The Nets surprised many when they took Demin with the No. 8 overall pick, betting on his size and long-term upside at the point guard position. On Thursday night in Las Vegas, fans finally got their first look at the 6-foot-9 Russian guard as he suited up for his Summer League debut against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Frenzy became bedlam on the next play. Flagg talked trash to James, ran to his spot on the left wing, pivoted off the catch and nailed the shot before turning to exult with his future Mavericks varsity teammates, who cheered him on decked out in casual wear from their courtside seats.

The hottest ticket on the opening day of the NBA Las Vegas Summer League proved to be worth the hefty price of admission, as the Dallas Mavericks secured an 87-85 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday in the debut of No.