(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
What is better than reporting on one former Tar Heel playing in the NBA Summer League? How about reporting on a pair of them, as Kendall Marshall’s Phoenix Suns and Dexter Strickland’s Portland Trail Blazers got together Saturday night, in a game won by the Sun with a final score of 82 to 69. And while for Kendall Marshall it can’t be said that it was the best of nights, it was even worst for Dexter Strickland, as the undrafted rookied did not get any playing time in this game.
Marshall, who got the least amount of playing time of any of the Suns’ starters with just 18 minutes, scored five points total (2 for 4 ~ 1 for 2 ~ 0 for 1) to go with four assists, one board, one block shot and a turnover. On the other side, as I said previously, Strickland did not get to see any action, as he was one of five Trail Blazers that the coaching staff didn’t play.
For Marshall the journey in his first season in the National Basketball Association was not been great, even going down to the NBDL for a stint, the second year man does have a contract in his hand, meaning that he will be on the Suns’ roster come the regular season. For Strickland that is not the case, as he was not chosen in this year’s NBA Draft, and for him being able to showcase his skills in the Summer League means a lot if he is to find a home in the Association for the 2013-14 season.
Both former UNC players will get another chance to show their stuff as the Trail Blazers take on the winless Lakers today at 3:30 p.m. PST, while the Suns will play versus the Timberwolves at 3:30 p.m. PST on Monday.
Related articles
- Strickland playing for Portland in the Summer League (tarheelstate.wordpress.com)
- The top players to watch at the 2013 Las Vegas NBA Summer League (sbnation.com)
- Kendall Marshall looking to prove he belongs during Summer League with Suns (probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com)
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