LAS VEGAS—The Los Angeles Lakers finished up their summer league schedule against the Utah Jazz on Friday night, July 15.
Larry Nance Jr. was back in Los Angeles with a sprained right wrist, and guard D’Angelo Russell was resting in preparation for the USA Basketball training camp that begins on Monday.
However, thanks to stellar performances by the 2016 draft class, the Lakers were able to hang in the game until the final possession.
Number two overall pick Brandon Ingram finished the game with 22 points, five rebounds, and four assists. He shot a very respectable 9-of-13 from the field. Ivica Zubac added 16 points, 11 rebounds and six blocks in the Lakers’ 92-88 loss to the Jazz in the Las Vegas Summer League finale.
Ingram handled the ball out of the backcourt a number of times with Russell watching from the bench.
“We wanted to keep him aggressive, get him the ball on the block and at the elbows – areas we felt that he was comfortable,” fill-in coach Theo Robertson said after the game. “And he was able to knock some shots down. We were also pleased with his ability to playmaker down there.
“He didn’t force anything when he got in the paint and he drew two defenders and was able to drop to some of our bigs or kick out to shooters.”
Ingram struggled for most of the exhibition league averaging a poultry 9.8 points on just 31.6 percent shooting.
As with most players in the league, Ingram will certainly look to improve as the offseason progresses.
“It was OK,” Ingram said after the game when asked about his Summer League performance. “I think as a player you’re never satisfied. I think I could have shot the ball a lot better, and on the defensive end I could have been a lot better.”
Either way, the final game demonstrated what Ingram is capable of when his motor and shot is working.
