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Larry Nance, Jr. dunked life back into the Los Angeles Lakers as things looked bleak, but it was D'Angelo Russell's shooting touch that finished off the Philadelphia 76ers in a 70-69 Lakers victory. Russell came up big in the clutch, and with the game on the line and the ball in his hands, proved once again that he has ice in his veins.
T.J. McConnell fought through a screen as he worked to stop the game-winning attempt and even contested the shot well, but as the saying goes great offense beats great defense. The shot sailed through the air of the Thomas and Mack Center and found it's home right through the lace of the net. Russell finished the night with 22 points and five assists, a moment to remember and a chance to make up for what was a fairly ugly game through the first three quarters.
Nance's energy through the second half was clearly the spark for a Lakers Summer League squad that looked ... a little too summer league-esque ... though. Larry ran the length and threw down a massive one-handed dunk, immediately changing the momentum of the game. You've gotta' see the extension and sequence to believe it:
.@Larrydn22 avenges Zubac pic.twitter.com/cRLUw8EAZE
— Drew Garrison (@DrewGarrisonSBN) July 10, 2016
Nance finished with an insane line of 13 points, eight rebounds, seven steals and four assists. The man was everywhere.
The showdown between the No. 1 and 2 picks of the 2016 NBA Draft was set to be the headline of Las Vegas Summer League on Saturday, but it took some time for things to pick up. Brandon Ingram had a very quiet night after his successful debut, finishing with seven points on 3-of-12 shooting. Ben Simmons showed some very impressive passing throughout the night, clocking eight assists that could've been at least 10 higher had his teammates finished. The passes themselves, not the numbers, were something to behold.
It was a crazy game that luckily turned from dud to stud as the second half went on. The highlights were plentiful, the stakes felt high in an exhibition game, and the Lakers walked away victorious off the icy hot hands of D'Angelo Russell.
One more time for the road: