Undrafted Dylan Ennis drops 35 for Warriors in Vegas
Dylan Ennis went undrafted last month, but the Oregon product was the recipient of “MVP” chants from the crowd in Las Vegas on Friday. Ennis was nearly unstoppable as he scored 35 points during the Golden State Warriors’ 109-100 NBA Summer League victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.
“Being undrafted, you take it personal,” Ennis told NBA TV. Teammates waved towels at the end of the game to cool down Ennis, whose career high at Oregon was 22 points. Ennis, who played for the Thunder in the Orlando Summer League before joining the Warriors in Las Vegas, poured in 23 points in 12 first-half minutes, including six of his eight 3-pointers. He previously had 21 points over five games in Las Vegas.
“Just don’t think about it,” Ennis said. “It touches your hand, you put it up and the rim looks like the ocean ... I’ll probably never hear (the ‘MVP’ chants) again in my career.” Ennis’ 3pointer with 1:11 remaining gave the Warriors a 105-97 lead that put the game away.
Bryce Alford, undrafted out of UCLA, finished with 16 points. Jaron Johnson scored 18 for the Clippers while 2016 first-round pick Brice Johnson and Jawun Evans had 17 apiece.
Teams still alive in tournament play had Friday off. The quarterfinal round begins Saturday with Portland playing San Antonio, Miami facing Memphis, Dallas against Boston and the Lakers meeting Brooklyn.
HAWKS 92, ROCKETS 86
Trent Lockett scored 17 points on 50 percent shooting, and the Hawks used a 34-22 fourth quarter to rally to victory. Maryland product Diamond Stone and Bryce Cotton added 12 apiece off the bench. The Rockets’ rookie from Georgetown, L.J. Peak, scored 19 points on 6 of 8 shooting off the bench. Chris Johnson chipped in 17 points, including five 3-pointers, as he tries to get back in the league after playing 147 NBA games from 2012-2016. He spent last season in what was then known as the NBA Development League.
TIMBERWOLVES 80, WIZARDS 73
Matt Costello blocked a would-be dunk by Michael Young with 59.9 seconds remaining to seal the Timberwolves’ comeback win over the Wizards. Costello, who was undrafted out of Michigan State in 2016 and played in the DLeague, had a team-high 14 points and 11 rebounds. “Just trying to make winning plays,” Costello said on NBA TV. “That’s all it was. I know I’m not the best scorer in the world, so I have to make it up in other different areas.” Charles Cooke scored 13, Perry Ellis added 12 and Marcus Paige finished with 11 for Minnesota, which outscored Washington 41-22 in the second half.
Danuel House led the Wizards with 13 points. Marcus Keene, a 5-foot-9 guard from Central Michigan, added 12 off the bench.
JAZZ 97, BUCKS 76
Tony Bradley scored 19 points and the Jazz easily won their first game of the Las Vegas session after four straight losses. Bradley, Utah’s No. 28 overall pick from North Carolina, added eight rebounds and two blocks in his best game of the summer. James Southerland scored 16 for the Jazz. Donovan Mitchell, the No. 13 pick who has dazzled this summer, did not play. Stephen Zimmerman, Gary Payton II and Travis Trice II led the Bucks with 12 apiece. The No. 17 overall pick from Michigan, D.J. Wilson, managed just eight on 3 for 10 shooting. Thon Maker, last year’s No. 10 pick, sat out. —AP