Three teams fighting for two spots. That was the situation in Orlando this afternoon as Orlando White and the Memphis Grizzlies were looking for a spot in Friday's Orlando Summer League Championship. The Miami Heat, who had already played all four of their pre-Championship Day games, actually entered the day in the drivers seat since both Memphis and Orlando White needed multi-quarter win victories on day six to clinch a spot in the top two. Nonetheless, the Grizzlies and the White were not facing each other meaning there was a possibility of all three teams tying each other in points, which would lead to pre-written tiebreakers deciding the two to play in the title game. The madness started at 3 PM Eastern Standard Time.
Today's Results
Game 1
0-3 (5 pts) Indiana 91
1-2 (9 pts) Orlando Blue 85
Notables
IND-Joe Young
***Orlando Summer League Star of the Day
28 points (9-17), 3 rebounds, & 3 assists.
ORB-Tyler Harvey
24 points (8-13), 2 rebounds, 5 assists, & 1 steal.
Normally every NBA Summer League game has at least one first round draft pick suiting up, but that was not the case in game one Thursday as Indiana's Solomon Hill and Myles Turner in addition to Orlando Blue's Aaron Gordon, Mario Hezonja, and Elfrid Payton were all given the day off. Nevertheless, even without the star power, the contest had the highest scoring total of any single game at this year's Orlando Summer League.
From the start, both teams were swishing the long ball as the first eighteen of twenty points in the first quarter were put on the board via the three pointer. Eventually though, the treys started to not drop for either team resulting in the squads reverting back to shooting two point field goals. But that would not last long since Indiana's 2015 second round selection Joe Young found the bottom of the net with back-to-back three point attempts in the second quarter. Young, who averaged 20.7 points per game his senior season with Oregon, would go on to have a fantastic second period as he collected ten points to put his team up five with 3:37 left. Their advantage would not last long though since Orlando's second round pick Tyler Harvey scored five points in fifty-five seconds to tie the game right before the break. Luckily for Indiana, Trent Lockett was able to produce a two point lead heading into halftime by making a layup before time expired.
In the third period, Harvey started just like he ended the second by drawing a foul on a three pointer and tying the game with two made free throws. In addition to the Eastern Washington product's production, second year forward from Iowa Devyn Marble showcased his talent for Blue by scoring five points to give Orlando a four-point lead heading into the last ten minute period.
Just as the beginning of the first quarter, the fourth brought more made baskets from beyond the arc as five three point attempts were nailed in less than five minutes (two from both Joe Young and Devyn Marble). In fact, the style of play transitioning helped the Pacers go on a 13-2 run that stole the lead and gave them an eight point edge with 4:23 remaining in regulation! Indiana's advantage would stay three possessions for most of the final four minutes until Orlando's Marble was able to turnover the Pacers' Lockett twice in a matter of ten seconds and find sharpshooter Tyler Harvey for a three pointer and a layup to decrease Indiana's advantage to three. After Lockett increased the margin to four by making one out of two free throws, Harvey had another open look from beyond the arc but the ball rattled out and fell in the hands of the Pacers' Young, who sealed the game with two makes at the charity stripe.
Although Orlando Blue dropped their third straight game, Devyn Marble and Tyler Harvey had their best outing of the week by scoring twenty-two and twenty-four points respectively (2015 summer league highs). But, neither Marble or Harvey were able to outshine Joe Young, who posted a professional high of twenty-eight points in the Pacers' first win.
Game 2
0-3 (6 pts) Brooklyn 58
3-0 (20 pts) Orlando White 65
Notables
BKN-Jonathon Simmons
12 points (3-7), 4 rebounds, 2 steals, & 1 block.
ORW-Keith Appling
19 points (5-9), 1 rebound, 1 assist, & 6 steals.
To clinch a berth in tomorrow's Orlando Summer League title game, Orlando White needed to outscore Brooklyn in two quarters and win the game. Simple enough, right?
No matter how simple the scenario was, Brooklyn started the game on a mission to upset their undefeated opponent by running out to a very early 7-0 lead. What was going on with the White? They had never played so poorly to start a game, especially, one of this magnitude! Shortly after the Nets scored their seventh point of the game, Orlando White's leading scorer Keith Appling calmed the nervous with the team's first basket of the game. The made attempt by the Michigan State product would initiate a seven point spurt to tie the game and reset any advantage the Nets had. From the neutral score, Orlando was able to outscore the Nets 15-11 to collect the point and end the quarter.
After two low scoring quarters that the teams split the points from, Orlando White's championship hopes came down to holding onto a slim four-point lead in order to gain four points in the standings.
The final ten minute segment started with a Keith Benson "rim rocker," yet no momentum was gained as the Nets were able to string together a Jonathan Simmons' trey and a jumper from Akil Mitchell to draw within one.
In his first two games, Orlando White's Taylor Braun scored the majority of his points in the fourth quarter. Today was no exception. When the former North Dakota State star entered the game for the first time in the period, his team was ahead by only three points! But with his shot making ability, Braun put the final nail in the Nets' coffin. How? By draining a three pointer at the 3:10 mark, increasing Orlando's lead from four to seven, and swishing a pull-up jumper with under two minutes remaining, keeping Brooklyn from getting within six points. That's how! Thanks to Taylor Braun's final quarter effort, Orlando White was bound to play in the championship game.
Due to Brooklyn and Orlando White's very low shooting percentages, very few players had impressive offensive numbers this afternoon. But, one cannot overlook the performance of Orlando's Keith Appling, who continued his great play in the Amway Center practice gym with a game high nineteen points on five of nine shooting. As Appling was the best player on the floor, the Nets' Ryan Boatright, Jonathon Simmons, and Markel Brown all finished in double-digit scoring while Brooklyn 2015 first round pick (via trade) Rondae Hollis-Jefferson could not overcome his shooting woes and ended the day with five points. Although RHJ has not impressed anyone in Orlando over the course of summer league, a positive can be taken from his rebounding game as he grabbed a professional high twelve boards.
Game 3
2-1 (13 pts) Oklahoma City 81
3-0 (19 pts) Memphis 87
Notables
OKC-Mitch McGary
16 points (8-14), 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 steals, & 2 blocks.
MEM-Jarnell Stokes
18 points (7-10), 4 rebounds, & 1 steal.
When the last game of day six tipped off, the biggest Oklahoma City Thunder fans East of the Mississippi River were players on the Miami Heat as they needed the Grizzlies to lose to OKC or outscore/tie the Thunder fewer than three quarters in a win to ensure a spot in tomorrow's Orlando Summer League Championship game. Could Oklahoma City leave Memphis thunderstruck?
Despite being the best pairing of the afternoon, the showdown between the two Western Conference squads was very boring initially as both high powered offenses got off to very slow starts. Thankfully, the pace would quicken and the baskets would start to fall.
A key to the Grizzlies' early success was their ability to close out and win quarters. In fact, Memphis was down by four points with four minutes or fewer in both periods of the first half, yet were able to go on runs of 6-0 and 17-4 to not only steal back the game lead but the quarter's as well. The trio of Jarnell Stokes, Jordan Adams, and Russ Smith can primarly be pinpointed as the source of the comebacks as the three combined for thirty-one of the team's forty-nine first half points! But one must remember, during summer league every trailing team has a second half run.
The third quarter started with a Levi Randolph jumper that dwindled the Grizzlies' lead to seven. Little did anyone know that was just the beginning for the Thunder. Later, 2014 Oklahoma City draft picks Mitch McGary and Semaj Christon were able to pull their team within two by scoring all eleven points in a 11-4 spurt prior to 2015 NCAA Men's Basketball National Champion Quinn Cook knotting the score at 55 with a layup. Despite Memphis being stunned that their lead was erased in a matter of six minutes, big man Jarnell Stokes was able to answer immediately with a made layup. Also, after a "one and out" by the Thunder, Russ Smith made a layup of his own to increase the Grizzlies' lead back to four.
It is truly amazing how quickly momentum can shift in an NBA basketball game, and a great example presented itself as both Memphis' starters' layups kicked-off an 11-2 run that gave Memphis a nine point lead heading into the final quarter as well as a half point for tying the Thunder in the ten minute period.
At this point, the Grizzlies had earned 2.5 of their needed 6.5 points, meaning all they had to do to return to the Orlando Summer League Championship for the second time in two years was hold on to their lead against the Thunder.
Just as the late minutes of the third, the fourth quarter started out very well for Memphis as they continued to build onto their lead and had it as high as fourteen with 2:54 remaining in the game. Yet right when the Thunder looked ready to concede, leading scorer Semaj Christon lit a fire underneath his teammates by scoring six straight Oklahoma City points to shrink the Grizzlies double-digit lead to four with thirty-eight seconds left! Since time was precious, OKC elected to foul former Kentucky Wildcat star Andrew Harrison.
The first attempt was silky smooth from the 2015 second round pick, but the second was short. Former teammate of Harrison at Kentucky Dakari Johnson snatched the rebound for the Thunder, and was unintentionally fouled by Darnell Lazare. Johnson would have a chance to make it a one possession game with no time expiring off the clock! Clank! Just as quickly as the opportunity presented itself, the chance was gone. Even though Johnson made the second free throw, Memphis' 2014 first round pick Jordan Adams put the game away by sinking two at the charity stripe.
As the three-headed monster of Jordan Adams, Jarnell Stokes, and Russ Smith played as advertised (fifty-two combined points. eighteen by Stokes, seventeen from both Adams and Smith), big men Alex Kirk and Darnell Lazare were instrumental in the victory by each posting Summer League highs of nine points. For the Thunder, Mitch McGary continued to prove he is ready to contribute to Oklahoma City's pursuit of a championship next season by scoring sixteen points and grabbing seven rebounds while Semaj Christon overcame poor shooting stretches to net nineteen points.
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)
---16 points (8-14), 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 steals, & 2 blocks.
-Jordan Adams MEM (#22 Pick)
---17 points (5-12), 5 rebounds, & 1 steal.
2015 First Round Picks In Action
-Mario Hezonja ORB (#5 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)
---5 points (2-8), 12 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 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.
Standings
1. Orlando White 4-0 27 pts
2. Memphis 4-0 25.5 pts
3. Miami 4-0 25 pts
4. Detroit 2-2 16 pts
5. Oklahoma City 2-2 14.5 pts
6. Los Angeles C 1-3 13 pts
7. Indiana 1-3 11 pts
8. Orlando Blue 1-3 11 pts
9. Charlotte 1-3 10 pts
10. Brooklyn 0-4 7 pts
Tomorrow's Slate
8:00 AM
5th Place Game
6. Los Angeles Clippers vs 5. Oklahoma City
10:00 AM
3rd Place Game
4. Detroit vs 3. Miami
12:00 PM
Championship Game
2. Memphis vs 1. Orlando White
2:00 PM
7th Place Game
8. Orlando Blue vs 7. Indiana
4:00 PM
9th Place Game
10. Brooklyn vs 9. Charlotte
Championship Game Preview
12:00 PM
Memphis - Orlando White
Last summer, a 3-1 Memphis Grizzlies' team was handedly defeated by Hollis Thompson and the Philadelphia 76ers by the score of 91-75 in the 2014 Orlando Summer League Championship game. Tomorrow, the Grizz will attempt to avenge their loss by bringing home the 2015 Orlando Summer League championship against the Orlando White. For clarification purposes: Yes, there are two Magic teams competing in summer league this year. No, Orlando White does not contain lottery picks Aaron Gordon, Elfrid Payton, and Mario Hezonja but it does contain D-League players and free agents. So, Memphis should easily come away with the victory? Not so fast!
Orlando White has won all four games by an average margin of ten points (which is significantly higher than the other two undefeated teams)! In addition, White's guard Keith Appling has emerged as one of the best scorers in City Beautiful while Keith Benson, Scottie Wilbekin, and Melvin Ejim has showcased their talent as well. Nonetheless, taking down Memphis' three headed monster of Jordan Adams, Russ Smith, and Jarnell Stokes will not be an easy task as they average 45.4 points per contest. So sit back and relax or do whatever you can to get off work to watch this game because this journalist forsees a great title game transpiring.