NBA Summer League Schedule: Matchups Worth Your Undivided Attention

The NBA's Summer League is underway in Orlando. Drafted rookies are trying to validate their selection, undrafted rookies are trying to prove every team wrong and veterans are trying to do the same thing they have been doing for years.

Everyone's goal is to make the team. This makes for better basketball than you may think. I'm not saying any of these contests will win an ESPY, but these players are fighting for their livelihood.

Orlando's Summer League finishes up on July 13, then teams head to Las Vegas. This gives players ample time to showcase their skill sets.

As always, certain matchups are more exciting than others. Let's check out three Summer League matchups that you should give your undivided attention, but first we have to check out the full schedule of games in Las Vegas.

*Schedule courtesy of nba.com

2012 NBA Summer League Game Schedule

Friday July 13
• COX Pavilion
1 PM -- Atlanta vs. Washington
3 PM -- Houston vs. Toronto
5 PM -- Golden State vs. LA Lakers
7 PM -- Sacramento vs. Charlotte

Saturday July 14
• COX Pavilion
1 PM -- Memphis vs. New York
3 PM -- Golden State vs. Denver
5 PM -- LA Lakers vs. Sacramento
7 PM -- Houston vs. Washington

Sunday July 15
• COX Pavilion
1 PM -- New York vs. Phoenix
3 PM -- Denver vs. Dallas
5 PM -- San Antonio vs. Atlanta
7 PM -- Washington vs. NBA D-League

• Thomas & Mack
3:30 PM -- Toronto vs. Miami
5:30 PM -- Cleveland vs. Charlotte
7:30 PM -- New Orleans vs. Portland

Monday July 16
• COX Pavilion
1 PM -- Atlanta vs. Boston
3 PM -- Dallas vs. Toronto
5 PM -- Cleveland vs. NBA D-League
7 PM -- LA Clippers vs. Minnesota

• Thomas & Mack
3:30 PM -- Houston vs. Sacramento
5:30 PM -- LA Lakers vs. Miami
7:30 PM -- Milwaukee vs. New Orleans

Tuesday July 17
• COX Pavilion
1 PM -- Denver vs. New York
3 PM -- Washington vs. Memphis
5 PM -- Portland vs. Houston
7 PM -- Chicago vs. Boston

• Thomas & Mack
3:30 PM -- San Antonio vs. LA Lakers
5:30 PM -- Cleveland vs. Phoenix
7:30 PM -- Minnesota vs. Charlotte

Wednesday July 18
• COX Pavilion
1 PM -- Milwaukee vs. Washington
3 PM -- Chicago vs. Houston
5 PM -- Atlanta vs. Dallas
7 PM -- San Antonio vs. LA Clippers

• Thomas & Mack
3:30 PM -- Sacramento vs. Toronto
5:30 PM -- New Orleans vs. Phoenix
7:30 PM -- Golden State vs. Miami

Thursday July 19
• COX Pavilion
1 PM -- New York vs. Toronto
3 PM -- Portland vs. Atlanta
5 PM -- Cleveland vs. Minnesota
7 PM -- NBA D-League vs. Milwaukee

• Thomas & Mack
3:30 PM -- Boston vs. Sacramento
5:30 PM -- LA Clippers vs. LA Lakers
7:30 PM -- Charlotte vs. Denver

Friday July 20
• COX Pavilion
1 PM -- New York vs. Cleveland
3 PM -- Denver vs. Portland
5 PM -- Miami vs. San Antonio
7 PM -- NBA D-League vs. Phoenix

• Thomas & Mack
3:30 PM -- Memphis vs. Charlotte
5:30 PM -- Chicago vs. Golden State
7:30 PM -- Dallas vs. New Orleans

Saturday July 21
• COX Pavilion
1 PM -- Portland vs. Miami
3 PM -- Dallas vs. San Antonio
5 PM -- NBA D-League vs. Minnesota
7 PM -- Memphis vs. Phoenix

• Thomas & Mack
3:30 PM -- Golden State vs. New Orleans
5:30 PM -- Chicago vs. LA Clippers
7:30 PM -- Milwaukee vs. Boston

Sunday July 22
• COX Pavilion
1 PM -- Chicago vs. Milwaukee
3 PM -- Boston vs. LA Clippers
5 PM -- Memphis vs. Minnesota

• Schedule subject to change
• All Times listed are Pacific

Houston vs. Toronto

By this time maybe the Rockets will have Dwight Howard on their roster, but either way this matchup is intriguing.

I know, you're thinking what could possibly be intriguing about this game? Don't you remember the Kyle Lowry trade? This game will also pit two of the draft's best shooting guards at opposite ends of one another: Jeremy Lamb and Terrence Ross.

Lowry isn't going to play, but both front offices remember the trade. The Rockets will attempt to move forward without their star point guard, and one of their first steps comes against his new team.

Plenty of intrigue surrounds Houston this offseason, and it doesn't end here.

San Antonio vs. LA Lakers

We won't see Tim Duncan or Kobe Bryant in this game, but it's always interesting to see how these teams get younger.

Laker draft selections Robert Sacre and Darius Johnson-Odom will fight for roster spots this summer, while Marcus Denmon does the same for San Antonio.

It's weird to watch Summer League teams like this. The intrigue usually surrounds the bad teams because their rookies are more exciting and everyone wants to see if they've improved over last season.

This is different. I want to see how these squads are retooling after disappointing postseason runs last season.

Golden State vs. New Orleans

My college basketball side is shining through here. This matchup will pit Austin Rivers' new squad against Harrison Barnes' new side.

The Duke-North Carolina connection doesn't end the intrigue. Both of these teams are young, and both will have a chance to prove themselves on July 21.

Anthony Davis' sprained ankle kept him out of Olympic competition, but he will be around for Summer League play. That wasn't anticipated, and it will make the Hornets a must-see spectacle in Las Vegas this summer.

Both of these teams could make some noise next season. Barnes gives Golden State their missing link, and the Hornets did a tremendous job of rebuilding through the draft.

This will be an exciting matchup because of the talented young players involved, and the Blue Devil-Tar Heel thing of course.