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Los Angeles Lakers find their stride at NBA Summer League

By Jessica Slate

LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 7: Josh Hart #5 of the Los Angeles Lakers goes to the basket against the Philadelphia 76ers during the 2018 Las Vegas Summer League on July 7, 2018 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 7: Josh Hart #5 of the Los Angeles Lakers goes to the basket against the Philadelphia 76ers during the 2018 Las Vegas Summer League on July 7, 2018 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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After a few games in Las Vegas, the Los Angeles Lakers are off to a good start in the NBA Summer League.

The Los Angeles Lakers tipped off their first game of NBA Summer League on Saturday, July 7. Matched up against the Philadelphia 76ers, the Lakers collected their first win. Despite the game being hosted at Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, the crowd was jam packed with Lakers fans.

This game serves as a great opportunity to gauge the potential of the recent draft picks, undrafted free agents and returning players. Luckily, GM Rob Pelinka and head coach Luke Walton were in attendance to witness it.  Kyle Kuzma, Lonzo Ball, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and JaVale McGee also showed up to watch.

Selected 25th overall, Moritz Wagner showed up ready to play. Early on he displayed his range as a shooter. This is an increasing expectation for modern centers, and Moe seems to understand that. What stood out, but could easily be overlooked to the naked eye, was his strong communication skills. Moe is talking non-stop on the court but while on the bench, you can see more errors occur that could have been avoided with communication.

Another rookie that stood out was Svi Mykhailiuk. As the 47th overall draft pick, his effective defense and 3-point shooting. He is already a quality shooter, so as he gets better at reading the defense, he will be a significant threat off the bench.

Sophomore Laker, Josh Hart, really put on a show. He scored 24 points and is fifth overall in the tournament for leading scorers, averaging 21.5 points per game. He thrived so much, that Twitter even argued he’s too good to be there.

The Lakers’ second game was on Sunday, July 8, against the Chicago Bulls.

Wagner once again displayed how eager he is to be on the court. Currently, he is averaging the second highest minutes played per game, at 26.5. Additionally he further showed his athleticism and awareness on the court. He collected three blocks and two steals, as well as hitting fade-away jumpers and throwing down thunderous dunks. Like most rookies though, he will need to bulk up to match up better on defense

Svi and Alex Caruso showed up to score as well. Despite different years of experience, they both showed their ability to get available. Quickness gave them the advantage too, with their constant catch and shoot method. Get them the ball and they score. Fans may not be able to pronounce Svi’s last name, but that didn’t stop them from chanting for him.

Next: 3 Reasons the Rondo signing was smart

While LeBron James has yet to show up to Summer League, Josh Hart sure proved his worth.  Helping the Lakers get their second win, he scored 19 points. Their next game is Tuesday, July 10, but it might be time to let the star rest.

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