NBA Summer League 2014: Day 8 Bracket, TV Schedule and More
Las Vegas is nothing if not a city of second chances, and that is exactly what some of the squads at the 2014 NBA Summer League will receive Friday in a batch of eight consolation games.
The actual tournament resumes with the quarterfinals Saturday, but some of the earlier losers hit the court again for some redemption Friday. With that in mind, here is a look at the broadcast information and bracket for Day 8 of the Summer League.
Las Vegas Summer League Info
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Watch: NBA TV (games shown live have asterisks in table)
Stream: NBA Summer League Live (subscription required)
Where: Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion, UNLV campus; Las Vegas, Nevada
Bracket: An updated bracket can be found at NBA.com.
| Fri., July 18 | Phoenix Suns vs. Dallas Mavericks* | 1 p.m. | COX |
| Fri., July 18 | Golden State Warriors vs. Milwaukee Bucks | 1:30 p.m. | Thomas & Mack |
| Fri., July 18 | Los Angeles Clippers vs. Toronto Raptors* | 3 p.m. | COX |
| Fri., July 18 | Denver Nuggets vs. Los Angeles Lakers | 3:30 p.m. | Thomas & Mack |
| Fri., July 18 | Minnesota Timberwolves vs. New Orleans Hornets* | 5 p.m. | COX |
| Fri., July 18 | Portland Trail Blazers vs. Utah Jazz | 5:30 p.m. | Thomas & Mack |
| Fri., July 18 | Miami Heat vs. Cleveland Cavaliers* | 7 p.m. | COX |
| Fri., July 18 | NBA D-League vs. Philadelphia 76ers | 7:30 p.m. | Thomas & Mack |
Game to Watch
Miami Heat vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
There are going to be obvious undertones every time these two teams match up this season given the LeBron James decision, but it’s not as if the King is going to lace it up against Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in the summer league. We will just have to wait for those fireworks come the winter (and hopefully spring).
There are still plenty of questions surrounding this matchup in Vegas, though, which makes it the most intriguing game on the Friday schedule.
For one, will Andrew Wiggins even play given the rumors that are circulating about a potential trade for Kevin Love? If the Cavaliers are going to trade him as part of a package for Love, they probably don’t want to risk injury in the summer league, right? Or perhaps they do want his raw athleticism and extensive skill set on full display to the world as a way of convincing Minnesota that Wiggins is definitely worth the loss of Love.
If Wiggins does play, it will be interesting to see how he handles the extra scrutiny he will be under with the trade speculation on top of what was already there for the No. 1 pick.
Cleveland coach David Blatt discussed as much, via Chris Broussard of ESPN.com: "That's why they call them rumors. Sooner or later in one's career you're going have to deal with it. So if he has to deal with it now, then so be it. It's the summer league. He's learning everything as he goes along."
Speaking of scrutiny, fans will also get an opportunity to watch last year’s No. 1 pick Anthony Bennett in action against the Heat as well.
After a disappointing rookie season, Bennett is playing well in Vegas and posted nightly averages of 14 points and 8.3 rebounds in his first three games. He needs to continue showing signs of improvement if he wants to play significant minutes this season. Of course, he could also be involved in a potential Love trade as well.
On the Miami side, Shabazz Napier will have the chance to overcome some of his earlier struggles if he gets to play. In his most recent contest against the Washington Wizards, the Connecticut product turned it over four times and shot an abysmal 2-of-16 from the field.
Needless to say, performances like that won’t inspire any NBA superstars to tweet about how he is the best point guard in the 2014 draft class.
There are so many storylines surrounding the Cleveland and Miami matchup that it feels like a regular-season game at the very least. If nothing else, it is a testament to the limelight the NBA has been under this offseason that we are talking about a consolation game in the summer league like that.
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