The Miami HEAT defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 89-74 Tuesday night at Golden 1 Center in the California Classic Summer League. Derrick Jones Jr. led the way for the HEAT with 21 points.
1. Jones Jr. Sharp Once Again
After putting together a fantastic all-around performance against the Warriors on Monday, Jones Jr. was at it again versus the Lakers.
Whether he was attacking the basket, stretching the floor or staying active on the offensive glass, “Airplane Mode” certainly made his presence felt.
I mean, just look at his athleticism on this offensive board and short jumper midway through the third quarter:
Of course, rim-rocking jams were also part of the equation.
That said, Jones Jr. balled out on the defensive end, too, and made life difficult for Josh Hart, Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk and Alex Caruso.
While the 21-year-old showed his unique length often, nothing quite touches this superb block on Johnathan Williams at the rim late in the first quarter:
In addition to his game-high 21 points on 8-of-14 shooting, Jones Jr. also amassed five rebounds, a game-high four blocks, three steals and a plus-21 rating.
Talk about stuffing the stat sheet.
2. Robinson Sets The Tone
Simply put, Duncan Robinson got the party started with two threes and never looked back.
As the night progressed, the former Michigan Wolverine continued to convert from deep and led all players with five treys.
Oh yeah, he also did this:
When it was all said and done, Robinson accumulated 19 points on 7-of-9 shooting, including 5-of-6 from downtown, four rebounds, two assists and a plus-28 rating.
3. BAM Impacts The Game On Both Ends
Although Bam Adebayo didn’t record a double-double this time around, he still played a major role in the HEAT coming away with a wire-to-wire victory.
For starters, the former Kentucky Wildcat competed hard against Moritz Wagner and helped hold the rookie to just 3-of-9 shooting.
Naturally, he also converted this tough and-one finish in the third quarter with the German guarding him:
Sure, that was impressive, but we can’t forget about this remarkable pass to Jones Jr. a little earlier in the contest:
Gotta love it.
Adebayo ended up with nine points on 3-of-6 shooting, 10 rebounds, two assists, one block and a game-high plus-31 rating.
Other Takeaways:
-Yante Maten showed what he could do and knocked known a handful of jumpers on his way to a 15-point night on 6-of-11 shooting. The former Georgia Bulldog also grabbed five boards and swiped three steals.
Looking Ahead:
-The HEAT will wrap up play in the California Classic Summer League on Thursday at 5:00 PM against the Kings. Television coverage will be on NBA TV.