Grizzlies win again; ex-UNLV guard Beck starts

Griz stay undefeated

Hasheem Thabeet may not be setting the world on fire at the NBA Summer League, but his team sure is playing well.

The Memphis Grizzlies are 4-0 after routing Phoenix 97-60 in Cox Pavilion and they’re doing it with minimal contributions from the 7-foot-3-inch center from Connecticut who was taken as the No. 2 overall pick in last month’s draft.

Thabeet had his best game so far, scoring 10 points and grabbing seven rebounds against the Suns, who are 2-2.

Marcus Williams has played well for the Griz in Vegas as the former UConn star had 11 points and nine assists. Jeff Adrien, who was Thabeet’s UConn teammate this year, also had 11 points off the bench.

Thabeet may be tired as he has been going nonstop since Memphis took him in late June. But he fought through the fatigue today, which had to put a smile on coach Lionel Hollins’ face as he watched from the baseline in the Cox.

Blake Griffin update

Over in the Thomas & Mack, Blake Griffin and the Clippers were in a battle with the Washington Wizards as the rookie forward was getting lots of attention.

Griffin took a hard foul from Ja’Vale McGhee late in the first quarter and the former UNR center was hit with a flagrant 1 foul call, meaning Griffin got a pair of free throws and the Clippers retained possession. But Griffin bricked his free throws. He’s shooting 47 percent from the line this week and that’s something he will have to address during the summer and into the fall. If he intends to play physical, which the Clippers certainly want, he’s going to find himself on the foul line a lot. And if he’s going to the line a lot, he needs to make his free throws.

With 5:49 left in the fourth quarter, the Wizards led 62-51. We’ll let you know how Griffin finished shortly.

Beck starts for Spurs

Hey, at least one former Mountain West guy is representing. That would be Romel Beck, the former UNLV guard who started for San Antonio against Portland in today’s final game in the Cox and has played well for the Spurs this week.

Beck has averaged 11 points through three games. But even if he keeps it up, it may not be enough for him to get an invitation to the Spurs’ fall camp. The problem is San Antonio has too many wing players and he would get caught in a numbers game he couldn’t win.

Still, he might latch on with someone else. That’s what the summer league is all about — creating opportunity.