NBA announces summer schedule
With the NBA Draft less than 72 hours away, many of those who will meet commissioner David Stern on Thursday in New York can start packing for a trip to Las Vegas next month.
The NBA Summer League's schedule was unveiled for this year's event, set for July 10 to 19 at Cox Pavilion and the Thomas & Mack Center. Twenty-one NBA teams are participating, including the world champion Los Angeles Lakers and their crosstown rivals, the Clippers, who own the No. 1 pick for Thursday's draft and are expected to select Oklahoma's Blake Griffin.
Also, Memphis, which has the No. 2 pick, and Oklahoma City, scheduled to select third, are participating in Las Vegas.
Filling out the field are Cleveland, Detroit, Sacramento, Golden State, Denver, Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, New York, Minnesota, Washington, Phoenix, Portland, Chicago, New Orleans, Milwaukee and Toronto.
Along with the NBA teams, a unit of NBA Development League players will participate for the first time. In 2007, the Chinese National Team played in Las Vegas and went 1-4.
This will be the third year the league has utilized Cox and the Thomas & Mack. As in the past, the first three days will consist of four-game blocks at Cox, with play on both courts beginning July 13.
The biggest day will be July 18, with seven games on the schedule, including three at the Thomas & Mack.
The summer league is maintaining its all-inclusive, pay-one-price policy for 2009. A daily adult general admission ticket is $25 and is good for all games that day. Seniors and children ages 3 to 12 are admitted for $15. Children 2 and under are free.
Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913.
