NBA Summer League scores 2017: 3 winners from a stacked Friday night

NBA basketball continued on Friday with a six-game slate of Summer League hoops, and some of the players you least expected had standout nights to help their chances at cracking the rotation come the regular season.

The biggest surprise of all was Lonzo Ball, the Los Angeles Lakers’ highly touted No. 2 pick who only scored 5 points on 2-of-15 shooting. Ball showed the court vision and pinpoint accuracy he hangs his hat on, finding Brandon Ingram for an alley-oop on the game’s very first play. But an uncharacteristically poor shooting night underscored an otherwise solid NBA debut.

Instead, guys like the Clippers’ late picks Brice Johnson and Sindarius Thornwell had impressive showings. Cleveland cruised to a 29-point victory over the Bucks, and several of the Kings’ promising young players showed why the franchise could finally be headed in the right direction in the post-DeMarcus Cousins era.

Regardless, only three parties came away clear winners on Friday night. In case you were out partying, fell asleep, or just flat-out forgot basketball was a go, this is for you:

The Kings lost their Summer League opener against the Phoenix Suns, but De’Aaron Fox shined through defeat, showing why his name belonged next to Ball and Markelle Fultz as the top point guards in the 2017 draft class.

These four plays are all you need to see:

Fox ultimately finished with 18 points on 7-of-16 shooting, along with five steals and four assists. Mama, there goes that man.

Lonzo Ball was the headliner of the Lakers-Clippers showdown, but Brice Johnson stole the show after he spun off the No. 2 pick and posterized two defenders in one play.

Johnson scored 23 points on 10-of-15 shooting to lead the Clippers to a three-point win over the favored Lakers. He had some help, too.

Rookie Sindarius Thornwell got to the line 18 times, making 14 of his attempts, to finish with a game-high 26 points. Patrick Beverley approved, so he must be in good company.

Brandon Ingram scored 26 points in the Lakers’ overtime loss to the Clippers, but he nearly got injured on the last play of regulation when he landed awkwardly on his right leg. That prompted team president Magic Johnson to shut it down with no exceptions.

Here at SB Nation, we like to have fun with situations like these. For example:

:)

LAL: Lonzo Ball — 5 points (2-of-15 shooting), 5 assists, 2 steals; Brandon Ingram — 26 points (9-of-17 shooting), 3 steals, 2 blocks

LAC: Sindarius Thornwell — 26 points (6-of-13 FG, 14-of-18 FT); Brice Johnson — 23 points (10-of-15 FG), 7 rebounds, 3 blocks, 2 steals

HOU: Troy Williams — 29 points (8-of-15 FG, 4-of-7 3PT)
DEN: Malik Beasley — 29 points (12-of-30 FG), 6 rebounds, 7 fouls

BKN: Archie Goodwin — 14 points (6-of-10 FG), 6 rebounds
ATL: DeAndre’ Bembry — 22 points (10-of-18 FG), 4 rebounds, plus-20

CLE: Edy Tavares — 12 points (4-of-6 FG), 8 rebounds
MIL: Rashad Vaughn — 12 points (5-of-9 FG)

TOR: Kennedy Meeks — 15 points (7-of-13 FG), 9 rebounds; Fred VanVleet — 18 points (7-of-15 SG), 9 assists, 2 steals
NOP: Cheick Diallo — 27 points (11-of-18 FG), 10 rebounds

PHX: Marquese Chriss — 19 points (5-of-17 FG), 9 rebounds; Josh Jackson — 18 points, (6-of-17 FG),
SAC: De’Aaron Fox — 18 points (7-of-16 FG), 5 steals, 4 assists; Justin Jackson — 18 points (7-of-11 FG, 2-of-4 3PT); Jack Cooley — 11 points (4-of-5 FG), 10 rebounds