LAS VEGAS — NBA summer league spans three different cities and countless almost three weeks, but nothing quite compares to what we saw tonight.
It’s the marquee event – a matchup between the top two picks traditionally slotted for prime time on opening day in Las Vegas — although this one had to wait until night No. 2 because Ben Simmons and the Sixers spent Friday traveling from Utah, where they’d played three tune-up contests.
For the 16,000 or so fans that packed UNLV’s Thomas and Mack Center and a national audience that watched on TV, it was worth the wait.
Simmons flirted with a triple-double (10 rebounds, eight assists and eight points), leading Philadelphia to a 16-point second-half advantage, before last year’s No. 2 overall pick, D’Angelo Russell, won the day with two dramatic buckets in the final seconds to steal a 70-69 Laker victory.
T.J. McConnell (12 points, six assists) answered Russell’s game-tying jumper with a dramatic, full-court driving layup with 1.8 seconds remaining, but Russell responded with a game-winning 3 from the right wing as time expired, sending the hometown Laker crowd into a frenzy.
A thrilling finish capped off a highlight-filled night, including poster-quality dunks from Jerami Grant (10 points, six rebounds) and Larry Nance Jr. and more breathtaking dimes from Simmons.
No. 1 vs. No. 2
In just under 31 minutes, his most as a professional, Simmons showed the complete game that made him the first overall selection in May.
Brandon Ingram struggled to find his shooting touch (3-for-12 from the field), while Simmons asserted himself on both ends of the floor, finding teammates and creating passing lanes for cutters that might not have known they were open.
His vocal leadership was evident throughout the night, and he stayed engaged on the bench as the team’s loudest cheerleader. Robert Covington was one of many onlookers who could be seen giggling as he watched the rookie dazzle with dime after dime.
Mega Leks Matchup
Former teammates Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot and Ivica Zubac faced off for the first time since suiting up together for KK Mega Leks in Serbia, and both rookies showed the promise that made them such highly-touted international prospects.
Luwawu (10 points) was one of four Sixers to score in double figures, and he did so efficiently — shooting 4-for-5 from the field and 2-for-3 from downtown. He also acquitted himself well on defense, guarding Ingram at times. Zubac pulled down eight boards, although he found himself on the wrong end of Grant’s ferocious poster dunk.
Next Up: The Summer Sixers get right back it, taking on the Chicago Bulls on Saturday at 8:30 p.m. ET.
