ORLANDO -- Jared Sullinger scored 20 points off the bench for the Boston Celtics, leading them to a 73-65 win against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second game of Orlando Pro Summer League action.
Orlando Pro Summer League: Jared Sullinger Dazzles For Boston In 73-65 Win Over OKC
Star player: Sullinger showed the brilliant offensive game that helped make him a projected lottery pick prior to the 2011 Draft. His stock plummeted in his second season at Ohio State, but NBA experts lauded the Celtics for scooping him up with the 20th overall pick in 2012. In just 24 minutes, Sullinger scored a game-best 20 points, and he did so efficiently: 6-of-12 from the field and 7-of-7 from the foul line. He scored the Celtics’ final six points of the third quarter, which proved crucial: the Thunder knocked just one point off Boston’s lead in the period as a result.
The biggest question with Sullinger is if he’ll be able to dominate the post at the NBA level as he did in the NCAA, and on Monday afternoon.
Honorable mention: Third-year forward Lazar Hayward missed his first seven shots from the floor, but rebounded in the second half to finish with 18 points on 4-of-14 shooting. Hayward's drives to the rim weren't always pretty, but the former Marquette standout managed to sink some layups in traffic and, more importantly, draw fouls.
Disappointing player: Cole Aldrich, a former lottery pick, failed to impress for Oklahoma City. Starting at center, the third-year pro missed all four of his shots, committed three turnovers, and recorded just one blocked shot. His rebounding--seven in 31 minutes--is barely acceptable for a seven-footer. It's not hard to understand why he's made just 44 NBA appearances across his two seasons. He'll turn 24 before the season starts and needs to improve on both sides of the ball, dramatically, if he's to stick in the NBA.
Dishonorable mention: The Thunder's three-man reserve unit of Ryan Reid, Morris Almond, and Dwight Buycks missed nine of its 12 shots and scored six points, with five turnovers and no assists. Summer-league rosters aren't typically deep with talent, but the Thunder will need much more from their bench going forward.
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