David Jones-Garcia once again starred for the Spurs (Photo via X)
The San Antonio Spurs started their summer league play in Las Vegas with a bang. The good guys got off to a great start and kept it rolling until the final buzzer. Thanks in part to shooting 19-for-37 (51.4%) from three-point land, the Spurs annihilated the Philadelphia 76ers by a final score of 111-70.
Next up, the Spurs play on Saturday against Cooper Flagg and the Dallas Mavericks. San Antonio is hopeful that Dylan Harper will be able to make his summer league debut against Flagg and the Mavs.
Stats: Spurs vs. 76ers
Spurs vs. 76ers – Final Grades
Carter Bryant
The good: Defense. Bryant is living up to the hype defensively. He’s tall, long, active and aggressive on that end. His communication is fantastic for a young player. His ability to guard far out on the perimeter while also being a rim protector gives him a chance to play early in his career. The bad. Yikes. Bryant’s offense looked rough. His one make was a lucky banker. His form looks good but he’s hesitant and isn’t picking his spots well. Bryant also had some iffy decisions with the ball. Overall: The defense is great but hopefully Bryant shows something offensively before summer league is over. If he doesn’t, the Spurs might have a major project on their hands.
Grade: B-
Riley Minix
Minix can score the rock. He shoots with a high release. His footwork is a plus. He moves well without the ball. His passing is also sneaky good. Minix’s defense was very iffy at times. He looked slow and ground-bound on a handful of possessions. Let’s hope it’s a matter of him just getting in shape because otherwise Minix looks like he has a skillset that could keep him in the NBA.
Grade: B
Harrison Ingram
Ingram’s stats don’t jump off the page but he was rock solid. He hit a three-pointer and then used his body well on a couple of buckets at the rim. Passing-wise, he’s extremely legit. His court vision and timing are very good for a forward. Ingram’s ball-handling also looks to be adequate for his position. Defensively, he’s nothing special but he uses his smarts to be in the right position and he has natural timing for rebounds.
Grade: B+
David Jones-Garcia
Jones-Garcia makes it look easy to score the basketball. He came out of the gates on fire and ended the first half with 22 points. He’s a three level scorer whose patience and coordination allow him to carve up summer league defenses. Jones-Garcia’s ball-handling wasn’t always smooth but that’s about the extent of the negatives I can point on this night. On defense, the native of the Dominican Republic was intense and completely engaged. When the dust settled, Jones-Garcia had a very efficient 24 points in only 18 minutes of action, while also being a force for good on the defensive end.
Grade: A
Ibrahima Diallo
Diallo got the start at center and did reasonably well. He stayed out of the way offensively while making the right decisions when the ball found his hands. Defensively, he stuck to the basics and helped close down the paint.
Grade: B
Jameer Nelson, Jr.
Ouch. I mean the Spurs won by 40-plus so it’s difficult to be too negative but Nelson was pretty darn bad. In 20 minutes, he was 1-for-5 from the floor and committed five turnovers. It was his looseness with the ball that especially stood out. He had some positive moments getting to the line and making a few heady passes — but, all in all, this was a night to forget for Nelson.
Grade: D
Osayi Osifo
Osifo once again made noise by running the court, being aggressive with the ball and throwing his body around. He clearly doesn’t have a shy bone in his body. The good news for Osifo is he exhibited more skill tonight than usual. His passing looked pretty good and he’s a courageous ball-handler. He needs work handling the ball but he’s showing some development in that area.
Grade: B+
Dexter Dennis
Dennis is quietly making a case for a two-way contract. He’s a very athletic player, which shows up on the defensive end. He can slide his feet well and provides very good help. Offensively, his explosiveness is his most eye-catching trait — but his 4-for-4 showing from three-point range against the Sixers shows that he’s a well-rounded player.
Grade: B+
Kyle Mangas
After going 0-for-California in the first three summer league games in San Francisco, Mangas knocked down a couple threes in Vegas in his first outing. Overall, he was solid. He’s crafty on offense, passes it well, processes the game quickly and has good touch. Defense will never be a strength but he competed decently well on that end.
Grade: B
Chibuzo Agbo
Agbo hit a silky-looking three-pointer and then had a nice middy off the dribble.
Grade: B
Jacksen Moni
This was our first extended look at Moni and he’s somewhat interesting. He was playing backup center behind Diallo. At 6-foot-10, he has three-point range and his release is effortless. He obviously needs to work on his body to add strength and quickness but he looks like he’d be a good get for Austin. Bigs who can shoot and play with IQ always have value.
Grade: B
Cam Carter
Welp, it’s safe to say Carter isn’t hesitant about shooting the ball. He’s someone who doesn’t enjoy the act of passing. He’s also undisciplined on the defense but. But, hey, Carter plays an exciting brand of basketball — which is fun for summertime.
Grade: B-
Mike Noyes
Noyes had his troops playing with energy from the opening tip. This was a thoroughly dominant performance. It helped that the team shot so well but the contagious defensive effort is what allowed the game to become a laugher.
Grade: A-