NBA Summer League 2018: Scores and Highlights from Thursday's Las Vegas Results

Tournament play at the 2018 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas continued Thursday with eight games, as some of the Association's most talented young players looked to take the next step toward adding an offseason trophy to their early professional resumes.

While teams hope there is more meaningful hardware to come for their summer-league players, establishing themselves as contributors in a winning experience figures to help their development as they continue growing into their new roles.

Here is a look at the overall schedule for the tournament that started Wednesday, as well as a breakdown of all the Thursday action.

Thursday Results

Miami Heat 110, New Orleans Pelicans 106

Boston Celtics 82, New York Knicks 75

Memphis Grizzlies 92, Oklahoma City Thunder 85

Philadelphia 76ers 88, Phoenix Suns 86

Milwaukee Bucks 83, San Antonio Spurs 75

Los Angeles Lakers 82, Los Angeles Clippers 69

Utah Jazz 75, Orlando Magic 70

Portland Trail Blazers 95, Atlanta Hawks 69

Recap

Cheick Diallo Continues Dominance as Potential Role Player

The Miami Heat defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 110-106 behind 31 points from Jarrod Jones, but it was a frontcourt player on the losing side who looked like someone who will be a critical role player this season.

Cheick Diallo was dominant in the frontcourt for the Pelicans, finishing with 28 points and 14 boards behind 9-of-12 shooting from the field. It was more of the same for the Kansas product, who averaged 17.3 points and 8.3 rebounds a night in his previous three summer-league games and poured in 25 points Monday.

Diallo was comfortable with the ball in his hands as the go-to option for extended stretches and had the look of someone who can score on the blocks, get to the free-throw line and take advantage of the freebies (10-of-10 from the line).

He played 52 games in 2017-18 but is yet to establish himself as a difference-maker in the NBA since he was a second-round pick in 2016. That can change this season if he continues to play like he has in summer league.

With DeMarcus Cousins now on the Golden State Warriors, the Pelicans could use someone who connects on open looks inside the lane when Anthony Davis draws additional attention.

Nikola Mirotic hits three-pointers, but look for Diallo to compete with Julius Randle for playing time as the frontcourt piece who battles for rebounds and takes some of the offensive pressure off Davis' shoulders.

Kevin Knox's Flaws Crop Up

The Boston Celtics handled the New York Knicks 82-75 in an intra-divisional showdown, as Semi Ojeleye led the way with 21 points and six boards in the victory.

However, as has been the case for all Knicks games in Las Vegas, plenty of eyes were on New York rookie Kevin Knox. The Kentucky product was the No. 9 pick in the draft and has put on an absolute show in summer league, drawing plenty of hype in the process:

However, he was overmatched by Boston's defense, shooting an ugly 5-of-20 from the field with five turnovers on his way to 15 points.

The shooting totals and turnovers underscore some of the efficiency issues that have plagued Knox in summer league considering he shot just 39 percent from the field in his first three games, and it ultimately cost his team Thursday.

Even with the concerns, though, Knox has looked like a superstar at times attacking the rim, and those worried about his shooting can point to the fact he hit 50.9 percent of his two-pointers and a respectable 34.1 percent of his triples in college.

New York has another building block for the future in Knox alongside Kristaps Porzingis and potentially Frank Ntilikina, but Boston's defense made him look ordinary.

Jaren Jackson Jr. Flashes Superstar Potential

The Memphis Grizzlies have a potential superstar in their frontcourt, and he helped lead them to a 92-85 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Jaren Jackson Jr., who Memphis selected with the No. 4 pick in the draft, finished with 16 points, six rebounds and three blocks as someone who figures to be a defensive anchor with a high offensive ceiling for years to come.

Jackson averaged 10.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game in his one season at Michigan State as a matchup nightmare at 6'11" with the ability to stretch his arsenal beyond the three-point line (39.6 percent) and provide stout rim protection.

His defensive rotation was particularly impressive Thursday, as he consistently cut off driving angles for the Thunder. It is not difficult to envision him providing that rim protection alongside Marc Gasol during the regular season while still working in pick-and-pops with Mike Conley on the offensive end.

Thursday was also encouraging for Grizzlies fans because he broke out of a mini offensive slump after shooting just 26 percent from the field in his first two summer league games.

It is far too early to worry about his production in July, but a Memphis team in need of young talent after going 22-60 last season saw a version of Jackson against the Thunder who can usher it into a new era.

Zhaire Smith Shows Jumper He Needs to be Regular Contributor

The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Phoenix Suns 88-86 behind 20 points from Isaiah Miles while also holding No. 1 overall pick Deandre Ayton to 10 points and six turnovers.

While other players put up more impressive numbers, perhaps the best sign for the 76ers was multiple outside jumpers from No. 16 overall pick Zhaire Smith on his way to eight points.

Philadelphia acquired him via trade from the Suns, and he has the potential to be an immediate contributor if his jumpers fall during the regular season considering he has the athleticism to jump out of the gym and stay in front of ball-handlers on defense.

Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid will draw plenty of defensive attention, which means Smith will find himself open on the perimeter and as a slasher during the season. His burst suggests the slashing won't be an issue, but he shot just 1.1 three-pointers per game in his one season at Texas Tech.

The good news for Sixers fans is the fact he hit 45 percent of those three-point attempts, and he was pure from deep and mid-range off the bounce on Thursday.

Christian Wood's Play Worthy of Roster Consideration

The Milwaukee Bucks needed overtime, but they emerged with an 83-75 victory over the San Antonio Spurs thanks largely to 26 points and 15 rebounds from Christian Wood.

Unlike many of the rookies in summer league, Wood played in 30 combined games for the Philadelphia 76ers and Charlotte Hornets in 2015-16 and 2016-17 but didn't appear in a regular-season contest in 2017-18. Instead, he averaged a head-turning 23.3 points per game in the G-League as a member of the Delaware 87ers as someone who can hit from the outside at 6'10" and still attack the basket and score in the lane.

"I think the team is loving how I play," Wood said prior to Thursday's game, per Gilbert Manzano of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "I play on the defensive end, I play on the offensive end, and they're not really looking for me to score, they know I can do that. So they're looking for little things on defense and help the guys out."

His full offensive attack was on display Thursday, as he connected on two three-pointers and grabbed six offensive boards, creating putback opportunities for himself and teammates. He also unleashed some of his monster dunking skills:

It was more of the same after he averaged 16.3 points, 9.0 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game in his first three summer league contests.

While Wood is not going to take Giannis Antetokounmpo's spot as a go-to option on the Bucks, he is someone who has played his way into roster consideration moving forward for either Milwaukee or another team in need of depth. He proved himself as a scorer in the G-League and has done nothing to dispel that notion in Las Vegas.

Josh Hart Shows He Can be Essential Part of Lakers' Young Core

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 82-69 in a city battle behind 20 points and six boards from Josh Hart.

When fans think of the Lakers' young core that will have the opportunity to play alongside LeBron James moving forward, they likely think of Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram and Kyle Kuzma considering they have already made plenty of headlines, but don't overlook Hart's role in the coming seasons.

The Villanova product appeared in 63 games last season, starting 23, and averaged 7.9 points a night behind 39.6 percent shooting from three-point range. He hit two triples in the win over the Clippers, something he will need to do on a consistent basis playing with James.

Few players in NBA history draw the type of defensive attention the four-time MVP does when he attacks the rim, which puts the pressure on his teammates to deliver when open three-pointers present themselves. Hart will have his chances to knock those shots down, and the more he does the more he will play as the team chases a playoff spot.

It won't be all perimeter shooting, though, as the attention directed toward James also creates driving lanes. Hart demonstrated he can attack those as well:

Hart may be overshadowed even though he was a first-round pick himself in 2017, but he was comfortable in a go-to scoring role Thursday and showed off the offensive arsenal that figures to earn him playing time when the games become more important.

Diamond Stone Shows Skills Needed for Return to NBA

The Utah Jazz beat the Orlando Magic 75-70 in a game that was missing a number of headline-makers at summer league with Grayson Allen, Mohamed Bamba and Jonathan Isaac all sidelined.

All the notable names weren't missing, though, especially for college basketball fans who tuned in and saw Maryland product Diamond Stone notch a double-double with 14 points, 11 rebounds and two blocks.

Stone was a second-round pick in 2016 but played a mere seven games as a rookie for the Los Angeles Clippers and spent the entirety of the 2017-18 campaign in the G League for the Salt Lake City Stars and Windy City Bulls.

He averaged a solid 15.9 points and 6.4 rebounds per game there, but it wasn't the type of professional career many envisioned when he was a 5-star prospect and the No. 6 overall player in the 2015 recruiting class, per 247Sports' composite rankings.

The only way he will play his way back into potential playing time in the NBA is by battling for double-doubles and using his 6'11" frame to create scoring opportunities down low and protect the rim when he has the opportunity to demonstrate his skill set. He took advantage of one of those opportunities Thursday.

Anfernee Simons Thrives as Potential Third Option for Portland

The Portland Trail Blazers steamrolled an Atlanta Hawks team playing without Trae Young, 95-69, and received 20 points each from Anfernee Simons and Jake Layman.

Portland needs a third scoring option, especially on the wing, if it is going to compete in the Western Conference after it was swept by the New Orleans Pelicans in the first round of last season's playoffs. No player outside of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum averaged even 15 points a night during the campaign, and Jusuf Nurkic (14.3) was the only other Trail Blazer in double figures.

The Trail Blazers took a flier on Simons with the No. 24 pick in the draft, and the version of the shooting guard on display Thursday could serve as that third scorer on some nights.

He was efficient at 6-of-10 from the field and demonstrated he can stretch the defense with three triples. He also battled for four rebounds at 6'4" and didn't hesitate to attack inside the lane when chances arose, flushing one down after going baseline:

It is still a stretch to suggest the rookie will slide into the role as a consistent third option alongside Lillard and McCollum, but he at least flashed the offensive repertoire to take advantage of some of the openings the two guards create.