Warriors' Randolph the talk of Vegas after 42-point outburst

<p>Most of the focus heading into this month’s NBA summer league in Las Vegas was on the rookies competing in the event. Warriors fans were interested in 2009 first-round draft pick Stephen Curry, and how he would fare in his first professional basketball action.</p><p>Though Curry’s play has been impressive in some ways—averaging 19.5 points per game—and underwhelming in others—he’s shooting 31.4 percent from the field and fumbling away 3.75 turnovers per game—it is another Warrior youngster who has stolen the show in Las Vegas.</p><p>Anthony Randolph continued his brilliant summer league play in Tuesday’s 95-83 win against the Chicago Bulls, scoring 42 points to tie a summer league record held by Von Wafer and Marcus Banks, who both scored 42 in 2007. Randolph scored his points by shooting 13-22 from the field and hitting 16 of 21 free throws.</p><p>Through four games, the Warriors’ second-year forward is averaging 26.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3 blocks, 2.2 steals, and 1.3 assists per game. He’s shooting 60.9 percent from the field and 74.4 percent from the free-throw line. It’s been enough to prompt ESPN NBA expert Henry Abbott to label Randolph “the most dominant, skilled, devastating player in town.”</p><p>ESPN.com’s Kevin Arnovitz wrote: “Randolph’s dominance this week can’t be overstated. The scoring exploits are impressive, but Randolph has been at it defensively (12 blocks and nine steals in four games), on the glass (8.5 rebounds per game), and passing out of double teams with poise and precision (zero turnovers in Tuesday’s game). Randolph isn’t only the primary scorer on the floor, but the most creative facilitator”</p><p>Randolph, who turns 20 today (Wednesday, July 15), is a 6-foot-10, 210-pound power forward who excited Warriors coaches and fans with flashes of potential as a rookie during the 2008-09 season. Randolph, who scored 20.8 points and pulled down 7.8 rebounds per game in the 2008 Las Vegas summer league season, followed that by averaging 7.9 points and 5.8 rebounds in 17.9 minutes per game during the regular season. He earned more playing time as the season went on, and in March, Randolph’s averages increased to 15.1 points and 10.6 rebounds in 32.3 minutes per game.</p><h3>WARRIORS NOTES</h3> <p>Warriors second-year guard <b>Anthony Morrow </b>sat out the first two games of the summer league for medical reasons, but has played well in the past two games, averaging 13.5 points per game. He has shot well from the field (10 for 20), but the 3-point marksman has struggled from distance thus far, hitting only 1 of 7 … <b>Cartier Martin</b>, a free agent guard/forward who played 33 games with the Charlotte Bobcats last season, is the Warriors’ second-leading scorer in summer league competition, pouring in 19.7 points per game … Warriors rookie guard <b>Stephen Curry</b>’s stats look impressive—19.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 2.5 steals in 35 minutes per game—but he needs to improve his shooting, as the 6-3 guard out of Davidson has hit 22 of 70 shots from the field (31.4 percent). Curry is also 9 for 27 from the 3-point line … Since losing their opening game of the summer league schedule, the Warriors (3-1) have won three in a row, defeating opponents by an average of 14.3 points per game.</p>