What? You mean I’m the only one who counts down the days until Orlando Summer League?
Okay, okay. Nets basketball hasn’t officially returned yet, but there is still a lot about this game to get excited about. For one, it’s Jason Kidd’s first ever game as a head coach. Let that sink in for a second. Today, I had the moment of ‘holy wow, our coach has literally never coached a game before.’ And that is just crazy.
It’s going to be interesting to see Kidd on the sidelines. He’s said in his opening press conference and in interviews since that he isn’t going to be the sideline-pacing nervous ref-yelling coach. He’ll be low-key and laid back. To be honest, I don’t even know what that’s going to look like. I’ve never seen a coach not get upset. Who knows if Kidd can pull it off?
Second, the Nets have a pretty interesting group of guys on their Summer League roster. According to Hoops World, their roster will feature current Nets Tyshawn Taylor, Tornike Shengelia and Mason Plumlee (who will be likely starters, but is not confirmed yet). Damion James is also on the roster, notable for being on the Nets like fifteen times already.
The roster will also feature the following group of hodgepodge D-Leaguers and other dudes:
Keith Benson, center – Eerie D-League
Jamelle Hagins, forward – Delaware
Matt Janning, guard – Montepaschi Siena
David Lighty, center – JSF Nanterre
Dominique Sutton, guard – Tulsa D-League
Carleton Scott, forward – Springfield D-League
Kashif Watson, guard – Windsor Express
Chris Wright, guard – Capitanes de Arecibo
Wright is notable for being the first NBA player with multiple sclerosis. Fun fact, I guess.
Rule Changes
Okay, now let’s welcome Will Rausch to the post to talk about some of the rule changes happening in this years Summer League. Will, take it away:
In addition to this being Jason Kidd’s debut as Nets coach, the 2013 Orlando Summer League will be featuring a one day playoff, dubbed “Championship Day,” for the first time in the event’s history.
The format and seeding for Championship Day are a little screwy, which you might expect from a tournament held in an NBA practice facility in the middle of summer.
Each of the 12 teams will play four games over the first five days of the event (July 7-11). In each game, a team can earn up to seven ponts; 3 points for winning the game, and a point for winning each of the four quarters. In the event that the teams tie a quarter, each team will receive half (0.5) a point.
At the end of the five days, the top ten teams will be seeded 1-10 by the points they have accrued in the first five days. On Championship Day, July 12, the top two teams will play each other for the coveted 2013 Orlando Summer League Crown and inevitable locker room t-shirt that NBA.com will promote via e-mail less than five minutes after the end of the game.
The championship game will be at noon on July 12, preceded by the 6/5 and 4/3 match-ups and followed by the 8/7 and 10/9 games.
The tiebreakers for seeing purposes are as follows: total point differential and total points allowed. A coin flip will serve as the third tiebreaker.
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Anyway, be sure to tune in and check out J-Kidd’s debut and all that jazz. Ben Nadeau will be on coverage for the game, so be sure to follow him on Twitter (@bennyflyz) for updates if you, like me, don’t have NBATV or want some additional analysis during the game.
Enjoy.
