Stat of the Day:In preparation for Saturday’s Samsung NBA Summer League opener, the Sixers not only modified their roster — they bolstered it. The team announced Friday that it would be adding forward Jerami Grant and shooting guard Nik Stauskas to the mix in Las Vegas. Both Grant and Stauskas are readying for their third professional seasons this fall, and were prominent components of Brett Brown’s rotation last year. Another new face set to join the Sixers in Vegas is Brandon Paul. Since his four-year run at Illinois came to an end, the guard has bounced around between the NBA Development League, and the international circuit. Paul suited up for Charlotte in the recently-completed Orlando Pro Summer league, and manufactured 15.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. Notable Quotable:With the Sixers now set to begin the second leg of their summer swing out west, Lloyd Pierce will take over coaching the team. The responsibility belonged to Billy Lange earlier this week, when the club was in Salt Lake City for the Utah Jazz Summer League. Pierce, like Lange, has been an assistant under Brett Brown since Brown was hired in August of 2013. After landing in Las Vegas late Friday morning, the Sixers conducted a near two-hour practice. Following the session, Pierce spoke about the objectives that he’s set for the team.
“I think the good thing is that we’ve had the same group throughout the entire week. Obviously, adding Nik Stauskas, and Jerami Grant, but for the most part, we’ve got some continuity. Guys came off a win last night, so just trying to build on that, coming to Vegas, knowing it’s a tournament format, and just trying to get better. Really just trying to get better with the group.”Did You See That?:The bond between the number one pick of the 2016 NBA Draft and the rock isn’t limited strictly to the basketball court, as shown here, at Las Vegas’ McCarran International Airport on Friday.When ball is life. #SummerSixers pic.twitter.com/A0oKa9Duuk— Philadelphia 76ers (@Sixers) July 8, 2016 #SummerSixers Sounds:Having appeared in two of the Sixers’ three outings in Salt Lake City earlier this week, Maodo Lo produced a total of 21 points, currently good for fourth-most on the summer league roster. The 23-year old shooting guard from Berlin has so far connected on eight of 14 field goal attempts, and four of his eight three-point heaves. Lo, who graduated from Columbia University this past spring, paced the Ivy League in triples each of the last two years, and discussed his stint with the Sixers on the heels of an important 13 point-effort in Thursday’s victory over the Utah Jazz.Around Town:The 24-team 2016 Samsung NBA Summer League field got underway Friday, with 10 games being staged between Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion, both of which are located on the campus of the University of Nevada – Las Vegas. In what was one of the marquee match-ups from the opening day of competition, Minnesota and Denver – two teams with promising backcourt prospects – squared off. The Timberwolves made Providence point guard Kris Dunn the fifth pick in this June’s draft, while the Nuggets selected point guard Emmanuel Mudiay and potential combo guard Jamal Murray seventh overall each of the last two years, respectively. Friday, in Denver’s 88-82 come-from-behind victory, Mudiay tallied 23 points (8-18 fg), eight rebounds, and six assists, with Murray generating 14 points (5-12 fg, 1-4 3fg). Dunn cranked out 27 points (10-18 fg), five rebounds, two assists, and three steals.On Tap:On Saturday at 8:30 PM EST inside Thomas & Mack Center, the Sixers will take the floor for the first of at least five Samsung NBA Summer League contests. How the team fares will ultimately dictate the number of games it plays. A tournament format was implemented three years ago, and should the Sixers reach the championship final in Las Vegas, they could wind up appearing in eight tilts. Up first for the Sixers will be the Los Angeles Lakers, which have Brandon Ingram and D’Angelo Russell on their roster. Los Angeles chose Ingram second overall this year. Russell went number two in 2015.
When ball is life. #SummerSixers pic.twitter.com/A0oKa9Duuk
