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Heat win NBA Summer League championship over Grizzlies and Scotty Pippen Jr.'s 29 points

Josh Christopher scored 24 for Miami and was named Summer League MVP

ian casselberry
Contributing writer
·2 min read
28

Pelle Larsson hit a floater in overtime, leading the Miami Heat to a 120–118 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA Summer League championship. Under Summer League rules, the first team to score seven points in overtime wins. Miami outscored Memphis, 7–5, in the extra period.

Josh Christopher led the Heat with 24 points, hitting six 3-pointers. He was named Summer League MVP after averaging 19.3 points while Miami finished 6–0. Alondes Williams and Kel'el Ware each added 20 points, with Cole Swider scoring 19 and Larsson finishing with 16.

Before the final game, Ware was named to the All-Summer League first team, averaging 18 points and 8.3 rebounds per contest.

Christopher is attempting to win a spot on the Heat's roster after playing on the Utah Jazz's G League squad last season. He was the Houston Rockets' 2021 first-round draft pick (No. 24 overall) out of Arizona State and played two seasons with the team.

The Grizzlies were led by Jake LaRavia's 32 points and six rebounds, while Scotty Pippen Jr. continued a breakout performance during the 11-day showcase with 29 points, 11 assists, five rebounds and four steals. GG Jackson II added 28 points and nine rebounds for Memphis, who finished Summer League play with a 5–1 record.

Pippen and Jackson joined Ware on the All-Summer League first team, along with the Rockets' Reed Sheppard and Jordan Miller of the Los Angeles Clippers.

Based on his Summer League showing of 21.5 points and 8.6 assists per game, Pippen appears to be playing himself into a regular roster spot. His standout performance was in the semifinals on Sunday versus the Clippers, during which he compiled a triple-double of 23 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.

Pippen, 23, is the son of Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen. He's going into his second season with Memphis. Originally signing with the Los Angeles Lakers out of Vanderbilt, he joined the Grizzlies on a two-way contract. In 21 games (starting 16), he averaged 12.9 points, 3.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists last season. Pippen also hit 42% of his 72 3-point attempts.