Rip City Project
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NBA Summer League schedule features Blazers versus Jazz, Hawks, Spurs

By Matt George Moore

LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 8: Jake Layman #10 of the Portland Trail Blazers and Zach Collins #33 of the Portland Trail Blazers go for the rebound during the game against the Utah Jazz during the 2017 Summer League on July 8, 2017 at Cox Pavillion in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 8: Jake Layman #10 of the Portland Trail Blazers and Zach Collins #33 of the Portland Trail Blazers go for the rebound during the game against the Utah Jazz during the 2017 Summer League on July 8, 2017 at Cox Pavillion in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The NBA has the cure for your Blazers basketball jones: The Summer League. Portland will play Utah, Atlanta and San Antonio.

The NBA season just ended, as I’m sure you know, when Kevin Durant and the Golden States defended their pile-on championship by beating LeBron James and Those Other Clevelands.

High times and exciting happenings — unless you’re a fan of one of the other 28 NBA teams. For those fans — and that includes us here in Rip City — the NBA Finals were a yawner. There’s been way more excitement in the NCAA baseball tournament, for goodness’ sake.

But now, we’ve all got something to look forward to. And although it pales in comparison to playing for a championship, at least it gets us psyched for the 2018-2019 season. (Which will undoubtedly end with Kevin Durant and the Golden States playing LeBron James and Who’s It Gonna Be This Time? in the NBA Finals.)

NBA Summer League

The Association is trying out some new things this time around.

Must Read: Check out our 'Best of the Season' series.

First, all 30 teams will compete in the Summer League — officially, the MGM Resorts NBA Summer League 2018. It’s the first time the entire league will showcase quote-unquote “up-and-coming” talent.

Second, according to the NBA, “every Summer League game will air live on television, with ESPN networks and NBA TV combining to televise a record number of games.”

The Summer League takes place July 6 through July 17 at the Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. (Historical note: The Blazers once played the Lakers in a playoff game there.)

The Blazers’ Schedule

Portland opens its Summer League schedule July 7 at noon PDT against the Utah Jazz. That game will be televised on NBA TV.

The next day, on Sunday, July 8, Portland squares off against the Atlanta Hawks. That game is at 2:30 p.m. PDT and will be broadcast on ESPN2.

Finally, the Blazers face the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday, July 10, at 1 p.m. PDT. Like the first game, it will air on NBA TV.

Here’s what the NBA has to say about the Summer League overall:

"The tournament-style format will culminate with the Championship Game on July 17 at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN. Last year’s event, won by the Los Angeles Lakers behind 2017 Summer League MVP Lonzo Ball and 2017-18 NBA All-Rookie First Team selection Kyle Kuzma, set records for total attendance, single-day attendance, combined viewership across ESPN and NBA TV, and traffic to the NBA’s social and digital platforms."

Keep an eye out for the Train Blazers’ roster for the Summer League. It’s usually finalized at the end of June or in early July.

Next: ‘Mr. Portland’ is doing it for Rip City culture

And as always, be sure to keep up with Rip City news and info here at the RCP as well as on our Twitter feed @RipCityProject.