NBA Daily Digest: Wagler caps Day 9, semifinals set
Keaton Wagler and the Clippers closed Las Vegas pool play with an overtime win, while the Lakers, Grizzlies, Rockets and Warriors set Saturday's semifinal bracket.
The Read
Friday's six-game Las Vegas board closed pool play with a Clippers overtime win and a clear Saturday bracket. The Los Angeles Lakers stayed unbeaten at 4-0, while Memphis, Houston and Golden State claimed the other three semifinal spots on point differential. 1
Day 9 Results
| Game | Final | Lead note |
|---|---|---|
| Kings vs. Hornets | Kings 92, Hornets 90 | Emanuel Sharp scored 16; Hannes Steinbach posted 22 points and 11 rebounds. 3 |
| Bulls vs. Cavaliers | Cavaliers 100, Bulls 91 | Cavaliers guard Meleek Thomas led all scorers with 24 points. 4 |
| Mavericks vs. Knicks | Mavericks 110, Knicks 88 | Dallas made 18 of 39 3-pointers, or 46.2%. 5 |
| Pistons vs. Heat | Heat 101, Pistons 87 | Heat guard Tre Donaldson finished with 20 points, 8 rebounds and 10 assists. 5 |
| Trail Blazers vs. Jazz | Jazz 83, Trail Blazers 79 | Utah held off Portland's late comeback behind a 21-point game from its leading scorer. 5 |
| Timberwolves vs. Clippers | Clippers 128, Timberwolves 120 (OT) | Clippers guard Keaton Wagler scored 26; Sean Pedulla added 24 points and 11 assists. 5 |
The final game was the night's defining performance. Minnesota erased a 26-point deficit with a 40-point fourth quarter, but Clippers guard Sean Pedulla scored the first nine points of overtime after Wagler's 26-point night. 5
Thomas also closed his summer with four 20-point games in four appearances and a Vegas-leading 27.3 points per game across those outings. Steinbach recorded his third double-double in five games, while Donaldson's 13 fourth-quarter points completed Miami's comeback. 2
Semifinal Table
The bracket was decided by pool-play record and point differential. The Lakers were the only unbeaten team; Memphis jumped from ninth to second after its 32-point win over Atlanta, while Houston and Golden State secured the last two places. 1
| Seed | Team | Pool-play record | Point differential |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-0 | Not listed in source |
| 2 | Memphis Grizzlies | 3-1 | +11.5 |
| 3 | Houston Rockets | 3-1 | +10.3 |
| 4 | Golden State Warriors | 3-1 | +6.3 |
Memphis faces Houston first. The Lakers then meet Golden State, with both winners advancing to Sunday's championship game. 5
Availability and Moves
Washington Wizards wing AJ Dybantsa, second-year wings Will Riley and Tre Johnson were shut down for the rest of Summer League after the team judged their camp and game sample sufficient. Dybantsa averaged 25.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists in two appearances. 6
There is no new confirmed trade, signing or waiver to add from the checked July 17-18 window. The NBA transactions page exposed no dated entry when checked, so the personnel board remains unchanged for this edition. 7
The League-Wide Thread
LeBron James, the former Los Angeles Lakers forward, said at Fanatics Fest that he wants to compete at a high level and join a franchise built around daily championship habits. His use of the phrase "trust the process" prompted a Philadelphia reaction, but James immediately said it was not a commitment to the 76ers. CBS Sports lists Philadelphia, Cleveland, Golden State, Miami and Minnesota among the reported suitors. 8
Next Key Games
Times are converted from Eastern Time to GMT+8.
| GMT+8 start | Game | Broadcast | Stakes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun, Jul. 19, 04:30 | Celtics vs. Magic | Prime Video | First listed game of the seven-game slate |
| Sun, Jul. 19, 06:30 | Rockets vs. Grizzlies | Prime Video | Semifinal 1 |
| Sun, Jul. 19, 08:30 | Lakers vs. Warriors | Prime Video | Semifinal 2 |
| Mon, Jul. 20, 09:00 | Summer League championship | ESPN | Semifinal winners meet |
References
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nba.com
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