
The 2023 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas featured matches between NBA teams. As a pre-season tournament before the regular season, NBA 2K23 began on Thursday, July 7, with the games being played on UNLV’s campus in Las Vegas. In total, there will be 75 games played over 11 days. Check out the top new sportsbooks for betting on the NBA!
On Friday, the Chicago Bulls played their Summer League match against Dallas Mavericks in Las Vegas. In that match, the Bulls and Mavs played intensely in the game with match-deciding overtime. At last, the score was 100-99 sealed by Chicago with second-year player Marko Simonovic playing, while Mavs were led by their debutant, Jaden Hardy.
Before the overtime, both teams were having the game with Dallas losing the early quarter. The Bulls were counting on Simonovic who scored double-doubles with 27 points, 13 boards, and three blocks. Playing for 29:34 minutes, the 22-year-old center recorded a 52.6 field goal percentage (10 FGM, 19 FGA) and made seven out of eight free throws.
Alongside Simonovic, Bulls’ summer league coach John Bryant played guards Malcolm Hill and Carlik Jones on the backcourt with forwards Dalen Terry and Justin Lewis. Hill was the second in scoring 18 points with a 66.7 field goals percentage (4-6 FGM) and made two three-points. Playing as a point guard, Jones recorded nine assists for the team in that match.
Meanwhile, on Mavs’ side, the team’s summer league coach and Jason Kidd’s assistant, Greg St. Jean, put rookie 20-year-old Hardy and Jerrick Harding as a guard. On the frontcourt, there were A.J. Lawson and Derrick Alston Jr. who played as forwards with Moses Wright under the rim as Center.
In his debut for Mavs, Hardy marked his 33:19 minutes of play with 28 points, 4 rebounds, and three assists and recorded 47.4 FG percent (9-19 FGM) and 28.6 three-points percentage. Playing inside and outside the paint area, Lawson scored 28 points, in total with 18 from three-point baskets. He also grabbed five rebounds and have 62.5 FG percent (10-16 FGM) and recorded no turnovers.
In the first quarter, Dallas went down to the Chicago Bulls who led the game 8-2. Then, Hardy scored two times to catch up with the score gap. At the end of the first quarter, Dallas was trailing 21-17 against the bulls. In the second quarter, A.J. Lawson scored two three-points, Dallas scored 30 points in total, while the Bulls only scored 12 points and at the half, the Mavericks led 47-33.
The Bulls scored more baskets with 25 points and the Mavs’ players only scored 17 during the third quarter. After a dunk from Jalen Lecque and Hardy scored ten points, Dallas took a 64-58 lead against the Bulls.
Furthermore, in the last quarter, Simonovic increased the score 90-90 against the Mavericks with a running dunk in 21.9 seconds remaining time. Unfortunately, Hardy missed the three-point jump shot at 2.5 seconds and the game continued in overtime.
In the overtime, the score was 10-9 for Chicago to win, and a dunk from Lawson also Hardy’s 28 points cant help the Mavericks win their first match by losing 100-99 against the Bulls.
The score was 10-9 in overtime for Chicago to win. However, a dunk from Lawson as well as Hardy’s 28 points couldn’t help the Mavericks win their first match, losing 100-99 to the Bulls.
Despite the loss, Hardy had a positive outlook and would continue to improve his performance.
“I wanted to prove myself right, and as long as I was in the gym and me putting my trust in God, I feel like I came out here with a chip on my shoulder to prove myself right,” he said.
In the next match, Hardy will play for the Mavericks that will take the court on Monday against the Utah Jazz, while Bulls’ Simonovic will play against the New York Knicks on Sunday.
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