The undefeated Heat, Raptors, Grizzlies, Magic, and Warriors will all take the court on Wednesday night in order to keep their squads in place for a trip to the Summer League playoffs.
The Miami Heat domination of Las Vegas rolls into Wednesday night, where their 2-0 squad will take on the winless Mavericks. With Jaime Jaquez Jr. scoring 26 PPG over his first two Vegas games, we are looking for other pieces such as Pelle Larsson and Josh Christopher to get involved from the guard spots.
Triple J surely won’t play 30+ minutes in his third Vegas game, so these two guys alongside 15th overall pick Kel’el Ware will take on added offensive responsibility as they look to stay undefeated and get one step closer to competing for the SL Championship.
Dallas needs someone to step up in this game, as Brandon Williams has been the team’s leading SL scorer at just 16 PPG. 2nd year wing threat Olivier-Maxence Prosper will look to improve his 32% shooting on Wednesday night as he is the player Jason Kidd and company hope to have a solidified role next season.
Rookie wing Melvin Ajinca shot the ball extremely well last season in France, but has only shot 11% from deep in his first two Summer League outings - look for him to get more involved on both ends of the floor against Miami.
Pick & Player to Watch:
Under 183.5 & Pelle Larsson (MIA)
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It’s been Toronto’s “veterans” making major impacts throughout their 2-0 Summer League run thus far. Javon Freeman-Liberty has scored 14 PPG on 40% shooting, while Gradey Dick poured in 18 points, 10 boards, and 6 assists in their first game against OKC.
Heading into game 3, look for point forward Jonathan Mogbo out of San Francisco to get more minutes and become more involved on the offense end. Mogbo filled up the stat sheet with 6 boards and 3 assists in just 16 minutes of play in their first game. The Raptors guard trio of Ja’Kobe Walter, Jamal Shead, and Ochai Agbaji give them a great chance to win the entire tournament.
It feels as if Utah has played about a dozen games already, as we’ve seen Cody Williams go from a disoriented Salt Lake City Summer League to shooting lights out in Vegas. Utah is 1-1 with Williams scoring 21 points in their first outing. Still quiet this summer, our love for Brice Sensabaugh won’t dissipate. The 6’5 scoring wing will look to capitalize on the smaller Toronto guards when he gets downhill.
Pick & Player to Watch:
Over 172.5 & Jonathan Mogbo (TOR)
The 2-0 Grizzlies take on the 2-0 Magic in a battle of unbeaten squads. Memphis - as per usual - have a dominant Summer League roster, posting a +20 PPG differential.
They’ve done this behind incredible defensive play from their 2nd year players Jake LaRavia and Scottie Pippen Jr., while the presence and emergence of UConn champion Cam Spencer (57% from deep) and Washington State rookie Jaylen Wells (9.5 PPG) have led Memphis to two large victories. It will be G.G. Jackson and Jake LaRavia dictating the offense and pace of this game, while Memphis’s top tier role players should outlast Orlando in a close game.
The Magic have seen flashes from Tristan Da Silva and Jett Howard that should please them when their Vegas trip comes to a close. However, the electric energy Jay Huff brings on both ends of the floor shouldn’t go unnoticed.
Huff, the 7 footer, will give G.G. Jackson and Memphis issues on the offensive end, while Anthony Black is a tough opponent to score against. A low scoring game favors Orlando, but other than TDS, the offensive firepower is lacking for the playoff squad.
Pick & Player to Watch:
Memphis ML & Jake LaRavia (MEM)
Is it 2016 again? The Golden State/Cleveland matchup will look completely different just under a decade after that iconic NBA Finals series. As for their summer league teams, Golden State has the make and feel of a champion while Cleveland is still searching for answers.
The Warriors have two potential NBA starters in Brandin Poziemski and Trayce Jackson-Davis playing over 25 MPG on their team, while Ethan Thompson is a jumbo guard that in my eyes, can become an instant impact role player in the league, especially with the new CBA and apron regulations. This team is built to win the NBA Summer League and should handle Cleveland with ease behind their outstanding depth.
In back-to-back Summer Leagues, Emoni Bates has demonstrated some unbelievable shooting from the field, while providing above 19 PPG for the Cavs. Rookie out of Berkeley, Jaylon Tyson, will look to get even more efficient with the basketball in his hands, but shooting 50% from the field and 37% from deep is a promising sign for the rookie.
Outside of these two wing scorers, the Cavs don’t have enough offensive firepower to keep up with Golden State and their depth in Cox Pavilion Wednesday night.
Pick & Player to Watch:
Golden State -1.5 & Ethan Thompson