Goudelock schools. Monday recap of NBA Las Vegas Summer League

Goudelock = instant offense

Andrew Goudelock was the most efficient player on a winning team during Monday's NBA Las Vegas Summer League play. The Bulls shooting guard scored 31 points (10-13 FG) with five made three point shots in 29 minutes. The Bulls beat the undersized Nuggets summer entry 93-81. Malcolm Thomas took advantage of the ridiculously positioned Nuggets (playing Quincy Miller at PF, and Kyle Barone at Center) by grabbing 22 rebounds!

The Phoenix Suns rallied from 24 points down to beat Minnesota 91-89 on a Marcus Morris 19 foot jumper at the buzzer. Marcus' twin brother, Markieff was the star of the contest with 22 points (7-9 FG), and six rebounds. ...The Spurs beat the Hawks 96-87 behind the outstanding play of Aron Baynes.  The Australian BIG man had 19 points, 15 rebounds, and two blocked shots. ...Golden State kept Sacramento's summer entry win less with an easy 80-66 victory. ...Lester Hudson scored 13 points, snared nine rebounds and dished four assists in the Lakers 77-65 triumph over the Clippers. ...New Orleans beat Cleveland 66-62, and Charlotte whipped New York 84-71. 

Our All NBA Las Vegas Summer League Team for day four (July 15, 2013)... Point guards: Hudson, Ray McCallum, Kendall Marshall. Shooting guards: Goudelock, Nando De Colo. Small forwards: Robbie Hummel, Patrick Ewing Jr. Power forwards: Luke Harangody, Mike Scott, Malcolm Thomas. Centers: MK. Morris, and Baynes. 

Las Vegas NBA Summer League Day Three

Jennings is an active BIG

The third day of the NBA Las Vegas Summer League saw Terrence Jennings (Louisville) emerge as the most efficient player on a winning team. Jennings had 16 points, eight rebounds, three steals, and two blocked shots in the summer Knicks 82-69 win over the Wizards. Jennings, a 24 year-old power forward from Sacramento, CA, played previously in Belgium and in the D-League. 

Cody Zeller rebounded from a pedestrian game one to score 21 points and grab 13 rebounds in his second Las Vegas outing. His Charlotte summer team beat Dallas 86-80. ...The Lakers summer team is much better than last year's win-less presentation. Lester Hudson led the Lakers to a decisive 81-63 triumph over Portland. Hudson had 15 points (5-8 FG), and five rebounds in 23 minutes of play. ...The NBA D League Select Team improved to 2-0 in summer action with a 83-77 win over the Clippers. Elijah Millsap was the star with 21 points, seven rebounds, and three assists. Millsap went to the free throw line 20 times, and made 15. ...Jonas Valanciunas continued his good play in the Raptors 82-76 victory over the Spurs. Valanciunas scored 19 points and snared 13 rebounds. ...Atlanta beat Miami 75-71, moving both teams to 1-1 through two games. ...Milwaukee improved to 2-0 with a 69-61 victory over New Orleans. ...Cleveland remained perfect at 2-0 by beating Memphis 69-58. 

Our day three (Sunday, July 14, 2103) All Las Vegas NBA Summer League Team: Point guards: Hudson, Brian Roberts. Shooting guards: Justin Dentmon, Millsap, Stefhon Hannah. Small forwards: DeShaun Thomas, Terrence Ross. Power forwards: Jennings, C Zeller, Darnell Jackson. Centers: Jack Cooley, Valanciunas.

Let the NBA fun begin!

My basketball hiatus is over. ...I have news that makes me happy. My man Marqus Blakely from Vermont who went undrafted has signed with the Clippers. I think he should have been a first-round pick. I had him listed 29th in the 2010 Draft.

John Lucas III - who I believe should be in the NBA - has apparently landed a gig with Bulls as their third PG behind Derek Rose, and C.J. Watson.

It appears that Lester Hudson, another kid I like a bit - will get a shot to make the Wizards roster.

This is time of year where you find out who took care of their training regimen in the summer. Some players will look bigger in a good way while a few will look bigger in a bad way. For the record I try not to read too much into the whole “he’s in great shape, he’s going to have a monster season” type thing. But I do believe that a healthy mix of relaxation and training during the summer is its own reward. Some players work out too hard in the summer and poop out by Christmas. Others know that you can’t take the whole summer off but you can get away and clear your mind before returning to a maintenance program that ratchets up as training camp nears.

We hear the “in-shape” buzz already on Phoenix Suns multi-purpose wing Jared Dudley (pictured at right) as well as for Sacramento’s multi-faceted Donte Greene. Dudley is said to be leaner by 15 lbs. — while Greene is noticeably bigger in a good way - as he continues to fill out his 6’10” frame. 

In New Orleans, the Hornets have 12 new players among the 18 in their camp.

Said Joey Graham at Cavs media day, “Not taking anything away from LeBron, but this team can stand on its own two feet. We are so underestimated, so underrated.” I’m going to clip and save that quote and revisit it in - say - February. 

In Dallas - they are bored with the Mavs who have yet to win a championship despite having won 50 games or more for ten straight seasons. Take it from a Kings fan; enjoy that “boredom”! The Kings made the playoffs eight years in a row and then the bottom fell out. It happens. A Kings fan would offer his left cowbell for a 50 win season. 

In Minnesota - Jonny Flynn (pictured at left) is still recovering from hip surgery and will miss at least the first two weeks of training camp.

There is a new allocation rule in the D-League. Starting with this season - the three most recently waived players from affiliate NBA teams, prior to the D-League Draft, become the rights of that D League team (so long as the player signs the D-League standard contract).  For example, let’s say the Kings last three training camp cuts are Marcus Landry, Joe Crawford, and Darnell Jackson. Those three - as I understand the rule - would be allocated to the Reno D-League team.

Utah Jazz first round pick and former Butler star, Gordon Hayward went nutso with his first professional check. He went out and bought a Honda Accord.

Two NBA veterans have landed in Memphis for training camp. Kenny Thomas and Damien Wilkins will fight to make the Grizzlies roster. I believe Wilkins, 30, is still capable of being a SF that comes off the bench. Thomas -  still has the athleticism at age 33 but his inability to make a free-throw has killed his game. He used to score AND rebound. People forget that Kenny Thomas averaged 13 points and ten rebounds for the season in Philadelphia in 2003-04. Now he simply is a rebounder, and that is not good enough. It’s as if Thomas caught the Nick Anderson disease where a player loses confidence from the free throw line and because of that—he quits putting himself in scoring positions where a foul may be drawn.

McGee living up to his promise in LV Summer ball

JaVale McGee was our Player of the Day for Friday at the NBA Las Vegas Summer League. The Washington Wizards Center is a beast of a physical specimen, standing 7'0" and now weighing a guesstimated 275 lbs. He has a terrific combination of power and finesse, and those qualities have benefited from playing alongside rookie phenom John Wall. Wall is getting the ball to McGee in all the right positions. McGee posted 29 points (13-16 FG), while snatching eight rebounds (five offensive) in the Wizards dramatic come from behind win over New Orleans at Cox Pavilion.

Lester Hudson hit a game winner as time expired for the Wiz. The final score was 90-89. 

Our All Las Vegas Summer League Team for day eight (with game efficiency rating): PG: Wall - WA .722,  SG: Wayne Ellington - MIN .647, SF: Landry Fields - NYK .857, PF: Kyle Hines - NO .964, C: McGee - WA .911. Bench: Guards: DeMar DeRozan - TOR .611, Maurice Ager - NO .593. Forwards: Greg Monroe (pictured)- DET .939, Samardo Samuels - CHI .760, Jeff Adrien - MEM .750. Centers: Jerome Jordan - NYK .857, Ed Davis - TOR .758.