In the same way if you are a baseball fan you owe it to yourself to one year make it out to Spring Training, if you are an NBA fan you owe it to yourself to make it out to NBA Summer League one year.
It’s NBA rookies and guys hoping to make it onto the back end of an NBA roster (or get a good contract in Europe) balling in a setting where you can get Jack Nicholson quality seats at an affordable price. This is where you can see and fall in love with the 10th player down the bench, giving you reason to say the coach needs to play them more come January. You are on top of the action, and while it’s not the level of basketball you see in the playoffs it is entertaining. You get to see guys up close and really get a feel for them.
And it’s casual and laid back.
After a year hiatus — thanks again lockout! — the NBA Summer League is back in Las Vegas this summer, starting July 13 (the day after Team USA breaks camp in Vegas to head east). It takes place at the adjacent Cox Pavilion and Thomas & Mack Center. Tickets are on sale now.
Anthony Davis and the New Orleans Hornets (you can bank on that pick) will start play Sunday night and a majority of NBA teams will be represented there. Here is the full schedule. And when Summer League gets here be sure to check back with PBT as we will be on scene and giving you all the reports and a lot of interviews from there.
Friday July 13
COX Pavilion
1 PM – Atlanta vs. Washington
3 PM – Houston vs. Toronto
5 PM – Golden State vs. LA Lakers
7 PM – Sacramento vs. Charlotte
Saturday July 14
COX Pavilion
1 PM – Memphis vs. New York
3 PM – Golden State vs. Denver
5 PM – LA Lakers vs. Sacramento
7 PM – Houston vs. Washington
Sunday July 15
COX Pavilion
1 PM – New York vs. Phoenix
3 PM – Denver vs. Dallas
5 PM – San Antonio vs. Atlanta
7 PM – Washington vs. NBA D-League
Thomas & Mack
3:30 PM – Toronto vs. Miami
5:30 PM – Cleveland vs. Charlotte
7:30 PM – New Orleans vs. Portland
Monday July 16
COX Pavilion
1 PM – Atlanta vs. Boston
3 PM – Dallas vs. Toronto
5 PM – Cleveland vs. NBA D-League
7 PM – LA Clippers vs. Minnesota
Thomas & Mack
3:30 PM – Houston vs. Sacramento
5:30 PM – LA Lakers vs. Miami
7:30 PM – Milwaukee vs. New Orleans
Tuesday July 17
COX Pavilion
1 PM – Denver vs. New York
3 PM – Washington vs. Memphis
5 PM – Portland vs. Houston
7 PM – Chicago vs. Boston
Thomas & Mack
3:30 PM – San Antonio vs. LA Lakers
5:30 PM – Cleveland vs. Phoenix
7:30 PM – Minnesota vs. Charlotte
Wednesday July 18
COX Pavilion
1 PM – Milwaukee vs. Washington
3 PM – Chicago vs. Houston
5 PM – Atlanta vs. Dallas
7 PM – San Antonio vs. LA Clippers
Thomas & Mack
3:30 PM – Sacramento vs. Toronto
5:30 PM – New Orleans vs. Phoenix
7:30 PM – Golden State vs. Miami
Thursday July 19
COX Pavilion
1 PM – New York vs. Toronto
3 PM – Portland vs. Atlanta
5 PM – Cleveland vs. Minnesota
7 PM – NBA D-League vs. Milwaukee
Thomas & Mack
3:30 PM – Boston vs. Sacramento
5:30 PM – LA Clippers vs. LA Lakers
7:30 PM – Charlotte vs. Denver
Friday July 20
COX Pavilion
1 PM – New York vs. Cleveland
3 PM – Denver vs. Portland
5 PM – Miami vs. San Antonio
7 PM – NBA D-League vs. Phoenix
Thomas & Mack
3:30 PM – Memphis vs. Charlotte
5:30 PM – Chicago vs. Golden State
7:30 PM – Dallas vs. New Orleans
Saturday July 21
COX Pavilion
1 PM – Portland vs. Miami
3 PM – Dallas vs. San Antonio
5 PM – NBA D-League vs. Minnesota
7 PM – Memphis vs. Phoenix
Thomas & Mack
3:30 PM – Golden State vs. New Orleans
5:30 PM – Chicago vs. LA Clippers
7:30 PM – Milwaukee vs. Boston
Sunday July 22
COX Pavilion
1 PM – Chicago vs. Milwaukee
3 PM – Boston vs. LA Clippers
5 PM – Memphis vs. Minnesota