NBA: Unbeaten Cavaliers, Rockets meet in Summer League title game
FILE – Cam Whitmore #7 of the Houston Rockets dunks the ball past Rayan Rupert #72 of the Portland Trail Blazers during the second quarter at the Thomas & Mack Center on July 07, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Ethan Miller/Getty Images/AFP
Isaiah Mobley is making the progression the Cleveland Cavaliers wanted.
Mobley scored 23 points, including the winning shot in overtime, giving the Cavaliers a 102-99 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday to advance to the NBA Summer League championship game.
Cleveland will play the Houston Rockets, who beat the Utah Jazz 115-101 to reach Monday’s final game.
With the Cavaliers needing to hit the target score of 101 in OT, Mobley went 1-on-1 and maneuvered his way into the lane, where he faked a turnaround jumper and sank a soft one-handed shot to seal the win and keep Cleveland (5-0) unbeaten in Summer League play. Mobley, a second-round pick by the Cavaliers in 2022, finished 9 of 15 from the field with seven rebounds, five assists and two blocks.
Emoni Bates, this year’s second-round pick, continued his consistent play in Las Vegas with his fifth straight double-digit scoring game for Cleveland, finishing with 20 points and seven rebounds. Bates had four points in overtime.
Luke Travers added 11 points and 12 rebounds for the Cavs.
Jalen Wilson had 22 points and 11 rebounds for the Nets (3-2). Armani Brooks added 22 points and Matt Lewis chipped in with 14. Both of Brooklyn’s losses this summer were to Cleveland.
Noah Clowney, one of Brooklyn’s first-round picks, was scoreless in seven minutes while going 0 for 4 from the floor.
The Rockets (5-0) defeated a Jazz team that played without all three first-round draft picks.
Journeyman Nate Hinton, who went undrafted in 2020, led the way with 27 points for Houston while first-round draft pick Cam Whitmore continued to shine in Las Vegas with 25 points, four rebounds and four assists. Whitmore was the 20th pick in this year’s draft.
Jermaine Samuels Jr. had 13 points and 10 assists in the win.
Keshawn Justice, Micah Potter and Colbey Ross all had 20 points for the Jazz (4-1), who fell behind early and were unable to battle back. Nick Ongenda added 12 points and 11 rebounds for Utah.
76ERS 117, PELICANS 114
DJ Steward shot 13 of 20 from the field, including 5 of 10 from 3-point range, and scored 36 points to help Philadelphia beat New Orleans in a consolation game.
Javonte Smart added 23 points, including five 3s, nine assists and three steals for Philadelphia (2-3). Greg Brown III had 18 points and nine rebounds, and Terquavion Smith added 14 points and six assists.
E.J. Liddell led New Orleans (3-2) with 23 points. Dereon Seabron scored 19 points, Jordan Hawkins 16 and Dyson Daniels added 12 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists.
PISTONS 100, PACERS 85
Marcus Sasser scored 40 points, the most in a Summer League game this year, on 16-of-25 shooting to help Detroit win a consolation game.
Sasser, the No. 25 overall selection in last month’s draft, made 5 of 9 from 3-point range and finished with five assists. Stanley Umude scored 13 points and grabbed nine rebounds, while Zavier Simpson added 10 points for the Pistons (4-1).
Isaiah Wong shot 5 of 7 from 3-point range and led Indiana (2-3) with 24 points. Ben Sheppard scored 12 points and Darius McGhee 10.
SPURS 98, THUNDER 94
Erik Stevenson scored 23 points and Charles Bediako added 17 points and 11 rebounds in a consolation game win for San Antonio.
Javante McCoy scored 18 points for the Spurs (3-2), Sir’Jabari Rice added 13 and Sidy Cissoko had 10 points, eight rebounds, six assists and two blocks.
Jared Butler made five 3-pointers and finished with 31 points for Oklahoma City (2-3). Cason Wallace had 13 points and three steals. Jahmi’us Ramsey and Keyontae Johnson each scored 11 points.
HEAT 104, TRAIL BLAZERS 78
Orlando Robinson had 27 points on 10-of-15 shooting and added nine rebounds, six assists and three steals to help Miami beat Portland in a consolation game.
Dru Smith scored 16 points, Jamal Cain 15 and Alondes Williams added 14 for Miami (3-2). Chase Audige had 10 points and four steals.
Duop Reath led Portland (3-2) with 18 points, Michael Devoe scored 16 and Kris Murray finished with 12 points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals. Jabari Walker scored 10 points.
MAVERICKS 101, HAWKS 80
Jordan Walker made 7 of 12 from the field, including 5 of 8 from 3-point range, and finished with 22 points and Brandon Randolph scored 20 to help Dallas win a consolation matchup with Atlanta.
Mike Miles Jr. had 12 points and eight assists for Dallas (4-1), A.J. Lawson and Olivier-Maxence Prosper scored 11 points apiece and Dereck Lively II added 10.
Kobe Bufkin led the Hawks (3-2) with 18 points, Tyson Etienne scored 14 and Brady Manek 11.
LAKERS 104, CLIPPERS 103
LJ Figueroa and D’Moi Hodge scored 23 points apiece, Cole Swider added 21 — including the go-ahead free throw with 0.4 seconds left — in the win.
Hodge made seven 3-pointers and had five steals, Swider hit 5 of 9 from behind the arc and Figueroa shot 10 of 13 from the field for the Lakers (3-2). Bryce Hamilton scored 14 points and Colin Castleton finished with 13 points, 14 rebounds and six assists.
Xavier Moon scored 21 points with 10 assists and eight rebounds and Brodric Thomas scored 12 points for the Clippers (3-2). Matt Morgan had 11 points and Jason Preston added 10 points and six assists.
Morgan hit a 3-pointer with 0.4 seconds left in regulation to make it 103-all. Swider was fouled before the ensuing inbounds to set up the winning free throw.
Kobe Brown, picked No. 30 overall by the Clippers in June’s draft, left the game early in the second quarter due to an apparent ankle injury and did not return.
