LAS VEGAS – The second leg of Summer League is the true proving ground of development.
With Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett across the hall, most missed the show Mo Bamba and Lonnie Walker IV put on inside the Cox Pavilion.
Walker dropped 28 points in 23 minutes, but the San Antonio Spurs fell to the Orlando Magic, 75-59 in an earthquake-shortened contest.
Here are some quick news and notes from Friday night’s game.
LONNIE WALKER IV
Walker took the first quarter against Erik McCree and the Magic personally.
Though the Spurs emphasize sharing the ball and a constructive team-style of play, Walker’s mission has been to prove he can be a one-man show offensively and contribute to a bench unit that can greatly benefit from that ability.
His 28 points came on 17 field goal attempts, with only one attempt being a 3-pointer. Slicing through lanes, getting to the basket, and shooting fadeaway midrange jumpers off the bounce, Walker’s offensive arsenal has been a joy to watch this summer.
At one point in the first quarter, Walker let his personality flow a bit more, giving some friendly trash talk to McCree on both sides of the ball, consistently challenging the 25-year-old forward from Orlando.
Walker is another strong performance or two away from seeing his stay in Las Vegas cut short.
DREW EUBANKS
The second year big man on a two-way contract had the only other notable performance for the Spurs on Friday night.
Eubanks logged 15 points and three blocks in 18 minutes, but had his hands full defensively guarding former Texas Longhorns center Mo Bamba.
It’s another solid game for the former Oregon State Beaver who continues to perform well in the absence of Chimezie Metu.
THE ROOKIES
Luka Samanic and Keldon Johnson combined for six points on 2-for-16 shooting.
While Johnson seemed out of control and uncomfortable at times offensively, he did well staying active on the glass and on defense.
Meanwhile, Samanic had a few flashes of skill that just ended poorly. Samanic faked a 3-point attempt and drove around Isaiah Miles for a vicious dunk, which he missed. A few possessions later, Samanic tried to dunk in a missed jumper by Walker, only to get blocked by the rim.
San Antonio’s second round pick, Quinndary Weatherspoon, did not play.
The game was halted after three quarters due to player safety after a 7.1 magnitude earthquake occurred with 40 seconds left in the first quarter in Ridgecrest, California. The earthquake shook the arena on live television, forcing the NBA to end all action for the remainder of the day after both teams agreed it was for the best.
According to the NBA, the rest of Summer League will continue as scheduled after the Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion were deemed safe.
UP NEXT
San Antonio Spurs (0-1) versus Charlotte Hornets (1-0) at 2:30 p.m. CST on Sunday, July 7. The game will also be broadcast on ESPN 2.
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