Dukes Kennard shining for Pistons in NBA Orlando Summer League

The former Blue Devil and NC State alumnus Lorenzo Brown combined for 25 points to lead their team to a win against the New York Knicks

Mark Dolejs—USA Today Sports
Former Duke star Luke Kennard is making a positive early impression with the Detroit Pistons' NBA Summer League team in Orlando

The Detroit Pistons squandered a 14-point lead in losing their first NBA Orlando Summer League game to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday. Sunday, first round draft pick Luke Kennard and NC State alumnus Lorenzo Brown made sure their team’s lead wouldn’t slip away again. The two former ACC Stars combined for 25 points in leading the Pistons to a 103-78 victory. Detroit led by as many as 35 points on the way to evening its record in the week-long offseason tournament for rookies, young veterans and free agents looking to earn a spot on a training camp roster. Kennard didn’t shoot as well as he did in Saturday’s opener, in which he scored 16 points. But despite going 1 for 5 from 3-point range, he still ended up with 14 points, five rebounds and three assists in 28 minutes. Brown, who played in China last season after seeing action with three NBA teams since 2013, added 11 points, five rebounds and two assists. Duke’s Marshall Plumlee scored 10 points for the Knicks in their second straight summer league loss, but he shot just 4 of 13 from the floor. He also finished with nine rebounds and a blocked shot. The two other players in the eight-team Orlando tournament with North Carolina ties, UNC’s Marcus Paige (Oklahoma City) and NC State’s Cat Barber (Dallas) had Sunday off, but return to action with games on Monday. Here are the cumulative stats for all state players participating in the Orlando Summer League:Luke Kennard, Duke (Detroit): 2 games, 15.0 ppg, 11-27 FG, 5-11 3PT, 3-3 FT, 3.0 apgCat Barber, NCS (Dallas): 1 G, 14.0 ppg, 5-10 FG, 2-2 3PT, 2-5 FT, 6.0 rpg, 5.0 apgLorenzo Brown, NCS (Detroit): 2 G, 10.5 ppg, 8-15 FG, 1-1 3PT, 4-6 FT, 4.5 rpg, 2.5 apgMarcus Paige, UNC (OKC): 1 G, 10.0 ppg, 3-4 FG, 2-2 3PT, 2-2 FT, 2.0 rpg, 1.0 spgMarshall Plumlee, Duke (NYK): 2 G, 9.5 ppg, 8-18 FG, 2-2 FT, 7.5 rpg, 2.0 bpg