NBA Summer League 2012 Schedule: Remaining Games You Can't Ignore
For NBA fans, the Summer League is a welcome break from NBA free agency, providing us with some basketball action to make the gap between the NBA Finals and the start of the next season a little more bearable.
The level of play might not be as high as the real thing, the announcers might be unenthused and the players might not all be recognizable, but it's still basketball.
It's fun basketball at that.
If you're looking for Summer League games to watch, these are the five remaining games you can't afford to miss.
You can check out the full remaining schedule at NBA.com.
Wednesday, July 18 at 6:00 PM ET: Houston Rockets vs. Chicago Bulls
1 of 5Make sure you tune in to the last Houston Rockets Summer League game, seeing as they're the most entertaining team out there.
Jeremy Lamb and Terrence Jones—the two highest scorers on the team thus far with 21.0 and 18.5 points per game, respectively—are worth watching by themselves.
Then you add in the dominance of Donatas Motiejunas, the continued development of Chandler Parsons and Marcus Morris, the versatility of Royce White and the passing skills of Scott Machado.
If you love watching young NBA players make a name for themselves, you have to watch these guys.
Thursday, July 19 at 6:00 PM ET: Atlanta Hawks vs. Portland Trail Blazers
2 of 5If you haven't checked out Damian Lillard yet, you need to fix that immediately.
The point guard out of Weber State is leading the charge for the Portland Trail Blazers and will take the court next on Thursday night against the Atlanta Hawks.
Lillard is already staking his claim as the best point guard in the class, averaging 26.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game through his two contests against the Houston Rockets and New Orleans Hornets.
You can also check out lottery pick Meyers Leonard for the Blazers while watching John Jenkins knock down shots from everywhere on the court for the Atlanta Hawks.
Plus, see if Keith Benson is for real. The big man for the Hawks has averaged 16.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game on 58.8 percent shooting as he looks to not only make the Atlanta roster, but also carve out a role in the rotation.
Thursday, July 19 at 6:30 PM ET: Boston Celtics vs. Sacramento Kings
3 of 5This matchup of power forwards puts two of the most NBA-ready players in the 2012 draft class head-to-head.
Jared Sullinger has been playing quite well for the Boston Celtics thus far, averaging 13.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.8 steals and 1.0 blocks per game as he shows off his back-to-the-basket game.
With the exception of his putrid 35.1 percent shooting from the field, Thomas Robinson has been impressive as well. The former Kansas Jayhawk has averaged 14.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.7 steals per game for the Sacramento Kings.
Both players look like they'll be forces in the NBA for years to come and this is the first time they'll face off against each other.
Friday, July 20 at 6:30 PM ET: Memphis Grizzlies vs. Charlotte Bobcats
4 of 5Don't you want to check in and see if Memphis Grizzlies' guard Josh Selby is for real?
In his first season out of Kansas, Selby played in only 28 games at the NBA level, averaging only 2.3 points per contest.
Now he's letting his insane athleticism propel him to new heights during the Summer League. Through Tuesday's games, he's leading the league in points per game with 27.5 big ones per contest.
Selby had the best two-way game of the Summer League in a loss to the Washington Wizards on Tuesday, scoring 35 points and swiping the ball away from the other team seven times. He'll look to keep that pace up throughout the rest of the games as he looks to solidify a spot on the big league roster.
Then there's the Charlotte Bobcats, whose Summer League roster might eerily resemble the real thing.
You'll want to check out Kemba Walker, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (if he's healthy), Jeffery Taylor and Bismack Biyombo while seeing if Byron Mullens is really as good as he looks.
After a dominant display on Tuesday, Mullens is averaging 20.7 points and 7.7 rebounds per game through three contests.
Saturday, July 21 at 6:30 PM ET: Golden State Warriors vs. New Orleans Hornets
5 of 5This weekend clash offers us a chance to see one of last year's most successful rookies square off with a player who hopes to follow in his footsteps.
Klay Thompson took advantage of his opportunity with the Golden State Warriors once Monta Ellis was traded away during the 2011-2012 season and showed that he'll be a starter in this league for a long time. Now, he's showing off in Summer League and averaging 20.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game.
He'll match up against Austin Rivers, the New Orleans Hornets non-unibrowed lottery pick who struggled tremendously in his debut. Rivers is shooting just 21.1 percent from the field through two games, but he's bound to turn it around soon.
This game also offers the opportunity to watch Harrison Barnes continue to prove the doubters wrong. He's looked like one of the most NBA-ready players in the 2012 draft class and displayed all the tools you could ask for in a scorer.
