The Summer Mavericks pulled off a wild 96-88 comeback win against the Grizzlies on Monday night! It wasn't pretty early on, with Cam Boozer and the Grizzlies knocking them around, but the Mavs found their footing in their third NBA Summer League game in Las Vegas.
Akobundu-Ehiogu Ignites the Comeback
Coach Joe Boylan made a brilliant move, inserting Kaodirichi Akobundu-Ehiogu after Boozer had already bullied the Mavericks for six quick points. What a spark! This former Memphis Tiger immediately ignited a Mavs run, filling running lanes in transition and dropping his first three buckets on the fast break in rapid succession. He even blocked a Cedric Coward driving attempt with the game knotted at 10-10. This guy's ability to finish on the run kicked off a 20-4 run that dominated the rest of the first quarter, pushing Dallas to a 24-19 lead. Akobundu-Ehiogu finished the game with 16 points and four rebounds, plus four massive alley-oop finishes! His third alley-oop came early in the second quarter, showing off some serious athleticism for a 6'10" player. He's originally from Nigeria, plays in Spain, and his fourth alley-oop in the fourth quarter stretched Dallas's lead to 72-77.Late Game Heroes and Hot Shooting
Rookie guard Sergio de Larrea came alive late, absolutely dropping a double-double with 16 points and 12 assists for the Mavs in the win. He was clutch! And how about the sharpshooting from Jaden Springer and Darin Green Jr.? They were a perfect 5-of-5 from three-point range in the first half! Green Jr. nailed his first four shots of the game, including his first three from beyond the arc. His third three-pointer came off a sweet drive-and-dish from Springer with 3:43 left in the second quarter, putting the Mavericks up 43-31. It's a bummer Morez Johnson Jr. missed this one with calf soreness, and Ryan Nembhard was out sick, but the guys who played really stepped up. The Mavs have one more Summer League game on Thursday. You know Akobundu-Ehiogu is gonna get a ton of run after this performance, and we'll be watching to see if this squad can keep building momentum.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.