When it comes to impressing in back-to-back games, Miami Heat second-round pick Josh Richardson might have set the new standard.
Considering the circumstances, there might not even need to be an asterisk that the performance came in summer league. Because such scheduling never would be allowed during an NBA regular season.
With the Heat participating in both the Orlando and Las Vegas summer leagues, the guard out of Tennessee was asked to go to great lengths to push the Heat to their 6-0 summer record.
Zoran Dragic summer run over, Drew Gordon in as Heat beat Jazz
It started with a 10 a.m. game Friday morning on the Orlando Magic's practice court at the Amway Center, with a game-high 18 points in the 91-68 victory over the Detroit Pistons that allowed the Heat to close the Orlando summer league at 5-0.
Then, Saturday night, in a game that began at 10:40 p.m. Eastern, Richardson once again led the Heat to victory, this time with 16 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two blocks in the Heat's 82-79 victory over the Utah Jazz at the Thomas & Mack Center on the UNLV campus to open the Vegas summer league.
Two victories in games three time zones and 2,300 miles apart on consecutive nights.
By contrast, Heat first-round pick Justise Winslow was given both Friday and Saturday off by assistant coach Dan Craig, who is guiding the Heat's summer program, with the Heat listing Saturday's absence due to "general soreness."
"Our scouting staff does a tremendous job evaluating talent. And this was a guy they had on the radar," Craig said of the Heat snaring Richardson with the No. 40 overall pick. "He was around in the second round. We were probably fortunate to get him when we did. I don't think his [college] team performed as well as they probably wanted. And a lot of the team not doing well probably had a little bit to do with him slipping in the draft, which was great for us.
"He's a tremendous player, on both sides of the floor. We were really happy surprised with how quickly he was able to evolve into the NBA game, particularly from the point-guard standpoint."
The versatility could go a long way toward a roster spot on the Heat's ever-tightening roster. Richardson started Friday's game at point guard. Saturday, he shifted to shooting guard with Shabazz Napier opening at point guard.
Considering the circumstances, there might not even need to be an asterisk that the performance came in summer league. Because such scheduling never would be allowed during an NBA regular season.
With the Heat participating in both the Orlando and Las Vegas summer leagues, the guard out of Tennessee was asked to go to great lengths to push the Heat to their 6-0 summer record.
Zoran Dragic summer run over, Drew Gordon in as Heat beat Jazz
It started with a 10 a.m. game Friday morning on the Orlando Magic's practice court at the Amway Center, with a game-high 18 points in the 91-68 victory over the Detroit Pistons that allowed the Heat to close the Orlando summer league at 5-0.
Then, Saturday night, in a game that began at 10:40 p.m. Eastern, Richardson once again led the Heat to victory, this time with 16 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two blocks in the Heat's 82-79 victory over the Utah Jazz at the Thomas & Mack Center on the UNLV campus to open the Vegas summer league.
Two victories in games three time zones and 2,300 miles apart on consecutive nights.
By contrast, Heat first-round pick Justise Winslow was given both Friday and Saturday off by assistant coach Dan Craig, who is guiding the Heat's summer program, with the Heat listing Saturday's absence due to "general soreness."
"Our scouting staff does a tremendous job evaluating talent. And this was a guy they had on the radar," Craig said of the Heat snaring Richardson with the No. 40 overall pick. "He was around in the second round. We were probably fortunate to get him when we did. I don't think his [college] team performed as well as they probably wanted. And a lot of the team not doing well probably had a little bit to do with him slipping in the draft, which was great for us.
"He's a tremendous player, on both sides of the floor. We were really happy surprised with how quickly he was able to evolve into the NBA game, particularly from the point-guard standpoint."
The versatility could go a long way toward a roster spot on the Heat's ever-tightening roster. Richardson started Friday's game at point guard. Saturday, he shifted to shooting guard with Shabazz Napier opening at point guard.
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