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The Las Vegas 2021 NBA Summer League is underway, with seven games taking place on Day 1. The likes of Cade Cunningham, Jalen Green and Evan Mobley were all in action as fans witnessed an enticing opening day.
Most of the young prospects had a memorable debut for their sides in the offseason tournament, while others were a bit slow to start the proceedings of this new chapter.
Some second-year and third-year stars also impressed for their sides as they aim to make huge strides in their NBA careers from here on.
5 Standout performers from Day 1 of the Las Vegas 2021 NBA Summer League
#5 Scottie Barnes - Toronto Raptors
The #4 pick from this year's draft, Scottie Barnes, had a terrific debut to remember after showing off his all-around skills against the New York Knicks in his first game of the Summer League. The Toronto Raptors rookie scored 18 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, two steals and a block in Sunday afternoon's matchup. He also committed just one turnover all game.
The Raptors won the tie 89-79 behind Barnes' terrific outing. The front office will be hoping that their young star continues to perform this way and proves that their decision to draft him #4 overall was the right one moving forward.
#4 Jalen Johnson - Atlanta Hawks
Next on the list is the #20 pick from the 2021 NBA Draft, Jalen Johnson. The Atlanta Hawks' latest first-round draft prospect came up big against favorites the Boston Celtics in their opening game of the 2021 NBA Summer League.
Johnson tallied 20 points, ten rebounds, a steal and a block. He shot a whopping 8-of-12 from the field and was the best player for his team by some margin. Johnson was key in keeping the Hawks within touching distance of the Celtics every time they tried to pull away with a huge lead during the contest.
The Hawks will be pleased with his performance as they get another young player who can rely on next season to help them build on their 2021 NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference Finals run.
Also Check out: Complete NBA Summer league Schedule 2021
#3 Jalen Green - Houston Rockets
Jalen Green was one of the prospects that was expected to do well after his solid stint with G-League Ignite last season. The #2 overall pick from the 2021 NBA Draft did not disappoint. He tallied 23 points for the Houston Rockets against #3 pick Evan Mobley's Cleveland Cavaliers, leading his team to an 84-76 win.
He shot 9-of-18 from the field, including 4 three-pointers to go with five rebounds. Green committed just one turnover in the match. He has certainly given Houston Rockets fans a lot to look forward to, especially after the terrible season they endured last season with their problems on and off the court.
#2 Obi Toppin - New York Knicks
Obi Toppin will be looking to make huge strides in the NBA in his second year and become a key part of the New York Knicks' rotation for next season. With no Summer League being held last season, Toppin played his first game of the offseason tournament on Sunday.
He did extremely well, tallying 24 points, eight rebounds, a steal and a block against Scottie Barnes and the Toronto Raptors. Toppin shot 10-of-21 from the field and played for almost 37 minutes. He will be hoping he can continue his rich vein of form throughout the tournament to assure the Knicks that he is ready to play a more prominent role moving forward.
#1 Payton Pritchard - Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics desperately need more of their own prospects to step up and take more responsibly moving forwards after an underwhelming offseason so far. Payton Pritchard is one prospect they can look to rely on as he continues to grow into an exceptional player.
The guard was on fire against the Atlanta Hawks in the opening game of the 2021 NBA Summer League, tallying 23 points, five assists, five rebounds and two steals. He made 7-of-18 shots from the field, all coming from behind the arc. Pritchard was expected to be the leader of the C's in Las Vegas, and it seems he has taken that role up quite well.
