SB Nation Denver - 2012 NBA Summer League: Nuggets End Summer League Play

2012 NBA Summer League: Evan Fournier Impresses In Las Vegas

2012-07-23T15:01:29Z

Denver Nuggets first round draft pick Evan Fournier will have to work his way into the team's deep, complete rotation, but if he plays like he did at the 2012 Summer League, he may just do it. Fournier was the star of Denver's Summer League team this year, and his play was good enough that SB Nation's Mike Prada called him one of five "late-round steals" in this year's draft.

Here is Prada, who covered the Summer League in Vegas for SB Nation, on what he saw from Fournier over the course of the week:

It's too bad there aren't a lot of minutes available in Denver because I'd like to see Fournier's style in the Nuggets' wide-open system. I really like how he attacks in straight lines, covering lots of ground in a short amount of time when defenders close out on his shot. The Nuggets thrive on attacking closeouts, and Fournier is very good at that skill. He also shot the ball better than I expected given his play overseas.

For more on the Nuggets, please be sure to check out our blog Denver Stiffs and SB Nation Denver for all the latest news and updates.

2012 NBA Summer League: Nuggets Reflect On Aurora Shooting

2012-07-21T17:21:12Z

With the horrifying incident in Aurora capturing the attention of the nation, a Denver Nuggets Summer League game instantly felt unimportant. As Kenneth Faried told Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com, the immediate thought following news of the tragedy was not on basketball, but instead on the well-being of the Denver community:

"We talked about it," said Faried, the starting power forward last season as the Nuggets pushed the Lakers to seven games in the first round before losing. "It was tragic. It was just terrible for anybody. Even though we don’t live in Colorado, we represent the Denver Nuggets. We’re not from there, but guys still support it."

The team mourned the individuals harmed in the tragedy by wearing black headbands at the game and a moment of silence was held prior to the start of the matchup with the Portland Trail Blazers.

For more on the Nuggets, please be sure to check out our blog Denver Stiffs and SB Nation Denver for all the latest news and updates.

2012 NBA Summer League, Nuggets Vs. Blazers: Portland Defeats Denver, 95-82

2012-07-21T02:03:02Z

Portland Trail Blazers rooking point guard Damian Lillard has been one of the stars of the 2012 NBA Summer League, and his hot play continued on Friday in a 95-82 victory over the Denver Nuggets. Lillard put up 23 points, seven assists and four rebounds on Friday night, and though he wasn't necessarily an efficient shooter from the field, he did go 8-8 from the free throw line.

The Nuggets, meanwhile, were led by Jordan Hamilton, who put up 23 points on 6-17 shooting. 2012 first round pick Evan Fournier dropped in 17 points, but didn't pick up an assist or a rebound and was also whistled for seven fouls. Rookie guard Demon Harper contributed 17 points, five rebounds and five assists. 2012 second round pick Quincy Miller had 12 points on 6-12 shooting from the field and also scooped up seven rebounds.

For more on the Nuggets, please be sure to check out our blog Denver Stiffs and SB Nation Denver for all the latest news and updates.

2012 NBA Summer League, Bobcats Vs. Nuggets: Denver Loses 99-86 On Thursday

2012-07-20T04:25:05Z

The Denver Nuggets were defeated 99-86 by the Charlotte Bobcats in Las Vegas on Thursday night as the 2012 NBA Summer League rolls on. The Nuggets are now 1-3 so far with one remaining game on their summer league schedule while the Bobcats improve to 4-0 on the summer circuit.

The Bobcats broke out to an early lead, taking a 26-16 advantage into the second quarter, and the Nuggets couldn't quite get back into the game. The Nuggets struggled with turnovers during the game, losing possession 21 times while forcing just 11 takeaways.

Jordan Hamilton led Denver with 21 points on 9-of-16 shooting, plus he grabbed nine rebounds, dished four assists and avoided committing a single foul. Denver also got 18 points and four assists from guard Evan Fournier, the team's 2012 first round pick.

For more on the Nuggets, please be sure to check out our blog Denver Stiffs and SB Nation Denver for all the latest news and updates.

2012 NBA Summer League, Nuggets Vs. Warriors: Kenneth Faried's 15 Points And 16 Rebounds Power Denver

2012-07-18T01:39:13Z

The Denver Nuggets picked up their first win of the summer league session on Tuesday by defeating the New York Knicks 85-81 in Las Vegas.

The Nuggets were led by three players that will help shape their future. Jordan Hamilton, the Nuggets' second pick of the first round in the 2011 NBA Draft, led the way with 21 points and eight rebounds on 9-of-14 shooting. Kenneth Faried, who forced his way into George Karl's starting lineup as a rookie last season, finished with 16 points and 15 rebounds. The newest Nugget, 2012 first rounder Evan Fournier, had 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting.

The Knicks were led by guard Chris Copeland, who finished with 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting. The win moves Denver to 1-2 in summer league action, while New York falls to 0-3.

For more on the Nuggets, please be sure to check out our blog Denver Stiffs and SB Nation Denver for all the latest news and updates.

Nuggets Vs. Mavericks Final Score: Dallas Defeats Denver 88-77

2012-07-16T01:52:37Z

In the latest 2012 NBA Summer League action on Sunday, the Denver Nuggets fell to the Dallas Mavericks 88-77 at the Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas.

The leading scorer for Denver was Jordan Hamilton, who poured in 18 points in 27 minutes. Hamilton is a large guard at 6-foot-7 and 220 pounds. The University of Texas could be a player to watch in the future if he can hone his skills.

Evan Fournier and Josh Carter also played well in defeat, scoring 15 points each. Carter shot well from downtown, hitting on 3-of-5 from beyond the 3-point arc.

However, the star of the game was Dallas' Dominique Jones. Jones went for a game-high 32 points with eight rebounds and two assists in 34 minutes. The only other Maverick to score in double-figures was David Jelinek with 11 points.

For a full look at the box score and a highlight package, click this link.

For more on the Nuggets, please be sure to check out our blog Denver Stiffs and SB Nation Denver for all the latest news and updates.

NBA Free Agency Rumors: Anthony Randolph Watches Summer League Game With Nuggets Execs

2012-07-15T01:44:32Z

The latest news out of the Denver Nuggets free agency rumor mill suggest the Nuggets are making a push for PF Anthony Randolph:

Free agent forward Anthony Randolph sitting with Nuggets brass at summer league game vs Warriors. DEN and ATL high on Randolph, source said
— Marc J. Spears (@SpearsNBAYahoo) July 14, 2012

The Nuggets Summer League team may have lost the game 95-74, but if the team's overtures can lure the 22-year-old NBA veteran to Colorado, the team will likely remember very little about the game.

Randolph has split his four NBA seasons with the Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves. Playing mostly off the bench in the 2011-12 NBA season, Randolph averaged 17.5 points and 8.6 rebounds per 36 minutes -- good for a strong 17.22 player efficiency rating.

Stay tuned to SB Nation Denver for continued coverage of all matters related to Denver sports. For more updates from around the league, drop by SB Nation's NBA news hub. And for analysis and commentary focused on the Denver Nuggets, head over to the Nuggets blog Denver Stiffs.

2012 NBA Summer League, Nuggets Vs. Warriors: Jordan Hamilton Scores 18, But Colorado Loses 95-74

2012-07-15T01:29:14Z

Wing Jordan Hamilton (18 points, 5 rebounds) put up some impressive numbers in Saturday's opening game of the 2012 NBA Summer League, but the Denver Nuggets (0-1) were unable overcome G Charles Jenkins (24 points), F Clay Thompson (17 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists) and the Golden State Warriors (1-0).

Forward Kenneth Faried (10 points, 8 rebounds, 3 blocks) played over 31 minutes in his first NBA Summer League game and looked sharp defensively with 3 blocks, but the 2011-12 All-Rookie First Team could not hold off the deluge of Nuggets turnovers (29 total) that gave the Warriors offense ample opportunities to score.

Related: Box Score

The Nuggets led at halftime, up by five with a 48-43 score, but the Warriors scored 25 and 27 points in the third and fourth quarter to roll out a 95-74 win.