The Los Angeles Lakers will face off against the L.A. Clippers on Sunday, July 16 at 7 p.m. PT on ESPN 2 to conclude their Las Vegas Summer League schedule.
The Lakers missed the Las Vegas Summer League playoffs after losing to the Memphis Grizzlies, 100-69. Entering the night, Los Angeles needed to beat Memphis by 21 points in order to advance, but unfortunately they were unable to get the job done.
The Lakers finished Las Vegas Summer League regular season with a 2-2 record, starting off strong with wins against the Golden State Warriors and Charlotte Hornets before losing their footing against the Boston Celtics and Grizzlies.
Max Christie was the Lakers’ star, appearing in three games and dominating the floor on both ends. Christie showed off an improved handle and jump shot, taking advantage of the lesser competition to lead the Lakers in scoring.
Aside from Christie, the Lakers also got glimpses of what Jalen Hood-Schifino can be at the NBA level as he played with a certain level of poise and steadiness not often seen in rookie point guards. While the jump shot left much to be desired, Hood-Schifino’s ability to get into the paint and either finish over defenders with floaters or spray the basketball out to shooters were positive signs.
The two-way contract additions in Castle Castleton and D’Moi Hodge also had their fair share of moments for the Lakers. Castleton’s offensive game may be softer than the organization would like, but he displayed good touch around the rim and innate passing skills. Hodge on the other hand showed off his two-way play by draining outside shots and working hard on defense.
Meanwhile, the Clippers got off on the wrong foot when they lost to the Utah Jazz. However, they bounced back nicely by rattling off three consecutive wins against the Sacramento Kings, Grizzlies and Philadelphia 76ers.
The Clippers have been led by Xavier Moon, an undrafted guard who’s been lighting it up from the floor as a scorer. Outside of Moon, Kobe Brown has looked like an excellent find at the end of the first round as he just went off for 35 points to go along with eight rebounds, three assists, four steals and two blocks in a win against the 76ers.
While the Lakers and Clippers won’t be battling out for a chance at the Las Vegas Summer League Championship, the two organizations will look to close out the event on a high note.
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