The Cavaliers defeat the Rockets, 99-78, to win the NBA 2K24 Summer League championship trophy in Las Vegas.
The Cleveland Cavaliers’ trio of Isaiah Mobley, Emoni Bates and Sam Merrill were only five points shy of outscoring the Houston Rockets in the NBA 2K24 Summer League final. Mobley took home the Summer League championship MVP honors, Bates turned heads with his consistent scoring and Merrill continued his hot shooting. Nate Hinton was a bright spot for the Houston Rockets, notching team highs of 18 points and 10 rebounds.
Emoni Bates, Cleveland Cavaliers
Emoni Bates scored 19 points in championship.
Bates was a steady force for the undefeated Cavaliers, dropping 19 points, five rebounds and four assists on 46.2% shooting. Bates scored double-digits every game he played in Vegas and finished averaging 18.1 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, which propelled him to be named second-team All-Summer League.
Send it to the stands.🗣️@CaesarsSports | #Ad | #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/mmTx72zgCW
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) July 18, 2023
The 6-foot-9 swingman has been in the public eye since becoming the first sophomore to be named Gatorade’s Boys High School Player of the Year. After reclassifying to enter college hoops early, it took some time for the former Eastern Michigan star to find his groove. After an impressive showing for the NBA 2K24 Summer League champions, the 19-year-old may be set up for a fruitful NBA career.
Isaiah Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers
Isaiah Mobley delivered 28 points against the Rockets.
Mobley dropped a game-high 28 points and also added 11 rebounds, two blocks and two steals. The Cavaliers’ big man set the tone in the first period, scoring 11 quick points to give Cleveland a 14-point lead going into the second quarter. Aside from that, he finished the title game with a 12-for-20 (60%) shooting performance.
Just toss it up to him‼️@CaesarsSports | #Ad | #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/r5bkP1IWYd
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) July 18, 2023
The Summer League championship game MVP put on a great showing and averaged 22.9 ppg, 9.7 rpg and 3.8 apg on 55% shooting in Vegas. Mobley will waste no time after his successful campaign, as he plans to jump right back into offseason workouts with his younger brother: Cavs star forward Evan Mobley.
Sam Merrill, Cleveland Cavaliers
Merrill proved to be the best shooter in the 2024 Vegas run. In the final, Merrill tallied 27 points and four rebounds while shooting 57% overall and went 6-for-12 on 3-pointers. The former Utah State star totaled 25 3-pointers during his time in Vegas, the highest for any player since 2017.
Sam's FIFTH triple of the game.🔥@CaesarsSports | #Ad | #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/b0NF3wHDAt
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) July 18, 2023
Give the importance of 3-point shooting in the NBA, the Cavaliers’ guard could spark several teams’ interest as they look for a deadeye shooter to complement their roster.
Nate Hinton, Houston Rockets
Nate Hinton generated 18 points against the Cleveland Cavaliers
Hinton was a spark for the Rockets and finished with a double-double (18 points, 10 rebounds). He continued his excellent form after a 27-point performance in the semifinals against the Utah Jazz. Despite the loss, the former Houston Cougars star showed consistency on both sides of the floor with eight steals over his last two games.
