The Las Vegas Summer League reached its thrilling conclusion on Monday, with the Miami Heat emerging victorious against the Memphis Grizzlies in an electrifying overtime finish. The Heat clinched their first summer league title with a 120-118 win, sealed by a decisive floater from rookie second-round pick Pelle Larsson.
Unlike standard NBA games, the summer league’s overtime rules featured a target score of 120, with the clock untimed to add to the suspense. After Memphis forward Jake LaRavia hit a crucial 3-pointer to tie the game at 118, Larsson responded on the opposite end, securing the championship for the Heat, who finished the league with an impeccable 6-0 record.
Larsson contributed 16 points for Miami, while Josh Christopher, the 24th overall pick by the Rockets in 2021, led the team with 24 points and earned MVP honours for his standout performance in the championship game. Miami’s center, Kel’el Ware, the 15th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, recorded a double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Ware consistently scored at least 11 points in all eight games, spanning both the Las Vegas Summer League and the California Classic.
With just 19.6 seconds left in regulation, Miami forward Cole Swider hit a 3-pointer, but Memphis star guard GG Jackson answered with his own three, sending the game into overtime. LaRavia finished with a game-high 32 points, while Memphis guard Scotty Pippen Jr., son of NBA legend Scottie Pippen, added 29 points and 11 assists.
Despite Memphis holding a seven-point lead entering the fourth quarter, the Miami Heat surged back. Larsson scored four of Miami’s seven points in the overtime period, leading the Heat to their first summer league championship triumph in Las Vegas.
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