The NBA Summer League tipped off on Thursday night Las Vegas with several former Blue Devils in action.
Leading off was the marquee game of the night that saw the Los Angeles Lakes face the Dallas Mavericks and their top overall draft pick, former Duke star Cooper Flagg.
Flagg started at power forward for the Mavs and finished with 10 points, six rebounds, and four assists in 32 minutes. He struggled from the field, hitting just 5-of-21 shots while missing all five of his three point looks in Dallas' 87-85 win. On the flip side, former Duke one and done guard DJ Steward was terrific for Los Angeles, finishing with 14 points, seven rebounds, and five assists on 6-of-14 shooting from the field and 2-of-2 from the perimeter.
Despite the uneven stat line, the reigning national player of the year made some key defensive stops down the stretch that ultimately proved to be the difference in the game.
"That's what he does," said Mavs assistant Josh Broghamer, the team's summer league head coach. "He makes winning plays, whether it's offense or defense. I think that's as advertised. So whether it's the right pass or it's a defensive possession or scoring the ball, that's what he does."
In the earlier game, Tyrese Proctor made his debut for the Cleveland Cavaliers fresh off signing a four year contract with the club after being drafted in the middle of the second round. Proctor played primarily on the wing and logged 28 minutes in which he hit 5-of-13 shots from the field and 3-of-7 from the outside to finish with 14 points, two assists, and two steals as the Cavaliers fell to Indiana 116-115.
The third game of the night with Duke ties featured the Orlando Magic and Sacramento Kings in which the West coast club came away with a 84-81 win. Off the bench for the Magic came former first round pick Wendell Moore who earned 16 minutes for Orlando in which he scored just two points to go along with four rebounds. Moore missed all four of his shots from the field and went 2-of-4 from the free throw line. Last season the Charlotte native played with both the Charlotte Hornets and Greensboro Swarm.
On Friday the Summer League will reconvene with Kyle Filipowski (Utah Jazz) meeting Kon Knueppel and Sion James (Charlotte Hornets) in a 7 PM match-up that will be broadcast on ESPN. Prior to that game former Duke one and done guard Trevor Keels (Detroit Pistons) will face the Knicks at 6 PM. Australia native and former Denver Nuggets contract winner Jack White is playing with the Atlanta Hawks and will debut at 4:30 on Friday when Atlanta meets the Miami Heat as well. At 9 PM EST former Blue Devil Khaman Maluach and the Phoenix Suns will face off against Washington. The final game of the day will be see Marques Bolden and the Golden State Warriors face off against the Portal Trail Blazers at 11 PM EST.