The Summer Mavericks (1-2) got knocked around by Cam Boozer and the Summer Grizzlies (1-1) early on, but turned it around for a 96-88 win in their third NBA Summer League game on Monday at UNLV’s Thomas & Mack Arena.
Morez Johnson Jr. missed the game with calf soreness and is likely done after two games, just like Cooper Flagg last year. Ryan Nembhard also missed the game against the Grizzlies with an illness.
Cam Boozer led the Grizzlies with 21 points and eight rebounds, and former Maverick Olivier-Maxence
Prosper had 18 for Grizzlies in the loss. Mavericks’ rookie guard Sergio de Larrea came alive late to complete a double-double with 16 points and 12 assists for Dallas in the win.
Here are three key stats from the third of four Summer League games for the Mavs.
4: Alley-oop finishes for Kaodirichi Akobundu-Ehiogu
After Boozer bullied the Mavericks starters for six quick points, Mavericks coach Joe Boylan inserted the former Memphis Tiger Kaodirichi Akobundu-Ehiogu into the game. Akobundu-Ehiogu immediately ignited a Mavs run by filling running lanes in transition, scoring his first three buckets on the fast break in rapid succession. He also blocked a Cedric Coward driving attempt midway through the first with the game tied at 10-10.
His ability to finish on the run ignited a 20-4 run that lasted most of the rest of the frame, as Dallas finished the first up 24-19. Akobundu-Ehiogu finished the game with 16 points and four rebounds. He will likely get a lot of run in the Mavs’ final Summer League game on Thursday.
He guided home his third alley-oop finish of the first half early in the second quarter, displaying a surprising hit of athleticism to go along with his 6’10” frame. He was born in Nigeria and now plays in Spain’s La Liga for Manresa. His fourth came in the fourth quarter to extend the Dallas lead to 72-77.
5-of-5: First-half 3-point shooting for Jaden Springer and Darin Green Jr.
Darin Green Jr. connected on his first four shots of the game for the Summer Mavs, including his first three from 3-point range. His third came on a drive-and-dish find from Jaden Springer with 3:43 left in the second quarter and put the Mavericks ahead 43-31.
Springer, a Tennessee product and an unrestricted free agent after playing last season for the G-League affiliate of the New Orleans Pelicans, the Birmingham Squadron, hit his first two long balls in the first half as well.
Neither of these guys appears poised to crack the conversation for making the Mavericks’ roster (even on a two-way deal) any time soon, mind you.
The Mavs took a 50-46 lead into the halftime break. Green hit his first 3-ball of the second half as well, after stealing the ball from Boozer near the top of the key, then running straight for the 3-point line on a transition sprint-out. He knows what he’s there to do, and he was feeling it on Monday. His fourth of the game gave the Mavs a 58-55 advantage midway through the third.
Green led the Mavs with 18 points and five boards in the win.
16/12: Sergio de Larrea points and assists
The Mavericks’ second first-round draft pick, Sergio de Larrea, flashed his playmaking ability all night long in his third Summer League game, then he finally found the shooting touch late. He can certainly pass the basketball. See the second embedded tweet above for his connection to Akobundu-Ehiogu on his third alley-oop finish of the first half on Monday.
De Larrea dished 12 assists against the Grizzlies on Monday and turned the ball over just three times. That’s a hell of a number, especially in light of his four turnovers (to just four assists) in Saturday’s game against the Lakers, and especially in light of how inefficient the shooters are around him in this setting.
If you’re a de Larrea truther, this was your game. He was 0-for-3 from 3-point range and just 2-for-13 for Summer League before he nailed his first of the game with 3:05 left to play. He crossed over and stepped back over Boozer on that make, which gave the Mavs an 82-77 lead late. Those are the plays we want to see to go along with his creativity in finding the open man.
He rattled in a second from the left wing with just a minute to play to make it an 87-80 and give him 12 points and 12 assists for the game.
