QUICK RECAP:
If you enjoy high-flying dunks (and who doesn’t), then the Phoenix Suns Summer League matchup against China was the game for you. Jalen Lecque and Ray Spalding combined for five throwdowns as the energy and fast tempo made it seem as if the dunk contest came early this year.
It was the Suns final game of Summer League as they came out locked-in and ready to go from the start. A nine-point lead at the end of the first was elevated to a 21-point lead by halftime and the Suns looked to be in control. The ball moved fluidly through the Suns offense as 12 of the 13 players who stepped on the court for the Suns scored at least one bucket.
The teamwork on the court led to five different Suns scoring in double figures and allowed for more efficient shots on the court. The team shot a combined 55.4 percent from the field, 50 percent from three-point range and 86.7 percent from the free throw line as they defeated China 94-64. The Suns closed-out Summer League with a 3-1 record.
KEY PERFORMERS
Ray Spalding: 11 points, 4-of-6 shooting, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block
Elie Okobo: 11 points, 4-of-8 shooting, 3 assists, 2 rebounds, 2 steals
Retin Obasohan: 11 points, 5-of-7 shooting, 4 assists, 1 steal
Derek Willis: 10 points, 4-of-5 shooting, 3 assists, 3 rebounds, 1 steal
Jared Harper: 10 points, 4-of-6 shooting, 1 assist, 1 rebound
Jalen Lecque: 9 points, 4-of-6 shooting, 2 assists, 2 rebounds, 3 steals
David Kramer: 9 points, 2-of-3 shooting, 3 rebounds, 1 steal.
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING
WILLIE GREEN: “Just super proud of these guys. I talked to them in the locker room and we just talked about how hard it is to come into Summer League and get teams to play together, offensively and defensively. We did that tonight for the most part. Just a great overall effort by everybody that came into the game.”
ON WATCHING THE ATHLETICISM: “It’s enjoyable to see the guys go out and play and have fun, execute plays and just play hard. Our staff, everybody, is super proud of them.”
ON FACING CHINA: “It is really cool. It’s cool to see China. We know how big China is with basketball. It’s cool to see them here in Summer League playing against all the different NBA teams. It was a great experience for our guys to play against them. They’re a tough team. They play physical. We jumped out on those guys and it’s hard for them to come back, but still overall just solid game by our guys and solid performance.”
TAKEAWAYS FROM VEGAS: “We want to set the tone for how the Suns want to play. We want to be a good defensive team and we spoke about it before. We want to play together. We want to share the basketball, emphasizing passing up good shots to get great shots. This group of guys right here, from top to bottom, they were a connected group. You could see when they went out and played, it showed out there.”
ON COACHING STAFF: “Coaching staff was great. We’re all new. We’re all learning. They did a good job keeping me in check and giving me hints and tips and we just bounced ideas off each other and kept it rolling. It’s been really fun this summer and we’re looking forward to going into the regular season after a quick break.”