Orlando Summer League: Day 4By: Jason Stone

Game 10 – OKC 83 NJ/PHI 62
Box Score

This Thunder team is starting
to stick out amongst this summer league as the team to watch.
Their talent, team play, and energy are quickly becoming a crowd favorite.
They continued their winning ways in a romp over the dysfunctional NJ/PHI
hybrid disaster. In a summer league full of players giving it
their all to make a name for themselves, this group is dramatically
missing any semblance of team play. On the flip side, the Thunder
are developing quite the rapport with one another and it is showing
on the court, as they are smiling and having fun with the success of
their team play.

Once again, Russell Westbrook
is looking like the most talented kid on the court. While he still
has a lot of room for improvement (see driving into traffic with nowhere
to go), Westbrook is without a doubt the star of this summer league
and giving the Thunder many reasons to be optimistic. Russell
shined today with 9 assists and opened the game with a steal and a fastbreak
dish for a Harden dunk. Serge Ibaka and BJ Mullens were the beneficiaries
of Westbrook’s play today as they both got numerous easy buckets for
being in the right place. That was the key. If you were in the
right place, Westbrook would reward you with the pass for the easy bucket.
Westbrook also scored at will, once with a ridiculous slam off the dribble
that left the NJ/PHI defenders in the dust. Russell finished the
day with 18 pts on 6-10 shooting.

BJ Mullens also impressed today with his big time performance.
After looking a bit uncomfortable earlier in the week, BJ showed what he is
capable of, shooting a brilliant 9-12 from the field for 18 points. After a
couple turnaround jumpers in the post, BJ had to leave the game after getting
his mouth bloodied by Jason Ellis on a contested rebound. BJ came back with
a vengeance on the offensive boards with a couple of nasty putbacks and a series
of transition dunks. Mullens fell to 24th in the draft due to motivational question
marks, but with his size and agility (and teams all missing the boat on DeAndre
Jordan last year) it’s a surprise he fell so far. Bigmen take the longest to develop.

James Harden is Mr. Consistent.
The minutes he puts in are solid and efficient. Harden knows where
to be in transition for the easy dunk and spots up on the baseline for
the open 3. Harden is a smart player who is quickly becoming a
leader on the court as he directs players on the court and coaches during
play stoppage. He’s also a fierce defender as evidenced by his
block on Chris Douglas Roberts which drew Chris’s ire and a retaliatory
chest bump. Harden finished with 15 points on 5-8 shooting with
3 boards, 3 assists and 2 steals.

Also of note, was the play
of Serge Ibaka who continues to make a name for himself. Serge
benefited from trailing Westbrook on many occasions for easy dunks but
also displayed some strong post moves and an amazing, come from behind,
fast break preventing block. Ibaka closed the night with 15 points
on 5-8 shooting.

For the NJ/PHI experiment, I don’t have much positive to share.
This is a dysfunctional team that has lost hope. Team play has been abandoned
and every possession becomes an embarrassing breakdown or 1 on 5 disaster. Their
previous bright spot, Chris Douglas Roberts, had nothing to give on an 0-4 shooting
night. Terrence Williams had his ups and downs, but had a decent night shooting
for 14 points on 6-13 shooting. Marreese Speights had a statistically decent
night with 10 pts and 9 boards, but seems to be growing disinterested with this
squad. And Jrue Holiday needs a vacation (let me be the first of many to use
this lame play on words). Still struggling to run this team, Jrue had another
tough night with 2 assists and 4 turnovers (7pts, 3-8 fg). Jrue shows a few
bright spots like a nifty thread the needle pass for an easy layup, or a breakdown
dribble for an easy bucket, but then follows it up with a pass to the stands
or an airball jumper. Not sure if he just needs time or a buildup of confidence
but he so far has not shown the ability to successfully run a team.

Game 11 – UTA 92 ORL 84
Box
Score

Luckily no Magic fans are allowed in the arena, there is just room for
a select team personnel and media, because the Magic blew a 21 point lead heading
into the fourth quarter and went scoreless in overtime for the 8 point loss.
Magic new found SL star Ryan Anderson ran out of daggers. He checked in with
another fine performance scoring 26 points on 5-11 3p.

For Utah, Derrick Brown had his coming out party scoring the game tying and-1
and putting up a team high 25 points in just 22 minutes. Brown’s an impressive
prospect who appears to have something to prove as he was looked over in the
draft falling all the way to the 40th pick.

For Utah Eric Maynor’s struggles have to be a concern. As a senior, he’s supposed
to be one of the more NBA ready players with less long term potential. His inability
to hit shots is throwing his game completely off as he seems out of rhythm.
Things will only get tougher when he’s playing against real competition backing
up Deron Williams once the season starts.

Undrafted free agent Wes Matthews had an excellent performance netting 15 points
in 22 minutes.

For Orlando, Russell Robinson continues to make a bid for a bench spot with
excellent defense and solid point guard play.

Game 12 – IND 91 BOS 88
Box Score

Indiana ran their record to 4-0, but they got a battle from Boston who was
a Nick Fazekas 3 pointer at the buzzer from going into overtime. Indiana will
try to make it a perfect Orlando Summer League when they face the hapless NJ/Phil
squad on Friday. It will be undefeated against unfeated, so barring a complete
change of fortune, Indiana should handle business without much trouble.

The Hibbert/Hansbough tandem has been a two man destruction crew combining for
50 points in another strong effort. Roy Hibbert was especially sharp today with
28 points and 9 boards. Hansbrough struggled some from the floor (6-15 fg) but
found other ways to score with 10-12 from the line. He did foul out after 30
minutes of action.

Chris Lofton was the story once again for Boston scoring a game high 21 points
knocking down 6-8 3 point shots. Nick Fazekas came off the bench along with
Lofton and proved more effective than the starters to the tune of 14 points
and 9 boards.