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Vegas Summer League Recap, Day Eight
July 13, 2005
Sacramento Kings vs. Los Angeles Clippers
Halftime Score: Clippers 40 Kings 33.
Kings
Jonathan Givony
Kevin Martin- Martin was settling almost exclusively for the outside jumper in the first half. This is not his strong point right now and it wasn’t falling for him. He continued to rebound strong and play defense, and was again playing unselfishly. Martin was shooting 58% from the field before this game started, we’ll see what his average ends up at if he keeps settling for fadeaways like he has so far in the 1st half.
Francisco Garcia- Garcia on the other hand looks a lot better than he has in previous games for the Kings. His jumper was falling for him for once and he combined that with his trademark tough defense, getting in the passing lanes and even coming up with a couple of blocks.
Clippers
Eric Weiss
Chris Kaman-The book is out on Chris. He’s got all the moves, a nice shot, and great size. All Chris needs to do to be an impact center in the NBA is figure out when to do what. Kaman has hit the mid-range jumper, he has gone inside with some nice footwork, and he’s blocked a few shots. I love his skillset and he is easily the best player on the court right now, but he’s made no progress in his shot selection over the course of the week and needs to maximize his efficiency to impress me anymore.
Washington Wizards vs. Orlando Magic
Final Score: Wizards 73- Magic 65
Halftime Score: Washington Wizards 40- Orlando Magic 34
Wizards
Jonathan Givony
Donell Taylor- Taylor is having a nice little game for himself once again. He started off nailing the 18 footer from a couple different spots on the court, taking the ball strong to the basket and finishing, playing defense and even blocking a shot.
Taylor didn’t do much in the 2nd half unfortunately, partially because of a lack of a minutes and partially because he just wasn’t that good.
Peter John Ramos- Ramos showed some sparks here and there, but overall he is a pretty frustrating player to watch. His basketball IQ is low and he makes mistakes in almost everything he does. The problem is, the next time down the floor he’ll make an unbelievable move for a guy his size.
Hiram Fuller- Fuller has quietly had a pretty nice summer league for himself. He continued with that by having an excellent first half against the Magic. He was super active on the glass, he played good defense and blocked or challenged a number of shots, he used his athleticism and length on both ends of the floor and generally just did a good job down low for the Wizards.
Fuller finished with a double double thanks to his excellent effort in the paint and tenacity.
Andray Blatche- Blatche had another up and down game here today, showing a lot of the same things that he showed in the first few games, doing a lot of nice things from the perimeter but struggling a bit to maintain a consistent level of concentration throughout his time on the floor. He rebounded very well, though.
David Hawkins- Hawkins did more of the same of what we’ve been talking about him all along the week here, scoring in bundles, getting to the hoop with ease, playing defense and showing a great attitude and feel for the game. There isn’t much more to say about him really.
Magic
Eric Weiss
Travis Diener-Diener has taken full advantage of Jameer Nelson’s early “retirement” from the summer league. Diener has been hitting his outside shot with consistency and hasn’t needed much space to do so. Travis has also displayed good control of the offense and has collected assists off of a variety of passes, both difficult and fundamental. Though slight of build, Diener hasn’t been exposed on defense to any large degree. On offense, Travis has not had any trouble bringing the ball up against his opponents pressure. Best player for his team by a wide margin.
Diener was solid in the second half. He always puts the ball in a good position for his teammate to score in. Travis had a few really beautiful assists and even made some trips to the basket. Diener needs to add strength if he’s going to be effective long term, but after starting the summer league off slow he’s shown NBA potential in the last couple games.
Jerome Beasley-Jerome has had a pretty solid game for the most part. Beasley’s shot is not falling for him in the first half, but his moves have been fluid and decisive despite being matched up against a variety of different sized defenders. Beasley’s best attribute has been his rebounding. Jerome also was very vocal with his teammates and has tried to be a leader on the floor. Seems very active so far and is getting a long look now that Howard has left.
In the second half Jerome got his shot to fall a bit more, but all his moves to the hoop have been solid so it’s no surprise. Beasley rotated well defensively and really tried to get involved on both ends of the court.
Roger Mason Jr.-Roger really had his game working for him today. Mason’s outside shot was falling with regularity and his drives to the hoop were composed and effective. Roger doesn’t really make anyone else’s game better, but he showed judicious shot selection and moved the ball when he didn’t see an opportunity. Good game for him.
New York Knicks vs. Chicago Bulls
Final Score: New York Knicks 79- Chicago Bulls 77
Halftime Score: New York Knicks 44- Chicago Bulls 37
Chicago Bulls
Jonathan Givony and Eric Weiss
Eddie Basden- Was being a little bit more aggressive today on the offensive end, but not forcing things as usual. Basden knocked down a deep mid-range shot and took the ball strong to the basket in the first half, also rebounding strong and playing very good defense.
In the second half Eddie really upped his defensive intensity. Basden stripped at least two different Knick ball handlers and went in for a sweet finger roll where he hesitated at the cup, while in the air, to avoid the defense and then dropped the ball in with a delicate release. Some people are comparing him a young Bruce Bowen, and defensively it is a sound comparison, but if Eddie continues to explore his offensive game he could be much a much more dynamic player.
Basden must refine his perimeter shooting to take his game to the next level, but with his attitude and work ethic this shouldn’t be a problem. Eddie will also have Ben Gordon as an example to work with and Gordon’s offense is a perfect compliment to Basden’s defense and if the two hit it off they could really help develop one another.
Mario Austin- Austin was passing the ball extremely well once again, not forcing the issue one bit and always looking to make the right play rather than the play that would benefit his statline the most. He scored two very nice baskets in the first quarter and one in the 2nd, but for some reason did not get credit for it on the score sheet. He plays a little too laid back and under control for a competition like this.
Jared Reiner- You would never guess that Jared Reiner is one of the few players on this team with a full NBA season under his belt from the way he as been playing here, he’s shown absolutely nothing on either end of the floor here in any of the games.
New York Knicks
Eric Weiss and Jonathan Givony
Channing Frye- Channing started the game off very strongly for his club, may have been the best player. Frye started the game off with a couple nice post moves, a hook shot with contact and a leaning one-hander. Frye has looked comfortable fighting for positon inside against the Bulls frontcourt and has grabbed a few solid rebounds.
Frye continued to play well in the 2nd half and probably had his best all around game here in Vegas. He ran the floor hard time after time and presented himself well for the pass and easy finish, dunking the ball with authority every time, which is great to see out of him. He had a couple of very strong moves around the basket to finish with his trademark jump hook shot, looking very confident and smooth in the process. Really looked solid outworking his opponent for rebounds down low.
Nate Robinson-Robinson has started this game off a bit out of control, as his 3 turnovers will attest. Still, Robinson continues to show off consistency from long range, hitting his only 3 attempt of the game.
A little more of the same from Robinson in the third quarter, making one good move and then neutralizing it by making a bad one the next time down. It wasn’t a bad game for Nate here, just not as good as we’ve gotten used to seeing out of him in the amazing week he’s had here so far. An alley-oop pass to Trevor Ariza was probably his most exciting play of the game, a far cry from the walking highlight reel we saw in the previous four games here. Still, Nate displayed his excellent court vision on more than one occasion and has a great touch on the spectacular pass as well as the simple. There is a growing consensus around here that Robinson may have gone much lower than his skill set warranted.
David Lee-Lee has gotten extended minutes at the small forward position in each of the last two games and has looked comfortable doing so. Despite a hesitance to shoot from the outside, Lee has made effortless trips to the basket against his opponent thanks to his nice handle and strong lateral movement. When David hasn’t finished with power he’s shown a soft touch around the basket, even switching hands and twisting his body to put himself in a position to finish. Lee’s court vision is a huge plus for a player his size and his ability to come across the lane for rebounds make him a valuable asset.
Lee continued to work his butt off for every second he was on the floor in the 2nd half, being extremely active off the ball and trying to help out as much as he could on the defensive end as a SF, where he is clearly a liability. He proved the scouting report wrong by knocking down a 20 footer from the baseline, but then came back and missed two free throws in a row. Really showed a great sense of spacing and decision making in the open court, as did most of his unit.
Trevor Ariza-Ariza has shown a lot of energy today. He’s been able to tip a few rebounds to himself over taller opponents and get the ball out in transition with speed.
The second half was similar to the first for Trevor. Ariza does everything well, although he doesn’t stand out in any one area. Ariza’s got great length and shows nice vision, especially on the break where he can fill any role required to make the play happen.
Brent Wright- In limited minutes, Wright is putting together a nice little game for himself here. He hasn't done too much in Vegas so far, partially due to the fact that the Knicks aren't giving him minutes and partially due to the fact that he is being played at his NBA position, the three, rather than his true position, the four. Regardless, you can tell that this guy just knows how to play. He is strong, smart, skilled and willing to do whatever it takes to help his team out. He has great hands and feet and can do a little bit of everything out there on the court.
Jackie Butler-For all the Knicks fans who like this kid there’s good news, Jackie’s better than he was last year and has worked to improve his conditioning. Always soft with the touch around the basket, Jackie really showed some nice passing both as a high post man and down on the box. Butler’s range isn’t extensive and he must continue to work on sculpting his body and increasing the speed of his decision making but, as a 20 year old with no high level experience, he’s come a long way.
Feedback for this article may be sent to [email protected] [email protected] .
July 13, 2005
Sacramento Kings vs. Los Angeles Clippers
Halftime Score: Clippers 40 Kings 33.
Kings
Jonathan Givony
Kevin Martin- Martin was settling almost exclusively for the outside jumper in the first half. This is not his strong point right now and it wasn’t falling for him. He continued to rebound strong and play defense, and was again playing unselfishly. Martin was shooting 58% from the field before this game started, we’ll see what his average ends up at if he keeps settling for fadeaways like he has so far in the 1st half.
Francisco Garcia- Garcia on the other hand looks a lot better than he has in previous games for the Kings. His jumper was falling for him for once and he combined that with his trademark tough defense, getting in the passing lanes and even coming up with a couple of blocks.
Clippers
Eric Weiss
Chris Kaman-The book is out on Chris. He’s got all the moves, a nice shot, and great size. All Chris needs to do to be an impact center in the NBA is figure out when to do what. Kaman has hit the mid-range jumper, he has gone inside with some nice footwork, and he’s blocked a few shots. I love his skillset and he is easily the best player on the court right now, but he’s made no progress in his shot selection over the course of the week and needs to maximize his efficiency to impress me anymore.
Washington Wizards vs. Orlando Magic
Final Score: Wizards 73- Magic 65
Halftime Score: Washington Wizards 40- Orlando Magic 34
Wizards
Jonathan Givony
Donell Taylor- Taylor is having a nice little game for himself once again. He started off nailing the 18 footer from a couple different spots on the court, taking the ball strong to the basket and finishing, playing defense and even blocking a shot.
Taylor didn’t do much in the 2nd half unfortunately, partially because of a lack of a minutes and partially because he just wasn’t that good.
Peter John Ramos- Ramos showed some sparks here and there, but overall he is a pretty frustrating player to watch. His basketball IQ is low and he makes mistakes in almost everything he does. The problem is, the next time down the floor he’ll make an unbelievable move for a guy his size.
Hiram Fuller- Fuller has quietly had a pretty nice summer league for himself. He continued with that by having an excellent first half against the Magic. He was super active on the glass, he played good defense and blocked or challenged a number of shots, he used his athleticism and length on both ends of the floor and generally just did a good job down low for the Wizards.
Fuller finished with a double double thanks to his excellent effort in the paint and tenacity.
Andray Blatche- Blatche had another up and down game here today, showing a lot of the same things that he showed in the first few games, doing a lot of nice things from the perimeter but struggling a bit to maintain a consistent level of concentration throughout his time on the floor. He rebounded very well, though.
David Hawkins- Hawkins did more of the same of what we’ve been talking about him all along the week here, scoring in bundles, getting to the hoop with ease, playing defense and showing a great attitude and feel for the game. There isn’t much more to say about him really.
Magic
Eric Weiss
Travis Diener-Diener has taken full advantage of Jameer Nelson’s early “retirement” from the summer league. Diener has been hitting his outside shot with consistency and hasn’t needed much space to do so. Travis has also displayed good control of the offense and has collected assists off of a variety of passes, both difficult and fundamental. Though slight of build, Diener hasn’t been exposed on defense to any large degree. On offense, Travis has not had any trouble bringing the ball up against his opponents pressure. Best player for his team by a wide margin.
Diener was solid in the second half. He always puts the ball in a good position for his teammate to score in. Travis had a few really beautiful assists and even made some trips to the basket. Diener needs to add strength if he’s going to be effective long term, but after starting the summer league off slow he’s shown NBA potential in the last couple games.
Jerome Beasley-Jerome has had a pretty solid game for the most part. Beasley’s shot is not falling for him in the first half, but his moves have been fluid and decisive despite being matched up against a variety of different sized defenders. Beasley’s best attribute has been his rebounding. Jerome also was very vocal with his teammates and has tried to be a leader on the floor. Seems very active so far and is getting a long look now that Howard has left.
In the second half Jerome got his shot to fall a bit more, but all his moves to the hoop have been solid so it’s no surprise. Beasley rotated well defensively and really tried to get involved on both ends of the court.
Roger Mason Jr.-Roger really had his game working for him today. Mason’s outside shot was falling with regularity and his drives to the hoop were composed and effective. Roger doesn’t really make anyone else’s game better, but he showed judicious shot selection and moved the ball when he didn’t see an opportunity. Good game for him.
New York Knicks vs. Chicago Bulls
Final Score: New York Knicks 79- Chicago Bulls 77
Halftime Score: New York Knicks 44- Chicago Bulls 37
Chicago Bulls
Jonathan Givony and Eric Weiss
Eddie Basden- Was being a little bit more aggressive today on the offensive end, but not forcing things as usual. Basden knocked down a deep mid-range shot and took the ball strong to the basket in the first half, also rebounding strong and playing very good defense.
In the second half Eddie really upped his defensive intensity. Basden stripped at least two different Knick ball handlers and went in for a sweet finger roll where he hesitated at the cup, while in the air, to avoid the defense and then dropped the ball in with a delicate release. Some people are comparing him a young Bruce Bowen, and defensively it is a sound comparison, but if Eddie continues to explore his offensive game he could be much a much more dynamic player.
Basden must refine his perimeter shooting to take his game to the next level, but with his attitude and work ethic this shouldn’t be a problem. Eddie will also have Ben Gordon as an example to work with and Gordon’s offense is a perfect compliment to Basden’s defense and if the two hit it off they could really help develop one another.
Mario Austin- Austin was passing the ball extremely well once again, not forcing the issue one bit and always looking to make the right play rather than the play that would benefit his statline the most. He scored two very nice baskets in the first quarter and one in the 2nd, but for some reason did not get credit for it on the score sheet. He plays a little too laid back and under control for a competition like this.
Jared Reiner- You would never guess that Jared Reiner is one of the few players on this team with a full NBA season under his belt from the way he as been playing here, he’s shown absolutely nothing on either end of the floor here in any of the games.
New York Knicks
Eric Weiss and Jonathan Givony
Channing Frye- Channing started the game off very strongly for his club, may have been the best player. Frye started the game off with a couple nice post moves, a hook shot with contact and a leaning one-hander. Frye has looked comfortable fighting for positon inside against the Bulls frontcourt and has grabbed a few solid rebounds.
Frye continued to play well in the 2nd half and probably had his best all around game here in Vegas. He ran the floor hard time after time and presented himself well for the pass and easy finish, dunking the ball with authority every time, which is great to see out of him. He had a couple of very strong moves around the basket to finish with his trademark jump hook shot, looking very confident and smooth in the process. Really looked solid outworking his opponent for rebounds down low.
Nate Robinson-Robinson has started this game off a bit out of control, as his 3 turnovers will attest. Still, Robinson continues to show off consistency from long range, hitting his only 3 attempt of the game.
A little more of the same from Robinson in the third quarter, making one good move and then neutralizing it by making a bad one the next time down. It wasn’t a bad game for Nate here, just not as good as we’ve gotten used to seeing out of him in the amazing week he’s had here so far. An alley-oop pass to Trevor Ariza was probably his most exciting play of the game, a far cry from the walking highlight reel we saw in the previous four games here. Still, Nate displayed his excellent court vision on more than one occasion and has a great touch on the spectacular pass as well as the simple. There is a growing consensus around here that Robinson may have gone much lower than his skill set warranted.
David Lee-Lee has gotten extended minutes at the small forward position in each of the last two games and has looked comfortable doing so. Despite a hesitance to shoot from the outside, Lee has made effortless trips to the basket against his opponent thanks to his nice handle and strong lateral movement. When David hasn’t finished with power he’s shown a soft touch around the basket, even switching hands and twisting his body to put himself in a position to finish. Lee’s court vision is a huge plus for a player his size and his ability to come across the lane for rebounds make him a valuable asset.
Lee continued to work his butt off for every second he was on the floor in the 2nd half, being extremely active off the ball and trying to help out as much as he could on the defensive end as a SF, where he is clearly a liability. He proved the scouting report wrong by knocking down a 20 footer from the baseline, but then came back and missed two free throws in a row. Really showed a great sense of spacing and decision making in the open court, as did most of his unit.
Trevor Ariza-Ariza has shown a lot of energy today. He’s been able to tip a few rebounds to himself over taller opponents and get the ball out in transition with speed.
The second half was similar to the first for Trevor. Ariza does everything well, although he doesn’t stand out in any one area. Ariza’s got great length and shows nice vision, especially on the break where he can fill any role required to make the play happen.
Brent Wright- In limited minutes, Wright is putting together a nice little game for himself here. He hasn't done too much in Vegas so far, partially due to the fact that the Knicks aren't giving him minutes and partially due to the fact that he is being played at his NBA position, the three, rather than his true position, the four. Regardless, you can tell that this guy just knows how to play. He is strong, smart, skilled and willing to do whatever it takes to help his team out. He has great hands and feet and can do a little bit of everything out there on the court.
Jackie Butler-For all the Knicks fans who like this kid there’s good news, Jackie’s better than he was last year and has worked to improve his conditioning. Always soft with the touch around the basket, Jackie really showed some nice passing both as a high post man and down on the box. Butler’s range isn’t extensive and he must continue to work on sculpting his body and increasing the speed of his decision making but, as a 20 year old with no high level experience, he’s come a long way.
Feedback for this article may be sent to [email protected] [email protected] .
