The Cavaliers have won Cleveland’s First Summer League Title, beating the Houston Rockets 78-99. Going undefeated and beating every team by a sizable margin, they prove to be the best team of the summer.
Isaiah Mobley led the team in scoring with 19 points, going 12-20 from the floor. This, along with his 11 rebounds and three assists, led to him winning the Summer League Championship Game MVP award.
Mobley’s 11 rebounds may not jump off the stat sheet, but are representative of his hustle on both ends of the floor. He fights hard for both defensive rebounds and second chance buckets (hence resulting in him being the leading team scorer). Though he’ll likely spend his playing time at the forward positions, he’s able to use his power pretty well in the post.
He also shows good defensive awareness. Through blocking driving and passing lanes by hopping around the post, he’s able to positively affect plays without ever guarding the active ball handler.
Finishing one point shy of Mobley, Sam Merrill was able to produce 27 points, two assists and four rebounds. Showing the same fearless approach to shooting he’s used all summer, he shot 50 percent from behind the arc. He also was able to finish with the highest plus/minus rating on the team (plus-25), making his case for the big league call-up.
Another player who has that same fearless approach to scoring is Emoni Bates. Bates finished with 19 points, four assists, and five rebounds. Though he started the game looking a little over excited, he was able to settle into his play and finish with a solid output.
While he didn’t excel in any one aspect this game (finishing with nine rebounds and eight points and assists, respectively) Craig Porter Jr. was sniffing a triple double. Porter Jr. continues to be a pleasant surprise, being signed to a two-way contract by Cleveland after not getting drafted.
Luke Travers is another player who always plays with high energy and effort. Though his stat line doesn’t show it (finishing with six points, four points and four boards) he is another player who might see some time with the Cavaliers if any issues arise with the frontcourt.
There were a number of reasons why the Cavaliers were able to win this year’s Summer League tournament. Late picks, returning second years, and limited injuries kept the lineup mostly consistent throughout summer play. Sharife Cooper remained sitting with his recent groin injury, but there were no other major injuries this year.
Our primary draft pick (Bates) was not drafted with a lottery pick, relieving any pressure to pull him early in the summer. The late pick also may work in Bates’ favor going forward, saving him from the same media spotlight he saw as an adolescent and allowing him to focus entirely on his game. And with the other biggest standouts being either returning players or undrafted rookies, there is almost no pressure on any one player to perform at a certain level. This is beneficial not only for the players individually, but also works in favor of the kind of play seen on Cleveland’s NBA squad as the talent is spread relatively evenly across the starting lineup.
Will any of these guys see NBA playing time? Probably not, but this is Cleveland’s first Summer League title and the NBA roster is in need of both scoring and consistency. Winning every Summer League game by shutting down opponents is a good start, and this team had no shortage of real talent.
Lamar Stevens (recently sent to San Antonio through the Max Strus trade) saw over 1000 minutes of playing time last year and rarely started. He also saw his playing time ramp up as the season progressed. This means that, while it’s not probable that anyone from the G-League team will see extended playing time in the NBA, it’s not out of the question. One of the summer standouts may just be just what the Cavaliers need to succeed.
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Featured photo courtesy of NBA.com
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