The Miami HEAT fell to the Philadelphia 76ers 74-66 Friday night at Thomas & Mack Center in the Samsung Las Vegas Summer League. Damion Lee led the way for the HEAT with 17 points.
1. Lee Gets Going in the Third
If there’s one thing we’ve learned about Lee in Summer League, it’s that he likes to score in bunches. That was the case once more in the third quarter on Friday, as Lee scored eight points in the period, including a thunderous baseline jam that brought the crowd to its feet.
To start the sequence with 3:23 to go in the third, Victor Rudd sized-up Richaun Holmes at the left elbow and instructed Lee to cut. Once Lee sprinted down the baseline, Rudd found him with the pinpoint bounce pass and Lee finished the rest with the flush.
That dunk ignited the swingman, who scored five more points in the final period as Miami was trying to mount a comeback.
In addition to his 17 points for the game, Lee also grabbed seven rebounds and led the team with four steals.
2. Rudd Attacks
After draining three after three in his last outing against the Suns, Rudd switched things up a bit against the 76ers. This time around, the forward came through with a number of tough finishes inside, especially in transition. Throughout the contest, the South Florida product showed no fear whatsoever in the paint and made Philadelphia pay.
Rudd also made his impact felt on the defensive end with a few steals and a nice block inside. One of his better steals occurred early on in the contest.
With 8:50 left in the first quarter, Rudd poked the ball away from Ben Simmons. From there, Lee came up with it, hit Bryon Allen with the nifty spin-move and finished the play at the rim.
In all, Rudd tallied 11 points, four assists, two boards and two steals to go along with his aforementioned block.
3. Jankovic Mixes It Up
Early on, Stefan Jankovic was very aggressive. While he continued to show a smooth release on his jumper, he also attacked the basket with purpose. As a result, the Serbian kept the 76ers guessing.
The forward finished with 13 points and three rebounds on 6-of-9 shooting.
Other Takeaways:
-With a number of guys out, Chris Horton got the start and worked hard in his 11 minutes of action. In all, the 6-foot-8 forward out of Austin Peay State totaled five points and six boards (three offensive).
Notes:
-Justise Winslow, Josh Richardson, Brianté Weber, Rodney McGruder, Okaro White and Juwan Howard Jr. all sat out.
-Between Orlando and Vegas, Miami finished Summer League play with a 6-5 record.