Boozer, Wilson go tit-for-tat as Grizzlies edge Bulls

Top picks Caleb Wilson and Cameron Boozer met just a few days into this year's NBA Summer League with Boozer's Memphis Grizzlies taking down Wilson's Chicago Bulls. Photo Credit: Terrel Emerson/Talk that Talk

A third meeting since February between now top picks Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson may have proven to be the best one.

In their first professional meeting, Boozer’s Memphis Grizzlies topped Wilson’s Chicago Bulls, 97-96, from the Thomas & Mack Center Friday, July 10 on Day 2 of NBA Summer League. It was a matchup that pitted the No. 3 overall pick against the No. 4 overall pick following their respective days at Duke and North Carolina.

“Wins, win a championship,” second-year player Cedric Coward said of the team’s summer league goals. “We did the math and it’s six wins to win a championship. We got one down, we’ve got five more to go.”

Memphis had to stave off a pair of big comeback runs by Chicago in order to narrowly escape with the win.

After holding the Bulls to 32% shooting in the first quarter, the Grizzlies jumped out by as many as 12 points in the opening frame. Using a 10-2 run early in the second quarter, the listed away team hopped back on top briefly.

Following a timeout taken with 7:37 left in the second quarter, Coward went on an individual spurt that saw him score 13 points, haul in a rebound, dish out an assist and steal a pass during the remainder of the frame.

“I always just read the game,” he said. “Read it in terms of what we need and honestly, just going out and trying to make plays. Whether it’s me scoring, getting a steal, a rebound, whatever it is.”

Coward closed the night with 17 points, 10 rebounds and five assists.

Memphis forward Cameron Boozer takes a turnaround jumpshot in the team's win over Chicago inside the Thomas & Mack Center. Photo Credit: Terrel Emerson/Talk that Talk

“I just want to show that I’m more of a creator,” he said. “More of a playmaker but ultimately, just making sure I do what I can to help the team win. I mean, it’s not about me or me showcasing my skills. [You have] the offseason to do that.”

Out of the halftime break, the Grizzlies went up double-digits again, this time by 13 points. That would nearly be erased again on another 10-2 run by the Bulls to open the fourth quarter.

Several times the deficit was cut to two points but Chicago’s misfortunes at the free throw line kept the team from fully gaining ground. As a collective, the team went 13-of-25 from the free throw line.

Missing out on those freebies contributed to spoiling a record night for the aforementioned Wilson. He scored his team’s first five points of the game as part of scoring seven in his NBA Summer League debut.

Wilson set a new NBA Summer League record for the most points scored by a single player in their debut, surpassing last year’s 31 points by top pick Cooper Flagg. In this one, he posted a whopping 35 points including eight straight points in the third quarter and a pair of threes late in regulation to narrow the gap.

Bulls forward Caleb Wilson attempts a free throw during the team's one-point loss to the Grizzlies. Photo Credit: Terrel Emerson/Talk that Talk

“We lost,” Wilson said. “That’s my goal to come here and win. Of course, it’s cool [but] somebody is going to break it one day. They always do. I’m happy I got the record but I’m ready to move onto what’s next, we’ve got another game coming up soon.”

The latter of those two made fourth quarter threes came at the final buzzer. In the losing effort, Wilson attempted 21 field goals, eight more than his next closest teammate.

“[I] turned it over way too much,” he said. “I’ve got to box out more too, we gave up too many offensive rebounds. At the end of the day, it was free throws and rebounds that cost us the game.

“You’ve just got to be a leader and lead by example by doing more. Of course, I scored a lot but we didn’t win so I don’t really care.”

Boozer countered with 23 points, six rebounds, four assists, a steal and a block. That lone steal came in the form of a pick-pocket of Wilson near halfcourt as he picked him up the full 94-feet.

“I think I had a great game,” he said. “Great team win. Overall as a team, I think we took a huge step from what we did in Salt Lake to here just picking up and being who we are.”

As the icing on the cake, Boozer drilled a pair of free throws near the conclusion of regulation as part of sustaining the victory.

“I’m a winning player,” he said. “I make winning plays. I can handle, I can play off the ball. I think I just make great reads. That’s what I want to continue to do to get better at this level. To me, the best players in the NBA are the best processors.”