There is no better day at Orlando Summer League than Championship Friday and this year was no exception as it brought matches between teams from the same conference in addition to the most competitive championship game in Orlando Summer League history.
Today's Results
Game 1
1-3 (13 pts) Los Angeles Clippers 100
2-2 (14.5 pts) Oklahoma City 101
Final in Double Overtime
***Fifth Place Game
Notables
LAC-Jordan Hamilton
***Orlando Summer League Star of the Day
---29 points (11-22), 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, & 1 block.
OKC-Quinn Cook
---22 points (8-15), 3 rebounds, & 9 assists.
When a team scores in triple digits during a summer league basketball game, quite a feat is accomplished, yet when both squads score one hundred plus points someone needs to stop the presses.
Yesterday in the most action packed summer league game of 2015, both the Los Angeles Clippers and Oklahoma City Thunder put on a show by scoring more than twenty points in each quarter in route to one hundred points for the whole game. In fact, LAC and OKC shot the lights out of the Amway Center practice gym on Friday as the Thunder shot 48.6% while the Clippers finished at 51.4%. Those percentages are not just great for a summer league game but a regular season NBA game!
The showdown ended up being one for the ages as it had a made halfcourt heave at the end of regulation by Los Angeles' Geron Johnson that was waved off, a game tying layup by Yanick Moreira of the Clippers to send the game into sudden death overtime, and a "walk-off free throw" from the Thunder's Semaj Christon to ultimately end the game.
Individually, ten players (five from each side) finished in double figured, led by the Clippers' Jordan Hamilton, who missed a fade away jumper on the first possession of second overtime, with an Orlando Summer League high of twenty-nine points. In addition to Hamilton, Oklahoma City's Semaj Christon and Quinn Cook netted twenty-three and twenty-two (pro high) respectively while Los Angeles' Yanick Moreira also posted a professional high of twenty-one points.
Game 2
2-2 (16 pts) Detroit 68
4-0 (24 pts) Miami 91
***Third Place Game
Notables
DET-Spencer Dinwiddie
11 points (2-3) & 2 assists.
MIA-Josh Richardson
18 points (7-16), 2 rebounds, 2 assists, & 1 steal.
"Yes! Justise Winslow versus Stanley Johnson again! Can't wait!"
As Thursday's slate of summer league games from Orlando came to a close, the Miami Heat were nudged from playing in the championship by the Memphis Grizzlies and Orlando White despite being 4-0. Nonetheless, fans around the NBA were satisfied with Miami's slide since it would set up another one-on-one showdown between lottery picks Justise Winslow (Miami) and Stanley Johnson (Detroit). Unfortunately, the battle did not result as Winslow in addition to other Heat summer league starters Shabazz Napier and James Ennis did not suit up (rest) yesterday.
Miami's decision to give their trio a reprieve would prove for the best as Zoran Dragic and 2015 second round pick Josh Richardson needed no help in route to a 91-68 clubbing of the Pistons. The duo had fantastic final games in City Beautiful, for Dragic stuffed the box score with sixteen points, six rebounds, two assists, and two steals while Richardson bucketed a game-high eighteen points. At the same time, the eighth overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft Stanley Johnson recorded summer league lows in points (ten) and rebounds (four) during a bad representation of how his time in Orlando had been going.
From Central Florida, Miami jumped on a plane to Las Vegas to participate in their summer league and is scheduled to play the last game this evening versus the Utah Jazz, who are traveling to "Sin City" after three games in Salt Lake City.
Game 3
4-0 (25.5 pts) Memphis 75
4-0 (27 pts) Orlando White 73
Final in Double Overtime
***Championship
Notables
MEM-Michael Holyfield
13 points (5-7) & 5 rebounds.
ORW-Chris Singleton
16 points (5-9), 4 rebounds, 2 assists, & 3 steals.
Memphis versus Orlando White. Would White finish off their underdog story without a blimesh and a championship?
Orlando White, a team made up of D-Leaguers and free agent hopefuls, had a very "rollercoaster ride of a day" in the title game. After being down 24-8 early in the second quarter (and making the world think they were about to get steam rolled), former Washington Wizards' first round selection Chris Singleton used seven of his team high sixteen points to start a 24-7 comeback run to not only put White back in the game but give them the lead!
From taking a lead in the second period, there were multiple instances that Orlando had nine point leads (or higher) and were unable to put the final nail in the Grizzlies' coffin. Due to White's inability to fully finish their opponent, Memphis was able to force overtime by closing out the fourth quarter on a 13-4 spurt.
While both teams were unable to put "the biscuit in the basket" in the two minute extra period, Russ Smith, who made a game winning floater in sudden death overtime against Orlando Blue three days prior, gave everyone a feeling of deja-vu by bouncing home a runner to bring the 2015 Orlando Summer League Championship to Memphis.
With the game winner, the 2013 National Champion at Louisville finished his afternoon one assist shy of a double-double (fifteen points and nine rebounds) while the Grizz's leading scorer Jordan Adams collected thirteen points. In addition to their teammate Chris Singleton, Orlando White's Keith Appling scored fifteen and Keith Benson posted a double-double of sixteen points and twelve rebounds.
Game 4
1-3 (11 pts) Orlando Blue 98
1-3 (11 pts) Indiana 74
***Seventh Place Game
Notables
ORB-Jordan Sibert
18 points (5-10), 4 rebounds, 1 assist, & 1 steal.
IND-Joe Young
28 points (11-23), 1 rebound, 1 assist, & 2 steals.
New day, same matchup! On Thursday, the Indiana Pacers thanks to a game high twenty-eight points from 2015 second round pick Joe Young defeated Orlando Blue without lottery picks Aaron Gordon, Elfrid Payton, and Mario Hezonja suiting up for their opponent. Yesterday though, was much uglier for the team from the Hooiser State.
From the get-go, Blue played with a determination not to be bested by the same opponent and jumped out to a very early 15-3 lead. With the first quarter success, Orlando never looked back and won by twenty-four points on 48.5% shooting despite Gordon, Payton, and Hezonja siting out.
With the young talent resting, twenty-two year old Jordan Sibert from Dayton University excelled with a pro high of eighteen points on five for ten shooting while backcourt duo Tyler Harvey and Devyn Marble netted a combined ninteen after totaling forty-six the day before. For the Pacers, Joe Young continued to dominate in Orlando and bucketed twenty-eight for the second straight game to move him past Aaron Gordon for leading scorer in this year's Orlando Summer League.
Game 5
0-4 (7 pts) Brooklyn 73
1-3 (10 pts) Charlotte 82
***Ninth Place Game
Notables
BKN-Rondae Hollis-Jefferson
22 points (8-21), 11 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals, & 1 block.
CHA-Frank Kaminsky
19 points (7-15), 6 rebounds, & 2 assists.
If you enjoy watching rookies succeed professionally, then yesterday's ninth place game between Brooklyn and Charlotte was the game for you as not only did the drafted play well but the undrafted as well.
Although the first quarter involved the two teams trading baskets, the Hornets used a huge offensive second quarter (just as they did in the first meeting on Tuesday) to take an eleven point lead into halftime. Nonetheless, the Nets were able to shrink the deficit to seven due to eighteen combined points from Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Ryan Boatright in the third quarter.
In the fourth, Brooklyn's duo would continue to single-handedly will their team by getting the deficit down to two with three Ryan Boatright free throws at the 4:04 mark. Could the Nets steal a victory to avoid leaving Orlando winless?
Former Kentucky Wildcat Aaron Harrison has made many big shots in college to win ball games, and even though he did not have a game winning make yesterday, his four points in the final minutes' of Friday's contest were huge and ended any winning asperations of Brooklyn's.
In the 81-73 victory, the ninth player selected in the 2015 NBA Draft by Charlotte Frank Kaminsky scored nineteen points and grabbed six rebounds while teammates P.J. Hairston and Aaron Harrison posted sixteen and fifteen points. For the Nets, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (twenty-third pick overall) finally broke out of his week long shooting slump to post a professional high of twenty-two points and Ryan Boatright led all scorers with twenty-four.
Brooklyn, like Miami, also traveled to Las Vegas after the defeat and will face Eastern Conference Champion Cleveland in their first game this evening.
2014 First Round Picks In Action
-Aaron Gordon ORB (#4 Pick)
---Did not play.
-Elfrid Payton ORB (#10 Pick)
---Did not play.
-Mitch McGary OKC (#21 Pick)
---Did not play.
-Jordan Adams MEM (#22 Pick)
---12 points (3-10), 4 rebounds, 1 assist, & 1 steal.
-Shabazz Napier MIA (#24 Pick)
---Did not play.
-P.J. Hairston CHA (#26 Pick)
---16 points (5-15), 8 rebounds, 4 assists, & 3 steals.
-C.J. Wilcox LAC (#28 Pick)
---14 points (5-11), 3 rebounds, 1 assist, & 1 block.
2015 First Round Picks In Action
-Mario Hezonja ORB (#5 Pick)
---Did not play.
-Stanley Johnson DET (#8 Pick)
---10 points (3-10), 4 rebounds, 2 assists, & 2 blocks.
-Frank Kaminsky CHA (#9 Pick)
---19 points (7-15), 6 rebounds, & 2 assists.
-Justise Winslow MIA (#10 Pick)
---Did not play.
-Myles Turner IND (#11 Pick)
---Did not play.
-Cameron Payne OKC (#14 Pick)
---Will not participate in summer league due to fractured finger.
-Rondae Hollis-Jefferson BKN (#23 Pick)
---22 points (8-21), 11 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals, & 1 block.
-Jarell Martin MEM (#25 Pick)
---Will not participate in summer league due to foot injury.
-Chris McCullough BKN (#29 Pick)
---Will not participate in summer league due to ongoing recovery from a torn ACL.
Final Standings
1. Miami 5-0 33 pts
2. Memphis 5-0 31.5 pts
3. Orlando White 4-1 29 pts
4. Oklahoma City 3-2 19.5 pts
5. Orlando Blue 2-3 18 pts
6. Detroit 2-3 16 pts
7. Charlotte 2-3 16 pts
8. Los Angeles C 1-4 16 pts
9. Indiana 1-4 12 pts
10. Brooklyn 0-5 9 pts
Vavel.com's All-Orlando Summer League First Team
G-Joe Young IND
---(4 GP) 22.5 PPG, 2.5 RPG, & 3.3 APG.
G-Jordan Adams MEM
---(4 GP) 16.0 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 1.0 APG, & 2.3 SPG.
F-Stanley Johnson DET
---(5 GP) 16.2 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 2.0 APG, & 1.8 SPG.
F-Aaron Gordon ORB
***Most Valuable Player
---(3 GP) 21.7 PPG, 11.7 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.3 SPG, & 1.7 BPG.
C-Myles Turner IND
---(3 GP) 18.7 PPG, 8.3 RPG, & 4.3 BPG.
Vavel.com's All-Orlando Summer League Second Team
G-Keith Appling ORW
---(5 GP) 15.6 PPG, 1.2 RPG, 3.0 APG, & 3.0 SPG.
G-Russ Smith MEM
---(5 GP) 14.8 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 6.2 APG, & 3.2 SPG.
F-C.J. Wilcox LAC
---(5 GP) 14.0 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 1.6 APG, & 1.4 SPG.
F-Willie Reed MIA
---(4 GP) 13.5 PPG, 7.8 RPG, & 1.8 BPG.
C-Frank Kaminsky CHA
---(5 GP) 15.2 PPG, 7.8 RPG, & 1.0 BPG.
Vavel.com's All-Orlando Summer League Third Team
G-Nate Wolters LAC
---(3 GP) 14.0 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 3.3 APG, 2.3 SPG, & 1 BPG.
G-Semaj Christon OKC
---(5 GP) 15.6 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 6.8 APG, & 1.2 SPG.
F-Troy Daniels CHA
---(4 GP) 13.5 PPG, 7.8 RPG, & 2.5 APG.
F-Branden Dawson LAC
---(4 GP) 12.8 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 1.0 APG, 1.8 SPG, & 1.3 BPG.
C-Jarnell Stokes MEM
---(5 GP) 12.0 PPG, 6.6 RPG, & 1.2 APG.
Today's Slate
4:00 PM (Las Vegas Summer League)
New Orleans - Dallas
4:30 PM (Las Vegas Summer League)
New York - San Antonio
6:00 PM (Las Vegas Summer League)
Washington - Phoenix
6:30 PM (Las Vegas Summer League)
Chicago - Minnesota
8:00 PM (Las Vegas Summer League)
Boston - Portland
8:30 PM (Las Vegas Summer League)
Los Angeles Lakers - Philadelphia
10:00 PM (Las Vegas Summer League)
Brooklyn - Cleveland
10:30 PM (Las Vegas Summer League)
Miami - Utah
***All Times Eastern
Today's Game of the Day
8:30 PM (Las Vegas Summer League)
Los Angeles Lakers - Philadelphia
Finally! Basketball fans around the world will be able to see whether the Los Angeles Lakers' General Manager Mitch Kupchak will be feeling confident or insecure for taking guard D'Angelo Russell with the second overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft. Russell, who averaged 19.3 points per game as a Freshman at Ohio State, had a tough outing in his professional debut last night as he was only able to score eight points on three for eight shooting. Despite the struggles, skills such as his passing ability and quick hands were on display and praised in the performance. With one game under the nineteen year old's belt, everyone should expect him to be more comfortable in his second game against Jahlil Okafor's (14.0 PPG & 8.3 RPG) Philadelphia 76ers, who come into Vegas prime and hungry for the Las Vegas Summer League Championship.