LAS VEGAS — The Clippers’ NBA Summer time League contest Friday in opposition to the Houston Rockets supplied an opportunity for Kobe Brown to point out he’s able to being a rotational participant for the Clippers this season.
However misfortune struck within the third quarter when Brown received tangled with a Rockets defender who fell on his proper ankle. Brown sat on the Clippers’ bench for a couple of minutes earlier than he limped to their locker room.
Brown didn’t return within the Clippers’ 95-92 win at Cox Pavilion on Friday evening after sustaining what the group described with no consideration ankle contusion.
Brown is coming into his third season with the Clippers and the group is keen for the 2023 thirtieth general draft decide to make an impression. He’ll make $2.65 million this season and may have a qualifying provide for subsequent season at $4.7 million.
“He’s just got to continue to do what he did tonight,” mentioned Clippers assistant coach Jerry Castleberry, the group’s Summer time League coach. “Play great defense. Make the right reads. We’ve been talking about it all training camp. Get in the paint, draw two, make the right reads and if they put a small on him, he showed his ability to be able to score against a mismatch tonight and doing it the right way — quickly, getting downhill, not dancing, just getting straight to the point.
Brown scored 10 points in the first quarter, going four for five from the field, making both of his three-point attempts. On one of those threes, he ran the length of the court and took a pass for a lob dunk.
Brown finished with 14 points, four rebounds and four assists in 20 minutes.
“Ankle is good,” Castleberry mentioned. “Ankle is fine. Just precautionary. He’ll be OK.”
The Clippers waived Jordan Miller earlier than summer time league began, however they nonetheless had a roster spot so he was added to the group.
He didn’t disappoint Friday, producing 23 factors and 11 rebounds.
Miller has been given a chance to point out the Clippers — and another group — how the Summer time League is helpful for him.
“With this team it takes a lot of humility. Not thinking less of yourself but also thinking less of yourself,” Miller mentioned. “Just finding a way to maximize whatever role it is. It’s not just for me, but it’s for all the guys. We got guys that can score. The only way we’re going to get on the floor is defending and making open threes. That’s just the reality of it. … But for the most part, just working game reps. Like, you’re not going to get a lot of ball-screens. You’re not going to get a lot of touches. So you just got to work on your off-ball shooting, movement shooting and being able to not mess up defensively.”
It was on protection the place Clippers rookie Yanic Konan Niederhauser was at his greatest.
Niederhauser blocked 4 pictures and had 10 rebounds. He used his seven-foot body as a deterrent and displayed why the Clippers drafted him out of Penn State.
“He did everything he was supposed to do,” Castleberry mentioned. “He was great with rim-protection, changing shots and I just thought he was good.”
