Day 1 here as for the second year in a row we’ve got coverage of the Vegas Summer League. As I type this the game is going on. Thank goodness the NBA has placed the scoreboard on the screen so I can know what the heck is going on. I’m really thankful.
Two minutes in no one has scored. Game 1 is between Philadelphia and Golden State. Players to watch on Philly: Thaddeus Young and Jason Smith with rookie Mareese Speights. They are joined by familiar faces in Jawann McClellan from Arizona and Pat Carroll from St Joe’s (PA). Golden State meanwhile as the Larry Bird of Summer League Ball in Marco Belinelli (who is one great summer league and underwhelming season combo from being the next Qyntel Woods), Brandan Wright and the debuts of Anthony Randolph and Richard Hendrix. Familiar faces looking to audition for anywhere but GS are DeMarcus Nelson from Duke, Louis Admunson (who demanded a contract) and that’s about it.
It’s 3-2 with 7:45 left in the first quarter. Clearly another riveting classic from the summer league. Of course as I say that the scoring picks up and it’s now 10-6 Golden State. And yes i just realized that Golden State was in white not black as I originally thought. The joys of summer league. I will say this the crowds look way more packed than last year. Very odd considering this game has zero star power.
My stream of the game is actually behind the box score which is quite annoying to say the least. First timeout of the game and it’s still 10-6 Golden State.
Brandan Wright with as Sue Bird would call it a ‘score the bucket….and one’. And yes I expect greatness from you Sue, watching you is much more entertaining than this mess. Thaddeus with a pretty little floater finish over two defenders to cut it to 13-8.
Mareese Speights gets on my bad side by screaming ‘And One!’ very loud. So loud the microphones could pick it up. I really can’t stand when people scream And One before they see the ball go in the basket. Especially if it doesn’t go in or they didn’t get fouled. Just say you got fouled sheesh.
Hey guys guess what time it is? Belinelli Time! 3-ball for Marco…if he doesn’t have 25 this game Chris Mullin might decide to get a shooter and try and sign Steve Kerr until he realizes he’s a general manager too. And my stream mysteriously goes out. And then it returns with the Hyperdunk Recovery Center commercial for some reason. And then it goes out again. I swear if it comes back with that commercial someone is getting whooped.
We’re still at a black screen here. Boo NBA.com, boo you.
Is there a more annoying word than ‘Buffering’?
Yes the Hyperdunk Recovery Center commercial again. I’m so happy. Finally back to the game…and it’s the end of the first quarter. Awesome. I missed about all of that. 24-20 Golden State at the end of 1. Thankfully I’m back on time with the box score. Anthony Randolph has 8, Marco has 5, CJ Watson and Admunson both have 4 and Brandan Wright has 3 for the Warriors. Thaddeus and Jason Smith both has 6, Speights has 2 (0/4 shooting).
‘Walk This Way’ by Aerosmith played during the first timeout which lets me know how out of touch the summer league is as usual. Also no one talks about how Aerosmith almost killed the Guitar Hero franchise. Could there have been a more unnecessary video game? It reminds me of when they had ‘Who Wants to be a Millionaire?’ on 5 nights a week and got surprised when people got burned out on it. Or when MTV brought the Hills back for an extra half season despite the fact that a) no one really wanted it that bad and b) they had nothing left to show. And yes that tangent was to hide the fact that my stream went dead again. Restarting the comp.
We’re back and Anthony Randolph looks silky smooth handling the ball in transition and nailing a pullup J to cut Philly’s lead to 36-33. CJ Watson then nails a three to tie the game. So funny…last year CJ Watson was pointlessly playing on San Antonio’s summer league team, no he’s with the Warriors trying to prove he can run the point.
I couldn’t tell who it was for Philly but someone crossed Belinelli something vicious, then used a hesitation move. The crowd is oohing and awing and then he bricked a fadeaway jumper. Classic summer league.
38-38 and Philly calls a timeout to call a play for the last shot. And Prince’s ‘1999’ is playing in the background. Awesome. Hoping by the end of the day they play something from this decade. That isn’t by Diddy.
By the way Philly turned it over before even getting a shot up making that timeout double pointless. Anthony Randolph with a bucket at the buzzer to put the Warriors up 40-38 at halftime. For the Warriors it has been the Anthony Randolph show. He leads the team with 16 points and is severely outplaying his supposed twin Brandan Wright who has 6. Marco has 5 and CJ Watson has 7. For Philly, Thaddeus has 11, Jason Smith has 8, as does Mareese Speights who scored all his points in the 2nd quarter. Randolph has been impressive so far to say the least.
Scoring has been pretty furious early here. 51-48 as CJ Watson scores the bucket…and one.
Louis Admunson has 6 fouls. Way to earn that contract you wanted. In a real game you would be on the bench dejected. ‘I Like to Move It’ is the song of a choice during this timeout. At least we’re heading into Jock Jams territory. By the way….in 2045 when we’re all old are all the same songs still going to be Jock Jams? Are is Soulja Boy going to dominate the market? Dear god don’t let that happen.
Brandan Wright with an offensive rebound putback while Thaddeus responds with a disgusting jab-step that froze the D and a layup. Philly has got some slashers boy…they just need a shooter. Desperately.
Watching big Jason Smith try to take someone off the dribble is just funny.
Pat Carroll with 5 straight points for Philly. Silky smooth left handed stroke from him. Philly should take a closer look at him, they need a shooter. Either that or they trade or JJ Redick. By the way…how JJ Redick still isn’t playing beyond me.
During the last timeout they played an updated version of ‘What I Like About You’. I don’t count it as being from this decade at all.
Unbelievable moment just took place. The PA Announcer just screwed up big time. Paraphrasing it went something like this: “And that’s it…Game 1 in the books….oh wait….the end of the third quarter” and he kept talking very embarassed. Now that’s just funny. 68-66 Golden State with 10 minutes left in this one. Randolph has 22, Wright has 15, Watson has 12 and Marco is MIA not scoring in the third. For Philly…Thaddeus is killing with 19 and Speights has 16.
Marco gets pressured and takes a fadeaway jumper to start the quarter. It barely hits front rim. Last year that’s wet. I pray Rudy is nothing like Marco.
Thaddeus catches and throws down a nasty oop to get the crowd on their feet. Dawan Robinson’s and one makes it 72-71 Golden State with 7:44 left in the game.
CJ Watson has a nice move but blows the layup…that leads to a transition jumper for Pat Carroll.
MARCO TIME!!! Marco with a deep 2 and he followed it up with a pullup 3 in transition. I knew he would justify getting his picture on the blog, I just knew it.
Marco is looking to take over, he got fouled again. 77-74 GS with just under 6 minutes left in the game as there is a timeout. ‘Kung Fu Fighting’ is the jam. Unbelievable. Everytime I hear this song I think of Hong Kong Phooey. By the way…how blatantly racist was Hong Kong Phooey?
Marco knocks both in and DeMarcus Nelson applies full court pressure defense. He did a great job whic
h means there is no way in hell he’s getting signed by the Warriors. Marco clanks another fadeaway short and Thaddeus Young gets another three point play. 79-77 Golden State .
DeMarcus Nelson with a pretty up and under to put the Warriors up 6. Yes I know someone else scored for the Warriors but the PA Announcer didn’t tell me who so we’re S.O.L.
DeMarcus Time? Coach K must be smiling as the ex-Dukie drives to the basket and scores the bucket….and one. 86-77 as Golden State is pulling away.
Marco puts the cherry on top with a Euro fadeaway that was nothing but net. 88-77 with 3:52 left in the game.
Timeout, GS up 90-79. Only notable because ‘Miami’ by Will Smith is playing which means we are so close to the 2000’s.
This game is officially dragging.
Golden State won 96-89. Anthony Randolph had himself a game, 30 points on 12/18 shooting. Brandan Wright had 17, Belinelli had 14. For the Sixers, Thaddeus Young dropped a smooth 27 with Mareese Speights showing he’s a beast in training with 22 points and 13 rebounds. Paul Milsap anyone? Next up….the pro debut of OJ Mayo.