Cameron Boozer’s lift helps Memphis swing early, rout Atlanta 96-64 in NBA Summer League

Memphis set the tone early and never let it go, using a relentless start to beat Atlanta 96-64 in NBA Summer League action on Thursday night. The Grizzlies’ best stretch came immediately, when they turned a live game into a one-sided affair by scoring the first 21 points.

According to the game report, Atlanta struggled to get anything going offensively in the opening frame, with Memphis outscoring the Hawks 32-2 in the first quarter. That surge provided the cushion Memphis carried through the rest of the night, turning incremental advantages into a complete separation by halftime and beyond.

Cameron Boozer was highlighted as part of Memphis’ standout performance. In Summer League, individual production is often viewed through a development lens, and this kind of early control is the type of environment coaches value when evaluating young players and rotation options for the coming season.

The final margin, 96-64, reflected how thoroughly Memphis dominated the game’s tempo and spacing. While Summer League matchups are not treated as direct predictors of regular-season outcomes, blowouts like this tend to reveal who can impose their style quickly, especially against unfamiliar defensive looks and experimental lineups.

Memphis’ early run matters for two reasons. First, the ability to start fast can translate to real rotation confidence, since Summer League often assigns players limited reps and short windows to prove they can create value immediately. Second, a first-quarter collapse like Atlanta’s 32-2 stretch typically forces lineups to chase momentum, which can expose gaps that coaching staffs can then address in subsequent practice.

For Atlanta, the loss is a reminder of how quickly Summer League games can swing. When one team gets rhythm and the other falls behind early, the rest of the contest can become less about steady execution and more about damage control, shot selection, and whether younger players can reset after a rough opening segment.

What to watch next is whether Memphis can replicate its early-creation and defensive pressure across additional Summer League games, and whether Atlanta responds with adjustments that prevent another first-quarter breakdown. In this setting, consistency is often the clearest sign of progress.

Boozer’s impact, paired with Memphis’ ability to seize the first quarter, gives the Grizzlies a positive reference point as Summer League continues, even with the understanding that these games are primarily about development rather than postseason consequences.