Basketball Blog

What’s harder than watching Summer League basketball? Trying to take any noteworthy notes while doing it. I sit here watching a feed of the Denver Nuggets vs LA Clippers game and decide to take some notes on the game. Why? Because what’s better than random observations from a summer league game? I put it just above watching My Giant staring Gheorghe Mureşan and Billy Crystal. Of course, there might be some die hard Nuggets or Clippers fan that might actually find it useful. So without further adieu:

• The Nuggets starting lineup has players such as Von Wafter, Jelani McCoy, Lamond Murray, and everyone’s favorite European Nikoloz Tskitishvili
• The Clippers had last year’s second round picks Paul Davis and Guillermo Diaz,and this year’s draft picks, Jared Jordan and Al Thornton.
• Having no commentary during the game is strange. Although it’s a lot like being in the actual arena except the arena is half full and dead of life. Is this what a Hawks game is like?
• Al Thornton looks aggressive to start, hitting a jump shot.
• Jelani McCoy dunks it and tries to tear down the rim.
• Jared Jordan does his best MJ impression and scores a layup.
• Von Wafer with a jump shot. He should make the Nuggets roster on his name alone.
• Jelani does his best Shaq impression and dunks it again while trying to tear down the rim. Does he have issues with the rim?
• You know you are watching summer league when you see 5 turnovers in a row and no one cares.
• Rocky, the Nuggets mascot is trying halfcourt behind the head shots during the timeout. He hits the top of the backboard then runs off the court like a little girl.
• Lamond Murray makes a 3, verifying his existence.
• Al Thornton is a scoring machine. Another jumpshot from the baseline.
• Guerrimo Diaz makes a jumpshot. And when I say jumpshot, i mean it. That guy jumps high. Unfortunately that’s about all he does.
• Thornton’s game reminds me of a taller Ruben Patterson except with a jumpshot and minus the nanny. You know he’s going to be a player when he hikes up his shorts and tucks in his shirt.
• Tskitishvili hits nothing but backboard on his 3 point attempt. What was Kiki thinking when he drafted him over Amare?
• The best thing about these feeds is you get to see wha happens during the breaks. Rocky brings some kids to halfcourt and tells them to lie down. He then proceeds to flip over them. He’s bringing out more kids. A total of 6. He lands on his ass but clears the kids. The announcer says “how about it for Rocky… fans?” to which there is no crowd reaction. He then says “you’ll see more of him”. To which moans can be heard throughout the empty arena.
• Paul Davis showing off his midrange game.
• Curtis Sumpter playing pretty well for Denver.
• 66-44 at the half Thorton with 17 and McCoy with 14 at the half. Considering the past summer league games already, this could be the final score.

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And that’s where the notes stopped. I tried, I really did but there simply wasn’t anything interesting to point out. And that ends my 1 day career as a summer league game note taker. The cliff notes:

Al Thornton will be able to contribute to the Clippers this year, Paul Davis has skills but won’t see the light of day behind Brand and Kamen, Tskitshvili is still terrible, Lamond Murray is barely alive, and Jelani McCoy still hasn’t developed anything beyond a dunk.