NBA Summer League action triple-header on TSN4
Published
NBA Summer League action continues Monday with the Houston Rockets taking on the San Antonio Spurs at 7pm ET, followed by the Orlando Magic facing off the Oklahoma City Thunder at 9pm ET and the New York Knicks battling the Portland Trail Blazers at 11pm ET, all on TSN4 and TSN.ca.
Fresh off a 90-88 victory over Oklahoma City on Saturday, the 1-1 Rockets are taking on the 0-2 Spurs.
The Rockets, who enter this season coming off a league-worst 20-62 record in 2021-22, are using exhibition action to give their young roster, which is devoid of any superstar talent, a chance to gel. Specifically, third overall pick Jabari Smith Jr. and fellow first-round point guard TyTy Washington Jr., who were each selected at the NBA Draft in June.
Smith Jr. played 30 minutes on Saturday and scored 12 points to go with nine rebounds, but struggled shooting the ball, finishing 5-for-19 from the field and 2-of-9 from three-point range.
The Spurs are in a similar situation to the Rockets, having traded their all-star guard Dejounte Murray to the Atlanta Hawks earlier this off-season.
Three players were selected in the first round of this year's NBA Draft by the Spurs; guards Malaki Branham and Blake Wesley will each play today, but ninth-overall pick F Jeremy Sochan will miss the entire Summer League after a positive COVID-19 test.
Orlando has started with a 2-0 record in Summer League action and will play the Thunder, who are 0-1. First overall pick Paolo Banchero, the main draw for the Magic, will be rested tonight as the Magic plan to prioritize minutes for other players.
In the Magic's 94-92 double-overtime victory over the Sacramento Kings, Banchero played 34 minutes and scored 23 points to go with six rebounds and six assists but also had eight turnovers.
The Thunder feature a roster full of young talent, most of which will be on display in tonight's game. Chet Holmgren, the 7-foot-1 centre who was the second overall pick in this year's draft, is the main attraction.
Additionally, 11th overall pick Ousmane Dieng and 12th overall pick Jalen Williams will also be participating. In their loss to the Rockets on Saturday, Holmgren played 28 minutes and scored 12 points on 3-of-10 shooting.
In the nightcap, the Knicks (2-0) take on the Trailblazers (1-1). The Knicks have had two dominant wins thus far, including a 101-69 trouncing of the Chicago Bulls on Sunday.
Second year players Quentin Grimes (24 points), Feron Hunt (five points, three steals) and Jericho Sims (11 points 10 rebounds) have led the way for the Knicks to this point. Sims was recently given a full NBA contract after playing last year under a two-way deal, and has shown encouraging improvement in the Summer League early on.
Portland, who recently signed superstar point guard Damian Lillard to a two-year, $121 million extension, also feature Canadian forward Shaedon Sharpe, who was drafted seventh overall, but will miss the Summer League with a labral tear in his shoulder.
In their 85-68 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday, the Trail Blazers were led by Trendon Watford, who played 31 minutes and scored 17 points to go with 11 rebounds. He was signed to a four-year contract last season after starting the year on a two-way deal.