Kyle Anderson Sparks #SummerSpurs Win Over Bucks
LAS VEGAS — Kyle Anderson’s role with the Spurs ultimately still needs to be decided, but his assignment with the Summer League Spurs is clear: Get the best look possible for himself and his teammates. Anderson called his own number more times than not Sunday, leading the Spurs to a 89-74 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Spurs started off sluggish, falling behind 16-11 after one and really falling apart when Anderson went to the bench. Before the Spurs could fall too far behind, their defensive intensity picked up and they forced a couple of turnovers that allowed them to keep things close. The offense picked up in the second quarter and the Spurs managed to take a three-point halftime lead. They poured on the offense in the second half, led by Anderson who finished with 22 points on 5-12 shooting, but made 10-11 free throw attempts. Never one to beat a defender off the dribble, Anderson was able to use a series of up fakes and up-and-unders to draw contact and get to the line. After the game, head coach Becky Hammon praised Anderson’s basketball IQ.
“He’s a little unorthodox in his movement, but he knows how to use his body well. So he knows how to get to angles,” Hammon said. “You know there was one where he looked like he was tied up and he weaseled his way to get his shot off.”
One of the challenges for Anderson is finding a way to play off the ball and still be effective. So far in Summer League he’s served as a secondary ball handler, tasked with playmaking once the Spurs get in to their sets. Hammon acknowledged that Anderon’s role with the Spurs will be different during the season, but continued development of his decision making is key during Summer League.
“We’re trying to groom him to eventually get to those bigger roles with the Spurs and it’s all part of the process for him and for us,” Hammon said.
Jonathon Simmons continued his all-around excellent play after showing up out of nowhere yesterday, just a day after signing his first ever NBA contract. He started slow and looked almost like he was playing with too much energy. Simmons continued to show promise as a pick-and-roll player, dishing out six assists to go along with 13 points, two of those points coming off another rim-shaking defense that brought the Thomas & Mack Center crowd to its feet. Shannon Scott also had his best game of Summer League, notching 8 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists and 5 steals.
The Spurs next take on the Portland Trailblazers Tuesday. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. central time.
