Did the Spurs Catch Fire or Were the 76ers Exposed?

San Antonio and Philadelphia showed up to the game, both holding a 1-2 Summer League record. Both teams were looking to tie their record; however, after the game, the Spurs took control from the opening tip. Assaulting the Sixers roster with a barrage of three-pointers. The final score of the game came to be 111-70, with the Spurs coming out on top. The 76ers' Summer League record is now 1-3, and it begs the question: Did the Spurs simply catch fire, or did the 76ers face a glaring weakness in their game?

David Jones Garcia caught fire in the first quarter, hitting three bombs against the Sixers' defenders. Although the night was only getting worse for the Sixers as three more deep shots were made. Carter Bryant, Riley Minix, and Kyle Mangas each hit a three-pointer in the first quarter. By the end of the first quarter, they led by an excruciating 34-12 lead. If this were streetball or a 2k game, then this game was, basically, over for the Sixers. They were down in this game from the jump and couldn’t make it close. Judah Mintz, who exploded for 26 points against Memphis, couldn’t find his touch. Only scoring nine points this game, while going two for seven from the field, 28.6%, and five for 12 from the charity stripe, 45.5%. Mintz’s inefficiency was one of many weaknesses that were exposed. On the other hand, the Spurs catching fire could be a result of their stunning loss to the Lakers. The Spurs dropped 19 three-pointers out of 37 attempts, going over 51.4% from downtown. It seemed like the Spurs put on a show as they had the 2023-24 Rookie of the Year, Victor Wembanyama, in attendance. Wemby was on his way to a stellar sophomore season when he was forced to miss the remainder of the season due to blood clots in his right shoulder.

The Sixers found a semblance of relief when Keve Aluma and Mark Armstrong showed up from the bench. Sure, Aluma only scored 12 points, followed by Armstrong’s 10 points. However, it goes to show that there was more to the game than points. Keve Aluma came through with three steals, leading the Sixers in that category. Aluma, Armstrong, and even Johni Broome combined for a valiant five-for-12 three-point barrage, 41.7%, off the bench. What could this mean for guys like Mintz or Jalen Hood-Schifino, who are fighting for recognition? Fighting for a contract to play in the Big Leagues. The Summer League is almost over, but this game shows that the 76ers may have more glaring weaknesses than previously shown.