Final Score: Lakers 68, Timberwolves 81
And so went the most-hyped summer league game in recent memory.
The anticipation beforehand was palpable, and why wouldn’t it be? A summer league game feature at least two fifths of each team’s potential starting five and had the top two picks facing off against each other for the first time ever.
Add to that the intrigue that comes with Julius Randle’s return to the court and you had a standing-room-only atmosphere. UNLV’s Thomas & Mack Center had to pull back the curtains of the upper deck to fit fans who couldn’t find a seat in the lower bowl.
To those who wondered if the Lakers “brand” could handle two years of tanking, there’s your answer, at least for now.
The game started on a high note, as the names those fans came to see lived up to the price of admission.
For the cast majority of the game, Jordan Clarkson was the best player on the court for the Lakers. His counterpart, fellow second-year point guard Zach LaVine was similarly impressive. They finished with 23 and 24 points respectively.
D’Angelo Russell started well, faded a bit and recovered well enough to finish with a stat line of 8 points, 6 assists and 5 rebounds. It’s hard to expect much rhythm in the first live action with the Lakers’ pick-and-rolls, and the lack thereof showed for large portions of the game (Russell tallied 5 turnovers). Watch for that to improve as various combinations running those sets grow more accustomed to each other.
Randle probably looked the most rusty of the Lakers’ “big three.” His shot looked short, as if he was aiming the ball to the basket versus releasing the shot confidently. Once he gained some kind of rhythm, though, he showcased the strength the coaching staff and his teammates have been raving about. He only played 20 minutes and will skip tomorrow’s game. He said after the game he doesn’t like it, but that he understands why the team is being cautious.
The Lakers wound up losing the game, as their offense struggled to produce down the stretch. A loss today is obviously inauspicious, given the excitement leading into the event, but there was plenty positive to take away.
All in all, the game went about as expected. Rookies Russell and Karl-Anthony Towns showed flashes, but the best players on the court were the ones who’d been there before. The Lakers will face Jahlil Okafor and the Philadelphia 76ers Saturday.
Stat of the day: Tarik Black finished with 10 fouls – he narrowly missed a triple double, notching 9 points and 13 rebounds. Welcome to summer league.
Brendon Edwards says
No mention of Robert Upshaw’s great defensive plays against Karl-Anthony Towns?
Gene says
Clarkson looked good(if you didn’t know better he looked like a number 1 and Russell a second ronder)….The announcers thought that Randle looked heavier than last season….Upshaw (who Kupchuk said today might not even play)set some good screens and played some good D on Towns…
karen says
anyone notice scott totally dismissed the post game show question regarding nick young. It is so obvious he doesn’t like the guy, please trade him like they did lin and give him a chance to have a better coach. Lin was just as good as russell but scott didn’t like him either.
Anonymous says
Lol Karen he is 19 lol russell showed more flashes in one summer league then I saw from Lin ever. Come on now.
Crisanto Ragasa says
Good start of Lakers for summer league .
Oldtimer says
Russell show some promising potentials but not Magic, Jr. even during the latter’s rookie season. Blame this loss to Mr. Maddog Analytics, lack of defense and poor FT%. It is just a first game for Mr. Jim Buss clock is ticking for the 2nd season. lol!
17Splash says
Lakers Big 3
JClark— Awesome
DRuss— Tentative
Randle– Rusty
This Author: Hopeful … Go Lakers… Showtime is coming!!!
KenOak says
I thought Russell looked really good. I love how he comes off of picks and then changes pace either faster or slower to draw fouls or get space. His passing is on point. Jordan Clarkson. Man. It’s obvious that this guy has been working on his game and I now know why the FO wasn’t going to let him go in a trade. The kid looks fantastic.
I thought that Randle played well for being as rusty as he obviously was. Showed some real quickness on his first step.
I liked what I saw from Upshaw too. He battled with Towns and showed heart.
LaVine looked really good and Towns seems to already be a polished passer out of double teams.
All in all -> I’m still super excited for the season and I think these guys can make some good improvements with a full NBA training camp. I hope Kobe can get the young’uns to buy into his workout regimen and be as good a mentor for Russell as he has for Randle and Clarkson.
Craig W. says
Report from Vegas.
The Lakers took qtrs 1 & 3, but the Wolves took 2 &4. Clarkson was clearly our best player. I liked Black & A. Brown’s play in the first half, but Brown faded & Black continued to foul in the 2nd. Russell looked good in the 3rd, but faded badly in the 4th. Randle was ok, but clearly needs to work on his game, particularly going right. Nance had energy, but often it didn’t result in an advantage for us.
There were 3 consecutive possessions in the 2nd half where the defense looked together, but then Upshaw had to come out and we fell apart (I really understand how Hibbert can help). It was at this time that Upshaw simply smothered Town, but he got exhausted quickly. He may have made to team with this series of plays.
Overall I expected better team play, but it was the 1st game.
Mid-Wilshire says
A few observations on today’s Summer League game vs. Minnesota:
1) Jordan Clarkson is clearly the best player on the team. In fact, at times, he looks like a man among boys. His stat line clearly reveals his advanced development: 23 pts., 8-17 shooting, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, zero TOs and an immeasurable amount of confidence. He should definitely be ready to slide into a starting position once the season begins.
2) Tarik Black, with 9 pts. (4-6 shooting), 13 rebounds, 1 steal and 1 block (and a Summer League typical 10 fouls) in 27 minutes gives me the impression that he could be an important contributor this coming season at both the 4 and the 5. We may have been guilty of ignoring him a bit in our discussions this summer. He’ll definitely play a role, I think.
3) Julius Randle was clearly rusty but showed some good things including an excellent base line drive for a jam. His stat line of 11 pts., one rebound, and one block will improve once he gets the rust out.
4) D’Angelo Russell was perhaps a bit overwhelmed by his first NBA-ish action. However, I actually liked his stat line of 8 pts. (3-8 shooting), 5 rebounds, 6 assists (vs. 5 TOs), and 3 steals in 27 minutes. This will be a year of growth for him, to be sure, but if today is any indication he should be fine. His defense must tighten up a bit. But I’m sure his coaches will point him in that direction.
5) Robert Upshaw — I was actually somewhat encouraged by what I saw: 2 pts (1-1), 1 rebound, and 3 blocks (and some pretty intense defense on KAT) in only 12:30. At this point, the most important thing that Upshaw can do is to get in outstanding shape. This is his first basketball game in 5 months. And it shows. But today, I was not displeased. (I was prepared to be horrified.)
Regarding the others — especially Anthony Brown and Larry Nance, Jr., I simply have to see more before I develop a firm impression. But by and large, I’m somewhat encouraged. Then again, it’s only one Summer League game.
Anonymous says
I thought Black showed more quickness and athleticism than last year, I think he has a huge upside. Him and JClark stood out to me. I also think DRuss will only get better with time…I’m excited for the potential the Lakers have…I think we are in for a pleasant surprise this upcoming season!
Shaun says
Just finished watching now
1. Clarkson is better tham russell
2. Upshaw should be on the team …. if he develops he’d be a great add … very much worthwhile a roster spot …. probably jabari’s
3. Our offensive sets still suck and create long 2s. ….on some sets where randle was isoing upshaw was beyond the 3 pt line
4. We need to hit our screens …too many early slips
5. Didnt lile our d too mich either st one point we tried zone and screwed up + too much doubling on towns
Anonymous says
WHY IN THE F???????????? IS MADSEN A COACH ANY WAY? THE LAKERS NEED A REAL COACHING STAFF!
Sublime says
Really glad to see the young core get a chance to play, the more they play the better the overall chemistry will be.
1. Clarkson did what I expect a second year league player to do, dominate the game. He showed the package, very impressive.
2. Randall showed obvious rust, I would like to have seen a bit more pick and pop with him or even some screen rolls.
3. Lastly, Mr. D-Loading himself. He definitely showed flashes, but he also looked like a guy who probably had dead legs. Alot of his shots were front enders when he missed which can denote lack of lift in your shot (although he’s not a big leaper on his jumpshot). I would like to see him fight through more screens, going over the screen as opposed to going under the screen, cause he got burned a couple of times.
All in all, very solid effort and I look forward to seeing more games.
chibi says
Lakers sign Upshaw. 2 years.
Oldtimer says
Well, we heard in the interviews of Mitch about Upshaw that he needs conditioning and maybe will stay in the D’League. Well, we could lose him too, if not signed after LVSL. Unfortunately, there are already 15 players in the roster. Here are my order from starter, 2nd team and reserves:
1 Clarkson/Russell/J.Brown
2 Williams/Young/A. Brown
3 Kobe/Randle/Nance Jr.
4 Bass/Black/Kelly
5 Hibbert/Upshaw/Sacre
There are 15 players at this count,,Mitch has to trade two or put Nance and A. Brown in the D’League.
KenOak says
Kelly is probably either getting traded or cut now. They moved super quick on Upshaw didn’t they?!
George says
My concern is that Randle will not rebound enough to play the Four. Hibbert is also not a good rebounder. We lost 23 rebounds a game from last year (Hill, Davis and Boozer). That was the only stat we were above average in (ranking 12th) last season.
This will be one area we need to do better if we are intent to improve significantly over last season’s record.
Rob L. says
I will agree that Clarkson was the best and most consistent Laker all-around in this game. But I also have to say I clearly see Russell’s upside and it’s special. There’s a very good chance he surpasses Clarkson by the end of 2015-2016. This backcourt is going to be fun. Can’t wait for the regular season.
Kbj says
This may be summer league, but one thing I noticed was the terrible defense. One possession, I think, Upshaw actually backed up and let a guy score right in front of him. Then another possession, D’Angelo Russell gets blown by and decides instead of getting a foul, to just let the guy score on a reverse layup.
I’m not hopeful Byron Scott will be able to fix these problems.
Mid-Wilshire says
George,
In college, Randle averaged 15 pts. and 10 rebounds. He was actually a very strong rebounder at the U. of Kentucky. I wouldn’t put too much stock in tonight’s one-rebound performance. That’s really not typical of him at all. Let’s bear in mind that this was his first game in over 8 months.
grumpy says
Good comments and observations all around. Here are some of mine:
Clarkson: As everyone has been saying, Clarkson looked absolutely great. Great poise and generally dominated the game. Very encouraging game from him and if he can consistently nail his 3pt shot (his mid-range game looks pretty good), he will be a really solid player.
Black: We definitely slept on him this summer. Despite what would have been foul trouble, Black looked great and was a nice surprise. He really controlled the glass and added a nice line of defense at the rim. He’s not a huge leaper, but he’s a big body and he used it well in the game tonight.
Russell: I don’t know how people are already calling Russell a bust after one Summer League game. I was impressed, but not blown away. He showed some nice glimpses of what he’s capable of as a passer, but it looked like he wasn’t getting much lift in his jump shots. One thing that surprised me is his length. While I knew he had a nice wingspan, his arms looked even longer than I expected. He’s not an elite athlete but his physical tools look like they’ll help him on the defensive end down the road.
Randle: Overall, this was a disappointing game from Randle and I like Randle a lot. I can understand the jitters and the missed shots, but his defense was terrible and his rebounding was bad (1!). What happened to the guy who averaged 10 rebounds a game at Kentucky? He didn’t seem interested in chasing down the rebounds or putting a hand up when his guy was shooting. I’m also a little concerned that when he’s in attack mode he makes up his mind too early in the play instead of looking for the best available option. On the positive side, he still looks like he has great quickness on the offensive end and I love seeing him burn his defender with his first step. Overall, I’m not too concerned about what I mentioned as it’s his first “real” game in some time, this is only one game, and it was obvious that he is still rusty.
Upshaw: I have to agree with Mid-Wilshire that it’s important that Upshaw get in terrific shape. He showed some potential on the defensive end with some nice blocks, but in other players he looked a little lumbering. I definitely attribute that to him not being in the best of shape and acclimating to the speed of better competition. After he gets into elite shape, it will be nice to see what Upshaw can do.
Nance Jr.: I really like what I saw from Nance. He has great athleticism and more importantly a lot of hustle. Even after he was called for a shooting foul on one play, he didn’t give up on the play and still swatted the shot away. It’s those little things that are nice to see.
Brown: He seemed to recognize his role of shooting some 3s, though unfortunately they didn’t connect all that often. Overall, we didn’t see enough of him to form a strong opinion.
Can’t wait to see tomorrow’s game! Let’s hope Upshaw is able to shut Okafor down. 🙂
rubenowski says
My takeaways:
Russell is a good rebounder. He finished with 5, but he had 4 of them in the first half. Also, he did have 5 turnovers but two of those were careless turnovers. Lastly, his defense. He was better than I expected. He helped double team Towns a lot and got a steal or two that way.
I had no idea Upshaw had that turnaround jumper in him. Can’t wait for him to get into shape. He had some nice swats.
Randle is very strong. I also noticed he can dribble with his right and also took it to the whole with his right (although he missed). He can take it to the whole and just knock people off their feet. I hope he learns to not get called for charging too often.
Lastly, Clarkson and Black. The best players for us tonight. Clarkson can score and Black can rebound and battle down low. Oh, and those Timberwolves are gonna be dangerous a couple of years from now.
Sucks we lost, but there’s a lot of potential here.
George Best says
We may have improved, but so have most of the lower level teams. We have real talent but this is another year of growth. Russell and Randle need experience.
Unless Hibbert is an All Star and Kobe stays healthy this team will be lucky to win 25 games.
There is a reason Mitch pursued Aldridge and other top level free agents even if they weren’t a perfect fit.
Oldtimer says
Russell and Randle were not the only ones trying to break the greenhorn persona, No. 1 Towns is over hype in my book and if he plays that way, he will be torched in the regular season. When I read all the so-called analytics and resume of this kid, I thought he is the new Kareem or “Lew Alcindor” of this age, nope! he is just 3rd class Center and maybe the best Center that this year’s NCAA could produce. He is no Bill Russell too that could alter shots and dominate the low post. Of course, this is just the first game for the 19 years old kid. Let’s see how he progresses when he gains confidence and adjust his games.
Oldtimer says
Scoop, Robert Upshaw is now a Laker.
http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2015/07/undrafted_free_agent_center_ro.html#incart_river
Mitch is adjusting his analytics through FBG. lol!
minorthreatt says
Glad to see they didn’t waste time taking a flyer on Upshaw. Lots of folks saw last night’s game, and while Upshaw is clearly out of shape and playing on instinct, he can also clearly protect the rim already, and has some offensive touch. Memories of Hassan Whiteside are still fresh enough that the Lakers needed to act now and figure out the remaining roster dump(s) later. I’d rather the additional wing position be filled by someone like Dorell Wright instead of Swaggy, but that will sort itself out soon enough.
Ed says
It`s a good thing training camp is still 2+months away. Some good potential,but`s it`s obvious that outside of JC who looks ready to go right now,the guys need more time to work on their skills and conditioning. Upshaw was no surprise,after viewing his workout and UW videos. Randle making progress with his right hand, but needs to be consistent with the mid-range shot. He also needs to do a better job using his physicality on the boards. When Russell gets in NBA condition,his shooting will really improve,and I did like his passing and help defense for the most part. Nance has potential with his athleticism and energy,but needs to channel it to be effective. Sorry about J Brown,because he`s really been working hard.
Nick says
Overall I’m high on Russell, and happy with the pick.
But with that being said he has to work on his change of pace, first step quickness, and not letting the ball die when he touches it. Seemed like he was dribbling a lot, while not doing anything with it.
Also concerned seeing him taking some bad shots, due to not creating separation. He looks a little young honestly. Operated well out of the pick & roll though.
I know we’re being hard on him, early. But he’s the #2 pick, and talks a big game. Comes with the territory.
On a side note, I was floored by how polished LaVine looked. Really looks like he made strides this summer
Nik Kannan says
I’ll be the 1st to admit that I was wrong.
Clarkson is untouchable in my eyes & shouldn’t be traded.
Russell has the goods – he has great vision, great pace, handles, & a very smooth / quick release. From what I saw – he will be great.
Was disappointed with Randle – he wasn’t finishing at the rim – but I really like how he was aggressive & showed me improved handles for a big guy. At first I thought the Lamar Odom comparisons were a non-point – now I see randle really is quick off the dribble. He needs to be more confident with a midrange jumper – make or miss he has to step up be confident in taking that shot. It will really make the game easier for him & his team mates.
Although a loss – lost of positives – Lavine really did look great for minny – Towns didn’t impress me at all.
Lets see what Upshaw does against Okafor tonight!!
tankyou says
We are going to have to buck up for Clarkson next season right, I thought we only signed him to a 2 year deal? I’m pretty detached about summer league period, so Russel and Randle don’t concern me much–although Randle does more since he has a sense what NBA level is like from last year.
I think Russel is going to struggle all year long, but hopefully he learns and becomes a steady force. Mostly b/c we really need for these draft picks to work out.
I honestly thought Randle has the most upside, he best make some major strides by training camp, but he does not look like a wing, beyond being a good dribbler.
Timberwolves are filled with top level talent, I really think you are going to see that team make some strides this year. Levine and Wiggins alone are pretty scary athletic talents. Plus they have a bunch of guys like Levine/Wiggins that can also do some damage on the defensive end of the court, whereas so many of these talented rooks end up being horrible on defense–especially year one.
Vasheed says
My predraft drean was to get Russell and Upshaw. That day has come. I believe Upshaw ranks up there with the great centers of the draft.
Edgar Martinez says
Lakers played horrible. That was hard to watch and embarrassing
LordMo says
It was fun to see the new faces on the court. Clarkson looked good but let us keep in mind the competition. For him consistent improvement of his outside game is key. The kid is reminding me of a bigger version of Rondo with that speed and floor generalship.
However, I do worry about the Lakers backcourt because we can keep saying it but it is too early to tell if Clarkson and Russell can play together. Both are ball dominant guards and PG’s not 2’s and then you throw Kobe in…yikes!
Russell – Nice game will definitely need to work on his defense … he is not an elite athlete and the west is full of them at PG. Extremely offensively gifted and has kind of some herky jerky to his game…crafty as J Rose put it. He will have to continue to develop as much in his head as physically. For him it will be knowledge and anticipation….seeing it before everyone does!
Randle had flashes remember he is a rookie still also! He is going to be ok…just work on your game and quit trying to dribble coast to coast!
Nance…Check the hustle points baby!
Brown – Right demeanor for a rotation player nice game…just needs time.
Upshaw…Keep him already better than Sacre!
T. Black…Tough! I want him with me in the alley!
Kudos to Coach B Scott … he is handling this young team perfectly so far. His demeanor is perfect for the young guys to learn. He he can impart the sense of Laker Pride that will be needed going forward. Going to be some tough times ahead Lakerdom but we will get back to the top of the mountain!