Starting 5: Summer League semis spots decided today

And just like that, NBA Summer League tips off its final day of pool play today — with 12 teams still in the mix for Saturday’s two semifinals.

Tap here for the latest standings.

5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀

Semis Take Shape: Spurs, Suns grab inside track for final Vegas Playoff spots with one day remaining

Next In Line: Celtics, Magic win to keep pace in race to Semis, just outside top-4

Wednesday Roundup: Last night’s standout play from Nate Ament, summer Wolves and more

Desert Unbeatens: Lakers & Hawks eye 4-0 pool play finishes today, plus two more Semis seeds open

2026 Nike Peach Jam: The next wave of stars are showing out in South Carolina

BUT FIRST … ⏰

Thursday’s seven-game slate wraps up NBA Summer League pool play, with all four tickets to Saturday’s Semifinals still up for grabs.

Giannis Introduced In Miami: Giannis Antetokounmpo will be formally introduced as a member of the Heat today at his introductory press conference (3 ET, NBA App/NBA.com).

WNBA All-Star Draft: The 2026 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game rosters are set after Hall of Famers Cynthia Cooper and Teresa Weatherspoon drafted their teams Wednesday. The WNBA All-Star Game tips off Sunday, July 25 in Chicago (8:30 ET, ABC).

HOF Presenters: The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame has announced the list of Hall of Famers who will present the Class of 2026 at the Enshrinement Ceremony on Saturday, August 15.

ESPY Awards: The hoops world was well-represented at Wednesday night’s ceremony, with Jalen Brunson sweeping three awards, the Knicks winning Best Team and A’ja Wilson taking home Best Athlete – Women’s Sports and Best WNBA Player.

Stephen Curry was honored with the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award, while the late NBA legend Jason Collins was honored with the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage.

1. SPURS & SUNS MOVE CLOSER TO PLAYOFF SPOTS WITH ONE DAY LEFT

With the Summer League playoffs two days away, and two teams (L.A. & Atlanta) undefeated at 3-0, two 3-1 teams both just took big steps toward locking up spots in the semis.

Here’s how the Spurs and Suns stayed in position for a seat in Saturday’s semifinal action — among a four-team pack of 3-1 squads.

Need a refresher on how Summer League Playoff tiebreakers work? In short, if more than two teams are tied, point differential is the decider. Tap here for more.

Spurs 94, Jazz 82: No. 42 overall pick Ja’Kobi Gillespie led all scorers with 25 points to help San Antonio push past Darryn Peterson (15 pts) and the Jazz. The Spurs settled a game of seven ties with a 15-4 surge to close the 3rd and stay up for good. | Recap

• “Lee! Lee! Lee!”: San Antonio’s Hyunjung Lee piled up 22 points off the bench, sinking four 3s to get the crowd chanting his name
• In The Hunt: The Spurs (3-1) played their way into the standings’ top 4, in line for a Playoff matchup with one day of pool play remaining today

Suns 100, Pistons 88: Phoenix opened and closed with lockdown defense, holding Detroit under 15 points in both the 1st and 4th quarters, including a 9-0 closeout over the final 2:30. Offensively, the Suns shot 51.5% overall.

Khaman Maluach, a 2025 top-10 pick, led the Suns (23 pts, 15 reb) and was backed up by fellow returner Rasheer Fleming (22 pts, 8 reb, 4 3s) and rookie Koa Peat (19 pts). Brice Williams (24 pts) paced Detroit, with 16 more from No. 17 pick Ebuka Okorie. | Recap

The Suns (3-1) finish pool play in 4th place, eyeing one of two Playoff matchups this weekend. Six teams in action Thursday are within reach of Phoenix’s spot, based on point differential

• Knocking At The Door: Six other 2-1 teams – the Nets, Rockets, Warriors, Grizzlies, Nuggets and Raptors – can jump into the playoff mix as they finish pool play today
• Packing The Plus: Four of those teams already have strong enough point differentials to jump past both the Spurs and Suns, if they can claim a third win

2. CELTICS, MAGIC KEEP PACE IN VEGAS RACE, NEED HELP THURSDAY

Jase Richardson added another huge slam to the family highlight reel Wednesday night – amid a scoring clinic.

Magic 99, 76ers 92: Richardson dropped 25 points on 10-of-15 shooting, including a ridiculous spinning reverse finish and a high-flying jam, as the Magic held off Labaran Philon Jr. (15 pts, 6 reb, 6 ast) and the Sixers. | Recap

• Sophomore Steps: Richardson, the No. 25 pick in 2025, has averaged 18.3 points and 4.7 assists in three Vegas outings
• Where Orlando Stands: The Magic closed pool play at 3-1 with a +1.8 point differential, putting them in 6th place entering Thursday

Celtics 82, Kings 76: After Sacramento took a 2-0 lead, Boston held its opponent scoreless for over six minutes, keeping the Kings to 4 1st-quarter points to stay ahead for good. Hugo González’s (10 reb, 5 ast) game-high 24 points helped the C’s survive the Kings’ late charge. | Recap

• Last-Ditch Effort: No. 29 overall pick Alex Karaban (21 pts, 8 reb, 5 3s) caught fire for 9 points in the Kings’ 17-3 run late in the 4th, but Boston recovered with a 5-1 closeout in the final 30 seconds
• Next In Line: Like Orlando, Boston (3-1) finishes pool play just outside the top-4 for a Playoff seat with a +2.3 average point differential, needing help Thursday to break in | Full NBA Summer League standings

3. ROUNDUP: NATE AMENT, PAIR OF WOLVES STANDOUT WEDNESDAY

Clippers 108, Wizards 94: Without top-pick AJ Dybantsa or No. 5 pick Keaton Wagler, LA returner Kobe Sanders poured in a game-high 26 points to lead six Clippers in double figures, separating from Seth Trimble (24 pts) and Washington for good with a 26-14 close to the 3rd. | Recap

• “Give him a contract! He’s gotta be the smartest rookie right now.” – Kenny “The Jet” Smith stopped by the ESPN broadcast and was impressed with Sanders’ buzzer-beater IQ
• Shooting Support: Second-round pick Nick Martinelli splashed 19 points on 3-of-3 3FG for the Clippers

Cavaliers 82, Pelicans 77: Three-year vet Malaki Branham scored 14 of his game-high 23 points in the 4th, capped by four clutch free throws in the closing seconds to propel the Cavs past Markquis Nowell (20 pts) and the Pels.

Cavs rookie Meleek Thomas, posting a Vegas-best 28.3 ppg, got the night off as Cleveland improved to 2-2. | Recap

Wolves 114, Pacers 98: Isaiah Evans, this year’s No. 33 pick out of Duke, popped with 22 points, while Zyon Pullin added a game-high 23, and Enrique Freeman (14 pts, 11 reb) added a double-double, leading Minnesota (2-2) past Jalen Slawson (20 pts, 9 reb) and Indy. | Recap

• “That Was Nasty!”: Jaylin Williams turned a rip steal into a vicious transition slam just before halftime

Bucks 110, Hornets 91: No. 13 overall pick Nate Ament (23 pts, 6 reb) led a deep Milwaukee attack to its first win in Vegas, with eight players reaching double figures, to overpower No. 14 pick Hannes Steinbach’s 27-point, 15-board performance. | Recap

• Run Eraser: After Charlotte made it a 1-point game with a 16-2 run in the 3rd (63-62), Milwaukee responded with their own 16-2 quarter closeout and stayed ahead by double digits the rest of the way
• Names To Know: Ament was one of six players to catch NBA.com’s Steve Aschburner’s eye Wednesday, as the standout players from Day 7 in Vegas

4. TODAY: LAKERS & HAWKS AIM TO GO 4-0, MORE TEAMS EYE SEMIS

After both the Lakers and Hawks went 2-1 in the Cali Classic and Salt Lake City, respectively, the desert’s only unbeaten teams can complete clean sweeps of NBA Summer League pool play today.

The Lakers can reach 4-0 with a victory over the Bulls (6 ET, Prime) and punch their ticket to Saturday’s Semifinals (6:30, 8:30 ET).

• Instant Impact: Cameron Carr, the No. 24 overall pick in this year’s draft, has driven Los Angeles with 20.5 points per game on a 48.4% field-goal percentage
• Big Foe: The 6-foot-5 guard out of Baylor could hit the hardwood opposite Caleb Wilson, who was drafted No. 4 and is averaging 24.3 ppg and 7 rpg through three games
• Lake Show Cast: Rounding out the Lakers’ top-three scorers are former Texas forward Arthur Kaluma (22.3 ppg) and former Arkansas guard Adou Thiero (16 ppg)

Atlanta must defeat Memphis — which is in the Playoff chase — to reach 4-0 (8 ET, Prime). The Hawks (like the Lakers) are win-and-in and are hunting the best record in Vegas.

• Something’s Bruin: UCLA product Kobe Johnson has averaged 19.3 ppg for the Hawks in Vegas. He dropped a 30-piece off the bench Monday in a 102-90 defeat of Boston
• Lotto Action: Lottery picks Cameron Boozer (18.7 ppg, 7 rpg) and Kingston Flemings (7 ppg, 6.5 apg), who were selected at No. 3 and No. 8, respectively, meet for the first time in Summer League
• Ready To Roar? The Grizzlies remain in Playoff contention with a 2-1 record, having beaten the Bulls, 97-96, and the Warriors, 106-85

The Nets can reach 3-1 with a victory over the Rockets (4:30 ET, ESPNU), and the Nuggets can do the same against the Trail Blazers (10 ET, Prime).

• Mavericks vs. Thunder (4 ET, Prime)
• Warriors vs. Knicks (7 ET, ESPN2)
• Raptors vs. Heat (9 ET, ESPN2)

5. 2026 NIKE EYBL PEACH JAM: THE NEXT GENERATION OF HOOPERS

The 2026 Nike EYBL Peach Jam is underway in North Augusta, S.C., where some of the nation’s top high school hoopers are taking center stage, with games streaming live on the NBA App, NBA.com, NBA YouTube and NBA TV.

One of the premier events on the high school hoops calendar, Peach Jam has long served as a proving ground for future NBA talent, with countless stars making their mark before reaching the league.

• Future Stars: Before they became 2026 NBA Draft picks, AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer, Caleb Wilson and Brayden Burries all turned heads at Peach Jam – as did reigning Kia Rookie of the Year, Cooper Flagg
• Then & Now: Wonder what their games looked like before the NBA? Jerry Jiang revisits the Peach Jam performances that showcased their talent against the nation’s best

Now, a new wave of prospects is looking to follow in their footsteps, and the highlights have come in bunches.

• Five-Star Showing: AJ Williams, ESPN’s No. 1-ranked recruit in the Class of 2028, lived up to the billing on Wednesday, dropping 32 points to lead Team CP3 to victory
• Monster Poster: Watch Paul George Elite’s Damarian Landry cock it back and throw down a vicious one-handed hammer
• Rebel Eruption: See Cayden Daughtry split the double and somehow finish through contact amid a 27-point 1st half for the Florida Rebels

Don’t Miss Out: Pool play continues through Friday before the single-elimination Playoffs tip off Saturday, culminating with the Peach Jam championship on Sunday.

Follow the action on the NBA App, NBA.com, NBA YouTube and NBA TV.

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