The 2022 NBA 2k23 Summer League wraps up on Sunday, with six games to finish off the tournament.
Among them is the Championship clash between the Portland Trail Blazers and the New York Knicks, who finished with the best record across the first four rounds of games in Vegas.
On top of that, there are 10 more sides who play their final Summer League games, with the Golden State Warriors, Denver Nuggets and Milwaukee Bucks all in action.
| What: | 2022 NBA Summer League, Day 11 |
| Where: | Thomas and Mack Center and Cox Pavilion Paradise near Las Vegas |
| When: | Sunday 17th July 2022 |
| How to watch: | NBA TV |
Blazers sharp without Sharpe
Despite losing their top draft pick to injury, the Portland Trail Blazers are still in the hunt to win the Summer League. They finished with three wins from four, despite seventh-pick Shaedon Sharpe missing most of their games.
They meet a New York Knicks team who are having a big off-season. The Knicks managed to free up enough cap space to land playoff standout Jalen Brunson from the Dallas Mavericks, now they’re pushing to trade for Donovan Mitchell from the Utah Jazz.
The Knicks also boast the frontrunner for Summer League MVP, with Quentin Grimes impressing so far. He was the 25th pick in the 2021 draft and he made 46 appearances for the Knicks last season, but he’s taken a big step up this summer.
Grimes is averaging over 23 points per game in Vegas and his role in leading the Knicks to the final game puts him in a great position to win the award. The 21-year-old guard did score 24 points against the Blazers two games ago, but Portland managed to win that clash by 11 points.
Despite that, the Knicks are -140 favourites on the Money Line to win the game and take the Summer League title. The Trail Blazers are +120 to claim a second victory over New York in Vegas.
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Bucks duo out to impress
The Toronto Raptors fell narrowly short of the Championship Game, finishing third after Friday’s win over the Miami Heat. They finish their time in Vegas against a Milwaukee Bucks team that contains two standout stars from this year’s Summer League.
The NBA’s Summer League MVP ladder contains two Bucks – Sandro Mamukelashvili and Lindell Wigginton - in the top five. Both have impressed with some big displays in Vegas, including Mamukelashvili’s 28-point game against the Boston Celtics.
The Raptors haven’t had any significant standouts in that sense, but they’ve got solid displays from a few prospects who are competing for their few remaining roster spots. D.J. Wilson and Jeff Dowtin have both been effective scorers, while 6ft 9 point guard Dalano Banton continues to improve after being drafted in 2021.
These two sides are obviously not at their strongest right now, but they’ve done a good job of replicating their usual style in their Summer League rosters. The Bucks remain a powerful side, while the Raptors continue their position-less approach with tall, aggressive defenders. That clash of styles makes this match-up worth watching.
How will weakened Pelicans finish up?
The New Orleans Pelicans face the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday after their Championship hopes were dashed. The Pels needed to beat the Lakers by five points on Friday night, but their injury-hit side suffered a defeat.
Dyson Daniels and E.J. Liddell are among the young talents ruled out for the Pelicans in Vegas. They had just nine players available to play in that game and things haven’t improved on that front, which could hurt them in this final clash.
The Thunder may choose to rest some of their top talents given the Pelicans’ situation. Oklahoma started their last game with four 2022 draft picks, beating the Sacramento Kings by six points.
We might not see the 2022 number two pick, Chet Holmgren, on Sunday, given how teams have been resting their top rookies. However, the Thunder are still fancied to see off the Pels, entering the game as -140 favourites.
The Utah Jazz wrap up their time in Vegas against the Denver Nuggets, with the Jazz set to be watched closely over the coming weeks and months.
With teams circling Mitchell, Utah could also choose to let go one of their role players as they lean into a big rebuild. However, they also have the draft equity to make a big move in the off-season.
The Jazz departs Vegas having won two from four and they’re -140 favourites on the Money Line to finish with a victory.
Elsewhere the Washington Wizards take on the Golden State Warriors, while the Phoenix Suns meet the Indiana Pacers fresh from the Suns winning their battle for Deandre Ayton’s signature.
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