Summer Bulls Fall to Mavericks

These aren’t your father’s Summer League Bulls…

It’s easy to get caught up in the hype of Summer League. Basketball is back, young guys get to show what they can do, and outrageous predictions are usually made. With all of that being said, I should go ahead and make some extreme predictions based off of the Bulls first game in Las Vegas. The Summer Bulls of yesteryear weren’t present throughout Saturday afternoon’s affair, losing 91–75 to the impressive Dennis Smith Jr. and the Dallas Mavericks.

Let’s get to the irrational takes.

The Good:

Lauri Markkanen was impressive in this one, showing off his range and the ability to flow within an offense. He positioned himself well on offense and never seemed to be out of control with the ball. He finished with 14 points on 5-of-11 shooting. The seventh overall pick was able to flourish early on, but when Denzel Valentine, Cameron Payne, and Kris Dunn were all on the floor, Markkanen didn’t seem to be an option. All in all, good first impression from the Finlander. If he can hit some of the shot he hit on Saturday, he will be a welcomed addition to the Bulls abysmal shooting bunch.

The Dennis Smith Jr. vs. Kris Dunn battle was fun to watch. Although Dunn struggled from the field, shooting just 3-of-12 from the field, he was able to put forth a solid defensive effort. Despite racking up six fouls on the day (you need ten to foul out) he was aggressive and showed some Bulls’ fans why he is considered one of the best defensive point guards in the NBA.

Eh:

It seems that Denzel Valentine has taken over the role of Summer League captain, and to celebrate that prestigious honor he went on to have a very average day. Valentine is extremely slow and even when gaining separation, he often doesn’t have the athleticism to take advantage. That lack of speed still seems to be there, and it seemed like the second year man out of Michigan State was looking for his own shot instead of facilitating.

The Bad:

Cameron Payne. Watching this guy play basketball makes my head hurt. Poor decision making, inconsistent scoring, and an even worse haircut all attributed to Payne’s awful day. He shot 5-of-15 from the floor, and settled for some very bad looks from deep. He couldn’t get anything going today. Brutal.

Paul Zipser looked lost as well, he never was able to find a rhythm and was suspect on the defensive end. Zipser is set to get more minutes this season, so hopefully he can contribute at a consistent level. #Zipserhive

What’s Next:

The Summer League champions take on the Hawks on Monday.

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