The Portland Trail Blazers lost their first game of summer league play to Detroit on July 7 then proceeded to win three consecutive games to earn their way into the championship game against the New York Knicks on Sunday, July 18 at noon PT/3 p.m. ET with a live broadcast on ESPN.
The championship game will be a rematch of Monday’s game when the Blazers (3-1) defeated the Knicks (3-1), 88-71.
Portland forward Trendon Watford scored 18 points with six rebounds in that game. New York’s Quentin Grimes led all scorers with 24 points.
Grimes has averaged 23.5 points during the summer. The Blazers have been led by Keon Johnson’s 17.3 points per game on 48% shooting. He is also shooting 40% on threes, an area of weakness last season.
The summer league had lost some of its luster for the Blazers when rookie Shaedon Sharpe, the No. 7 pick in last month’s NBA draft, suffered a slight labral tear in his left shoulder during the first quarter against the Pistons.
But second-round pick, Jabari Walker, has certainly brought some electricity to the summer. Walker, out of Colorado, has averaged 12 points on 66.7% shooting with 8.5 rebounds.
Walker, Watford (12.3 points, 8.0 rebounds) and Johnson have been the catalysts during the Blazers’ run to Sunday’s championship game.
The Blazers are not new to this summer league championship thing. They last won the title in 2018.
LATEST ODDS (via Draft Kings)
Moneyline: POR: NA | NYK: -110
Point spread: POR: +2.5 | NYK: -2.5
Over/Under: NA
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS VS. NEW YORK KNICKS
What: Trail Blazers (3-1) vs. Knicks (3-1),
When: Sunday, July 18 at noon PT/3:30 p.m. ET
Where: Thomas & Mack Center | Las Vegas, Nevada
TV channel: ESPN
Radio: None.
How to watch live stream online: You can watch this game live for FREE with DirecTV Stream (free trial), or with fuboTV (free trial). You can also watch this game with Sling (promotional offers) if you are out of fuboTV trials, or simply prefer those platforms and their pricing plans. If you already have cable or satellite service, you can also watch the event live on ESPN with your cable or satellite provider login information.
More ways to watch: Verizon Fios, AT&T U-verse, Comcast / Xfinity, Spectrum/Charter, Optimum/Altice, Cox, D
— Aaron Fentress | afentress@Oregonian.com | @AaronJFentress (Twitter), @AaronJFentress (Instagram), @AaronFentress (Facebook).
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