6 Takeaways from Tuesday's Orlando NBA Summer League Action

The NBA's five-game open gym better known as the NBA Summer League is never short on entertainment.

Sometimes, these stories are strictly based in fantasy, like Anthony Randolph's 42-point eruption in 2009 or Marcus Banks and Von Wafer's 42-point outings two years before that. Sometimes, they are prequels to greatness, the NBA's first prolonged glimpse at the superstars of tomorrow.

The problem is it's hard to decipher which one is which when it's happening in real time.

The best way to enjoy summer league is to not forget how these players arrived here. If a prized pick or a key rotation piece goes off (read on to find out who did), it's OK to celebrate that accomplishment. If another one struggles (1-for-7, Terrence Jones?), it's OK to look past the panic button.

Some stat sheets were stuffed, and others were discarded during Tuesday's four-game schedule.

Reggie Jackson Breaking Ankles and Records

For the second straight summer, Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Reggie Jackson has been providing plenty for the highlight reels.

On Tuesday, though, he was busy filling his stat sheet at a record-setting pace. Jackson poured in an Orlando Summer League record 35 points, saving 23 of them for the game-breaking fourth quarter.

The Thunder erased a 14-point deficit, as Jackson scorched the Detroit Pistons defense with a blistering 12-of-19 showing from the field. His relentless attacks yielded 11 free-throw attempts (just five fewer than the Pistons managed as a team), and he converted nine of the freebies.

Jackson wasn't the only member of the Thunder grabbing attention in their 79-75 win. Lottery pick Steven Adams chipped in with 11 points and six rebounds. Fellow rookie Andre Roberson needed just 24 minutes to snare a team-high 10 boards.

Jackson's scoring ability shined brighter than the rest, though, which could help provide a path to more consistent playing time next season. 

Magic Fans Will Get Their Money's Worth with Victor Oladipo

If Victor Oladipo doesn't live up to his lofty draft status, it won't be for a lack of trying.

It's too early to form a conclusion about Oladipo's future as a point guard, but he's already thriving as a hustler in the present. The No. 2 pick was everywhere on the floor during his 26-minute run, and his stat line shows that activity level.

He scored a game-high 22 points, largely on the strength of his 12-of-14 display at the free-throw line. Luckily his aggression didn't lead to him forcing up bad shots, as he hit four of his seven field-goal attempts and both of his three-point looks. He also led the Magic with five rebounds.

It wasn't a flawless performance by any stretch.

He had a hard time figuring out the swarming defense of the Miami Heat. Playing point guard for only the third time in his career, Oladipo coughed up five turnovers and contributed to other empty trips when Orlando couldn't get into its offense.

The Magic suffered their second loss in three games, this one by a count of 94-80. Orlando also lost starting shooting guard Doron Lamb to a knee contusion, but Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel reported that the injury wasn't as serious as it looked at first.

It will be a while before the Magic are judged solely on the wins and losses columns. The important thing for now is that their players are trying to maximize their ability, and that doesn't seem like it will be an issue for Oladipo.

Too Early to Call Kelly Olynyk the Steal of This Draft?

Of course it is. This is still summer league, so it's far too early to say anything with conviction.

But the Boston Celtics have to like what they've seen so far from Kelly Olynyk.

A 25-point summer league debut thrust him under the glaring Boston spotlight, but the smooth stretch forward looks disinterested in moving out from beneath it.

He wasn't as efficient in Boston's 76-74 win over the Indiana Pacers (9-of-19 from the field), but the big man did display his wide array of offensive gifts. He dropped in a Dirk Nowitzki-esque turnaround jumper, showed fancy footwork on another up-and-under finish and even took a defensive rebound coast-to-coast, finishing with a tough layup over a defender.

Opposing defenders will be bigger and stronger during the regular season, so it will be interesting to watch how he responds to the increased physicality. With his soft shooting touch and nimble feet near the basket, it's hard to imagine his production completely falling off the table.

Tony Mitchell's athleticism also made a welcome showing during the Celtics win (15 points, five boards, two steals and a block), and undrafted free agent Phil Pressey (11 points) delivered a pair of clutch game-winning free throws with under 11 seconds left on the clock.

Without Olynyk's consistent activity (21 points, nine rebounds and four assists), though, Boston wouldn't have even been in this game.

Rockets Play Like They've Been Here Before

With good reason, too, since the Houston Rockets boast a summer league rarity. All five Rockets starters have NBA experience.

Greg Smith was more than just a big body in the middle. He scored 10 points (on 4-of-7 shooting), corralled seven rebounds in 22 minutes and added a pair of steals and a block. Patrick Beverley and James Anderson each chipped in with 11 points, with the former filling his stat line with four boards and three assists.

Even the Rockets starters who struggled with their shot found other ways to contribute. Terrence Jones had five rebounds and three blocks in 22 minutes. Tyler Honeycutt needed less than 14 minutes to dish out a team-best four assists.

Houston got contributions from some of its young guns, too. 

Casper Ware, a former Long Beach State star who spent last season in Italy, had 10 points and three steals in 17 minutes. Jack Cooley, an undrafted free agent out of Notre Dame, flirted with a double-double in only 16 minutes (10 points and eight rebounds).

The Rockets shot just 39.7 percent from the field, but they held the Jazz to 37.7 percent shooting and made five more looks from long distance.

Different Big Three, Heat Still Winners

The Miami Heat finally got a taste of what the rest of the league has been feeling for the last three seasons.

The Orlando Magic don't exactly employ a championship roster. But by summer league standards, it's about as loaded as it gets. Four Orlando starters have NBA service on their resumes, and the fifth, Oladipo, was the second overall pick of the 2013 draft.

Miami, meanwhile, had just one player from last season's roster (Jarvis Varnado, who played eight games for the Heat) and only one player selected in this year's draft (James Ennis, 50th overall).

None of that mattered, as the Heat grabbed the lead early on and went on to win all four quarters.

Ennis led the charge with 19 points, and Varnado added 16 more. Undrafted free agent Ian Clark (Belmont) poured in 15 points, while Cedric Jackson (who spent the last two seasons with the New Zealand Breakers) had nine assists and eight rebounds.

The Heat don't field their championship squads from summer league rosters, but there are a few players on board who could parlay these performances into an NBA future elsewhere.

Surprisingly, that group doesn't include former blue-chip prospect Myck Kabongo. He logged a humbling DNP, passed over in favor of Jackson and Vincent Council (an undrafted free agent from Providence).

Trey Burke Still Searching for His Shot

Trey Burke's first exposure to NBA hoops hasn't quite gone as planned.

His disastrous summer league debut (1-of-12 from the field) was followed up by another shooting dud on Tuesday (5-of-15 from the field, 1-of-6 from beyond the arc). What's worse is that his mild shooting improvements came with a step back in his other notable numbers, as he manged only two assists (against four turnovers) in 25 minutes.

The talent level is there; that much is clear. He buried his lone triple on Utah's first offensive possession, connected with slam dunk artist Jeremy Evans on a beautiful lob pass out of the pick-and-roll and flashed his yo-yo handles in spurts.

But the concern about Burke's height (6'0") and the limitations that will put on his production at the NBA level haven't gone away. He has good enough dribble moves to create space, but he needs even more room to shoot over the top of longer, taller defenders.

Jazz fans aren't holding their breaths yet. This is still the summer league, after all.

But it's hard to imagine the 20-year-old getting any taller before his pro career starts for real in October.