Zags in Summer League: Jordan Mathews gets a start and Zach Collins throws a block party

Zach Collins, aka The Dark Knight, continued showcasing his defensive prowess for the Portland Trail Blazers as he picked up 5 blocks to go with 7 rebounds and 8 points (3-5 FG. 2-3 FT) in 20 minutes before exiting the game early in the 3rd quarter with an apparent ankle injury suffered while driving to the basket.

Collins gave Portland fans a scare with his early exit, but comments from him and team officials after the game downplayed the severity of the injury and it seems likely that he will continue to play in the Summer League. That’s a good thing too, as Collins has excelled on the defensive end while working to find his rhythm at the other end of the floor. Portland gets a day off before resuming action on Tuesday against the San Antonio Spurs at 1pm PT (NBA TV).

After a disappointing “DNP” on Friday night, Jordan Mathews found himself in the starting lineup for the Los Angeles Clippers in their matchup against the Sacramento Kings. Unfortunately, Mathews only saw limited action before finishing 0-2 from the field with a single rebound and assist in 9 minutes. Hopefully, Mathews will get more opportunities in the coming days. The Clippers play the Houston Rockets on Monday night at 8:30pm PT (NA TV).

Johnathan Williams started once again for the Lakers, but once again failed to establish himself on the offensive end as he had 0 points (0-2 FG) in 19 minutes. Williams did grab 3 rebounds and has demonstrated an ability to defend and rebound on the Summer League circuit, but is struggling to make an impact at the other end which is not helped by the Summer League style of play favoring guards. Like the Blazers, the Lakers will take Monday off before resuming play on Tuesday against the New York Knicks at 5:30pm PT (ESPN 2).