Reed Sheppard dances past fellow rookie Dalton Knecht with a pair of hesitation dribbles before burying a contested floater in the lane.
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• Rockets 99, Lakers 80: Box Score | Game Detail
LAS VEGAS — The Houston Rockets defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 99-80 on Friday in the 2024 NBA Summer League at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
The Rockets and Lakers played a tight contest in the first quarter, but Houston pulled away in the second period and never looked back. A 28-19 score in the second quarter set the tone for the Rockets, and they would keep their foot on the gas in the second half as well. The Rockets outscored the Lakers by a 26-16 margin in the third quarter, and their biggest lead was 23 points. Houston closed things out with ease in the fourth quarter and cruised to an easy win.
No. 3 overall pick Reed Sheppard led the way for the Rockets with 23 points, five rebounds and four assists. Cam Whitmore, a first-rounder in 2023, finished with 20 points and also chipped in 10 rebounds, four assists and four steals. Nate Williams delivered 17 points and six boards. Orlando Robinson added 11 points coming off the bench.
First-round pick Dalton Knecht was the lone bright spot for the Lakers in the loss, posting 25 points, six rebounds and four assists. Bronny James had a rough shooting performance, ending with eight points but shooting a meager 3-for-14 from the field. Tommy Kuhse posted 11 points and three assists. Colin Castleton had a 10-point, 10-rebound double-double.
