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**•Download the NBA App•Summer League: Comprehensive Coverage**
With the preliminary matches behind us, the highlight of the NBA summer season kicked off Thursday in Las Vegas with the inaugural day of the 2025 NBA 2K26 Summer League.
Although the spotlight was on the highly anticipated debut of Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg, the notable No. 1 pick from last month’s draft, it was a few lesser-known players who truly made their mark:
The duo of returning backcourt players from Indiana’s senior squad collaborated to pull the Pacers out of a 16-point hole, narrowly defeating the Cavaliers 116-115.
Jackson showcased his scoring prowess, netting 12 of his 24 points during an impressive surge at the conclusion of the third quarter that brought Indiana back into contention. This set the stage for Dennis, who delivered 10 of his team-leading 26 points in the fourth quarter as the Pacers concluded with a 15-4 run—culminated by Enrique Freeman’s decisive free throws with just seven seconds remaining to claim the victory.
Tomlin took charge against the Pacers, combining physical play with precise 3-point shooting to achieve a Day 1-high of 30 points on 12-of-16 shooting.
Having been a lesser-known player on last year’s formidable Cavaliers team, Tomlin appeared to be head and shoulders above his competition against Indiana’s summer roster. He finished with a perfect nine shots within the paint and added three successful 3-pointers—exactly what Cleveland hoped to witness from a 24-year-old entering his second season.
On a night when the celebrated rookie Cooper Flagg faced shooting struggles, undrafted free agent Ryan Nembhard captured the limelight (casting a familiar shadow of his older sibling, Andrew) to lead Dallas to an 87-85 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.
Nembhard topped the Mavericks charts with 21 points and five assists, his pivotal 3-pointer putting Dallas ahead for good just shy of the final minute. While Flagg started with promise—hitting a long turnaround jumper over Lakers guard Bronny James that set the Thomas & Mack Center ablaze—his performance waned, finishing 5-of-21 in his Summer League debut.
Despite a modest output of 13 points on 5-of-13 shooting, the seasoned guard delivered the highlight of the day with a contested stepback 3-pointer at the buzzer, clinching a narrow 90-89 victory over the Nuggets.
Bouyea described his game-winner as “a dream come true,” a statement that may seem exaggerated without considering his unconventional NBA journey so far, which has now included five teams over a mere four seasons.
In this span, he has made only four NBA 3-pointers, yet his calm demeanor during the game-winning play resembled that of a seasoned professional. He received the inbounds pass, maneuvered to the right wing, and launched the shot after executing a clever fake that created just enough space.
**BOUYEA HITS THE GAME-WINNER AT THE BUZZER! 🚨**
pic.twitter.com/7hww4l8SPI
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) July 11, 2025
No player made better use of their minutes in Tuesday’s opening games than Jones-Garcia, who exploded for a game-high 24 points in just over 18 minutes, leading the Spurs to a commanding 111-70 victory against the 76ers.
The lopsided result prevented Jones-Garcia from achieving what could have been an extraordinary night. Nonetheless, he continued to shine following his notable performance in last week’s California Classic, where he led all contestants with an average of 22.7 points per game.
Alongside his scoring, the Dominican native contributed five rebounds, three assists, four steals, and four 3-pointers, showcasing a well-rounded display.
