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Wembanyama returns, but injuries affect the marquee games … – The Associated Press
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San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama drives up the court against the Portland Trail Blazers during the second half of an NBA summer league basketball game Sunday, July 9, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Detroit Pistons’ Ausar Thompson shoots over Houston Rockets’ Jabari Smith Jr. during the second half of an NBA summer league basketball game Sunday, July 9, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Houston Rockets’ Amen Thompson scrambles for the ball against the Portland Trail Blazers during the first half of an NBA summer league basketball game Friday, July 7, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Portland Trail Blazers’ Scoot Henderson shoots over Houston Rockets’ Tari Eason during the first half of an NBA summer league basketball game Friday, July 7, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama grabs a pass against the Charlotte Hornets during the second half of an NBA summer league basketball game Friday, July 7, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Detroit Pistons’ James Wiseman dunks against the Houston Rockets during the second half of an NBA summer league basketball game Sunday, July 9, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama drives up the court against the Portland Trail Blazers during the second half of an NBA summer league basketball game Sunday, July 9, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama drives up the court against the Portland Trail Blazers during the second half of an NBA summer league basketball game Sunday, July 9, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Detroit Pistons’ Ausar Thompson shoots over Houston Rockets’ Jabari Smith Jr. during the second half of an NBA summer league basketball game Sunday, July 9, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Detroit Pistons’ Ausar Thompson shoots over Houston Rockets’ Jabari Smith Jr. during the second half of an NBA summer league basketball game Sunday, July 9, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Houston Rockets’ Amen Thompson scrambles for the ball against the Portland Trail Blazers during the first half of an NBA summer league basketball game Friday, July 7, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Houston Rockets’ Amen Thompson scrambles for the ball against the Portland Trail Blazers during the first half of an NBA summer league basketball game Friday, July 7, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Portland Trail Blazers’ Scoot Henderson shoots over Houston Rockets’ Tari Eason during the first half of an NBA summer league basketball game Friday, July 7, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Portland Trail Blazers’ Scoot Henderson shoots over Houston Rockets’ Tari Eason during the first half of an NBA summer league basketball game Friday, July 7, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama grabs a pass against the Charlotte Hornets during the second half of an NBA summer league basketball game Friday, July 7, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama grabs a pass against the Charlotte Hornets during the second half of an NBA summer league basketball game Friday, July 7, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Detroit Pistons’ James Wiseman dunks against the Houston Rockets during the second half of an NBA summer league basketball game Sunday, July 9, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Detroit Pistons’ James Wiseman dunks against the Houston Rockets during the second half of an NBA summer league basketball game Sunday, July 9, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson didn’t get a second act in Las Vegas. There was no Thompson twins show, either.
Wembanyama had an impressive second game in the NBA Summer League on Sunday, but it came on a day where injuries affected what shaped up to be the marquee games after two top players were hurt on opening night.
Henderson, the No. 3 pick in the draft, and Amen Thompson, who went right after him to Houston, were hurt in the same game Friday. Henderson didn’t play Sunday against San Antonio because of a strained right shoulder.
Nor did Amen Thompson go in the preceding game against the Detroit Pistons, who drafted Ausar Thompson with the No. 5 pick. The guards from Overtime Elite became the first brothers to be top-five picks in the same draft.
Henderson’s absence meant he didn’t match up again against Wembanyama, the No. 1 pick by the Spurs, after their teams played two exhibition games in Las Vegas last fall. Wembanyama scored 37 and 36 points for his French team in the two games, while Henderson had 28 for G League Ignite in the opener before having to leave the second game early after hurting his knee.
Wembanyama wasn’t nearly that sharp in his much-hyped Summer League debut on Friday, shooting just 2 for 13 and scoring nine points. The 7-foot-3 forward acknowledged that he was even confused at times in his opener. But he was much better Sunday, finishing with 27 points and 12 rebounds in the Spurs’ 85-80 loss.
Amen Thompson hurt his ankle late in the Rockets’ victory over Portland in the opener and ESPN reported he would be out for the rest of Summer League.
Jabari Smith Jr. had 38 points, seven rebounds and six assists, while Tari Eason added 26 points, nine rebounds, two steals and two blocks to lead Houston.
Smith, the No. 3 overall selection in the 2022 NBA draft, scored nine of his 33 points in the final 26 seconds of a win — including the winning 3-pointer at the buzzer — over Portland on Friday. He made 13 of 25 from the field against the Pistons.
Cam Whitmore, who fell to the Rockets (2-0) at No. 20 in last month’s draft, added 21 points on 9-of-16 shooting.
Jalen Duren had 23 points and 10 rebounds, and Jaden Ivey scored 22 points with 10 assists for Detroit (1-1). James Wiseman added 17 points and 10 boards, while Ausar Thompson finished with 12 points, eight rebounds, six assists, three steals and two blocks.
Isaiah Mobley scored 15 points and Emoni Bates added 12 points and eight rebounds to lead Cleveland to the win.
Sam Merrill hit four 3-pointers and finished with 14 points, Pete Nance added 11 and Craig Porter 10 for the Cavaliers (2-0).
Gradey Dick had 11 points, eight rebounds and four assists for Toronto (0-2). DJ Hogg also scored 11 points.
Armoni Brooks scored 21 points, David Duke Jr. added 19 and Jalen Wilson 18 to lead Brooklyn.
Brooks was 8 of 15 from the field, including 5 of 10 from 3-point range. Wilson hit 3 of 4 from behind the arc and grabbed eight rebounds for the Nets (1-1). Kennedy Chandler had 11 points and seven assists.
Charlie Brown Jr. led New York (0-2) with 16 points, Jaylen Martin had 15 points and six assists, while Dmytro Skapintsev and Isaiah Roby each added 12 points.
Colin Castleton scored 21 points on 8-of-13 shooting and grabbed 14 rebounds, D’Moi Hodge added 16 points and Jalen Hood-Schifino 15 for Los Angeles.
Maxwell Lewis scored 12 points for the Lakers (2-0) and Max Christie finished with 11 points, four rebounds, six assists and four blocks.
Nick Smith Jr., Bryce McGowens and Tre Scott each scored 11 points for Charlotte (0-2), while James Bouknight added 10 points. Brandon Miller, the No. 2 overall selection in last month’s draft, also scored 10 to go with eight rebounds and four assists, but shot just 4 of 18, 0 for 7 from 3-point range.
Tyrese Martin scored 21 points on 8-of-12 shooting, going 3 of 6 from 3-point range. Kobe Bufkin added four 3-pointers and finished with 17 points in the win for Atlanta.
Bufkin, the No. 15 pick in June’s draft, made just 6 of 19 from the field and finished with six assists and five rebounds. Mouhamed Gueye and Brady Manek added 10 points and six rebounds apiece for the Hawks (1-1).
Hunter Tyson, Collin Gillespie and Jalen Pickett each scored 16 points for Denver (0-2). Peyton Watson, the last pick in the first round of the 2022 draft, scored 15 points and Cassius Stanley had 10 points, shooting 2 of 2, including a 3-pointer, from the field and 5 of 5 from the free throw line.
Dereon Seabron scored 25 points on 8-of-11 shooting and Dyson Daniels had 17 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists to lead New Orleans.
Seabron was 9 of 13 from the free throw line and Daniels, who shot just 6 of 18 from the field, added two steals and two blocks. Jordan Hawkins added 16 points for the Pelicans (1-1).
Lester Quinones hit four 3-pointers and finished with 26 points for Golden State (0-2). Mikael Jantunen scored 16 points, Gui Santos 13 and Brandin Podziemski, picked No. 19 overall in last month’s draft, had 10 points, nine rebounds and 10 assists.
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