Summer League Recap (or, THAT Was a Waste of $5…)

On a night where the ESPY Awards were my only other semi-sports related viewing option, I decided to finally break down and fork over a virtual Abe Lincoln to NBA.com for the privilege of watching the “Cavs” play the “Bulls” in the first round of the Las Vegas Summer League “playoffs.” Although I went in with low expectations, even despite the Herculean “Cavs” comeback from 21 points down to the “Bucks” two nights ago to seize an improbable overtime victory on the back of a Smokin’ Joe Harris 13 point flurry, I was still somehow unbelievably underwhelmed.

Most of this was because two of the three players I had tuned in to take a peek at (the aforementioned Smokin’ Joe, and the man they call Christmas), remained firmly affixed to the pine for the duration. This left me with the unenviable prospect of slogging through 96 minutes of forgettable, just above pickup game at the Y-level basketball, featuring Sir (No)Pointer and his band of future D-League wannabes. But such is life in the NBA Summer League after your stacked team has just gone to the Finals, so I let the memories of this past year’s playoff run, and visions of next year’s, console me at the loss of a little bit of time and money, as the “Cavs” lost this meaningless game 91-73.

Although, in hindsight, I probably shoulda just spent the $5 on beer and watched Mr. Robot…

When it was revealed that neither Joe Harris nor Rakeem Christmas would be in the starting lineup, I spent the first five minutes or so of this game just trying to figure out the identities of many of the players on the floor. Sir’Dominic Pointer was there, but the rest of the starters were mysteries to me. I vaguely remembered Quinn Cook from his days at Duke, and I’d actually seen D.J. Seeley play a game with Cal State Fullerton, but it took a little research to figure out not only who Eric Griffin was, but where exactly Campbell University is (some place called Buies Creek, North Carolina). Then I got sidetracked by the Campbell University nickname, The Fighting Camels (I didn’t know camels actually fought — but apparently camel cavalries date as far back as the Battle of Qarqar in 853 B.C.), and current mascot “Gaylord” The Fighting Camel (named after former alum, and former Cleveland Indian, Gaylord Perry, interestingly enough).

This guy called him “Gaylord” one too many times…

This rabbit hole (or camel hump) I had slid down, caused me to miss about half of the first “quarter” of play, which was advantageous since the “Cavs” and “Bulls” combined to miss almost two thirds of their combined shots and were tied at nine halfway through the period. Towards the end of the quarter, Douggie McBuckets came alive with four points and three boards to put the Bulls up by five (a lead that they would not relinquish). It was around that time that I realized I actually knew more “Bulls” players in this game than “Cavs” players. And given that there’s practically zero chance that any players (who actually played in this game) on the “Cavs” side of things (aside from maybe Sir D-League) will ever wind up in Cleveland, I started paying a little more attention to who might have a chance to make it to Chicago.

It’s still kind of an awesome nickname… even if he doesn’t play.

Besides McBuckets, who has a better handle than I realized, and has developed some decent post moves, the other stand-out for the “Bulls” for most of the night was their first round pick (#22 overall) Bobby Portis. Granted, it was against inferior competition, but this kid looks cut from the same cloth as Taj Gibson. At 6’11, he’s long, he’s active and should be capable of providing depth off the bench in the frontcourt for Chicago. Eventually, I could easily see him becoming a double-double guy like Gibson. Both Portis and McDermott wound up with 16 points (as did former Laker, Vander Blue — who seems like he’s missing either a first or last name), and Portis added 10 boards and two blocks. This troika were able to push the “Bulls” lead out to as much as 20 points in the second half to keep the game out of reach.

Here’s all the highlights if you’re brave (and want to save $5)…

The only real bright spots, if you’re being liberal, were the play of Seeley (who wound up with a team high 16 points), and the continued sharpshooting of BYU grad, Tyler Haws. Though he didn’t take as many threes in this contest, Haws shot a ridiculous 63% from the field (and 86% from three) in his four games in Vegas. Yes, this was only based on 16 total attempts, but the 6’5 SG Haws is a guy the Cavs might want to find a place for in Canton. Jerrelle Benimon also averaged nine boards per game, and might be a guy that other teams should take a look at.

Even though Joe Harris and Rakeem Christmas didn’t play in this game, both seemed to make progress in the previous game against the “Bucks.” Harris is probably the only sure thing on this “Cavs” team to be on the opening roster for the real Cavs. Though his shooting in the first two and a half games left a lot to be desired, he caught fire in the fourth quarter and overtime on Monday, and he is still developing as a young gun. His immediate future with the Cavs will probably resemble last season’s yo-yo routine between Cleveland and Canton. Christmas is a bit more of a question mark, since the Cavs are well stocked with big men at the moment. He may still make the team just to fill out the complement of practice bodies, but he could also easily lose his spot to a vet on a minimum.

Smokin’ Joe’s comin’ back… Brother!

The longest shot is Pointer, who probably winds up cut or at Canton. Though he flashed some athleticism in previous games, it’s just hard to see him having a place in Cleveland, especially if Griffin is truly able to put the band back together, and re-sign both J.R. and Delly.

The “Cavs” have one more consolation bracket game on Friday against the “Timberwolves” so we may yet get one last look at Smokin’ Joe and Christmas in July. And, if I’m lucky, maybe my $5 will get me a peek at Karl-Anthony Towns, and maybe even a Wiggins sighting (that’s Nick Wiggins, Andrew’s older brother who spends most of his time playing for Real Madrid).

One Wiggins is as good as the next… right?

At any rate, the good news of having Summer League about to be in the rearview, is that we’re that much closer to the start of the 2015-16 NBA season. Time to store up on hoop dreams like a Fighting Camel stores up water, and hump it through the remaining off-season desert.

Wake me when it’s October…