Third-year guard Rashad Vaughn’s 30-point explosion propelled the Milwaukee Bucks to an 88-83 win over the Brooklyn Nets in Las Vegas Summer League action on Sunday afternoon at Cox Pavilion.
Vaughn’s 111 games of NBA regular-season experience seemed to serve him well Sunday, as he shot a blistering 13-of-18 from the field while also hauling in eight rebounds and recording a trio of blocks. The entertaining back-and-forth affair featured 10 ties, 12 lead changes and a collective 46.3 percent shooting effort from the Bucks (1-1). Both teams did a superior job taking care of the ball, with only a combined 19 turnovers committed. However, Milwaukee was clearly better than the Nets (1-1) at the charity stripe, and the Bucks’ 70.8 percent free-throw success rate — as compared to Brooklyn’s 52.2 percent mark — was key to the victory.
First-round pick D.J. Wilson and former SMU star Sterling Brown followed Vaughn with matching 16-point efforts, with the former adding six rebounds, one assist, two blocks and one steal, and the latter supplying five rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks. Guard Travis Trice registered 12 points, three assists and a rebound. Thon Maker, who enjoyed a strong rookie campaign last season, filled up the stat sheet with eight points, eight rebounds and three blocks.
Caris LeVert, who averaged 8.2 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists in his rookie season, led the way for the Nets with 18 points, seven boards and three assists. Milton Doyle followed with 13 points, four rebounds and an assist. Isaiah Whitehead, one of multiple Brooklyn players with notable NBA experience, was next with 12 points, four rebounds, three assists and a steal. Spencer Dinwiddie poured in 11 points and added two boards, an assist and two steals. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson provided a near double-double with eight points, 12 rebounds, an assist and a steal. Archie Goodwin posted six points, three rebounds, two assists and two blocks in 19 minutes off the bench.
The Nets are back in action against the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday afternoon, while the Bucks do battle with the Clippers on Monday evening.
