The Sixers faced off against the Minnesota Timberwolves in their fourth and final game of Summer League action led by Paul Reed.
They would be without Tyrese Maxey for the second straight game as he departed Las Vegas to participate in his basketball clinic in his hometown. The 76ers looked to leave Las Vegas on a good note but lost to the T’Wolves 99-96 in overtime. Take a look at some observations from the final game for the Summer Sixers:
Paul Reed
This game was the BBall Paul Show! From the opening tip, he had his imprint on this game. He started at center in this game, which gave him a shot to show what he could do as a “stretch five.” I’m sure Doc Rivers watched this game to see what Reed would look like at center to see if he could use Reed in the regular season in that capacity. BBall Paul showed his scoring versatility and dominated the boards. Reed ended with a stat line of 27 pts, 20 rebs, 4 ast, 4 blks, and 4 stl. Reed has shown continued improvement, and if he works hard in training camp, he can carve out a role in the rotation.
Isaiah Joe
Joe didn’t have his best game offensively against the Timberwolves. He didn’t shoot well and wasn’t nearly as good as he has been as a ball handler. It just wasn’t his night, and unfortunately, he was injured late in the fourth quarter. Let’s hope Joe can get some rest and treatment and be ready to go for training camp.
Jaden Springer
The rookie started out a little slow but ended up having a solid night. Springer ended the night with 11 pts, 6 ast, and 4 rebs. Early on, he was a little indecisive when leading the fast break, which led to some turnovers. As the game went on, he settled in and looked more comfortable. He continued to show his ability to make contact and finish at the rim.
Springer also showed his versatility on defense as well. One play that stood out late was the three-pointer he hit late in the fourth quarter to put the blue and white up two points. It remains to be seen how much playing time the rook will get during the season, but if he continues to improve and give effort on defense, we may see him on the court.
Best of the rest
Daishen Nix made some impact plays in the first quarter when he subbed in for Frank Mason III. He showed glimpses of good court vision, threading the needle with nifty passes to his teammates. He probably won’t make Philly’s roster but could be picked up by another team who is willing to help him develop.
Rayjon Tucker attacks the rim like a running back hitting the hole, and should be in the dunk contest this upcoming season no matter how many minutes he plays. Tucker likely won’t see any real minutes this season and will have to continue to improve in the G-League. Frank Mason showed his ability to get to the basket and covert tough finishes all evening. He still has the potential to be a backup or third point guard on a roster. Aaron Henry continues to show flashes of why most fans are excited about him. This upcoming season, he is on a two-way contract and will be a major asset to the Delaware Bluecoats.
The 76ers ended the Summer League in Las Vegas 2-2 but saw improvement in the guys they believed could compete for rotational minutes in the future. Maxey, Reed, and Joe each showed that they could contribute to this team one way or another. Next up for the Sixers is training camp starting in September.
