By R.L. Bynum
Caleb Love showed off dazzling moves and a career-best rebounding effort to produce a dynamic double-double in his most impressive game of the NBA Summer League on Tuesday night.
In leading the Portland Trail Blazers to a 93–87 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans in Las Vegas, Love collected 17 points, a game-high 12 rebounds, a game-high five assists and two steals.
Love only had two double-doubles in his college career, both for Arizona in the 2023–24 season. Against Long Beach State in the first round of the NCAA tournament, he scored 18 points and pulled down a career-high 11 rebounds. The other double-double came in a 19-point, 10-rebound game on Feb. 8, 2024, a 105–99 triple-overtime victory over Utah in which he played for 49 minutes.
Love’s biggest moments came late in the fourth quarter. With 6:48 remaining, he drilled a 25-foot pull-up 3-pointer to give Portland a 69–67 lead. Then, at 4:07, his steal and assist set up a D.J. Carton layup (below) to stretch the lead to 80–75. Portland never trailed again.
He capped the win with a highlight-reel spin move and a fading 10-foot jumper with 53 seconds left to push Portland’s lead to 88–79 and seal the victory
Love, who was 5 of 16 from the floor, 3 of 8 from 3-point range and 4 of 6 from the free throw line in just over 32½ minutes, has at least three 3-pointers in all four games, including four on Friday against the Warriors.
Justin McKoy played nearly five minutes off the bench for Portland, finishing with two points and two rebounds.
For the first time in three Washington Wizards games, Leaky Black started. In their 103–84 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, he played nearly 28½ minutes, finishing with four points, three rebounds and three assists.
After both didn’t play in Detroit’s previous game, Dawson Garcia and Garrison Brooks each got into the Pistons’ 89–73 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. In 14 minutes, Brooks had one point and three rebounds. In nearly 10 scoreless minutes, Garcia had two rebounds.
Kerwin Walton played for Oklahoma City for only the second time in six games. In the Thunder’s 92–75 victory over the Orlando Magic, Walton’s only statistic in just over 2½ minutes was a rebound.
Former UNC players playing on Wednesday night are:
— Pete Nance and Cormac Ryan, whose Milwaukee Bucks face the Chicago Bulls at 5:30 on ESPN2.
— Walton, whose Oklahoma City Thunder meets the New Orleans Pelicans at 8:30 on NBATV
— Black, whose Washington Wizards play the Utah Jazz at 10 p.m., on ESPN.
Summer League Tar Heels
Memphis Grizzlies schedule (Armando Bacot)
Games in Salt Lake City
July 5: Grizzlies 92, Thunder 80
– Bacot: started; 16:25, 9 points, 2–2 FG, 5–6 FT, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block, 1 turnovers, 2 fouls, -2
July 7: Jazz 112, Grizzlies 111
– Bacot: started; 16:45, 6 points, 3–5 FG, 5 rebounds, 1 steal, 2 block, 1 turnovers, 6 fouls, -4
Tuesday, July 8: Sixers 91, Grizzlies 90
– Bacot: Didn’t play (coach’s decision)
Games in Las Vegas
Friday, July 11: Celtics 92, Grizzlies 78
– Bacot: started; 22:47, 14 points, 7–13 FG, 0–4 3FG, team-high 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block, 2 turnovers, 7 fouls, -1
Saturday, July 12: Saturday, July 12: Grizzlies 96, Trail Blazers 86
– Bacot: started; 22:46, 14 points, 4–9 FG, 6–6 FT, game-high 12 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 4 blocks, 1 turnover, 4 fouls, +1
Tuesday, July 15, vs. Golden State, 10:30 p.m., NBATV
Thursday, July 17, vs. Atlanta, 6 p.m., NBATV
Washington Wizards schedule (Leaky Black)
Games in Las Vegas
Friday, July 11: Suns 103, Wizards 84
– Black: didn’t start, 9:27, 3 points, 0–3 FG, 0–3 3FG, 3–4 FT, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 2 turnovers, 2 fouls, -5
Sunday, July 13: Wizards 102, Nets 96
– Black: didn’t start; 15:42, 9 points, 3–3 FG, 2–2 3FG, 1–2 FT, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 turnover, 5 fouls, -12
Tuesday, July 15: Sixers 74, Wizards 58
– Black: started; 28:26, 4 points, 2–7 FG, 0–4 3FG, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 turnovers, 2 fouls, -7
Wednesday, July 16, vs. Utah, 10 p.m., ESPN
Los Angeles Lakers schedule (RJ Davis)
Games in San Francisco
July 5: Warriors 89, Lakers 84
– Davis: didn’t start; 13:01, 2 points, 1–7 FG, 0–3 3PFG, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1 foul, =/- of 0
July 6: Lakers 103, Heat 83
– Davis: didn’t start; 12:18, 5 points, 2–3 FG, 1–2 3PFG, 1 rebound, team-high tying 4 assists, 2 turnovers, +6
Tuesday, July 8: Lakers 89, Spurs 88
– Davis: didn’t start; 13:30, 4 points, 2–6 FG, 0–3 3FG, 3 assists, 1 steal, 2 turnovers, 2 fouls, +1
Games in Las Vegas
Thursday, July 10: Mavericks 87, Lakers 85
– Davis: didn’t start; 7:28, 3 points, 1–4 FG, 0–2 3FG, 1–3 FT, 1 assist, 3 fouls, -13
Saturday, July 12: Lakers 94, Pelicans 81
– Davis: didn’t start; 17:27, 9 points, 3–8 FG, 1–5 3FG, 2–2 FT, 2 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, 2 turnovers, 2 fouls, +4
Monday, July 14: Clippers 67, Lakers 58
– Davis: didn’t play (coach’s decision)
Thursday, July 17, vs. Boston, 9 p.m., ESPN
Detroit Pistons schedule (Garrison Brooks and Dawson Garcia)
Games in Las Vegas
Friday, July 11: Pistons 104, Knicks 86
– Garcia: didn’t start; 13:38, 6 points, 2–3 FG, 0–1 3FG, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, 2 turnovers, 6 fouls, -4
– Brooks: didn’t play (coach’s decision)
Sunday, July 13: Pistons 98, Rockets 83
– Garcia: didn’t play (coach’s decision)
– Brooks: didn’t play (coach’s decision)
Tuesday, July 15: Timberwolves 89, Pistons 73
– Garcia: didn’t start; 9:49, 0 points, 0–1 FG, 2 rebounds, 1 turnover, 2 fouls, -1
– Brooks: didn’t start; 14:04, 1 points, 1–2 FT, 3 rebounds, 2 turnovers, 2 fouls, -9
Thursday, July 17, vs. Miami, NBATV
San Antonio Spurs schedule (Harrison Ingram)
Games in San Francisco
July 5: Heat 82, Spurs 69
— Ingram: started, 12:25, 3 points, 1–7 FG, 1–3 3FG, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, +3
July 6: Spurs 90, Warriors 88
— Ingram: started, 14:23, 8 points, 2–5 FG, 0–1 3FG, 4–5 FT, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 2 turnovers, 1 foul, +/- of 0
Tuesday, July 8: Lakers 89, Spurs 88
— Ingram: started, 22:02, 2 points, 2–8 FG, 0–2 3FG, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 turnovers, 5 fouls, =/- of 0
Games in Las Vegas
Thursday, July 10: Spurs 111, Sixers 70
— Ingram: started, 19:25, 7 points, 3–7 FG, 1–3 3FG, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 1 turnover, 2 fouls, +24
Saturday, July 12, vs. Dallas: Spurs 76, Mavericks 69
— Ingram: started, 22:08, 4 points, 2–7 FG, 1–3 3FG, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 1 turnover, 2 fouls, +24
Monday, July 14: Spurs 93, Jazz 90, OT
— Ingram: started, 31:43, 15 points, 4–9 FG, 3–6 3FG, 4–4 FT, 14 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 turnovers, 1 foul, -9
Thursday, July 17, vs. Charlotte, 7 p.m., ESPN
Saturday, July 19: Semifinals, 4 p.m. or 6 p.m., ESPN
Portland Trail Blazers schedule (Caleb Love and Justin McKoy)
Games in Las Vegas
Friday, July 11: Trail Blazers 106, Warriors 73
— Love: started; 23:22, 18 points 7–16 FG, 4–7 3FG, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 2 turnovers, 3 fouls, +25
— McKoy: didn’t start: 5:32, 1 point, 0–1 FG, 0–1 3FG, 1–2 FT, 1 rebound, 1 steal, +7
Saturday, July 12: Grizzlies 96, Trail Blazers 86
— Love: started; 29:23, 18 points 7–21 FG, 3–9 3FG, 1–2 FT, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block, 2 turnovers, 2 fouls, -12
— McKoy: didn’t start: 5:23, 2 points, 0–2 FG, 0–1 3FG, 2–2 FT, 1 foul, -1
Tuesday, July 15: Trail Blazers 93, Pelicans 87
— Love: started; 32:37, 17 points 5–16 FG, 3–8 3FG, 4–6 FT, 12 rebound, 5 assists, 2 steals, 1 turnover, 3 fouls, +4
— McKoy: didn’t start: 4:43, 2 points, 1–3 FG, 0–2 3FG, 2 rebounds, 1 foul, -12
Thursday, July 17, vs. Houston, 8 p.m., NBATV
Milwaukee Bucks schedule (Pete Nance and Cormac Ryan)
Games in Las Vegas
Thursday, July 10: Bucks 90, Nuggets 89
— Ryan: didn’t start; 22:21, 18 points, 6–11 FG, 3–6 3FG, 3–3 FT, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 turnover, 2 fouls, team-high +16
— Nance: started; 26:44, 13 points, 4–9, 2–6 3FG, 3–5 FT, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 3 turnovers, +6
Saturday, July 12, vs. Cleveland: Cavaliers 93, Bucks 83
— Nance: started; 29:31, 12 points, 5–11, 2–4 3FG, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 3 blocks, 6 fouls, +1
— Ryan: didn’t start; 16:35, 6 points, 1–7 FG, 1–5 3FG, 3–4 FT, 1 steal, 1 block, 2 turnovers, 2 fouls, -18
Sunday, July 13: Clippers 106, Bucks 91
— Nance: started; 27:45, 18 points, 7–11, 2–6 3FG, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 2 blocks, 1 turnover, 4 fouls, -9
— Ryan: started; 26:11, 11 points, 3–11 FG, 2–7 3FG, 3–4 FT, 1 rebound, 4 assists, 2 steals, 3 turnovers, 4 fouls, -5
Wednesday, July 16, vs. Chicago, 5:30, ESPN2
Oklahoma City Thunder schedule (Kerwin Walton)
Games in Salt Lake City
July 5: Grizzlies 92, Thunder 80
— Walton: Did not play (coach’s decision)
July 7: Thunder 89, Sixers 78
— Walton: Did not play (coach’s decision)
Tuesday, July 8: Jazz 86, Thunder 82
— Walton: Did not play (coach’s decision)
Games in Las Vegas
Thursday, July 10: Thunder 90, Nets 81
— Walton: 51 seconds, 1 foul, -1
Saturday, July 12: Thunder 104, Pacers 85
— Walton: not active for the game
Tuesday, July 15: Thunder 92, Magic 75
— Walton: 2:38, 1 rebound, +/- of 0
Wednesday, July 16, vs. New Orleans, 8:30, NBATV
Photo via @trailblazers
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