The Clippers impressed the new guy Saturday in their Summer League opener, a 94-76 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies at Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, where recent addition John Wall was among the attendees.
“They’ve been around the team, they know how they want to work,” Wall said during an interview on NBA TV, noting that he’s been working out with a couple of the Clippers’ Summer Leaguers since agreeing to a two-year, $13.2 million deal with the team.
“It’s kind of an advantage when you have older guys that’s been in the league and played, so that’s good for them,” Wall added. “They’re playing at a high level, they’re playing great.”
Four of the Clippers’ starters scored in double figures in a game they led by as many as 27 points. Starting point guard Jason Preston finished with seven points and six assists in his first meaningful action since a foot injury sidelined him for all of last season.
Second-year Clipper Brandon Boston Jr. had 15 points on 4-for-8 shooting, including going 3 for 5 from 3-point range. Jarrell Brantley added 14 points, Jay Scrubb had 11 and second-round draft pick Moussa Diabate added 10 points and seven rebounds (six offensive). And off the bench, Reggie Perry led the team with 17 points.
Boston Jr.’s former Chatsworth Sierra Canyon High School teammate Ziaire Williams finished with 10 points for the Grizzlies.
And Wall, the five-time All-Star who boasts career averages of 19.1 points and 9.1 assists, he said on TV he’s been working on catch-and-shoot 3s and floaters in preparation for his first season with the Clippers. The dynamic 6-foot-3 guard has played in just 72 regular-season games since 2017-18, though he was healthy last season when the Rockets decided to sit him and focus on developing their young core.
He said he’s eager to get back on the court, competing.
“I love the game, take the money and the fame and all that away and all that and I just love to hoop, have a good time,” he said, noting that the Clippers’ talented roster appealed to him because he won’t have to carry as much of a burden as he has in the past.
“I know with this team, I probably won’t have the ball in my hands as much as I had in my career, but that’s kind of the reason I made this decision, so I don’t have to be Batman every night; I can be Robin and sometimes the third guy. The game should be easy for me, but it’s gonna be a lot of fun and exciting.”
The Clippers’ next Summer League game will be Tuesday against the Lakers (8 p.m., NBA TV).
John Wall on the Clippers: “First class organization, great team, great talent. I think it’s a great place for me to be. I feel like they’re a championship contending team.”
Full interview: pic.twitter.com/cLvK22GkrI
— Justin Russo (@FlyByKnite) July 10, 2022
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