The Memphis Grizzlies are heading to the NBA Summer League championship, and they’ve got a brand new one-two punch to thank.
Cedric Coward and rookie Cameron Boozer combined for 40 points Saturday night in Las Vegas, powering the Grizzlies past the Houston Rockets 101-90 in the semifinals. It wasn’t particularly close down the stretch either. Memphis controlled the pace, hit their open looks, and made the kind of defensive plays that Summer League coaches actually rewatch on the bus afterward.
This matters more than most people think. Summer League titles don’t count in the standings, sure. But for a Memphis team entering a soft rebuild around Ja Morant’s return, seeing Coward and Boozer build real chemistry in real time is the whole point of being here.
Coward’s Second-Year Leap Is Already Visible
Coward isn’t a rookie anymore. The Grizzlies picked him up from Portland on draft night last year, and he’s already got All-Rookie honors on his resume. You can see the difference in his footwork and his patience. He’s not forcing anything. Against Houston, he worked off screens, knocked down pull-ups, and didn’t panic when the defense collapsed on Boozer in the paint.
He finished with 18 points on efficient shooting. Not flashy. Just solid. Which is exactly what Memphis needs from him going forward.
Boozer Looks Like the Real Deal
Cameron Boozer went third overall in this year’s draft for a reason. At Duke, he was a walking double-double who could stretch the floor and bully smaller defenders. That same game is translating in Vegas. He put up 22 points and grabbed 8 boards against the Rockets, showing the kind of offensive versatility that makes you think he’s not just a Summer League star but a real rotation contributor from day one.
The Grizzlies drafted him expecting star potential. So far, he’s delivering.
Fans online noted the developing connection between Coward and Boozer on the pick-and-roll. Coward reads the defense. Boozer sets a hard screen and either rolls hard or pops. It’s basic stuff, but basic stuff executed well wins Summer League games.
Memphis now waits for the winner of Warriors-Lakers to find out who they’ll face in the final. Either way, this team has a chance to leave Vegas with a trophy and some real momentum heading into training camp.
For a franchise that’s been through roster turnover and injury drama the last two seasons, that’s not nothing.
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