Former Utah State star Sam Merrill was one of the NBA’s Summer League standouts on Monday.
Merrill hit eight 3-pointers and scored 27 points, second-round pick Emoni Bates added 21 and Cleveland cruised to a victory over Memphis on Day 4 of the NBA Summer League.
Merrill buried 8 of 11 shots from beyond the arc for the unbeaten Cavaliers (3-0). Bates made 7 of 11 shots, including 5 of 8 from distance, added four rebounds, two steals and two blocks.
David Roddy topped the Grizzlies (1-1) with 18 points. The Cavaliers won 100-77.
Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. off to hot start
Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. is putting in the work and looks poised to make a leap as he heads into his second NBA season.
The No. 3 pick in the 2022 draft capped his first summer league performance this season with a game-winning 3-pointer in a 100-99 victory over Portland on Friday, scoring 29 of his 33 points in the second half. He followed that by posting 38 points, seven rebounds and six assists on Sunday in a 113-101 win over Detroit.
Smith is showing variety at a high level, from hitting 3-pointers to rebounding to handling the ball at 6-foot-11.
“I think it shows that he’s growing as a player, he’s blossoming as a player.” Rockets summer league coach Ben Sullivan said after the win over Detroit. “He has a lot of stuff that he’s really good at, and he’s putting it all together.”
The Rockets were thrilled when Smith, expected by many to go No. 1 overall in last year’s draft, slipped to No. 3. He had a solid first season with 12.8 points and 7.2 rebounds per game and made the All-Rookie second-team. However, the former Auburn star didn’t get a single vote for rookie of the year. Oklahoma City’s Jalen Williams, Utah’s Walker Kessler, Indiana’s Bennedict Mathurin, Sacramento’s Keegan Murray and Detroit’s Jaden Ivey all got rookie of the year votes, despite being drafted after Smith.
Smith immediately got back to work after the season and looks comfortable in the system of new coach Ime Udoka. He leads the summer league in free throws made and attempted per game.
“Learning a new offense, learning a new play style, new defensive coverages, new teammates, new faces on the bench — it’s just going out there getting reps,” Smith said. “Playing in a different role and just having fun.”
Suns 73, Heat 70
Barry Brown Jr. scored 14 points and Gabe Brown and Toumani Camara each added 11 to lead Phoenix over Miami.
Brown also had seven rebounds and four steals for the Suns (1-1). Camara made 4 of 8 shots, but missed all three of his 3-point tries and five of eight free throws. He also had six of Phoenix’s 16 turnovers.
Jamal Cain scored 18 points to lead the Heat (1-1). Orlando Robinson contributed 15 points and nine rebounds. First-round pick Jaime Jaquez Jr. did not play.
