Orlando Summer League 2015: Championship TV Schedule and Live Stream
Lost in all of the NBA free-agency madness is the fact that the Orlando Summer League has given us a good look at some of the best young basketball players in the world.
With just one day remaining on the league's slate, Orlando White (one-half of the Orlando Magic's contingent) and the Memphis Grizzlies have set themselves apart from the field of 10 squads, posting identical 4-0 records. They'll face off Friday at noon ET in the league's championship game, one of the five Orlando Summer League tilts Friday.
Let's look at the full TV and live-stream schedule for Friday, and then follow that up with some players to watch in the contest between Orlando White and the Grizzlies. At the end, we'll spend a little bit of time predicting the main event.
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Friday's Schedule and Live-Stream Information
Schedule
| Los Angeles Clippers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder | 5th place | 8 a.m. | NBA TV |
| Detroit Pistons vs. Miami Heat | 3rd place | 10 a.m. | NBA TV |
| Memphis Grizzlies vs. Orlando Magic (White) | 1st place | 12 p.m. | NBA TV |
| Indiana Pacers vs. Orlando Magic (Blue) | 7th place | 2 p.m. | NBA TV |
| Brooklyn Nets vs. Charlotte Hornets | 9th place | 4 p.m. | NBA TV |
Live-Stream Information
For those who do not have NBA TV or cannot access it Friday, the day's games will also be live streamed on NBA Summer League Live, an NBA.com service that costs $14.99. The service can be run on computers, tablets and smartphones.
Players to Watch in First-Place Game
Russ Smith
The knocks on Russ Smith are clear: He's way too small (6'0" and 160 pounds) to play shooting guard, his more natural position, and he doesn't have the necessary point guard skills to carve out a career in the NBA. Those were the main reasons he fell all the way to the No. 47 pick in the 2013 NBA draft.
However, if his summer league experience is any indication, there's no reason he can't be the next Aaron Brooks or Patty Mills, undersized 2-guards who play within themselves at the backup 1 position.
Smith's assist-to-turnover ratio in summer league has been a very respectable 22-to-12 through four games (1.83 assists per turnover). He's also shooting with great efficiency—in just 28.6 minutes per contest, Smith has scored 14.8 points and shot 55.3 percent from the field.
Lastly, he's shown flair for the dramatic this week, as he sunk the sudden-death game-winner in double overtime to defeat the Orlando Magic Blue team.
Look for Smith to do everything in his power to lift the Grizzlies to a win.
Chris Singleton
Admit it: You forgot Chris Singleton was nearly a lottery pick in the 2011 draft. The No. 18 overall selection by the Washington Wizards spent three seasons battling injuries and inconsistent minutes in the nation's capital before going to China last fall and then returning stateside for a 17-game tenure with the NBA D-League's Oklahoma City Blue.
Until a few days ago, you could classify the 25-year-old as a bust without much thought.
However, in Orlando's four Summer League wins, Singleton has played with the urgency of a guy who's out to prove he deserves an NBA roster spot.
He's only averaged six points in his 21 minutes per game, but his six rebounds, one steal and 0.8 blocks are solid totals. Defense is definitely more his game anyway.
"Magic's White team is the best defensive team at Summer League. Chris Singleton is the biggest reason.
— Bradley Augustine (@JBAugustine) July 6, 2015"
Following Singleton's personal-best game against the Indiana Pacers Monday, he sat down with NBA TV's Greg Anthony and Rick Kamla to discuss his future in the world's top basketball league.
Pay careful attention to Singleton's energy in the final game. He always plays hard, but he might find an extra gear knowing a training camp invite is on the line.
Jarnell Stokes
Different guy, same problem.
Like Smith, Jarnell Stokes' size is the main reason he didn't get picked in the first round of the 2014 draft. The power forward measured a ho-hum 6'8.5" in shoes at the combine, per DraftExpress. Considering neither his length nor his athleticism was amazing, teams thought that spelled problems for his NBA potential.
It's too early to consider last summer's No. 35 overall pick a steal, but things seem to be headed that way.
Stokes' brute strength and relentless motor are a valuable addition to a team at any level, and the Summer League Grizzlies are certainly benefiting. The power forward is averaging 13.3 points and 6.8 rebounds per game through four games to go with a 54.5 percent mark from the field.
Remember, Stokes also posted an above-average 18.6 player efficiency rating and 0.186 win shares in limited minutes for Memphis' top team in 2014-15. Dude's got game.
If you're a fan of high-energy players, keep an eye on Stokes.
Title Game Prediction
The Grizzlies probably have better talent than Orlando's White team. Memphis has five players with NBA experience (Smith, Stokes, Alex Kirk, JaMychal Green and Jordan Adams), while the Orlando White team has just two (Singleton and Glen Rice Jr.).
However, Orlando's White team has just killed it on defense so far.
Led by Singleton, the squad has allowed just 76, 76, 68 and 58 points in its four contests, respectively. The Grizzlies have been great, but they've also won their games by just 20 points combined, compared to a combined 40 points by the Orlando White.
Also, the relative lack of players with NBA experience on the Orlando White team could mean better effort. The guys on the court will be craving that first shot with one of the league's 30 teams, and Friday could be their last chance to prove they deserve one.
Final Prediction: Orlando White 81, Memphis Grizzlies 73
All statistics and measurements are from Basketball-Reference.com, NBA.com and ESPN.com (including ESPN's Hollinger Stats) and updated through July 9 unless otherwise indicated.
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