The Lakers wasted little time making their mark in Las Vegas.
Behind a burst of athletic plays, a strong second quarter and a third-quarter push that blew the game open, Los Angeles rolled past the Oklahoma City Thunder 96-84 on Friday night at Thomas & Mack Center to open its Summer League slate in Vegas.
Adou Thiero was the headliner. The second-year forward finished with 20 points, three steals and two blocks, and he spent much of the night living above the rim and around the basket. One of his biggest moments came on a windmill dunk in the second quarter, right as the Lakers started taking control.
“All the fans in here, got to put on a show,” Thiero said afterward. “Lake Show for a reason.”
Cameron Carr kept building on an encouraging summer, scoring 18 points and adding two blocks. Arthur Kaluma matched him with 18 points of his own, giving Los Angeles three players who finished with at least 18.
The Lakers were up 53-43 at halftime, then turned the screws in the third. Carr and Thiero hooked up on alley-oops, the lead stretched to 20 by the end of the period, and Oklahoma City never really threatened after that.
The physical tools were obvious all night. Thiero kept pressuring the rim, Carr looked comfortable scoring from the perimeter and the elbows, and Chris Mañon helped establish the defensive edge. Two-way players Peter Suder and AK Okereke also chipped in as part of a balanced effort.
Bennett Stirtz led the Thunder with 18 points.
The win came with plenty of familiar faces in the building. Collin Sexton, Jaden Hardy, Jarred Vanderbilt, Dalton Knecht and Sandro Mamukelashvili were among the Lakers players spotted courtside, watching the franchise’s rookies, two-way players and other young prospects get their Vegas run started.
That group’s presence underscored the attention being paid to Carr, Thiero and the Lakers’ three two-way players.
The Lakers now turn right around and face the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday at 7 p.m. PT. It’s the second game of a back-to-back before a two-day break that leads into Tuesday’s matchup against the Clippers.
The Clippers had the night off Friday after opening their Vegas schedule with a 91-85 loss to the Sacramento Kings on Thursday. They’re back Sunday at 7 p.m. PT against the Utah Jazz, a game that gives rookie guard Keaton Wagler a chance to bounce back after a rough shooting debut in Summer League.
Then comes Tuesday’s meeting with the Lakers, the first clash between the two Los Angeles teams this summer.
Friday also brought a full house of recognizable names around the league. Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Kel’el Ware were courtside for Miami’s 119-86 win over Milwaukee, with all three tied to the offseason trade that sent Giannis Antetokounmpo to Miami. Bobby Portis, newly acquired by the Heat, sat with Miami’s coaches on the other side.
At the Nets-Knicks game, Mikal Bridges, Miles “Deuce” McBride and Tyler Kolek were in attendance for Brooklyn’s 91-65 win. Bridges, McBride and Kolek were part of New York’s 2025-26 championship team, while Brooklyn guards Mikel Brown Jr. and Egor Dëmin each scored 20.
Indiana Fever players Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston and Bree Hall drew attention while supporting the Pacers in their 99-93 win over Cleveland.
Former NBA All-Star John Wall was on the broadcast for Memphis and Chicago, where Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson made their Vegas debuts. Wilson put up a game-high 35 points with seven 3-pointers, three blocks and two steals, but Boozer finished with 23 points, six rebounds and four assists as Memphis escaped with a 97-96 win.
At the Pavilion, Boston and Toronto delivered the day’s most dramatic finish. Celtics rookie Chris Cenac Jr. hit a tying 3-pointer with eight-tenths of a second left in regulation, and Boston went on to win 83-80 in overtime. Amari Williams led the Celtics with 23 points and 13 rebounds, while Hugo González nearly posted a triple-double with 15 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists.
In Other News...
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Brian Windhorst said Toronto still wants to complete the trade, but the terms may not stay intact if the leagues review leads to real consequences for Leonard. The Raptors have interest in getting the deal done, yet they may have to reopen or revise it depending on how the NBA handles the situation, which leaves one of the offseasons most intriguing moves hanging in the balance. [Read more 🡒]
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What stands out most is how much of the depth chart now leans toward players who can matter beyond the next few months. Keaton Wagler, Sean Pedulla, Jordan Miller, Cam Christie, Nick Martinelli, Isaiah Jackson and Baba Miller all fit into that broader shift, but the picture still comes with some obvious uncertainty, especially around health and contract situations. The Clippers may finally be correcting a roster-building mistake from the Kawhi years, even if the cleanest version of that fix is still waiting to be fully proven. [Read more 🡒]
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What stood out most was how hard it was for Wagler to create any real space or rhythm. For a player the Clippers are hoping can grow into more than a developmental flier, the debut felt more like a reminder of how much work remains than a glimpse of immediate help, and that makes the rest of his summer worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]