The fifth day of the Orlando Summer League saw the Indiana Pacers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets, Boston Celtics, and Detroit Pistons take the floor. Two Indiana guards performed well and Casper Ware continued to impress. Here’s the top stories from Wednesday:

Indiana Backcourt Catches Fire
Donald Sloan and Frank Gaines used the summer league spotlight to their advantage on Wednesday. While they have different backgrounds, both were on fire and led Indiana to a win over Oklahoma City.
 
Sloan is entering his fourth NBA season after playing in 48 games for the Pacers in 2013-2014. He has one year remaining on his contract with Indiana, but the Pacers hold the option, meaning he still needs to prove he’s worthy of a roster spot. So far, he’s certainly made his case.
 
On Wednesday, Sloan had a team-high 19 points and six assists while shooting 7-of-10 from the field and 4-of-5 from three. After three games in Orlando, he’s now averaging 18 points, four assists, and three rebounds per contest.
 
The 6-foot-3 point guard is a quality ball handler who can stretch a defense with his jumper. He’s a good defender and should be able to fill the third string point guard role next year.
 
Gaines is entering his second professional season after spending last year in the D-League. The southpaw averaged 22.4 points per game last season for the Maine Red Claws and was one of the top pure scorers in the league.
 
Like Sloan, Gaines had a nice performance on Wednesday. He finished with 17 points while shooting 7-of-13 from the floor and 2-of-4 from behind the arc. At 6-foot-3, he’s an undersized shooting guard, but he’s a productive scorer who uses screens well. He’s a fringe NBA player who could find success overseas or in the D-League again.
 
Ware Sustaining Success
 
Casper Ware jumped into the second spot of the MVP Tracker after another quality outing. On Wednesday, he had 24 points, eight assists, and two rebounds as Philadelphia topped Brooklyn.
 
“I was really impressed,” last year’s Rookie of the Year Michael Carter-Williams said of Ware on NBA TV. “He works really hard. In practice he’s great all the time, he always leads his team. It’s fun going against him in practice. He can really shoot the ball – he does a lot of things on the floor – so I’m not surprised at his performance tonight. He’s a great shooter, he leads his team well, and I thought he got everyone involved, which is great.”
 
Ware has been discussed numerous times in these recaps over the course of the summer league, but for good reason. He’s undersized at 5-foot-10 and lacks elite athleticism, but has a strong build that helps him finish at the basket.
 
He was 9-of-17 from the field on Wednesday and 3-of-7 from three-point range. Ware was 5-of-8 from inside the paint due to the success of his floater. His ability to attack the rim or knock down the jumper makes him a threat in the pick-and-roll.
 
With the way Ware is playing, he’s making a strong case to make the Philadelphia roster. He’ll need to limit his turnovers, as he had five on Wednesday, but he’s showcasing his all-around point guard skills that should earn him another contract with the 76ers.
 
First Rounders Lead Boston
 
Boston used a well-rounded effort to top Detroit, but Celtic fans should be happy that it was Kelly Olynyk and Marcus Smart who led the way.
 
Olynyk continued to flash his inside-out ability with 16 points and nine rebounds. He jumped into the MVP Tracker after a brief departure. While he was 6-of-16 from the field, Olynyk was aggressive on the offensive end but also dropped three assists. He looks ready to build upon his solid rookie season in Boston.
 
This year’s sixth overall pick, Marcus Smart, had his best game in Orlando with 14 points, six assists and five rebounds. He’ll need to improve his efficiency (4-13 FG, 2-7 3FG) and cut down his four turnovers, but he showed why he was an early selection.
 
Smart will find minutes as a rookie due to his defensive ability. He can guard either guard spot effectively and jumps passing lanes to force turnovers. He’s still a work in progress offensively, but runs the pick-and-roll with continued success. If he can make the defense pay for going under screens, he’ll become a quality floor general in Boston. Smart is only 3-of-17 from three-point range and will need to improve his shooting from deep. He’s played primarily off the ball during the summer league but shows potential as the primary ball handler.
                  
In total, six Celtics scored in double-figures. They’ll face Orlando tomorrow at 5:00 PM EST. Phil Pressey has been another key contributor for Boston that has made a push for a roster spot.
 
MVP Tracker
1. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Detroit Pistons (Previous: 1)
Wednesday’s Line: 26 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists
 
Caldwell-Pope didn’t have his most efficient game, shooting 8-of-22 from the field, but almost brought his team back late in the fourth quarter. He’s averaging 27 points, eight rebounds, 2.3 steals, and two assists per game in Orlando.
 
2. Casper Ware, Philadelphia 76ers (Previous: 5)
Wednesday’s Line: 24 points, 8 assists
 
Ware’s play from Wednesday was discussed above. He’s averaging 19 points, 4.8 assists, and 2.8 rebounds per game.
 
3. Kelly Olynyk, Boston Celtics (Previous: NR)
Wednesday’s Line: 16 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists
 
After a brief exit from the MVP tracker, Olynyk returns after a good showing in a win over Detroit. He’s averaging 17 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 2.7 assists in three summer league games.
 
4. Donald Sloan, Indiana Pacers (Previous: NR)
Wednesday’s Line: 19 points, 6 assists
 
Sloan’s performance was mentioned above. He’s averaging 18 points, four assists, and three rebounds per contest after three games.
 
5. James Ennis, Miami Heat (Previous: 3)
Wednesday’s Line: No Game
 
Rookie Tracker
1. Jarnell Stokes, Memphis Grizzlies (Previous: 1)
Wednesday’s Line: No Game
 
2. Nick Johnson, Houston Rockets (Previous: 2)
Wednesday’s Line: No Game
 
3. Jordan Adams, Memphis Grizzlies (Previous: 3)
Wednesday’s Line: No Game
 
4. Mitch McGary, Oklahoma City Thunder (Previous: 4)
Wednesday’s Line: 15 points
 
McGary continued to impress with 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting. He added two rebounds and showed his ability to stretch the floor, drilling both of his mid-range jumpers.
 
5. Mike Moser, Boston Celtics (Previous: 5)
Wednesday’s Line: 12 points

Moser had another quality game with 12 points and two rebounds on 3-of-8 shooting. He’s scored in double-figures in all three summer league games.
 
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