NBA Summer League Schedule: Each Team's Most Crucial Remaining Game

The NBA's Summer League in Las Vegas is drawing to a close, but the the young players in action aren't done trying to make an impact quite yet.

Twenty-one teams still have games left to play, as the Brooklyn Nets, Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers, Utah Jazz and Washington Wizards have all wrapped up their bit of the schedule. 

Read on to find out which game left on each team's schedule is their most crucial contest. 

You can also check out the full schedule on NBA.com by clicking any of the teams' names. 

Atlanta Hawks

Date: Thursday at 6:00 p.m. ET

Against: Portland Trail Blazers

The Atlanta Hawks only have this game against the Portland Trail Blazers left during their Summer League schedule. 

John Jenkins has looked good in limited action thus far, as has Keith Benson. Will it continue against Wesley Matthews and Meyers Leonard, though?

Boston Celtics

Date: Thursday at 6:30 p.m. ET

Against: Sacramento Kings

This is one of the true marquee matchups left during Summer League, as Thomas Robinson and Jared Sullinger will be squaring off against each other at the power forward position. 

Both players are among the premier players at their position, and each is considered NBA-ready. They'll play against each other many times throughout their careers, but this will be the first. 

Charlotte Bobcats

Date: Friday at 6:30 pm. ET

Against: Memphis Grizzlies

If Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is back and healthy for this contest, he might be shifted over to shooting guard to see how he'll fare against Josh Selby, who's been lighting up the Summer League. 

Regardless, Byron Mullens and Jeffery Taylor will continue to make names for themselves against the 1-1 Memphis Grizzlies.

Chicago Bulls

Date: Friday at 8:30 p.m. ET

Against: Golden State Warriors

Jimmy Butler has been the Chicago Bulls' breakout star of Summer League thus far, but he'll have his hands full against the Golden State Warriors. 

Slowing down Klay Thompson is no easy task, especially when attention has to be paid to Harrison Barnes as well. 

Cleveland Cavaliers

Date: Friday at 4:00 p.m. ET

Against: New York Knicks

Tyler Zeller has been showing off his well-rounded game for the Cleveland Cavaliers, while his fellow lottery pick, Dion Waiters, has struggled to make a positive impact thus far, shooting only 30 percent from the field. 

The New York Knicks' Summer League roster isn't very competitive and should give both of the Cavs' top picks a chance to shine. 

Dallas Mavericks

Date: Friday at 10:30 p.m. ET

Against: New Orleans Hornets

Dominique Jones has been the top player at Summer League for the Dallas Mavericks through three games, averaging a sensational 21.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. 

Will it continue against the New Orleans Hornets when he has to focus on slowing down Austin Rivers? 

You'll have to tune in Friday night to find out. I know you don't have any better plans. 

Denver Nuggets

Date: Thursday at 10:30 p.m. ET

Against: Charlotte Bobcats

Kenneth Faried was a monster, really a Manimal, for the Denver Nuggets last season, and he's continued to look solid on both ends of the court during Summer League. 

Evan Fournier and Jordan Hamilton haven't played too poorly either. 

They'll be in for a step up in the level of competition when they play an undefeated Charlotte Bobcats squad that remains undefeated and eerily resembles the team's real roster. 

Golden State Warriors

Date: Friday at 8:30 p.m. ET

Against: Chicago Bulls

The Golden State Warriors are going to have the tough task of slowing down Jimmy Butler on Friday night against the Chicago Bulls. 

By this point, we know that Klay Thompson is a strong offensive player. It's up to him to prove whether he has what it takes to be a solid two-way player. 

Los Angeles Clippers

Date: Saturday at 8:30 p.m. ET

Against: Chicago Bulls

It'll be a battle of young point guards during the weekend as the Los Angeles Clippers and Chicago Bulls go to battle. 

Marquis Teague was the Chicago Bulls' top draft pick after he slipped to the end of the first round, and the former Kentucky Wildcats will have to be up for the challenge of stopping Eric Bledsoe, who many expect to break out during the 2012-2013 season. 

Los Angeles Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers are the one team that just doesn't care about Summer League at all. 

That's the only way to explain losing their opener to the Golden State Warriors by 40 and then dropping a contest with the Miami Heat by 50. 

Until they care about playing at a moderately high level, I can't and won't care about them. 

Memphis Grizzlies

Date: Sunday at 8:00 p.m. ET

Against: Minnesota Timberwolves

Is Josh Selby for real? 

After averaging 27.5 points, 1.5 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 4.0 steals per game through the first two contests for the Memphis Grizzlies, Selby has a lot of fans wondering about just how good he can be. 

They'll start to get an answer when he faces the Minnesota Timberwolves and Wesley Johnson on Sunday night. 

Miami Heat

Date: Friday at 8:00 p.m. ET

Against: San Antonio Spurs

Norris Cole had a few breakouts during the regular season, but he was never able to put together a string of successful outings. 

He'll get a chance to show off against the San Antonio Spurs when he faces former Texas Longhorn floor general Cory Joseph. 

Milwaukee Bucks

Date: Saturday at 10:30 p.m. ET

Against: Boston Celtics

Tobias Harris is finally starting to show why the Milwaukee Bucks drafted him in 2011, averaging 21.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game through two showings. John Henson hasn't been too bad either. 

The two will be going up against the Boston Celtics' big new additions: Jared Sullinger and Fab Melo. 

Minnesota Timberwolves

Date: Sunday at 8:00 p.m. ET

Against: Memphis Grizzlies

Slowing down Josh Selby, who is averaging 27.5 points, 1.5 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 4.0 steals per game through the first two contests for the Memphis Grizzlies, is going to be the big challenge for the Minnesota Timberwolves. 

Wesley Johnson has been disappointing for the Wolves ever since he was drafted, but he'll have a chance to start showing off his skills if he can shut down Selby on Sunday. 

New Orleans Hornets

Date: Saturday at 6:30 p.m. ET

Against: Golden State Warriors

Austin Rivers needs to turn around his Summer League showing, as all of the New Orleans Hornets' worries about him have come to fruition. 

Rivers has occasionally looked selfish, he's picked the wrong shots and he hasn't hit many of them at all. 

He'll be facing a true starter in the NBA when he goes against Klay Thompson. Slowing that member of the Golden State Warriors and still improving his offense would go a long way for the combo guard. 

New York Knicks

The New York Knicks haven't been playing any players that have hope of making their roster, so it's impossible to pick a remaining game that matters for them. 

Chris Copeland and Wesley Witherspoon have been the two leading scorers for the squad thus far. That should say it all. 

New York has a game against the Toronto Raptors on Thursday at 4:00 p.m. ET and another against the Cleveland Cavaliers at 4:00 p.m. ET on Friday. 

Neither is particularly important, though. 

Phoenix Suns

Date: Saturday at 10:00 p.m. ET

Against: Memphis Grizzlies

Markieff Morris has looked like an NBA player so far during Summer League, and the Memphis Grizzlies are the best team left on the schedule. 

Morris was a nice find for the Phoenix Suns last season, and he'll carve out a large role for himself off the bench if he can keep impressing. 

Portland Trail Blazers

Date: Saturday at 4:00 p.m. ET

Against: Miami Heat

Damian Lillard has looked like the best point guard in the 2012 draft class so far and seems to truly have the making of a solid NBA starter. 

He'll be going up against another NBA-caliber point guard when he squares off with Norris Cole and the Miami Heat. 

Sacramento Kings

Date: Thursday at 6:30 p.m. ET

Against: Boston Celtics

This is one of the true marquee matchups left during Summer League, as Thomas Robinson and Jared Sullinger will be squaring off against each other at the power forward position. 

Both players are among the premier players at their position, and each is considered NBA-ready. They'll play against each other many times throughout their careers, but this will be the first. 

San Antonio Spurs

Date: Friday at 8:00 p.m. ET

Against: Miami Heat

Can Cory Joseph keep it going against Norris Cole and the Miami Heat?

The former Texas point guard has averaged 19.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game as he shows why he left Austin behind so early on in his collegiate career. He'll need to keep it up to make the San Antonio Spurs roster. 

Toronto Raptors

Date: Thursday at 4:00 p.m. ET

Against: New York Knicks

Dare I say that Terrence Ross has reminded me of Kobe Bryant through four games for the Toronto Raptors in Summer League? 

He's averaged 16.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game thus far and closes out his set of games Thursday afternoon.