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VIDEO: Dawson and Trice hopeful for a chance to shine in the NBA

July 15, 2015
Photo by Matt Argillander | The State News

As the Orlando summer league heats up, former MSU basketball players Branden Dawson and Travis Trice are trying to find their way in the NBA.

Dawson, of course, is playing for the Los Angeles Clippers summer league team after he was taken as the No. 56-overall pick in the draft and traded to the Clippers moments later. Trice is playing for the Miami Heat's summer league team as a free agent trying to prove himself.

Through four games, Dawson has been a man on a mission —  averaging 12.8 points per game, he's second in the league with rebounding averaging 10.3 boards per game, steals averaging 1.8 per games and 1.2 blocks per game, all while making highlight reel plays.

Dawson's first summer league game saw the combo forward display a knack for chasing down rebounds as he finished the game with 14 points and 14 rebounds in 27 minutes of play.

Dawson's second game saw a dip in production due to reduced minutes, he put up just eight points and five rebounds in 16 minutes of play.

Dawson saw an increase in minutes in game three and through 28 minutes of play he put up 14 points, 11 rebounds, four steals and a block.

The fourth game for Dawson saw him erupt on both ends of the floor — he finished the game with 15 points, 11 rebounds, two assists, three steals and four blocks in 32 minutes of play.

Trice has been less effective than his former teammate through his three games of summer league play for the Heat. In reality, he hasn't had a lot of opportunities to play yet, as he's averaging just 11.7 minutes per game. In those three games he's posted averages of 3.0 points per game, 2.3 assists per game and 1.0 rebounds per game.

Trice has only seen 35 minutes of action total thus far, and 18 of them came in his first game that saw him put up seven points, three assists, one steal and one rebound.

Trice only saw five minutes of action in his second game, putting up just three assists while going 0-for-3 shooting. His third game was not much better, the guard put up two points, two rebounds and an assist in 12 minutes of play.

At this point, Dawson looks like a sure thing to make the Clippers roster. Trice, on the other hand, will possibly need more time to make it to the NBA. If Trice continues to play basketball, he will need to work on his craft in the NBA D-League or overseas. 

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