The fourteenth top 10 list on Hoopsmith of the 2012 season, featuring the Los Angeles Lakers.
10) Josh McRoberts Juggles the Ball as He Drives Down the Court, Collects It, and Drains the Jumper at the Buzzer
Hoopsmith
Ball Don't Lie
Posted in July 2012 …
Top 10 Plays of 2012: Los Angeles Clippers
The thirteenth top 10 list on Hoopsmith of the 2012 season, featuring the Los Angeles Clippers.
10) Blake Griffin Launches Himself for the Huge Dunk against the Boston Celtics
Top 10 Plays of 2012: Indiana Pacers
The twelfth top 10 list on Hoopsmith of the 2012 season, featuring the Indiana Pacers.
10) Paul George Goes Over Roy Hibbert in the Dunk Contest
Top 10 Plays of 2012: Houston Rockets
The eleventh top 10 list on Hoopsmith of the 2012 season, featuring the Houston Rockets.
10) Goran Dragic Goes Behind-the-Back
Goran Dragic makes the nice move, then finishes with a pretty behind-the-back dish to Luis Scola on the break for the score.
10 Best Performances of the Vegas Summer League
To view the best players of the Orlando Summer League, please click here.
Honorable Mentions:
Adam Morrison, Los Angeles Clippers
Morrison was one of the most efficient scorers in Las Vegas and really opened some eyes by averaging 20 points per game through his 5-game stint. He capped the week with a fantastic 26 point, 6 rebound, and 3 assist box score against the Boston Celtics. Unfortunately, Morrison was pretty one dimensional in his other four games. Generally just isolating the floor for himself, he only picked up 2 total assists in his other four games and did not show anything special on the defensive end. His scoring efficiency, however, will probably earn him a further look this summer to make an NBA roster.
Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs
Cory Joseph and Kawhi Leonard (Right) (Photo: Shep McAllister)
Leonard would have been much higher on this list if he had played in more than two games, but since he did not, he lands in the honorable mentions. He had two fantastic summer league games, averaging 25 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and a steal in the duo. Leonard showed his talent for the Spurs last season in their playoff run and really used it to his advantage against a weaker opposition in the Summer League.
Klay Thompson, Golden State Warriors
Like Leonard, Thompson would not be this low if he had played like he had in five games instead of two. However, Thompson was simply ridiculous in these two games and could have very well topped this list. Thompson scored 24 and 17 points in his two games, but his other numbers are what is truly staggering. He finished 71 percent from 3-point range, with 6 rebounds each game, and a handful of assists, steals, and blocks. Thompson really filled it up for two games, which should thrill Warriors fans hoping for a healthy Curry and improved Thompson leading their back-court next season.
10) Jimmy Butler, Chicago Bulls
A guard out of Marquette University, Jimmy Butler played sparingly for the Chicago Bulls last season. Butler is a talented scorer who never really got a chance to show his skills until the end of the regular season when the Bulls were plagued by a few injuries.
However, Butler started four games of the Vegas Summer League for the Bulls and really seized the opportunity. He scored 23 or more points in three of his four games and filled up his stat-line just for good measure.
Butler’s best game came against the Boston Celtics, when he finished with 25 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and a steal. With rumors that Derrick Rose could be out for an extended part of the 2012-2013 season, Butler could steal some playing time from the Bulls’ current guard platoon of Kirk Hinrich, Rip Hamilton, and Marquis Teague.
Top 10 Plays of 2012: Golden State Warriors
The tenth top 10 list on Hoopsmith of the 2012 season, featuring the Golden State Warriors.
10) Monta Ellis Blocks Blake Griffin
Normally, we see Blake Griffin putting a hurt on everyone else in the NBA, but here, Monta Ellis sprints up and swats Griffin’s shot attempt.
8 Best Performances from the Orlando Summer League
Jared Sullinger (Garrett W. Ellwood/Getty Images)
8) Jared Sullinger, Boston Celtics
In his four debut games of the Orlando Summer League, Jared Sullinger showed that the Boston Celtics had drafted a capable big man who can immediately back up starters Kevin Garnett and Brandon Bass. Sullinger displayed his scoring touch with a 16 and a 20 point performance, as well as his strength on the glass by averaging over 8 rebounds per game. He even showed off some range by knocking down a 3 in the first game.
Some questioned Sullinger’s defensive ability, but he looked pretty good and picked up 3 steals in four games, while averaging a block per game as well. Under the leadership of KG for at least a couple of seasons, Sullinger should develop into a nice player for the Celtics.
7) Jeremy Evans, Utah Jazz
This name probably sounds familiar because Jeremy Evans is the guy who came from relative obscurity to replace Iman Shumpert in the 2012 Dunk Contest, and then actually went on to win the competition highlighted by dunking two basketballs over Gordon Hayward.
Evans only played in three of the five games in Orlando for the Jazz, but he finished up with some great games! In his first game, Evans piled up 13 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, and a steal in just 18 minutes. That’s being efficient.
He cooled off a bit in his next game, but in his final performance Evans ended with 11 points, 6 rebounds, an assist, 3 steals, and 4 blocks. Given his lankiness and athleticism, Evans is noted for being a great defender and he really emphasized that with all the blocks in this game. However, it is worth noting that in Summer League games, players are allotted 10 fouls and Evans used up 6 of them in just 28 minutes.
Top 10 Plays of 2012: Detroit Pistons
The ninth top 10 list on Hoopsmith of the 2012 season, featuring the Detroit Pistons.
10) Ben Wallace Stops Wall
Ben Wallace shows off the Wallace-of-old and gets the strong block against a driving John Wall.