by Ryan Mercier
No one else dared to do a deep dive on a forgettable matchup between Indiana and Washington besides one brave actor with boots on the ground at the Cox Pavilion. The tale must be told.
For anyone who has never experienced Summer League, the main arena is the Thomas & Mack Center which provides a similar view to NBA home courts. The Cox Pavilion, on the other hand, is more like an intimate high school gym.
This setting is incredible for basketball junkies and provides moments which can absolutely not be seen on TV. For example, the best one came when a Pacers coach was shouting “Isaiah!” multiple times, trying to get the attention of Isaiah Jackson, Indiana’s No. 22 overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft. However, it was shouted so many times the Wizards’ second round pick Isaiah Todd reacted to it and looked over thinking the instructions were for him. Good stuff.
Game Time
In the first quarter, it felt like both teams were trying to break the turnover record. This trend continued throughout the game with sequences of fluid basketball popping up here and there. The Pacers committed 19 turnovers and the Wizards added 21 of their own. The first period was also a Brick House in terms of jump shots.
This is a developmental experience for all of these players, of course, and the first bright spotlight shown on Isaiah Jackson who slammed in a nice dunk four minutes in. Washington’s Xavier Rathan-Mayes quickly followed with a blow-by layup.
After what felt like a never-ending streak of misses on jumpers, the shots started to fall for both squads in the second quarter. Keifer Sykes of the Summer Pacers stood out with a nice showing on his jump shots. Sykes finished 5-of-8 from the field with 12 points.
Jackson, the 6’10” rookie forward from Kentucky, was perhaps the most promising performer. Yes, he was only 4-of-14 from the field and racked up six fouls, but he was the most exciting player on the court with three dunks in the contest. Jackson always seemed to be around the action and ended up with a staggering seven blocks. His day would have been complete if he saw an available baseline pass to create an easy dunk for Devin Robinson.
Cassius Stanley already has an NBA season under his belt and it showed. Stanley somewhat quietly and steadily became the game’s top scorer finishing with 19 points (7-of-10), seven rebounds, and going 3-of-4 from deep.
If this were somehow a playoff series, the Summer Pacers would sweep the Summer Wizards. The 74-65 final score is extremely deceptive. At one point, Indiana led 70-45. Chris Duarte, Indiana’s top pick, did not play.
Corey Kispert
It is such an understatement to say Kispert, the top pick by the Wizards, had a rough day. The former Gonzaga standout failed to score at all in the first half. In the third quarter, Kispert was fouled on a three-point attempt. To illustrate how awful his outing was, he missed the first free throw and went 1-of-3 from the line in that chance.
Kispert got his first and only bucket on a dunk in the fourth quarter. He finished 1-of-7 from the field with three points and four turnovers. This comes off of an outing where he was the leading scorer for the Wizards just one day earlier.
At halftime, this very actor/sportswriter walked right past the Wizards new GM Tommy Sheppard who was surely thrilled his top pick had not scored a single point. Luckily, Wiz fans, he did not appear to be looking for a stiff drink. Also, Sheppard can rest a little easier knowing Isaiah Todd hit a few threes and blocked a Jackson dunk attempt.
Play of the Game
The Pacers got the win but this one goes to the Wizards. Early in the third, Caleb Homesley blocked a shot off the glass. Kispert rebounded and gives it to Rathan-Mayes, who makes a beautiful perfect pass up to Todd who throws it down to finish the alley-oop.
Struggling Actor Sports 