NBA Summer League 2016: Updated Las Vegas Schedule, Standings and Top Stats
The 2016 NBA Summer League tournament is heating up in Las Vegas, with players looking to make a final statement and only eight teams remaining in the field.
The stakes aren't exactly as high as they are during March Madness, but these games provide the opportunity for young players to showcase how much they've developed. Whether it be a roster spot, added minutes in the rotation or a tryout with another team down the road, there's a lot on the line for the players in Vegas.
Here's a look at the quarterfinals schedule. The full bracket can be found on NBA.com:
| Time (ET) | Team | Team | TV |
| 4 p.m. | Minnesota Timberwolves | Toronto Raptors | ESPNU |
| 6 p.m. | Phoenix Suns | Denver Nuggets | ESPN2 |
| 8 p.m. | Washington Wizards | Chicago Bulls | ESPN2 |
| 10 p.m. | Cleveland Cavaliers | Brooklyn Nets | ESPN2 |
That's why Saturday's action should be worth tracking, as several players will look to continue good showings in Vegas. Rookies are offering the first preview of their skill sets, second- and third-year players are showcasing growth that will soon see them skipping summer league and some are showing cause for concern.
Here's a look at whose standing out statistically, along with the standings heading into Saturday.
| Player | Team | PPG |
| Trey Lyles | UTA | 29.0 |
| Devin Booker | PHX | 26.0 |
| Jordan McRae | CLE | 25.8 |
| Kris Dunn | MIN | 24.0 |
| Emmanuel Mudiay | DEN | 23.0 |
| Player | Team | RPG |
| Alan Williams | PHX | 11.3 |
| Jarvis Varnado | LAL | 10.0 |
| Thon Maker | MIL | 9.8 |
| Bobby Portis | CHI | 9.5 |
| Cheick Diallo | NOP | 9.3 |
| Player | Team | APG |
| Tyler Ulis | PHX | 6.8 |
| Devin Booker | PHX | 6.5 |
| TJ McConnell | PHI | 6.2 |
| Isaiah Cousins | SAC | 6.0 |
| Tyus Jones | MIN | 6.0 |
| Chicago Bulls | 4 | 0 |
| Toronto Raptors | 4 | 0 |
| Denver Nuggets | 3 | 1 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | 3 | 1 |
| Brooklyn Nets | 3 | 1 |
| Phoenix Suns | 3 | 1 |
| Washington Wizards | 3 | 1 |
| Atlanta Hawks | 3 | 2 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | 3 | 2 |
| Miami Heat | 3 | 2 |
| San Antonio Spurs | 2 | 2 |
| Memphis Grizzlies | 2 | 2 |
| NBA D-League Select | 2 | 2 |
| Dallas Mavericks | 2 | 3 |
| Golden State Warriors | 2 | 3 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | 2 | 3 |
| Utah Jazz | 2 | 3 |
| Boston Celtics | 1 | 3 |
| New Orleans Pelicans | 1 | 3 |
| Houston Rockets | 1 | 3 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | 1 | 3 |
| Portland Trail Blazers | 1 | 3 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | 1 | 4 |
| Sacramento Kings | 0 | 4 |
Players to Watch
Tyus Jones, PG, Minnesota Timberwolves
There happens to be a lot of young talent on the Minnesota Timberwolves roster so you'll be excused if Tyus Jones wasn't on your radar heading into Vegas.
The former Duke guard has done his best to stand out in the tournament, and Minnesota has advanced to the quarterfinal as a result. With Kris Dunn out of the lineup last time out, against the Memphis Grizzlies, Jones looked like the best player on the floor, putting up 26 points and 10 assists.
That's the kind of progression you'd like to see from a second-year player in summer-league play. Jones has been a consistent shooter, hitting 45 percent of his threes. He's also taken over as a distributor in Dunn's absence, with 19 assists in the last two games.
Earlier in the tournament, he showed he can even be on the floor at the same time as Dunn.
The two connected for an alley-oop to get on the board against the Denver Nuggets:
Looking at the bigger picture, Jones is making a strong case to be an important part of the Timberwolves moving forward. According to Matt Moore of CBSSports.com, the Wolves reportedly thought about dealing point guard Ricky Rubio during the draft and presumably would still like to use him as a trade chip.
If Jones continues to showcase his skills like this, Minnesota should feel even more comfortable rolling with Dunn and Jones as the point guards of the future.
Dragan Bender, F, Phoenix Suns
Dragan Bender entered the NBA draft as one of the most mysterious top picks. The international 18-year-old comes to the U.S. with a ton of potential but carrying the boom-or-bust potential typical of European prospects.
So far, the Phoenix Suns have taken the opportunity to experiment with what their newest addition can do. They've played the 7'1" Croatian at both small and power forward where he's logged big minutes. He's played at least 29 minutes in all four games he's played in.
“We just want him to get that experience,” Suns summer-league coach Nate Bjorkgren said, per Matthew Bain of the Arizona Republic. “We’ve played him at the 3, today we played him a lot more at the 4. We want to give him experience guarding different guys.”
The Bender experiment hasn't always been great. He's committed at least five turnovers in each of the last three contests, but he's had his moments.
He had his best day on the boards with 10 points and nine rebounds against the Miami Heat on Thursday. In the previous matchup against Miami, he went 3-of-5 from behind the arc.
He hasn't put things together for one solid performance yet, but if he's able to do it, it's going to be special.
Kelly Oubre Jr., SF, Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards don't have much in the way of recent draft picks on their roster. Kelly Oubre Jr. is the only first-round selection by the team on the summer-league roster. Aaron White is the only other selection by the team period.
That means the Wizards need to see some progress from the 20-year-old.
Fortunately, that's exactly what Oubre has shown thus far. The 6'7" wing is leading the team with 19.8 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. However, where Oubre has really shone is on the defensive end of the floor, which he has stated will be an emphasis for him this season.
“I’m an energetic player,” he said, per Gene Wang of the Washington Post. “I come in and I try to first and foremost start on the defensive end because that’s what God blessed me with, length and athletic ability, so I feel that’s kind of my calling card, coming out and trying to get stops.”
Oubre's defense has dazzled, and he is averaging two steals per game. Here's a look at his quick hands leading to an easy transition bucket the other way:
Still, there's some room for improvement in Oubre's game. He's only shooting 40 percent from the field with 3.5 turnovers. Mike Prada of SB Nation noted Oubre's improvements in Vegas:
Taking on the undefeated Bulls team, Oubre will need to have another strong performance to lead the Wizards into the semifinals.
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