ESPN NBA

Posted by Kevin Arnovitz

It's the last day of Summer League play. While I'm not busy signing everybody's yearbook, I'll be tweeting the final few games, starting with Timberwolves vs. Bulls at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT

I'm now a tweeting bigamist: I've opened another twitter account apart from my Clipperblog account (which I highly recommend if you can't get enough of Mike Taylor and DeAndre Jordan).

Please subscribe to both, though today's proceedings will be via the kevinarnovitz account. 

Follow along, won't you?

• PHX 82, LAC 66 with 1:30 remaining.
• Clark is so quick to the basket. A true triple threat.
• Blake back in for one last stint.
• Griffin checking out, probably for good. 16 pts, 8 reb, 6-16 FG, 4-6 FT, 3 assists.
• It's worth noting just how much PHX's defense has been focusing/doubling Griffin. And why not? There's no one else that warrants attention.
• DeAndre Jordan ejected?
• I'm not yet comfortable with Blake playing the role of Lamar Odom/Stephen Jackson and taking the ball coast-to-coast. He's not there yet.
• Griffin got waaaaay above the rim for a slam. Crazy springs.
• Dragic is having a phenomenal whirling-dervish-ish sort of game. 15 points, 5-7 FG, 5-7 FT, 7 dimes.
• Good to see Dionte Xmas drain a 3PM. Probably on his way overseas. Would love to see him make it back.
• Taylor Griffin with a strong, athletic baseline drive. Did everything but finish.
• Clark just hit from 20. He's a tough cover because you have to play off him a little because he's so good off the dribble. 4-6 FG at half.
• Clark has such a good handle and court vision that he rarely gets into trouble.
• Blake outmuscles the Suns' bigs for an offensive rebound and a putback slam on missed DJ free throw.
• Clark strips Griffin on a dribble drive. Whistled for the foul. Questionable call.
• Griffin v. Clark again as both check in.
• Terp fans: Nik Caner-Medley has been an animal on the glass this week: Averaging 7.5 in fewer than 30 MPG.
• Mike Taylor: Stop dribbling. Just stop it.
• Blake Griffin 1-for-5. Just missed a 3PA.
• Yep: Again Blake goes baseline and gets in trouble: His shot blocked by Lopez
• B Griffin should avoid the baseline. He's far more lethal in the middle of the court.
• @jadande just got his head rubbed by George Karl.
• The Dragic-Micah Downs 2-on-2 break. Improbable but beautiful.
• Clark stuffs a Griffin FGA. Clark is extremely versatile defensively.
• Griffin's first FG on a spin move then a baby hook.
• DeAndre Jordan just sent a Dragic shot attempt into the 3rd row.
• Blake Griffin as he's running downcourt after he threw the alleyoop to DJ: "I'm just a decoy!"
• Another Alleyoop for Jordan!
• DeAndre Jordan is pretty sweet on the receiving end of an alleyoop.
• PHX has Earl Clark on Blake Griffin
• Blake Griffin is being presented with the Summer League MVP trophy at center court.
• Mike Dunleavy just came over to Brook Lopez to ask him to suit up so that there'd be two brother vs. brother matchups.
• Griffin vs. Griffin? Could happen if Lopez plays DeAndre Jordan.
• Denver pulls it out. LAC-PHX next.
• Coby Karl is snarling. Literally.
• 3 OT. Funny because you've got a community of people here who've been in LV for 10 days who are just dying to get home. Murphy's Law.
• Earl Barron puts NO up 2, then Weems comes down and draws a foul for a trip to the line. Birdman & KMart ain't guarding the paint for DEN.
• Lawson fighting through screens like a champ.
• And now Double OT ... apologies for the hiatus. Lost my phone charger momentarily.
• DEN-NO going to OT
• Sonny Weems is in takeover mode. 9-17 FG, 4-4 FT, 8 REB for 23 points.
• Not sure that Cedric Simmons is an NBA player, but he works his tuchus off in the paint on every defensive possession, and bothers people.
• Lawson will always be small, but he has the ability to play a Kyle Lowry style of defense.
• J. Wright is considerably better than any player on the floor, and it's like child's play right now against an inexperienced DEN D.
• Great defensive possession by DEN (shot clock violation), and Lawson's pesky pressure on Calloway ate up a lot of the possession.
• Julian Wright is playing a smart game. Hitting the open 20-footer when it's uncontested; dribble-drive when DEN comes out on him.
• Lawson just made a great decision out of the trap, hitting Weems who, incredibly, passed off to a cutter. That's all you ask of your PG ... create an opportunity when it's effectively a 4-on-3 game on the weak side. See Kidd, Jason
• Weems seems like the classic 10th man trying to shoot his way to 8th man in Summer League.
• Love the pass Wright just skidded in transition to Earl Barron. Threaded the needle.
• Calloway is PUJITing again. Meh.
• NO is using Wright along the perimeter to draw out the Denver D. He's passing well. And shooting 4-5 from the floor.
• Sonny Weems plays exclusively a 1-on-1 game.
• Wright with beautiful coast-to-coast break, and finished with a behind the back move to protect & finish.
• Coby Karl on fire.
• The inscrutable Julian Wright with a drive and bizarro off-balanced J.
• @NBASummerLeague Noticed that Lawson looked spent -- breathing heavy -- as yesterday's Hornets game wore on.
• Gonna head over to DEN-NO in a few.
• Haddadi is vocal on the court. It's an interesting amalgamation of English & Farsi.
• Thabeet checks out: 0 pts [0-1 FG], 0 rebounds, 0 blocks, 2 fouls. Looks like an old Scottie Hastings line.
• And another!
• Thabeet is an infectious, personable guy. But does he enjoy playing basketball? Just had another defensive rebound knocked away.
• Mahinmi takes it to Thabeet at the rim.
• Sam Young is primarily a defensive specialist. But if he can hit that 18-footer along the baseline, he's going to be inordinately useful.
• Grizz-Spurs up next.
• DeMarcus Nelson Explodes!!
• An informal poll of execs and coaches: Wayne Ellington is a real NBA player.
• Flynn: Much more of a distributor than a scorer today. 1-6 FG, nothing from the line, but 7 good-looking assists.
• The problem with Anthony Roberson is that once you chase him off the 3-pt line, he's fairly useless. But he's had a nice week from the arc.
• J. Johnson is a different player today. Beating MIN's slower defenders off the dribble. Passing -- yes -- but only when it makes sense.
• Johnson a LOT more active. Driving from the elbow. Getting at it underneath. Tough fouls (which you kinda want to see from that guy in SL)
• Here's what Johnson does well: Grabbed board, raced full length of the court, then delivered pass on the $ to a cutting Nelson. Very Odom.
• DeMarcus -- smart change of direction on the drive, gets Siler to commit, draws contact, maintains balance and hits the layup + one.
• Flynn deferring to his pick men, perimeter shooters, etc. Is 0-4 (including desperation heave at the end of Q1), but 3 assists in 9 mins.
• Corey Brewer is giving me the Javaris Crittenton treatment. I kill the guy, then he goes out and hits 4 of 6.
• James Johnson just decked Wayne Ellington as he elevates for a driving layup on the break. The PA announcer actually says, "Oooohhhh."
• T. Green and Shipp just hooked up for the t
  he prettiest play. Green crossover/penetration, then whips it to a cutting Shipp along baseline.
• CHI hasn't figured out how they want to use Johnson. That process is slower for guys like Johnson, who have no singular skill above others.
• Kurz heating up. Like I said yesterday. If Matt Bonner can have a career, so can Kurz.
• Watching SL requires that you imagine how these schemes will materialize in the regular season. You can't fully appraise Flynn on the PNR ... until you can visualize how it'll look with Al Jefferson or Kevin Love playing the role of Adam Parada.
• Flynn looking for teammates: First Parada on a PNR (unsuccessful), then Kurz on a kickout (good).
• Flynn using Adam Parada screens to initiate the offense. Chicago not really employing any sort of trap.
• Flynn checks in. Q1 complete. Garrett Siler: 8 pts on 5 possessions wth 4 boards.
• Brewer defies the odds and finishes at the hoop on a lob pass. He *does* have hops. So does a nice lager.
• There's very little C. Brewer does to help you. The man shot 43% from close range and had 29% of his close attempts blocked in 08-09.
• I know Siler is a Div II guy. But he shot 79% from the floor. 79%!! At any level, if you hit 4 out of 5 shots, you bring something.
• Garrett Siler outmuscles James Johnson for offensive board and putback slam.
• I've been a DeMarcus Nelson apologist for a while now. I can't identify anything he doesn't do at least average to slightly above average.
• Silver lining? North Dakota State Bison standout Ben Woodside is starting in his place.
• Jonny Flynn not starting. Are the Timberwolves tanking? Discuss.
• Getting started at 3p PT for Wolves/Bulls.