Magic remain winless at Las Vegas summer league, but luckily results aren’t the primary objective | Analysis
The Orlando Magic are winless at Las Vegas summer league after Thursday’s loss to the Portland Trail Blazers.
The good news is that these are just summer league results.
Dexter Dennis had 16 points to lead the Magic (0-4). Orlando’s first-round picks Anthony Black (6th overall) and Jett Howard (11th) did not play.
Michael Devoe scored 18 points, Jabari Walker had a double-double and Portland dominated 88-71.
Devoe hit a pair of 3-pointers and grabbed 6 rebounds for the Trail Blazers (3-1). Walker finished with 12 points and 10 boards. First-rounder Kris Murray added 9 points in a start. Second-round pick Rayan Rupert had 4 points and a game-high 12 rebounds off the bench. The Trail Blazers shut down Scoot Henderson, the third overall pick this year, after he injured his shoulder in the opener.
Shaedon Sharp scored all of his 12 points in the first half to lead Portland to a 45-19 lead at intermission. Orlando shot 16% from the floor before halftime, making only 1 of 18 shots from 3 (5.6%).
What do these numbers have to do with reality on the ground when training camp starts in September?
Nothing.
Last year, Portland, Toronto and Chicago finished 4-1 after the preliminary games in Las Vegas and were 1-2-3 in the 30-team standings.
When the results actually counted for the 2022-23 regular season that followed, none qualified to compete in the playoffs. The Blazers, who won the summer league “championship,” placed 13th out of 15 teams in the West.
Meanwhile, the Miami Heat, which finished 19th in Las Vegas in 2022, won the East and made the NBA finals. They lost the actual championship the Denver Nuggets, who placed 27th in summer league standings, in five games.
Recent “champions” in Las Vegas include the Sacramento Kings, Memphis Grizzlies and Portland (2018).
It’s about development, trying to spot invitees for training camp, potential two-way players (Magic have two spots open), free-agent steals or names to keep tabs on for the future, networking and camaraderie.
While everyone wants to win, offseason “wins” don’t really count for much.
The Magic will wrap up play Saturday vs. the Boston Celtics (NBATV, 6:30).
