Game 1
Houston Rockets 82 def. Denver Nuggets 75
Patrick Patterson – HOU: His shooting was inconsistent for the week, but his overall game looks promising. Solid rebounding presence down low, but he can get up and down the court with ease. He can also step outside for a pick and pop, looking comfortable when shooting mid-range jump shots. He had six points and 10 boards in this one.
Ishmael Smith – HOU: Was awesome in this game, putting up 15 points, six assists, and only one turnover in 29 minutes. Most of his buckets are at or near the basket, so his field goal percentages will be good. Really quick in transition and can get in the lane virtually whenever he wants.
Laurence Ekperigin – DEN: Crazy efficient day for Ekperigin, scoring 21 points on 7-of-11 shooting in 17 minutes. He also grabbed six rebounds.
Game 2
Toronto Raptors 102 def. New York Knicks 89
Ed Davis – TOR: Shows the potential to be a really good post scorer. Has good footwork and hands in the paint. Has shot 65 percent in three games so far and could be a little more assertive in getting the ball, but nothing to really complain about. Davis scored 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting yesterday.
Solomon Alabi – TOR: Efficient outing for the center out of Florida State. He notched nine points and eight rebounds in 19 minutes. He’s not going to dominate down low, but it’s always nice to have a competent seven-footer playing for your club. Alabi could easily be that in this league.
Andy Rautins – NY: Known as a shooter, Rautins hasn’t gotten off to a great start with his shot. Many of them are tightly contested, and it looks like he might be forcing it a little. He’s a smart player who will probably work in the flow of a better offense, but hasn't seen any luck yet.
Landry Fields – NY: Didn’t shoot the ball that well today, but Fields has a really versatile offensive game. The wing player out of Stanford can stay out on the perimeter be a shooter, but he can also get into the lane where he ends up going to the line quite often. Now if he could get his free throw percentage above 70 percent, that would be great.
Game 3
San Antonio Spurs 89 def. Atlanta Hawks 84
Jordan Crawford – ATL: The first round pick looks like a legitimate scorer. Might be tough to get minutes this year with a logjam at the guard position, but he looks promising. He's stayed active, facilitating others on the offensive end, and grabbing steals on the defensive end. Crawford recorded 20 points, two assists, and three steals in this one.
Game 4
Chicago Bulls 79 def. Los Angeles Clippers 50
Matt Bouldin - CHI: The tall point guard out of Gonzaga mostly shot kick-out threes today, going 2-of-4 from downtown. Ended up with eight points, three rebounds, and three assists.
Samardo Samuels – CHI: Solid rebounding effort for the former Louisville product, who grabbed nine, but was a little foul happy with eight in 22 minutes. With the loaded Chicago frontcourt, Samuels is likely auditioning for other clubs.
Al-Farouq Aminu – LAC: Really struggled with his shot today, going 3-of-15. This seems like the struggle of someone who is trying to add a mid-range game to his deep shooting game. He has been working on it all summer and it has been looking better, despite this outing. Hit two three-pointers in this game and his shooting motion looks better. Aminu is clearly a work in progress, but if he develops a solid outside game, this kid could be deadly.
Eric Bledsoe – LAC: Struggles continued into the second game for Bledsoe, as his shot isn’t falling. And he keeps giving up the ball. It’s only been two games, but he’s averaged 33 percent form the field and 8.5 turnovers in those two games. Anyone who watched him at Kentucky knows that the talent level is there. Let’s see if he can turn things around in these last few games.
Willie Warren – LAC: Forgettable stat line of five points on 2-6 shooting with two turnovers in 23 minutes. Not to worry though, he just signed with the Clippers a couple days ago.
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