The Grizzlies end the Rockets' run in the NBA Summer League.
Houston was projected to finish the preliminary stage towards the bottom of the standings, and the players can go home with their heads up high. To add to that, the Memphis Grizzlies were also among the favorites to advance to the elimination stage and win the trophy.
The Rockets’ performances throughout the league exceeded expectations, and the two standout players were Bruce Thornton and Quadir Copeland.
Bruce Thornton had his first subpar shooting game in the defeat to the Grizzlies and had the first single-digit scoring game of his young career. His lowest scoring total in the preliminary games was 17 points, but the Grizzlies held Thornton to eight points and to 16.7% from the floor. Thornton went 2 of 12, including 2 of 7 from three. The Grizzlies targeted the rookie, playing suffocating defense every time he had possession.
Thornton was able to remain efficient otherwise, as he finished the game with eight rebounds and seven assists, while only giving up a single turnover. The focus that the Grizzlies had on Thornton gave Copeland an opportunity to shine, and he made the best of it. Copeland put up 24 points, going 9-13 from the floor. He was efficient from deep, making two of the four three-point shots he attempted.
Memphis came out of the gates strong and had a 15-point lead at the end of the first quarter. Although Houston bounced back and narrowed the lead throughout the remainder of the game, the 15-point lead was too big for the Rockets to overcome.
Memphis’ standout player was Cedric Coward, who was the high scorer and dropped 28points, while adding six rebounds and five assists. Although Houston was not able to make it to the finals, there are a lot of positives to take away.
Thornton and Copeland have shown a lot of promise throughout the Summer League, and the entire roster performed better than expected. The defensive IQ and physicality that the team brought were encouraging, which play right into Ime Udoka’s coaching strategies.
The Rockets were also efficient from three-point range throught the Summer League. This is encouraging for the franchise, since three-point shooting was a weakness and a detriment in the previous NBA season.
The rookie guards Thornton and Copeland will need to fight for their spot on the roster in the upcoming regular season, but they both have shown promise that they have what it takes to play in the NBA.
How long will it take for the prospects to earn significant minutes in Udoka’s player rotation?
