This July, the NBA Summer League is certainly taking a back seat to the NBA Free Agency period. But here at The Sports Bank we got you covered. Especially when it comes to His Royal Smoothness Evan Turner, the most blogged about individual in TSB history. Although David Kahn, Adam Burish, Erin Andrews and Jenn Brown are not far behind.
They say only geeks and die-hards follow the NBA Summer League. Well, include me in that group. Hey this is Mr. Turner, a southside Chicago native we’re talking about, and he put on a clinic Monday night.
By Paul M. Banks
According to the AP recap of the game. As posted in The Canadian Press on Google:
The No. 2 and No. 3 overall picks in this year’s draft showed off their potential Monday night, even if it wasn’t always at its best.
In the most decorated matchup of young hopefuls at this week’s NBA summer league in Orlando, Turner had 12 points and eight rebounds to help the Philadelphia 76ers beat Favors and the New Jersey Nets 84-74.
“I just wanted to get my rhythm back, my flow back, my timing back,” said Turner, the No. 2 pick, who added four assists. “And not looking like I never played basketball before, like I did at the start.”
Favors had eight points on 2-for-8 shooting for the Nets, who had the league’s worst record last season but slipped to No. 3 in the draft lottery. He also had some above-the-rim rebounds — nine in all — and showed he might be worthy of the high selection.
“I was nervous at the beginning of the game, and I just wanted to get that all out of the way,” Favors said. “I’m glad it is, and now I’ll come back and be ready to go.”
The college standouts are bringing big expectations to their struggling pro franchises.
Turner, the Ohio State guard voted The Associated Press Player of the Year, is considered one of the most NBA ready players in this year’s draft class. Favors, the 18-year-old forward from Georgia Tech and the Atlantic Coast Conference Rookie of the Year, has an NBA body and tons of pro potential.
Read the whole piece here
James Augustine (yes, THAT James Augustine) had 20 points in 21 minutes for the Jazz yesterday.
I-L-L… I-N-I