Player grades: Thunder do enough against Nets in 90-81 Summer League win
The Oklahoma City Thunder did enough to get a 90-81 Summer League win over the Brooklyn Nets. It was a nice appetizer that was followed by the main event of the Los Angeles Lakers and Cooper Flagg.
The Thunder and Nets both needed some time to get some momentum. Neither reached double-digit points until halfway through the first quarter. The Thunder had a 22-15 lead after the first frame. At least OKC fans were finally able to watch Summer League basketball in quality definition.
After that, the pace picked up. The Thunder went on a run. Then the Nets did the same. Topic found Ajay Mitchell for a 3-pointer. In his first start, Chris Youngblood took advantage of the opportunity. On the other side, Drew Timme played like his Gonzaga days.
Both teams were even at 22 points in the second quarter. The Thunder had a 44-37 halftime lead. It didn't take long for the Nets to take the lead after the break. They scored the first 11 points as Egor Demin nailed a 3-pointer to give Brooklyn a 48-44 lead less than three minutes into the third frame.
After being rattled, the Thunder regrouped. They played better the rest of the way. After a forgettable first half, Topic gained confidence and calmed things down. He found Malevy Leons for an alley-oop. The Thunder scored 23 points in the third quarter and held a 67-58 lead.
Before you even realized it, it was clutch time. Tosan Evbuomwan's layup cut the Thunder's lead to five points with five minutes left. The Nets were within reach on the scoreboard. And then Topic did his best Shai Gilgeous-Alexander impersonation and took over.
Topic's back-to-back 3-pointers followed by a nice post move put the Thunder up 81-73 with a little over two minutes left. The 19-year-old ended Brooklyn's faint comeback hopes as the final moments took agonizingly long. To the point, the Vegas crowd booed every stoppage as they awaited Flagg and Bronny James.
The Thunder shot 46% from the field and went 8-of-29 (27.6%) from 3. They shot 12-of-18 on free throws. They had 20 assists on 35 baskets. Four Thunder players scored double-digit points.
Mitchell finished with 20 points and five rebounds. Topic had 18 points, six assists and four rebounds. Youngblood scored 19 points. Hason Ward had 10 points off the bench.
Meanwhile, the Nets shot 39% from the field and went 8-of-32 (25%) from 3. They shot 23-of-28 on free throws. They had 14 assists on 25 baskets. Three Nets players scored double-digit points.
Timme dominated with 22 points and nine rebounds. Evbuomwan had 13 points and four rebounds. Nolan Traore also had 13 points. 2025 No. 8 pick Demin had a quiet eight points and four rebounds.
Usually, you don't get your bang for your buck in the Summer League. But this was worth the two hours if you're a Thunder fan. You saw Mitchell and Topic both notch up encouraging outings. The starting backcourt includes the two most important players of this year's summer event.
And you also earned a resume-building win. Results don't matter, but the Nets' Summer League roster is stacked with blue-chip prospects. They're in a rebuild and had a five-player 2025 NBA draft class. To beat them with just three NBA players is impressive.
Let's look at Thunder player grades:
Nikola Topic: A
As the cliche goes, it's not how you start but how you finish. Sign Topic up as a believer. Through the first half, it felt like we were on our way to another forgettable Summer League outing. It's understandable to be patient with the 19-year-old after he was out for over a year. Eventually, though, you've got to show something.
Topic eventually did. He finished with 18 points on 7-of-18 shooting, six assists and four rebounds. He shot 2-of-6 from 3 and went 2-of-2 on free throws. He also had a steal.
One of the things you look for from a young player this early in their career is if they can adjust midgame. It's one thing to dominate throughout a contest or struggle from the jump, but making the right adjustments to salvage a slow start could accelerate a player's progress.
After a shaky first half, Topic did exactly that. He looked like a completely different player in the second half with 14 points. He pushed in transition with a few fastbreak buckets. The 19-year-old showed off some of his passing talents with high-difficulty passes. He formed a bond with Leons as a rim-runner.
In the clutch, Topic took over with his scoring. Two straight outside buckets and a post-up score flexed what he could do in that department. You saw him gain more confidence as the game progressed. His playmaking got a lot more dicier with deep passes that landed in his teammates' catch radius.
This was arguably Topic's best Summer League game yet, considering the circumstances. He faced a talented Nets squad with several high-end prospects. Eventually founded a groove and stepped up big time as the Thunder kept their distance in the final moments.
Ajay Mitchell: A
Being on the same page with Topic, Mitchell ran past halfcourt to receive a deep inbound pass. The 23-year-old enjoyed a rare dunk as the backcourt duo outsmarted the Nets for the easy bucket before halftime.
Mitchell finished with 20 points on 6-of-13 shooting, five rebounds and two assists. He shot 2-of-5 from 3 and went 6-of-7 on free throws. He also had two steals and a block.
Ball security was a problem with six turnovers, but the scoring remained top-notch. Mitchell has hunted out his shot throughout the Summer League. He knows he's the Thunder's best scorer. And after an NBA Finals appearance, beating a bunch of young players and bubble NBA talent in one-on-one looks must feel small in comparison.
The 23-year-old did most of his damage in the first half with 14 points. He drove to the basket and earned plenty of free-throw trips. That's been a theme throughout the Summer League. When the Thunder needed points, they relied on their best scorer to do so.
Brooks Barnhizer: C
Being a defensive pest, Barnhizer beat up on Brooklyn's young ball-handlers. To the point that Danny Wolf let his frustration get the better of him with a hard foul by hitting him across the face. The 23-year-old could have that impact on the opposition.
Barnhizer finished with six points on 2-of-11 shooting, seven rebounds and three assists. He shot 0-of-5 from 3 and went 2-of-6 on free throws. He also had six steals.
The shooting has been talked about ad nauseam. Barnhizer must be better to survive in the NBA. At the very least from the free-throw line. We'll see if he can correct that on the Thunder. But you have to love what he brings in every other facet of basketball.
Barnhizer is a great rebounder for his size. The numbers have backed it up in the Summer League. The nonstop defense has also been as great as advertised. Six steals in 28 minutes is Caruso-esque. Plenty came from simple full-court presses, too.
Everything you heard about what Barnhizer did at Northwestern has shown itself at the Summer League level so far. He's found ways to make up for his nonexistent shooting. The question will be how that looks at the next level in the NBA.
Chris Youngblood: A
Getting the quick postgame interview, the Thunder likely saw the social media criticism. Youngblood talked on national television, backed by his entire team. You didn't see it much in Utah, but OKC got it right in its first Las Vegas game.
Youngblood finished with 19 points on 7-of-10 shooting and five rebounds. He shot 3-of-5 from 3 and went 2-of-3 on free throws. He also had two steals.
So far in the Summer League, Youngblood has looked like the best undrafted rookie. He's shot the ball well from the outside and showed a little bit more in this game. He received the start over Mady Sissoko. Easy to say he took advantage of it with an awesome scoring outing.
The Thunder have one two-way spot left next to Barnhizer and Branden Carlson. Youngblood could be a candidate. At the least, he's earned himself a spot on the G League's OKC Blue with his outside shot.
Highlights:
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Plaschke: Kobe Bryant has one more lesson for LeBron James — how to retire
The news seemed routine. The ramifications could be resounding. Late last month, LeBron James exercised his $52.6 million player option with the Lakers for next season. It was an expected transaction that, at first weary glance, appeared to be no big deal. Advertisement Of course he would take the guaranteed money, more than anyone else in the league besides Brooklyn could give him. Of course he would stay in Los Angeles, where son Bronny sits on the bench and his home sits on a hill and his myriad businesses are sitting pretty. Of course, of course, of course … but … Bronny James (9) leaves the court ahead of father LeBron after a win over Minnesota, during which they became the first father and son to play together in the NBA on Oct. 20, 2024. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) Wait a minute. There was a catch. For the first time since James arrived here seven years ago, there was no second or third or fourth year attached to his contract. The Lakers didn't offer him an extension. They refused to guarantee him a spot here after next spring. For the first time in his Laker career — actually, the first time in his entire 23-year career — James will thus play this season on an expiring contract. Advertisement In NBA speak, that means two words. Trade bait. Except James has a no-trade clause, and it's unimaginable he would agree to go to another team that would have to gut their roster to match his salary. So for the first time, the wiley, elusive, flexible LeBron James is stuck. He's stuck on a team clearly catering to the needs of a different superstar in Luka Doncic. Read more: Hernández: Can LeBron James help maddening Deandre Ayton transform into a reliable center? He's stuck on a team that might be viewing his contract not as an asset but an albatross. He's stuck on a team that might be looking to get rid of him but can't. Advertisement He's stuck on a team where he said he wants to end his career, but where that ending might eventually be out of his control. He could perhaps free himself by thinking about Nov. 29, 2015. That is the date that Kobe Bryant, a month into his 20th season, officially announced his retirement. You remember it, right? What happened next was the most surprisingly delightful farewell season-long tour in the history of sports. 'I thought everybody hated me,' Bryant said at the time. 'It's really cool, man.' Hate him? America loved him, and showed him that love in every NBA arena across the country, standing ovations from coast to coast as he cruised his way toward that stunning 60-point career finale. Advertisement The Lakers were generally terrible, the hobbled Bryant was mostly awful, but the nights were wholly magical, the stone-faced bad guy opening himself up to a national respect and admiration that he never knew existed. It was important that he saw this before he retired. It became infinitely more important that he saw this before he died. LeBron James flexes for the crowd during a game against the Hornets. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) At the end of the tour I wrote, '... a final act that, in typical Kobe Bryant fashion, was unlike any other in the history of American sports. Opening up to a world he never trusted, becoming accessible and embraceable after years of stony intensity, Bryant used the last five months to flip the narrative on his life and career, erasing the darkness of a villain and crystallizing the glow of a hero.' Bryant had said before the season that he would never do a farewell tour, that he didn't want to be lauded like baseball fans lauded the prolonged retirement journey of the New York Yankees' Derek Jeter. Advertisement "We're completely different people; I couldn't do that," he said. Yet saddled with an expiring contract just like James, Bryant ultimately wanted to do something that James might consider, giving the organization a head start at rebuilding while controlling his own narrative. Before Bryant's decision could be leaked, he announced it himself in an open letter to basketball that was so touching it became an Oscar-winning film. He even arranged for a copy of the letter, sealed in an envelope embossed with gold, to be placed on the seat of every fan attending that night's game at then-Staples Center against the Indiana Pacers. Not exactly a T-shirt, huh? It was elegant, it was classy, it was perfect, just like the tour, initially criticized in this space as being selfish before your humbled correspondent finally realized that Bryant was right, it was really, really cool. Advertisement "It's fun. I've been enjoying it," Bryant said. "It's been great to kind of go from city to city and say thank you to all the fans and be able to feel that in return." You hear that, LeBron? This is not a call for James to retire, but a call for James to begin considering how that will happen, and how the classy Lakers would nail it if it happened here. Lakers star LeBron James battles three-time MVP Nikola Jokic of the Nuggets for rebounding position during a playoff game in Denver. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) Granted, the James and Bryant situations are not comparable. Even though James is 40, and Bryant was 37, James is still one of the league's best players while Bryant was statistically one of its worst. And while James is still physically powerful, Bryant never fully recovered from his torn Achilles and was battered and broken. Advertisement James might have more gas in the tank while Bryant was clearly done. But James himself has indicated that he probably has, at most, two years left. And every season his injuries become more insistent and debilitating. And now that the Lakers are under new ownership with no ties to James, and now that current management has already given this team to Doncic, James doesn't have much of a future here. He has made noise about going back to Cleveland, and maybe after this season he'll want to return to where his career started. But if he's even thinking about retirement after this year — a legitimate option for the first time — he shouldn't wait to do so while walking off the court following an early-round loss by a mediocre Laker team. Advertisement Nobody does retirement tours like the Lakers. And nobody has ever done one like Kobe Bryant. Decidedly in the twilight of his career, LeBron James can learn from both. Sign up for our weekly newsletter on all things Lakers. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
2 hours ago
- Los Angeles Times
Kobe Bryant has one more lesson for LeBron James — how to retire
The news seemed routine. The ramifications could be resounding. Late last month, LeBron James exercised his $52.6 million player option with the Lakers for next season. It was an expected transaction that, at first weary glance, appeared to be no big deal. Of course he would take the guaranteed money, more than anyone else in the league besides Brooklyn could give him. Of course he would stay in Los Angeles, where son Bronny sits on the bench and his home sits on a hill and his myriad businesses are sitting pretty. Of course, of course, of course … but … Wait a minute. There was a catch. For the first time since James arrived here seven years ago, there was no second or third or fourth year attached to his contract. The Lakers didn't offer him an extension. They refused to guarantee him a spot here after next spring. For the first time in his Laker career — actually, the first time in his entire 23-year career — James will thus play this season on an expiring contract. In NBA speak, that means two words. Trade bait. Except James has a no-trade clause, and it's unimaginable he would agree to go to another team that would have to gut their roster to match his salary. So for the first time, the wiley, elusive, flexible LeBron James is stuck. He's stuck on a team clearly catering to the needs of a different superstar in Luka Doncic. He's stuck on a team that might be viewing his contract not as an asset but an albatross. He's stuck on a team that might be looking to get rid of him but can't. He's stuck on a team where he said he wants to end his career, but where that ending might eventually be out of his control. He could perhaps free himself by thinking about Nov. 29, 2015. That is the date that Kobe Bryant, a month into his 20th season, officially announced his retirement. You remember it, right? What happened next was the most surprisingly delightful farewell season-long tour in the history of sports. 'I thought everybody hated me,' Bryant said at the time. 'It's really cool, man.' Hate him? America loved him, and showed him that love in every NBA arena across the country, standing ovations from coast to coast as he cruised his way toward that stunning 60-point career finale. The Lakers were generally terrible, the hobbled Bryant was mostly awful, but the nights were wholly magical, the stone-faced bad guy opening himself up to a national respect and admiration that he never knew existed. It was important that he saw this before he retired. It became infinitely more important that he saw this before he died. At the end of the tour I wrote, '... a final act that, in typical Kobe Bryant fashion, was unlike any other in the history of American sports. Opening up to a world he never trusted, becoming accessible and embraceable after years of stony intensity, Bryant used the last five months to flip the narrative on his life and career, erasing the darkness of a villain and crystallizing the glow of a hero.' Bryant had said before the season that he would never do a farewell tour, that he didn't want to be lauded like baseball fans lauded the prolonged retirement journey of the New York Yankees' Derek Jeter. 'We're completely different people; I couldn't do that,' he said. Yet saddled with an expiring contract just like James, Bryant ultimately wanted to do something that James might consider, giving the organization a head start at rebuilding while controlling his own narrative. Before Bryant's decision could be leaked, he announced it himself in an open letter to basketball that was so touching it became an Oscar-winning film. He even arranged for a copy of the letter, sealed in an envelope embossed with gold, to be placed on the seat of every fan attending that night's game at then-Staples Center against the Indiana Pacers. Not exactly a T-shirt, huh? It was elegant, it was classy, it was perfect, just like the tour, initially criticized in this space as being selfish before your humbled correspondent finally realized that Bryant was right, it was really, really cool. 'It's fun. I've been enjoying it,' Bryant said. 'It's been great to kind of go from city to city and say thank you to all the fans and be able to feel that in return.' You hear that, LeBron? This is not a call for James to retire, but a call for James to begin considering how that will happen, and how the classy Lakers would nail it if it happened here. Granted, the James and Bryant situations are not comparable. Even though James is 40, and Bryant was 37, James is still one of the league's best players while Bryant was statistically one of its worst. And while James is still physically powerful, Bryant never fully recovered from his torn Achilles and was battered and broken. James might have more gas in the tank while Bryant was clearly done. But James himself has indicated that he probably has, at most, two years left. And every season his injuries become more insistent and debilitating. And now that the Lakers are under new ownership with no ties to James, and now that current management has already given this team to Doncic, James doesn't have much of a future here. He has made noise about going back to Cleveland, and maybe after this season he'll want to return to where his career started. But if he's even thinking about retirement after this year — a legitimate option for the first time — he shouldn't wait to do so while walking off the court following an early-round loss by a mediocre Laker team. Nobody does retirement tours like the Lakers. And nobody has ever done one like Kobe Bryant. Decidedly in the twilight of his career, LeBron James can learn from both.
USA Today
4 hours ago
- USA Today
Boston Celtics rookie Hugo Gonzalez was not nervous in his Las Vegas Summer League debut
New Boston Celtics forward Hugo Gonzalez was not at all nervous in his Las Vegas Summer League debut for the Sin City Celtics. Playing like a seasoned vet (though perhaps a bit bothered by the speed of the game in his new league), the Madrid, Spain native put up 12 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks in his first game ever as a member of Boston's roster. The No. 28 overall pick for the Celtics in the 2025 draft did a lot to silence concerned fans worried he might not be able to hang at this level given his limited run with Real Madrid last season with his play. Postgame, Gonzalez took some time to talk to the assembled media about his debut with the team, and how his EuroLeague play prepared him for the NBA. The folks behind the "CLNS Media Boston Sports Network" YouTube channel put together a clip of his postgame chat for us to watch later. Check it out below! If you enjoy this pod, check out the "How Bout Them Celtics," "First to the Floor," and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network:
