What an eventful evening in Sacramento. The San Antonio Spurs not solely made a commerce for a veteran wing in Harrison Barnes, but in addition performed their first Summer season League recreation. San Antonio’s entrance workplace couldn’t have timed the commerce any higher. Spurs followers can give attention to the shiny new participant (and unprotected decide swap) as a substitute of the 30-point beat down the Charlotte Hornets placed on the Summer season League group.
Charlotte fielded a group stuffed with second-year gamers who’ve NBA expertise. The Spurs summer season group is stuffed with rookies and G League gamers seeking to earn a spot. Usually within the Summer season League, groups with extra NBA expertise win – Saturday evening proved that idea. San Antonio couldn’t discover any offensive rhythm in a 97-65 loss to Charlotte.
The summer season Spurs shot simply 27.8% from the sector and 20.7% from deep within the loss. They hit solely 62.5% of their free throws. To name it a chilly capturing evening is an understatement. San Antonio struggled to create open seems to be offensively, and once they did, they didn’t knock lots of them down. In atypical vogue, the Spurs solely had 10 assists to associate with 14 assists.
Three of the group’s 10 assists got here from first-round decide, Stephon Fortress. All eyes have been on the rookie as he offered glimpses of his potential. He completed the sport with 12 factors, 6 rebounds and a 3:1 assist-to-turnover ratio. Fortress knocked down 2 of his 4 three-pointers, however shot 4 of 12 from the sector. In response to Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio-Specific Information, the Spurs plan to sit down Fortress and Sidy Cissoko for his or her Sunday evening recreation towards the Kings.
Observations:
- Fortress seemed extraordinarily snug with the ball in his fingers on Saturday evening. He confronted stress protection from Nick Smith Jr. and was in a position to make use of his deal with to maintain the ball safe. He was glorious at creating area within the decide and roll. He created offensive benefits by stepping into the paint and discovering his teammates. He made some spectacular feeds to the Spurs bigs and a few candy one handed passes to shooters within the corners. His skill to run the purpose is a giant a part of his improvement, and one thing to trace over the course of Summer season League.
- Fortress struggled to attain as soon as he received into the paint. He was aggressive stepping into the physique of Charlotte’s rim protectors, however wasn’t capable of end on the rim. At UCONN, Fortress was good at stepping into the paint and ending with power on the rim or contact within the mid-range. He nonetheless wants work on being a inventive finisher within the paint. It’s good to see him be aggressive and assertive early on in his profession. That aggressiveness additionally manifested in his willingness to shoot the ball from deep. He hit a emblem three, and a pull-up jumper from deep within the decide and roll. He must hold taking these pictures in the summertime. Fortress’s solely turnover got here when he hesitated on capturing from deep. San Antonio can be higher off if he’s a risk to shoot it, even when he doesn’t shoot 40% from three.
- Defensively, Fortress confirmed a few of what received scouts so enthusiastic about him. He wizzed round screens and caught together with his man on the ball. He received a deflection that ultimately led to a steal and basket on the opposite finish. He hustled for an offensive rebound that became a basket for the Spurs. There have been a couple of psychological lapses off the ball, however that’s regular for a rookie adjusting to the NBA recreation. Fortress will want a while to be taught the ropes earlier than he can turn out to be the full-fledged lock down perimeter defender he seemed like in school.
- Sidy Cissoko struggled in his first recreation since present process knee surgical procedure. He completed with 8 factors on 1 of 6 capturing from the sector. He struggled to seek out methods to influence the sport offensively. He’s nonetheless not a risk to shoot from deep and hasn’t discovered a technique to generate offense with the ball in his fingers. He nonetheless seems to be robust and athletic on the market, making him a aggressive defender. The offensive finish has to develop for him to turn out to be an NBA rotation participant.
- Jameer Nelson Jr. had a couple of good performs within the decide and roll. He was one of many few Spurs gamers that look snug working with the ball in his fingers. Luke Avdalovic got here off the bench and hit a pair of threes. The summer season Spurs are going to want the entire capturing they’ll get. David Duke Jr., RaiQuan Grey and DJ Horne all didn’t play on Saturday. These three gamers appeared to be key parts of the squad on paper. Possibly we’ll see extra of them when Fortress and Cissoko sit out Sunday’s recreation.
- The Spurs second-round decide, Harrison Ingram, had a tough first recreation of NBA motion. He had 3 factors and seven rebounds within the loss. San Antonio gave him some ball-handling reps to point out off the flexibility that made him an intriguing second-round guess. He struggled to create separation with the ball in his fingers and wasn’t capable of shake free for open seems to be from deep. It’s normally troublesome for position gamers to regulate to the NBA recreation. Search for Ingram to seek out methods to contribute on each ends all through the summer season.