SALT LAKE CITY – Two close losses did not turn into a third one for the Sixers. They closed out their stint in the Utah Jazz Summer League on a satisfying note, rallying in the fourth quarter to beat the San Antonio Spurs 94-86 (see Instant Replay).
The Sixers came out on top without top pick Markelle Fultz in the lineup. Fultz did not start or play because the coaching staff decided to rest him ahead of the Las Vegas Summer League this weekend. In Fultz's absence, the Sixers' second unit stepped up to the plate and carried their team to victory.
Led by 18 points from Isaiah Miles, the Sixers finished with 66 bench points. Four of the six players who came off the bench scored in double figures including Jonah Bolden (16), Brandon Austin (15) and Isaiah Briscoe (10). With the spark they provided, the Sixers surged past the Spurs midway through the fourth quarter and never looked back.
Here are five other observations from Thursday's game:
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• Once Furkan Korkmaz fully gets his legs under him, the Turkish rookie has the potential to impact a game across the board. Korkmaz did a little bit of everything against the Spurs on Thursday (see story). He stole the ball. He set up teammates for easy baskets with crisp passing. Most importantly, he helped key the decisive 11-0 fourth quarter run that put the Sixers ahead for good with a timely three pointer.
• After suffering a fourth-quarter collapse against the Celtics, the Sixers showed mental toughness in the fourth quarter both against the Jazz and the Spurs. They used a rally to threaten Utah in the final minute and then finished off a rally against San Antonio. This could bode well in tight games in Las Vegas.
• Bryn Forbes has the makings of being a dangerous shooter for San Antonio. Forbes scorched the nets from the perimeter in a win over the Celtics on Wednesday. The Sixers did a good job of holding him in check. Forbes did finish with 21 points, but he went just 3 of 10 from outside.
• The Sixers did a good job of getting out in transition, largely because of their success with forcing turnovers. They finished with 15 fastbreak points while limiting the Spurs to just six points in transition.
• Offensive rebounding is a strength for this Sixers' summer league squad. The Sixers corralled 10 offensive boards and finished with 16 second-chance points. It marked the second straight night they held an advantage over their opponent in these categories.
