After yesterday's deep slate that combined action from two different NBA Summer Leagues, the circuit narrows its lens on Tuesday for a compact two-game card live exclusively from the Salt Lake City Summer League, as Hawks vs. Grizzlies takes center stage at 7:00 p.m. ET, followed by Thunder vs. Jazz at 9:00 p.m. ET.
In a localized round-robin format on short rest, the sharpest edges hide within the coaching staggers—tracking which sophomore anchors see their minutes capped and how quickly raw lottery choices adjust to physical defensive pressure.
We dove into the latest tracking numbers and summer ratings, isolating where the market is showing value in tonight's games. Let's get into my NBA Summer League picks and predictions for Tuesday, July 7.
NBA Summer League Predictions for Tuesday, July 7
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 7 p.m. | |
  | 9 p.m. | |
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our NBA Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
Hawks vs. Grizzlies Spread Pick
When you look across the landscape of this Salt Lake City circuit, the Memphis Grizzlies are establishing themselves as the gold standard of offensive execution. Through two games, their structural net indicators are pristine, driven by a combination of high-end incoming talent and sophisticated sophomore spacing.
The engine of this Grizzlies team settles directly into the backcourt with Javon Small. Small is putting up a stellar +22 net rating while locking down table-setting duties, averaging 12.5 points and a tournament-high 7.5 assists against just 2.5 turnovers.
That pristine guard play has helped unlock top-three selection Cameron Boozer, who is putting on a clinical showcase. Boozer is averaging 16.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game while shooting a blistering 65% from the field.
When you factor in Olivier-Maxence Prosper leveraging his frame to the tune of 16.5 points and a team-best +18 rating, Memphis possesses too many multi-dimensional targets to contain.
The Hawks have some lottery intrigue with Asa Newell (14.0 points, +16) and a premium glass-cleaner in Zuby Ejiofor, who is vacuuming up a massive 13.0 rebounds per game. However, Atlanta’s half-court offense becomes tenuous due to backcourt inefficiency.
Kingston Flemings is doing his best to steady the ship with 7.0 assists per game, but he is shooting a frosty 30.8% from the floor. When your primary ball-handler struggles to threaten the defense as a scorer, the floor shrinks.
Memphis’s aggressive interior shells will sag off the perimeter to isolate Ejiofor (35.0% FG) and choke out Atlanta's rim pressure. We'll lay the points with the more disciplined, efficient roster.
Pick: Grizzlies -3.5 (-110)
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Thunder vs. Jazz Spread Prediction
Through two summer league games, the Thunder have showcased very little baseline chemistry. They are consistently burying themselves under a mountain of empty possessions and catastrophic defensive stretches.
The structural floor has bottomed out for OKC’s core rotation. Brooks Barnhizer is logging a tournament-worst -24 net rating, while backcourt partner Bennett Stirtz sits right beside him at -20 on 35.0% shooting. Aday Mara has been neutralized by the physicality of the summer circuit, tracking a -12 rating while coughing up 4.0 turnovers per game.
Utah, by stark contrast, features what appears to be the premier individual creator of the summer in Darryn Peterson. The No. 2 overall pick has been an un-guardable in his first two summer league games, anchoring the Jazz offense with 26.5 points and 7.0 assists per game on 52.8% shooting from the floor and 43.8% from deep.
Oklahoma City's summer league squad simply does not possess a perimeter defender with the functional lateral quickness to prevent Peterson from getting downhill at will.
Once Peterson punctures the paint, he has solid scoring options on the perimeter in Cody Williams, who is hunting looks to the tune of 17.5 points on a 57.7% shooting clip (+10). With Ace Bailey (+10) adding a high-flying interior presence, Utah has far too much explosive shot-making power.
The Thunder don't have the offensive continuity to keep pace in a track meet. We project the spread for this matchup at Jazz -7.5, giving us around three points of value on Utah in tonight's game.
Pick: Jazz -4.5 (-110)
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