From Dennis Velasco,
Your Guide to Basketball.
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The Detroit Pistons continued their impressive Summer League showing in the second game, downing the Washington Wizards 84-70. Detroit has multiple standout players this summer including Jason Maxiell who scored 21 points in this game and threw down some ferocious dunks. Rookie Arron Afflalo hit 15-of-17 free throws on the way to 21 points himself. Much of the buzz around Detroit surrounds rookie Rodney Stuckey who had a third straight strong showing with 17 points. Nick Young rebounded from a shaky game on Tuesday, displaying copious athleticism and scoring 20.

The Philadelphia 76ers and Phoenix Suns tore the roof off of the gym in a 104-101 contest taken by the Sixers in yet another overtime affair. Though the Suns trailed most of the way they came back in the fourth quarter to take a lead late until the Usual Suspect for Philadelphia, Louis Williams, hit a clutch shot in the final minute to send it into overtime. Williams led the Sixers with 23 points and 5 rebounds. Thaddeus Young added 20 points and 10 rebounds. Rodney Carney scored 19. Alando Tucker made 10 of 19 field goals, scoring 29 to lead his team. Rookie D.J. Strawberry also contributed 19 points and 7 assists.

Kevin Durant left the Seattle SuperSonics’ Vegas team Wednesday to participate in a national awards show and fellow lottery pick Jeff Green sprained his ankle in the first period against the Milwaukee Bucks and sat out the rest of the fifth game of the day. The Bucks took advantage of the short-handed Sonics, prevailing 92-85. Milwaukee big man Noel Felix was an athletic monster, shooting 9-for-12 and scoring 27. Point guard Lynn Greer scored 19 with 7 assists.

The Boston Celtics handed the National Team of China its fourth loss in five games in a blowout, 80-52. One-time NBA journeyman Wang ZhiZhi had a nice showing for the Chinese team, netting 18. Sixth overall pick Yi Jianlian had yet another subpar outing. Not so Boston forward Leon Powe, who had 23 points and 12 rebounds, missing only 2 of 9 shots.

The final game of the evening saw the Los Angeles Lakers come from behind to defeat the Portland Trail Blazers 81-73. The Blazers were without their two marquee big men, Greg Oden and Lamarcus Aldridge. In their absence Portland tried to run an up-tempo game featuring the smaller players. Portland’s Martell Webster scored 18 but the Los Angeles trio of Javaris Crittenton (26 points), Jordan Farmar (17 points), and Coby Karl (12 points) were better.