NBA Summer League recap: Warriors fall to Wolves 78-76 in double overtime

Jordan Bell has been drawing comparisons to Draymond Green since before he was drafted and tonight he put up a line that will only accelerate those comparisons.

Bell finished with a well-rounded line of a team-high 11 rebounds, 6 blocks, 5 steals, 5 assists, and 5 points in the Golden State Warriors’ 78-76 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in their third preliminary game of 2017 Las Vegas Summer League.

With the loss, the Warriors fell to 0-3. But that’s not a bad outing for a rookie drafted in the second round and acquired for cash considerations (one day I’d love to track what the Chicago Bulls do with that money).

According to ESPN NBA commentator Alvaro Martin, the Las Vegas Summer League individual record for blocks in a game was seven entering the game (set by an undrafted player who fought his way onto a NBA roster named Kent Bazemore). With six blocks, Bell is now second on that list with an impressive performance tonight. With his impressive line, Bell was a +27 on the night.

Bell had company at this block party as Damian Jones contributed another 3 blocks — all in the first half — and numerous challenges to go along with 9 points, including 5-for-5 shooting from the free throw line. Numbers aside, Jones was far more energetic than we’ve seen from him in previous games and more consistently engaged play to play. He still only had four rebounds — not a lot for a man his size — but what doesn’t show up, is his much more impressive rotations and energy overall.

Unfortunately, the Warriors failed to close out the game in regulation, which led to a sudden death overtime and tough loss.

Patrick McCaw had a chance to put the Warriors up by four with 15 seconds left, but blew two free throws after taking a tough foul in the final minute. After the Wolves tied it with a few seconds left, McCaw was unable to create a clear shot as time ran out on regulation.

McCaw did have another decent scoring game overall as he had 20 points on 7-for-15 shooting, including 3-for-7 from the 3-point line. But he only scored four points on 2-for-6 shooting in the first half and finished the game with four turnovers. Numbers aside, McCaw’s continued aggression and ability to make plays is still a positive that the Warriors can build on developmentally.

With the loss and 0-3 record, the Warriors will begin tournament play tomorrow.