Hot Takes from Heat’s Win over Grizzlies in 2024 NBA Summer League Championship
NBA Summer League in Las Vegas has come to an end and the Miami Heat are champions.
The Heat Summer League squad went a perfect 6-0 over the past few weeks, besting the Golden State Warriors in the semifinal and the Memphis Grizzlies in the championship on Monday, 120-118.
The final game of Summer League gave fans plenty of action, going down to the wire with Grizzlies guard GG Jackson draining a game-tying shot in the final seconds to send the matchup to overtime.
In overtime, the two teams traded baskets before Pelle Larsson hit the shot to give Miami the win.
Scotty Pippen Jr. Continues Hot Summer League
Scotty Pippen, who went undrafted out of Vanderbilt in 2022, finished with 29 points, 11 assists and five rebounds. The son of NBA legend Scotty Pippen is still looking to find a permanent place in the NBA, and his performance in Summer League certainly helped his case.
In January, Pippen inked a two-year, two-way deal with Memphis. If his Summer League performance translates to the regular season, he could find himself spending more time in the NBA than the G League.
After another strong performance, fans continued to praise his elevated play in Summer League.
Kel’el Ware Gets Rookie of the Year Hype After Summer League
Heat first-round pick Kel’el Ware might have been the most impressive rookie at Summer League.
He showed upside on both sides of the floor, getting into double-digit points with ease and blocking shot after shot on the defensive end. Ware ended his time in Summer League with a strong performance, dropping 21 points and 10 rebounds on 8-of-10 from the field.
Ware, a former Indiana star, slipped out of the lottery, landing with Miami at No. 15. Considering how far he dropped, he could easily end up being the steal of the draft.
Josh Christopher Shows Value in Summer League Finale
Though he has struggled to break out much in the NBA after being drafted in the first round of the 2022 NBA draft, Josh Christopher showed plenty of promise in Summer League.
He had back-to-back 20-point games in the semifinal and championship game, dropping 24 points, four rebounds, three steals and a pair of blocks in the final game of Summer League.
After his solid showing in Summer League, fans urged the Heat to keep Christopher around when the regular season comes.
Christopher will now use the rest of the summer to try to land a roster spot.
