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Nine-plus days through this year’s NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, one thing remains certain. This year’s champion will hoist the trophy with an undefeated record glimmering by its team name in lights.
Four unbeaten teams entered Sunday’s play from the Thomas & Mack Center with only two slots open for Monday’s title game. Memphis and Los Angeles locked horns first before lending the stage to Golden State and Miami.
After 80 combined minutes of play, Memphis and Miami emerged as this summer’s top two teams and will battle for it all Monday, July 22 from the T&M Center. Tip-off is slated for 6 p.m.
Pippen’s triple-double, Wells’ 28 help Grizzlies sink Clippers
Memphis knocked LA from the ranks of the unbeatens behind a pair of monster performances from its starting backcourt.
A missed free throw late led to a, 99-98, win for the Grizzlies over the Clippers Sunday morning from the TMC. Memphis became the first team to secure a spot in this year’s championship game set for just under 30 hours away.
“[Head coach Taylor] Jenkins and our front office has built a culture of we compete every time we’re in the lines,” head coach Jason March said. “That’s at practice, that’s here – it doesn’t matter. Salt Lake City, wherever we’re playing that’s what we are supposed to do.”
In total, it was three 20-point scorers for the Grizz that led the team to victory. Guard Scotty Pippen Jr. converted an and-one to turn a one-point deficit into a two-point win for his club.
Earlier in the frame, he hauled in an offensive rebound and found rookie guard Jaylen Wells for an open three-pointer. That rebound and assist gave Pippen Jr. a triple-double on the night on his way to 23 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.
“Summer league MVP,” March said. “That’s it. He’s the best player out here. On the defensive end, he shows it day-after-day and it wasn’t just in Vegas. He’s been doing it since July 4, that was our first training camp day.”
There was a 15-0 run late in the third quarter that launched Memphis back into the game while holding Los Angeles without a point for more than five minutes. In addition, the Clips went without a field goal for the final 5:31 of the third quarter.
Wells capped the third quarter with a three-pointer as the final seconds ticked down. He did the same to close the first half en route to 28 points on 9-of-12 shooting with six made threes.
“You just see him getting more comfortable,” March said. “He’s starting to fill his spots on the floor and understand our running habits and where we want to get to.”
Forward GG Jackson added 20 points of his own in yet another game this summer.
Los Angeles didn’t lead until midway through the second quarter on a dunk from center Moussa Diabate. Early in the fourth quarter, forward Jordan Miller rattled off seven straight points to tighten the gap.
This summer’s third-leading scorer tied in the game-high with 28 points on 8-of-14 from the floor for Miller.
The Clippers made another run late in the fourth on an 8-3 spurt. For a brief moment, the team grabbed the lead on a three-pointer from rookie guard Cam Christie.
The younger brother of Los Angeles Lakers guard Max Christie, put on a shooting display in front of the three-year elder. He knocked home six threes during a 22-point night.
Golden State suffers first loss of summer as Miami advances to championship
Golden State will not follow its California Classic Summer League crown with a similar title in las Vegas.
Miami downed Golden State, 102-99, in the second semifinal game from the Thomas & Mack Center Sunday afternoon.
“We’re not done,” guard Josh Christopher said. “Obviously, this was a really big win [against] a team that beat us by 40 in San Francisco. The goal hasn’t changed even from our first game when we got destroyed.”
The Heat were able to secure the win after coming up with a steal along the baseline with seconds winding down. On the other end, they’d drain two free throws to create more distance.
Christopher scored 13 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter including a late and-one to take a two-point lead. He’d reach his 23 points on 7-of-15 from the floor.
Christopher nailed a three early in the frame along with teammate Alondes Williams. He also gave Miami an early lead on a layup through traffic.
“If you’re humble and you approach it – if you’ve been through what I’ve been through the last one or two years, you’ll do whatever,” Christopher said. “I appreciate the role I’ve been given.”
Williams didn’t score his first points of the game with 3:42 to play in the first half. The tandem of he and Christopher combined to score 13 first half points on 4-of-9 shooting. Near the halftime buzzer, the latter was whistled for a technical foul while arguing with a referee.
“The most important thing is when they throw different things at you, kind of take a breather,” head coach Dan Bisaccio said. “Read it – these guys are pros. They’re vets, both of them have played in NBA games before. Both of them have had some really good success in the G League so for them it might just take a second.”
Williams added 14 points while teammates Pelle Larsson and Kel’el Ware chipped in with 21 points and 18 points respectively.
Warriors forward Kevin Knox added a game-high 31 points on 12-of-17 shooting with five made threes.
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