Summer League Finale: Determined Dallas Mavs vs. LA Lakers
The Dallas Mavericks’ summer league squad is determined to leave Las Vegas with a win. The 0-4 Mavs will face Scotty Pippen Jr. and the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday night. The Dallas team features Jaden Hardy, the 37th pick from the 2022 NBA Draft, and Moses Wright, who signed a two-way contract with Dallas in the 2021-22 season. The Mavs will evaluate 14 players on the summer roster to help determine who will make it back for training camp in the fall.
The Mavs lost their first two games by a combined two points before back-to-back blowouts by the Phoenix Suns and Milwaukee Bucks. Hardy looks to bounce back after going 3-13 from the floor for seven points in Thursday's 100-89 loss to the Bucks.
Dallas has been well represented in Las Vegas with Mavs centers Christian Wood and JaVale McGee sat alongside Spencer Dinwiddie in courtside seats on Monday night. Owner Mark Cuban and Tim Hardaway Jr. have also been in attendance.
Hardy made a solid early impression in the Mavs first summer league game, an overtime loss to the Chicago Bulls. The G League Ignite alum showcased his ability to get to the rim whenever he wanted on his way to 28 points, four rebounds, three assists and a steal.
Hardy - who will wear jersey No. 3 - might get a chance to be a key part of the bench rotation in his rookie year. The next few weeks will be important for Hardy's development.
FORMAT: After all 30 teams play four games from July 7-15, the two teams with the best records from the first four games will meet in the championship game on Sunday, July 17 at 2 p.m. CT on ESPN. It will be the New York Knicks vs. the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2022 championship.
The 28 teams that do not play in the championship game will play a fifth game on July 16 or July 17.
WHO: DALLAS MAVERICKS VS. LOS ANGELES LAKERS
WHEN: Saturday, July 16, 2022 at 9 p.m. CT
LOCATION: Thomas and Mack Center (Las Vegas)
TV: ESPN
ODDS: The Mavs are 1.5-point underdogs to the Lakers.
LAST WORD Wright on their final game in Las Vegas:
“I feel like we played hard, but I feel like everybody’s got another notch that we can all turn up so we can get this win and don’t come out of here without (a win), because nobody wants to come to Vegas and lose every single game.”
