At the California Classic, the Los Angeles Lakers’ first summer game was a 107–90 loss to the Miami Heat. They will play the San Antonio Spurs (without Victor Wembanyama) on Wednesday before leaving for Las Vegas on Friday to start the NBA 2K24 Summer League.
“I told a lot of our young players that it was their first game, and that’s true. “There will be some bumps and bruises,” said JD DuBois, the summer head coach for the Lakers. “The process stays the same whether you win or lose. From the first half to the second, we did better. Now, from game one to game two, we can get better.”=
Even though they lost, players like Max Christie, 2023 first-round pick Jalen Hood-Schifino, and center Colin Castleton showed amazing moments of skill.
Here are a few things to remember from Monday’s game in Sacramento at the Golden 1 Center.
Max Christie
Christie had 17 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists to lead the Lakers. He was 6 for 11 from the field. He looked like the most experienced player on the court, and he scored easily from all three levels: close to the basket, step-back jumps, midrange moves, moves off the dribble, and a 3-pointer.
Christie should be one of the best players in Vegas as he works to become a regular player for the Lakers.
Jalen Hood-Schifino
Hood-Schifino only made six of his 19 shots from the field, but he still ended up with 15 points and four assists (he started to get going in the third quarter). His size, ability to do many things, and intelligence were clear. The 20-year-old is 6’17 and weighs 215 pounds. The Lakers mostly see him as a point guard, and it was easy to see why. He has a good grip and a natural sense of how fast to go. He knows how to use different moves and speeds to get past the defenders and make plays. He showed off his strong float game and made a few difficult takes to the cup. On defense, his lateral speed is still a question mark. He had trouble staying in front of players.
Maxwell Lewis, who was in the same draft class as Hood-Schifino, had a quiet first game. He went 2-for-4 from the field. Castleton was easy for him to find. I think we’ll see a lot of Lewis’ big-time bounce and sharpshooting during Summer League, especially in Vegas, where he lives.