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Lakers start summer league tournament Wednesday against 76ers

Julius Randle drives up the court against the Golden State Warriors' Justin Holiday during a July 14 NBA summer league game in Las Vegas.
Julius Randle drives up the court against the Golden State Warriors’ Justin Holiday during a July 14 NBA summer league game in Las Vegas.
(John Locher / Associated Press)
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The Lakers will play the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night in the first round of the NBA’s Las Vegas summer league tournament.

After their first win on Monday, beating the Golden State Warriors at the buzzer (89-88) on a Jordan Clarkson tip-in, the Lakers improved to 1-2. If the Lakers, the 17th-seeded team, can get past the 16th-seeded Sixers (1-2), they’ll play the top-ranked Chicago Bulls (3-0).

If the Lakers fall to Philadelphia, they’ll play a consolation game on Friday against the loser of the Denver Nuggets (1-2) and the NBA D-League Select team (1-2).

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Rookie guard Clarkson (46th overall pick), who was acquired by the Lakers on draft night in June from the Washington Wizards for $1.8 million in cash, has played well through three summer exhibitions.

The 6-foot-5 guard is averaging a team-high 18.7 points a game while shooting 44.4% from the field and 50% from three-point range. Clarkson also has hit all nine of his free throws.

The Lakers have been impressed by their seventh overall pick, Julius Randle, who is working his way into shape after sitting out the squad’s brief training camp while waiting to sign his contract.

After signing his deal an hour before the Lakers’ second summer game, he was playing in his first five-on-five game since the NCAA tournament final, in which Randle’s Kentucky Wildcats fell to the Connecticut Huskies. Randle has averaged 12.0 points a game on 45% shooting with 3.0 rebounds.

Former Clippers forward Trey Thompkins has contributed 12.0 points and 4.3 rebounds a game while shooting 58.3% from the field and 57.1% from three-point range.

Lakers point guard Kendall Marshall has struggled with his shot (34.6%) while averaging 8.7 points and 3.7 assists a game. Trevor Mbakwe is the team’s leading rebounder at 5.7 a game.

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If the Lakers can get through four rounds of the Las Vegas tournament, they’ll play in the championship game on July 21.

Email Eric Pincus at eric.pincus@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @EricPincus

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