Our notebooks are full from another day watching hoop in Vegas are a few notes from Day 3 of the NBA Summer League:
• In case you missed it, we’ve written about a couple of big men who are looking good in Las Vegas — Jonas Valanciunas of the Raptors and Cody Zeller for the Bobcats.
• Speaking of bigs, for the second game in a row Jan Vesely showed an improved offensive game for the Wizards — a tip in-alley-oop, a couple putbacks, a pretty little step-back jumper along the baseline he has hit a couple days in a row now. But for the second straight day his defense and rebounding left a lot to be desired — the Wizards got pushed around in the paint a lot and Vesely lost his man in transition.
“To me, he got a little physicality used on him today…” Wizards Summer League coach Don Newman said after the game. “You got a guy (Knicks’ Jeremy Tyler) that’s rough in the paint, the whole game they beat us right down in the paint. If they missed it they went and got it. And that can’t happen, you got to hold your own down there and that’s what (Vesely) has to do defensively.”
• Otto Porter had his second rough shooting game in a row, 4-of-13. He’s a smart player with a great IQ but who admitted after the game that learning to play the pick-and-roll heavy NBA game is a major adjustment. After the game the Wizards coaching staff said they would like to see him drive more.
• Cleveland’s Dion Waiters put up 23 points on Memphis, but it was on 7-of-17 shooting. He was attacking, getting buckets at the rim and getting to the line for a dozen free throw attempts. That’s the good side. He was 1-4 from three and 4-11 from outside the paint in general.
• John Henson was out for the Bucks with a groin strain. Nothing serious but teams are very cautious at Summer League with injuries. As they should be.
• Tony Wroten had a nice offensive game as he tries to make a case he should get minutes behind Mike Conley in Memphis next season. His game has matured a lot from his first Summer League, but I’m not sure he plays enough defense. Looking good in Vegas and looking good running the Grizzlies offense are two different things.
• According to friend of the site D.J. Foster, Clippers draft pick Reggie Bullock looked like a player, working well off the ball. Not many minutes available on the Clippers next season, that is one deep team, but it’s also a place a young player could learn a lot.
• Dallas’ point guard Gal Mekel — who the team just signed a week ago — is just solid. He plays within himself, he never looks hurried, he makes smart decisions on when and where to move the ball, and if he gets in the lane he’s got a nice little floater. He also has shown a little drive and dish-back that is an almost behind the back pass. He is not athletic enough to be a star in this league but he should be a solid 15-20 minute a night backup. This is a good signing by Dallas.
• Golden State’s first-round pick Nemanja Nedovic sprained his ankle and sat out Saturday’s Summer League game for the team, then Sunday he was bound for Serbia to play with their national team this summer. He did practice with the team before his injury.
• Yesterday we told you Portland’s Victor Claver was injured after taking a knee to his thigh, Sunday he said he is day-to-day. He’s feeling a lot better, hot time for a return to the court set.