On July 17th, in the NBA Summer League, the Trail Blazers defeated the Wizards 82-80 to secure a winning streak. This match, being a highlight of the tournament, saw not only Cui Yongxi’s performance under close scrutiny but also the intense focus on the Wizards’ second draft pick, Sarr’s, display. Neither team dominated the game with a wide margin; instead, the match was closely contested throughout, with the largest lead being just 10 points. The score remained neck-and-neck for much of the game. Whenever Chinese player Cui Yongxi stepped onto the court, the Blazers seemed to find their rhythm. In contrast, the second pick Sarr’s performance was abysmal, prompting some fans to jokingly comment that even if Cui Yongxi had been given 15 shooting opportunities, he wouldn’t have performed as poorly.
The entire game saw Cui Yongxi come off the bench and play for 10 minutes, shooting 1 for 3, missing his only three-point attempt, making one free throw, and scoring 3 points while committing fouls. His plus-minus rating was +4, interestingly, at halftime, Cui Yongxi held the highest plus-minus rating on the team. Although his performance wasn’t as eye-catching as in the previous game, Cui Yongxi still demonstrated his capabilities on the court. However, he lacked shooting opportunities, and it is anticipated that he will put up better numbers in future games.
