lane with great effectiveness. Those are three things you'd really like to see from a point guard. What he *can* do is shoot, and he is fantastic at that. It may well be enough to get him a gig in the world's most competitive sports league. But let's not suggest his skill set is wide. It isn't. He just happens to be good at the very most important skill. I will be so happy if the Pelicans give him a real contact. What it takes to make it at his size and athleticism is incredible dedication, and he will have 100% earned his chance.

I'm interested if this assessment is based on watching the old Seth or the new Seth. In the NBA it is okay to have one elite skillset. Seth is not an all-star but this a different Seth than the one that left Duke- he is much stronger, has a better handle and is more fluid. He has added a much more effective inside game with an array of floaters. He is good at getting his hands on balls defensively. He is not a great passer but is adequate and has room for growth. And he has always been a gamer- he plays his best in money time. Seth has worked hard and somebody will likely reward that.

[duke blue brewcrew]

I'm interested if this assessment is based on watching the old Seth or the new Seth. In the NBA it is okay to have one elite skillset. Seth is not an all-star but this a different Seth than the one that left Duke- he is much stronger, has a better handle and is more fluid. He has added a much more effective inside game with an array of floaters. He is good at getting his hands on balls defensively. He is not a great passer but is adequate and has room for growth. And he has always been a gamer- he plays his best in money time. Seth has worked hard and somebody will likely reward that.

I posted this in the NBA Free Agency thread, maybe it belongs here also/instead?

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-basketball/25244348/summer-league-2015-seth-curry-takes-center-stage-with-pelicans


The Racine Journal Times' Gery Woelfel reported that Curry is close to coming to terms on a guaranteed contract with New Orleans. That's something he has never had, and to him it's been a long time coming.

"I feel like I've been very underrated and very kind of disrespected so far in my career," Curry said. "I just take the same approach every time out: try to go out there and dominate and be the best player on the court."


"This Seth Curry is a really good player," Erman said. "This Seth Curry will be in the NBA. He's not going to be a 10-day contract guy anymore."

[roywhite]

I'm interested if this assessment is based on watching the old Seth or the new Seth. In the NBA it is okay to have one elite skillset. Seth is not an all-star but this a different Seth than the one that left Duke- he is much stronger, has a better handle and is more fluid. He has added a much more effective inside game with an array of floaters. He is good at getting his hands on balls defensively. He is not a great passer but is adequate and has room for growth. And he has always been a gamer- he plays his best in money time. Seth has worked hard and somebody will likely reward that.

Agree that Seth has improved and earned his shot. Remember also that our recollections of Seth included extensive playing time where he had a stress fracture in his shin, which ultimately required surgery after his college career.

[brevity]

I posted this in the NBA Free Agency thread, maybe it belongs here also/instead?

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-basketball/25244348/summer-league-2015-seth-curry-takes-center-stage-with-pelicans

I appreciate the optimism, and it could happen, but this is still speculation. The CBS Sports link above cites this Friday morning tweet (https://twitter.com/GeryWoelfel/status/622113180853121024) from a Racine Times reporter. According to The Bird Writes (http://www.thebirdwrites.com/2015/7/19/9000175/pelicans-win-warrios-demps-no-contract-seth-curry-yet), the Pelicans SB Nation site, GM Dell Demps downplayed the report, though it's not clear from the article if that interview happened Friday or Saturday:


"Where is Racine?...(laughter ensued.) We have not made any decisions right now. We're obviously looking at him but we want to make sure we add the right players to the roster."

The local paper (where the headline is about Seth's selection to the Summer League first team (http://www.nola.com/pelicans/index.ssf/2015/07/seth_curry_earns_first-team_se.html#incart_river)) also reported that no decision has been made as of Saturday:


After leading the Pelicans to a 5-1 record in summer league, Curry could land a contract with the Pelicans for this upcoming season. But General Manager Dell Demps said on Saturday they have not made a decision yet.

[duke blue brewcrew]

I appreciate the optimism, and it could happen, but this is still speculation. The CBS Sports link above cites this Friday morning tweet (https://twitter.com/GeryWoelfel/status/622113180853121024) from a Racine Times reporter. According to The Bird Writes (http://www.thebirdwrites.com/2015/7/19/9000175/pelicans-win-warrios-demps-no-contract-seth-curry-yet), the Pelicans SB Nation site, GM Dell Demps downplayed the report, though it's not clear from the article if that interview happened Friday or Saturday:



The local paper (where the headline is about Seth's selection to the Summer League first team (http://www.nola.com/pelicans/index.ssf/2015/07/seth_curry_earns_first-team_se.html#incart_river)) also reported that no decision has been made as of Saturday:

If the MVP of the Summer League and the First Team All -D League can't get a contract coming into the season...who can? (besides the top draft picks seeing their first action i mean)

[Ichabod Drain]

If the MVP of the Summer League and the First Team All -D League can't get a contract coming into the season...who can? (besides the top draft picks seeing their first action i mean)

Seth should definitely get a contract this year. If the Pelicans aren't intelligent enough to sign him after what he showed in summer league I imagine a few of the other 29 teams in the league have taken notice of his performance.

That said, nothing is done until it's done in the NBA. Just ask Mark Cuban.

[brevity]

If the MVP of the Summer League and the First Team All -D League can't get a contract coming into the season...who can? (besides the top draft picks seeing their first action i mean)

To be clear, Kyle Anderson of the Spurs was named Summer League MVP, and he's already under contract.

Seth Curry did lead the Summer League in scoring, and the Pelicans have a few open spots on their roster, so there is room for confidence. Just not your premature headline "Seth Curry to get a guaranteed contract with the Pelicans..." level of confidence.

Yet.

[duke blue brewcrew]

To be clear, Kyle Anderson of the Spurs was named Summer League MVP, and he's already under contract.

Seth Curry did lead the Summer League in scoring, and the Pelicans have a few open spots on their roster, so there is room for confidence. Just not your premature headline "Seth Curry to get a guaranteed contract with the Pelicans..." level of confidence.

Yet.

thanks for the correction. as you pointed out, Seth was the scoring leader of the Summer League -
He has scored more than anyone else in Las Vegas, averaging 25.3 points along with 4.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 3.5 steals per game while shooting 49 percent from the field. It's acknowledged that he's working on his defense, and I'm pulling like crazy for him. If I were a betting man...(and for the record, I am)...Seth get's a guaranteed contract for this season. My ASSumption is that it will be with the Pelicans, but if not them - a team in need of a talented scoring guard to come in off the bench.

[Richard Berg]

I'm interested if this assessment is based on watching the old Seth or the new Seth. In the NBA it is okay to have one elite skillset. Seth is not an all-star but this a different Seth than the one that left Duke- he is much stronger, has a better handle and is more fluid. He has added a much more effective inside game with an array of floaters. He is good at getting his hands on balls defensively. He is not a great passer but is adequate and has room for growth. And he has always been a gamer- he plays his best in money time. Seth has worked hard and somebody will likely reward that.
Agreed, Seth has more than paid his dues, and I suspect his payday will come soon.

There is a market (albeit a small one) for undersized scoring guards in a team's second unit. See: Patty Mills.

[Des Esseintes]

A quick refresher on what it means to dominate Summer League. Two of the four summer league MVPs prior to Justin Anderson's selection include Glen Rice, Jr and Josh Selby. So, yeah.

Below are the standout players from each NBA team for 2014 summer league, as selected by Bleacher Report and what happened subsequently. (http://m.bleacherreport.com/articles/2133219-each-nba-summer-league-teams-biggest-standout-performer)

Hawks, Dennis Schröder - First round pick who played well, went on to a good season with a fantastic team.

Hornets, Noah Vonleh - Nearly averaged a double-double in summer league, then had such a regular season that his team gave up on the #9 overall pick of the 2014 draft after a single year.

Bulls, Tony Snell - First round pick who played well, went on to an uneven season in which Thibs probably should have played him more.

Cavaliers, Anthony Bennett - Yup, this time last year, people were talking about Anthony Bennett having turned the corner. Summer league!

Mavericks, Ricky Ledo - Summer league star, went on to get himself waived. The need-a-body Knicks picked him up at the end of the year.

Nuggets, Erick Green - A good, hopeful comp for Seth. An undersized guard who had to play in Europe for a season, he stuck with the Nuggets out of camp this past year, and, while he didn't set the world afire, he had an NBA job and played in half the games.

Warriors, Justin Holiday - Here is what Seth could be. Undrafted guy, bounced around the D-League, at 25 he puts together a great summer league and training camp. He makes the roster, contributes during the season, and wins an NBA title. Wonderful, wonderful story.

Rockets, Sonatas Montiejunas - First round pick who played well, put things together this past year until getting injured.

Clippers, Amath M'Baye - What is an Amath M'Baye? The internet barely knows. It thinks he's probably playing in Japan.

Lakers, Jordan Clarkson - An actual surprise success story, Clarkson parlayed a strong summer league into looking like a lone bright spot in LA's terrible regular season. Unlike Seth, though, he was actually drafted in the second round.

Heat, Justin Hamilton - Scored 18 ppg on 60+% shooting in summer league. During regular season, was traded and waived.

Bucks, Giannis Antetokounmpo - Lottery pick who played well. A franchise cornerstone, probably, maybe, it depends on the day. People love him, at any rate.

T-Wolves, Zach LaVine - Lottery pick who played well, went on to a terrible rookie season. Has a long way to go to show he belongs.

Russ Smith - Another undersized guard, though one who unlike Seth was drafted, Smith put up 16/5/6 in summer league. He barely played during the year and was traded to Memphis amid multiple D-League assignments.


Knicks, Shane Larkin - Lottery pick who played well, went on to a 2015 Knickish season for the 2015 Knicks. Unclear if he's party of the future there.

76ers, Nerlens Noel - Lottery pick who played well, went on to establish himself as a defensive ace in the regular season.

Suns, TJ Warren - Lottery pick who played well. Has had trouble getting off the bench in Phoenix, though he looks like a legit player in limited action.

Trailblazers, CJ McCollum - Lottery pick who played well in summer league, went on to a good season.

Kings, MarShon Brooks - Shot almost 60% from the field. Didn't matter, no one cared, and he played the whole year in Italy.

Spurs, Austin Daye - Scored 16ppg in summer league. He was waived by two separate teams once the regular season began.

Raptors, Bruno Caboclo - Famously described as "two years away from being two years away" in the 2014 draft, Caboclo nevertheless scored in double figures during summer league. These numbers were meaningless, and the first round pick appeared in all of eight games the rest of the way.

Jazz, Rudy Gobert - Along with World Cup play, Gobert played great here and in the season cemented himself as a huge part of Utah's future. A genuine surprise ascension.

Wizards, Glen Rice, Jr. - A second round pick in 2013, Rice averaged 25.0 ppg in summer league, about what Seth is doing. This performance led to appearances in five (5) actual regular season NBA games before he was waived in January.

It's hard to leverage summer league success into NBA success if you aren't a first round pick, preferably a lotto guy. It can be done, as the above list shows, but it's HARD. Really cheering for Seth to beat the odds.

[Skitzle]

Agreed, Seth has more than paid his dues, and I suspect his payday will come soon.

There is a market (albeit a small one) for undersized scoring guards in a team's second unit. See: Patty Mills.

He might be a great Grizzly... They need 3pt shooting badly and only have 14 guys on the ESPN depth Chart.

[duke74]

Knicks, Shane Larkin - Lottery pick who played well, went on to a 2015 Knickish season for the 2015 Knicks. Unclear if he's party of the future there.



Nice info. I just might add that Larkin signed with the Nets this offseason. Trying to add some speed to the team (and can always ask Dad to play SS in a local softball league as a ringer. :) )

[MPandolfi]

Knicks, Shane Larkin - Lottery pick who played well, went on to a 2015 Knickish season for the 2015 Knicks. Unclear if he's party of the future there.

Shane signed with the Nets a week or two ago...so that answers that.

[awhom111]

It's a wrap as the Spurs beat the Suns 93-90:
http://www.nba.com/games/20150720/PHXSAS/gameinfo.html

[Saratoga2]

I'm interested if this assessment is based on watching the old Seth or the new Seth. In the NBA it is okay to have one elite skillset. Seth is not an all-star but this a different Seth than the one that left Duke- he is much stronger, has a better handle and is more fluid. He has added a much more effective inside game with an array of floaters. He is good at getting his hands on balls defensively. He is not a great passer but is adequate and has room for growth. And he has always been a gamer- he plays his best in money time. Seth has worked hard and somebody will likely reward that.

For quite a long period when Seth was with Duke he suffered from leg maladies which might have been shin splints but were never totally explained. That clearly limited his mobility and staying power, but he was a clever scorer and an excellent shooter. He seems to have cured the leg issues and further improved his handle. At his size it might be enough to get him a contract but he never will be a super athlete so his role will be limited.

[FerryFor50]

It's hard to leverage summer league success into NBA success if you aren't a first round pick, preferably a lotto guy. It can be done, as the above list shows, but it's HARD. Really cheering for Seth to beat the odds.

It's not just summer league, though. He also tore up the D-league.

A lot of guys in your list got NBA contracts (not just 10 day ones). And Seth is better than most of them. As for his defense, we'll see if he can defend at a pro level. Luckily, he has a pretty good mistake eraser on his team in Anthony Davis.

It may very well be that Seth is the equivalent of what baseball calls a "AAAA player." AAA All Star, barely good enough pro. But I think Seth's come a long way, has finally gotten healthy and much stronger. If he can earn some minutes in the league, I think he'll surprise. It just takes the right coach and situation in the NBA sometimes. I bet Jordan Clarkson doesn't blossom in Golden State like he did in LA...

[dukelifer]

A quick refresher on what it means to dominate Summer League. Two of the four summer league MVPs prior to Justin Anderson's selection include Glen Rice, Jr and Josh Selby. So, yeah.

Below are the standout players from each NBA team for 2014 summer league, as selected by Bleacher Report and what happened subsequently. (http://m.bleacherreport.com/articles/2133219-each-nba-summer-league-teams-biggest-standout-performer)

Hawks, Dennis Schröder - First round pick who played well, went on to a good season with a fantastic team.

Hornets, Noah Vonleh - Nearly averaged a double-double in summer league, then had such a regular season that his team gave up on the #9 overall pick of the 2014 draft after a single year.

Bulls, Tony Snell - First round pick who played well, went on to an uneven season in which Thibs probably should have played him more.

Cavaliers, Anthony Bennett - Yup, this time last year, people were talking about Anthony Bennett having turned the corner. Summer league!

Mavericks, Ricky Ledo - Summer league star, went on to get himself waived. The need-a-body Knicks picked him up at the end of the year.

Nuggets, Erick Green - A good, hopeful comp for Seth. An undersized guard who had to play in Europe for a season, he stuck with the Nuggets out of camp this past year, and, while he didn't set the world afire, he had an NBA job and played in half the games.

Warriors, Justin Holiday - Here is what Seth could be. Undrafted guy, bounced around the D-League, at 25 he puts together a great summer league and training camp. He makes the roster, contributes during the season, and wins an NBA title. Wonderful, wonderful story.

Rockets, Sonatas Montiejunas - First round pick who played well, put things together this past year until getting injured.

Clippers, Amath M'Baye - What is an Amath M'Baye? The internet barely knows. It thinks he's probably playing in Japan.

Lakers, Jordan Clarkson - An actual surprise success story, Clarkson parlayed a strong summer league into looking like a lone bright spot in LA's terrible regular season. Unlike Seth, though, he was actually drafted in the second round.

Heat, Justin Hamilton - Scored 18 ppg on 60+% shooting in summer league. During regular season, was traded and waived.

Bucks, Giannis Antetokounmpo - Lottery pick who played well. A franchise cornerstone, probably, maybe, it depends on the day. People love him, at any rate.

T-Wolves, Zach LaVine - Lottery pick who played well, went on to a terrible rookie season. Has a long way to go to show he belongs.

Russ Smith - Another undersized guard, though one who unlike Seth was drafted, Smith put up 16/5/6 in summer league. He barely played during the year and was traded to Memphis amid multiple D-League assignments.


Knicks, Shane Larkin - Lottery pick who played well, went on to a 2015 Knickish season for the 2015 Knicks. Unclear if he's party of the future there.

76ers, Nerlens Noel - Lottery pick who played well, went on to establish himself as a defensive ace in the regular season.

Suns, TJ Warren - Lottery pick who played well. Has had trouble getting off the bench in Phoenix, though he looks like a legit player in limited action.

Trailblazers, CJ McCollum - Lottery pick who played well in summer league, went on to a good season.

Kings, MarShon Brooks - Shot almost 60% from the field. Didn't matter, no one cared, and he played the whole year in Italy.

Spurs, Austin Daye - Scored 16ppg in summer league. He was waived by two separate teams once the regular season began.

Raptors, Bruno Caboclo - Famously described as "two years away from being two years away" in the 2014 draft, Caboclo nevertheless scored in double figures during summer league. These numbers were meaningless, and the first round pick appeared in all of eight games the rest of the way.

Jazz, Rudy Gobert - Along with World Cup play, Gobert played great here and in the season cemented himself as a huge part of Utah's future. A genuine surprise ascension.

Wizards, Glen Rice, Jr. - A second round pick in 2013, Rice averaged 25.0 ppg in summer league, about what Seth is doing. This performance led to appearances in five (5) actual regular season NBA games before he was waived in January.

It's hard to leverage summer league success into NBA success if you aren't a first round pick, preferably a lotto guy. It can be done, as the above list shows, but it's HARD. Really cheering for Seth to beat the odds.

This is all good stuff but I contend that NBA fans enjoy watching Steph Curry for the same reasons they would enjoy watching Seth Curry. They both have high bball IQ's and play with a flair that is fun to watch. Bball is also entertainment. I think the NBA story of another Curry in the league- one who plays a little like his MVP brother- will be compelling for a team. The rest is up to Seth.

[Des Esseintes]

This is all good stuff but I contend that NBA fans enjoy watching Steph Curry for the same reasons they would enjoy watching Seth Curry. They both have high bball IQ's and play with a flair that is fun to watch. Bball is also entertainment. I think the NBA story of another Curry in the league- one who plays a little like his MVP brother- will be compelling for a team. The rest is up to Seth.

I think people would very much enjoy another Curry brother on the scene. As you say, though, it's up to Seth. A GM won't hire him based purely on aesthetics. As a poster noted above, he's been a D-League destroyer for a couple seasons, so hopefully there is enough evidence for decision-makers to give him a chance in spite of his physical shortcomings. He's played well in every environment thrown at him apart from some isolated cups of NBA regular season coffee too brief to fairly judge a player by.

[brevity]

After posting a Seth Curry Summer League mixtape in that dedicated thread (http://forums.dukebasketballreport.com/forums/showthread.php?36245), I noticed its compiler also posted video highlights for other former Duke players. I've embedded the videos below, but you can also click the name for a direct video link.

Jahlil Okafor (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbkZqXD_kos), Sixers:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbkZqXD_kos

[brevity]

Justise Winslow (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUwcSgwPEAQ), Heat:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUwcSgwPEAQ

They also made a single game highlight reel (Blazers-Raptors) for Andre Dawkins (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQK1wOvhp5M).

[dukelifer]

Justise Winslow (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUwcSgwPEAQ), Heat:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUwcSgwPEAQ

They also made a single game highlight reel (Blazers-Raptors) for Andre Dawkins (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQK1wOvhp5M).

Andre still has a beautiful shot. Teams need shooters. He may find a slot somewhere.

[devildeac]

Andre still has a beautiful shot. Teams need shooters. He may find a slot somewhere.

Shooters? PJ Hairston chimes in with a speedy hello.

Oh, wait, not that kind of shooter.:rolleyes: