After rookie Amen Thompson (left ankle sprain) and second-year forwards Jabari Smith Jr. and Tari Eason (rest) were ruled out for the rest of the NBA’s 2023 summer league, many analysts assumed the remainder of the Houston Rockets wouldn’t be as formidable.
That logic may have underestimated Houston’s supporting cast, though. Led by rookie Cam Whitmore and two-way players Darius Days and Trevor Hudgins, the summer Rockets are now 5-0 and in Monday’s championship game courtesy of Sunday’s 115-101 win (box score) over Utah (4-1) in the summer-league semifinals.
Whitmore had 25 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocked shots in Sunday’s game on 9-of-17 shooting (52.9%), including 4-of-11 on 3-pointers (36.4%). That was enough to outpace a Utah team led by Micah Potter, who had 20 points and 12 rebounds but on just 8-of-22 shooting (36.4%) and 4-of-17 on 3-pointers (23.5%).
Other Houston players to score in double figures included:
- Nate Hinton: 27 points, 5 rebounds, 5 steals; 9-of-16 shooting (56.3%), 4-of-9 on 3-pointers (44.4%)
- Jermaine Samuels Jr.: 13 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists; 5-of-14 shooting (35.7%), 1-of-5 on 3-pointers (20.0%)
- Trevor Hudgins: 16 points, 9 assists, 5 rebounds; 6-of-13 shooting (46.2%), 4-of-9 on 3-pointers (44.4%)
- Fletcher Magee: 21 points, 5 rebounds; 4-of-7 shooting (57.1%), 3-of-4 on 3-pointers (75.0%), 10-of-10 on free throws
Read on for highlights, postgame interviews with players and coaches, and reaction by fans and media members to Sunday’s game. In Monday’s final, the Rockets will meet the Cleveland Cavaliers, who are also a perfect 5-0 in summer-league play to date.