The California Classic has not been kind to the San Antonio Spurs Summer League squad. In their first two games, the Spurs were blown out by more experienced NBA rosters. In their last game before heading to Las Vegas for the rest of Summer League, San Antonio flipped the script with a dominant 89-67 win against the Chinese National Team.
San Antonio failed to shoot over 30% from the field in its first two games. The offense wasn’t perfect against China, but it certainly improved. The Spurs shot 43.2% from the field and 31.3% from deep. After playing loose with the basketball in their first two games, the Spurs turned the ball over just 7 times while notching 20 assists as a team. They turned up the defensive intensity, forcing China to 17 turnovers and recording 12 stocks (steals + blocks).
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73453009/2160767463.0.jpg)
The Spurs were led by their rookie duo of Stephon Castle and Harrison Ingram. Castle dominated the first half with physical finishes around the basket, and poise in the pick and roll. He finished with 18 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals on 8-21 shooting from the field. Ingram built on a nice game on Sunday with a double-double on Tuesday. He was physical on the glass and knocked down three triples on his way to a 16 point, 10 rebound performance.
The Chinese National team were blown out in all three of its California Classic games. They have no NBA players on the roster (although Yang Hansen is a 2025 NBA Draft prospect). Playing well against this team is not necessarily an indicator of long term success. But the young Spurs did enough in the game to head into Las Vegas with a bit of momentum. They have a chance to show what they’ve got against NBA talent when they face the Portland Trail Blazers on July 13.
Observations:
- Castle came out of the gates strong with some nice reads in the pick and roll and aggressive finishes at the rim. He seamlessly flowed on and off the ball to plug into whatever the Spurs needed on a given possession. At UCONN, Castle showed that his strength is one of his best assets. He can finish through defenders or put them through the basket. In just two Summer League games, Castle has shown a solid base to build upon.
- After nailing two triples in his first Summer League game, Spurs fans wondered if Castle’s shot was better than expected. Tuesday’s game brought them back to reality. He was 0-6 from deep, including some ugly misses with no one guarding him. Castle’s mechanics still need some work before he’s a consistent three-point threat. San Antonio wants him to be aggressive this summer, so expect him to keep firing from all over the court.
- Despite Castle’s inconsistent shooting night, he remained aggressive and engaged. That’s a sign of high character. On one play, Castle missed a wide open corner three, chased his own rebound, but the ball bounced to China. Instead of sulking and jogging back on defense, he swarmed the ball-handler from behind, secured the steal and gave San Antonio another possession. Plays like that show Castle’s competitiveness and motor that made him a top-5 pick.
- Ingram has been a blast to watch in Summer League. He’s a fun connective player who can hit catch and shoot threes, attack a closeout and has some juice as a ball-handler. He’s not afraid to do the dirty work as he’s been a beast on the offensive glass. He’s strong enough to guard multiple positions, playing inside and out. It’s hard to find a place for him in the Spurs rotation next season, but he’s a fun depth piece who should develop some real skill in Austin with the G League team.
- Jamaree Bouyea had his moments in the last two games. He tallied 14 points and 5 assists against China. He’s one of the quicker guards on the court and has a smooth handle. His spin move in transition was one of the best open court plays we’ve seen in Summer League. He’s someone to keep an eye on going into Las Vegas.
- Nathan Mensah stepped up after two disappointing perfomrances. He had a nice game on both ends, defending the rim and working hard on the glass. He finished the game with 9 points, 6 rebounds and 3 blocks.
