Donovan Clingan didn’t shoot well, but he dominated the paint with 13 boards and 5 blocks in Portland’s victory.
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The 20th year of NBA summer hoops in Las Vegas tipped off with a seven-game slate featuring the top three overall picks from the 2024 NBA Draft. Here’s a look at the players who shined brightest on Tuesday:
Matas Buzelis, Chicago
Ron Holland II, taken six picks ahead of G League Ignite teammate Buzelis at No. 5 overall, earned bragging rights with Detroit’s 85-77 win, in which he scored 17 points to tie Marcus Sasser for team-high honors. But it was the Chicago native who caught the eye with 18 points and, more impressively, four blocks and two steals in a hawkish defensive performance. Buzelis also showed off his hops with a handful of flashy dunks.
Donovan Clingan, Portland
Arguably the biggest matchup of the night — No. 2 pick Alex Sarr vs. No. 7 Clingan — was something of a dud as the French teen struggled mightily with his shot once again. (He missed all 15 field goal attempts, dropping his Las Vegas percentage to a paltry 19.5%.) Clingan didn’t shoot much better at 3-for-10, but still dominated the paint with 13 boards and five blocks, including an emphatic swat of Sarr, to help Portland win 82-80.
7'2" Donovan Clingan protecting the rim for Portland 💪
WAS-POR on NBA TV | #NBA2KSummerLeague pic.twitter.com/VtsuKPk2Fv
— NBA (@NBA) July 17, 2024
Karlo Matkovic, New Orleans
Matkovic had the most efficient outing of the night, pouring in 25 points on 11-for-13 shooting in the Pelicans’ 90-85 loss to the Spurs. The No. 52 overall pick in 2022 out of Croatia, Matkovic spent a brief stint with Birmingham in the G League this season before signing a multi-year deal with New Orleans. He flashed a deft inside-out game against San Antonio, splashing a pair of 3s to go with nine buckets in the paint.
Leonard Miller, Minnesota
Relatively quiet in the Timberwolves’ first two Summer League games, Miller broke out with 22 points, 13 rebounds and two blocks in their 92-90 loss to Philadelphia. Eight of Miller’s boards came on the offensive glass, including several Moses Malone-style multiple efforts. The No. 33 pick in last year’s Draft even stepped out to hit a clutch 3-pointer as Minnesota went on a huge fourth-quarter rally that fell just short.
Jalen Wilson, Brooklyn
Wilson’s hot start to Summer League continued as he helped the Nets claw back from a 21-point deficit against the Knicks with 27 points and five 3-pointers. Fifteen of those points came in the fourth quarter, including a dagger 3 with 25 seconds left to help seal Brooklyn’s 92-85 victory. The outburst was the second-year forward’s best yet in Las Vegas, where he’s averaging 21.3 points per game while shooting 48.3% from distance.
