NBA Summer League Day 3 blog: Zach Collins says shots will eventually fall
7:57: Collins still searching
Portland Trail Blazers rookie Zach Collins, a Bishop Gorman High School graduate, is still trying to find his way.
The 10th overall pick of the draft, Collins went 1-for-7 in a 70-64 loss to the Boston Celtics at the Thomas & Mack Center.
He has made four of 20 shots through the first two games for the Blazers.
“I hold myself to a high standard,” Collins said. “Obviously, I’m not hitting shots right now, but I’ve got to know the work that I’ve put in to get to this point, those shots are eventually going to fall.”
— Mark Anderson
7:47 p.m.: Brown throws it down
Jayson Tatum is the Boston Celtics player with the most eyes on him, but teammate Jaylen Brown had the most eye-catching dunk.
He drove the baseline and slammed it home over two Portland Trail Blazers, Caleb Swanigan and Josh Scott.
“Those type of plays I try to avoid in the summer league,” Brown said. “They tell me to try to avoid those because you don’t want to get hurt. I got in the air and I saw (Swanigan and Scott) try to go for the block, so I finished it.”
Brown said he hadn’t seen the video of the dunk, so he didn’t know how good it was.
“Was it pretty bad?” he asked a reporter.
After being told the dunk was indeed bad, Brown said, “All right, so I’ll check it out. I trust you guys. If you say it’s bad, it’s pretty bad.”
— Mark Anderson
4:52.: Vaughn drops summer-league high 31 points
Former UNLV wing and current Milwuakee Bucks swingman Rashad Vaughn bumped into Bucks head coach Jason Kidd at the Cox Pavilion on Sunday after Milwaukee’s 88-83 win over the Brooklyn Nets.
Vaughn finished with just two assists, and Kidd, one of the best passers in NBA history jokingly gave the 20-year old a hard time about his passing, or lack therof.
His 31 points will have to do.
Vaughn picked apart Brooklyn’s defense and recorded the most single-game points of any player thus far in Las Vegas.
He showcased his whole offensive package, and shot 13 of 18 from the field.
“I was just trying to be patient … take what they give me,” Vaughn said after the game. “I’m a lot more confident.”
Vaughn, now in his third year with the Bucks, made 3 of 7 attempts from beyond the arc and scored several times around the basket, often finishing through contact to do so.
He struggled in his first two full professional seasons with the Bucks, but appearead quite comfortable on Sunday night. He was noticeably better than the rookies and summer league newbies he shared the floor with.
Vaughn also served as a secondary playmaker for the Bucks, running the pick-and-roll, and facilitating an offense for the Bucks in the fourth quarter.
“I thought you did the right thing,” Kidd told Vaughn, “by passing the ball to the rim.”
Former UNLV standout Stephen Zimmerman played three minutes. He had one rebound and missed two free throws.
— Sam Gordon
4:05 p.m.: Another Spieth trying to make it professionally
With his famous brother watching from the Thomas & Mack Center stands and trying to stay out of the limelight, Steven Spieth was on the floor trying to get plenty of attention for himself.
The 6-foot 6-inch wing is auditioning not only for his hometown Dallas Mavericks, but for every NBA team as well as international clubs.
“I think everybody that hasn’t already signed is auditioning for everybody that’s watching,” Spieth said. “So I’m trying to show I can fit into a system and do what the coach wants me to do and play the way I should play.”
Spieth played four years at Brown, averaging 11.6 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.9 assists. He hooked on with the Mavericks after attending a pro camp in New York and getting their attention.
In today’s 88-77 victory over the Phoenix Suns, Spieth played three minutes, scored two points and grabbed a rebound.
“There are a lot of scouts here, NBA and abroad, so hopefully just trying to raise a couple of eyebrows and see what comes of it,” Spieth said.
His older brother, Jordan, is coming off a victory in the Travelers Championship. He won the June 25 tournament by chipping in from the bunker on the first playoff hole.
Jordan is a former Masters and U.S. Open champion.
His advice for Steven?
“Just enjoy the process,” Spieth said. “You only get to go through this beginning stage of your professional career once.”
— Mark Anderson
3:15 p.m.: Will Stephen Zimmerman play?
The Milwaukee Bucks and Brooklyn Nets just tipped off in the Cox Pavilion.
Former UNLV standout Rashad Vaughn was in the starting lineup and scored the team’s first five points of the game.
Stephen Zimmerman hasn’t entered and will be looking to make his Las Vegas debut. After being waived by the Orlando Magic last week, Zimmerman didn’t get in Milwaukee’s first Summer League game.
Bucks lead 11-7 with 5:23 left in the first quarter.
— Ashton Ferguson
2:50 p.m.: Cuban makes an appearance
Dallas owner and noted “Shark Tank” star Mark Cuban is in the Thomas & Mack Center watching his Mavericks.
The Mavs are having no problems with Phoenix, leading the Suns 67-48 late in the third quarter.
Mike James leads the Mavericks with 16 points, and No. 4 overall pick Josh Jackson has 11.
— Mark Anderson
1:02 p.m.: Fultz ruled out for remainder of Summer League
No. 1 overall draft pick Markelle Fultz will miss the remainder of Summer Leauge, the Philadelphia 76ers announced Sunday.
Fultz sprained his ankle in the second half of Philadelphia’s 95-93 win over the Golden State Warriors at Thomas & Mack Center on Saturday night.
The team announced Fultz has a lateral ankle sprain and is expected to return to basketball activities in one or two weeks.
— Sam Gordon
