Memphis Grizzlies finish Summer League with loss to San Antonio Spurs
The Memphis Grizzlies rested three of their rotational players and found themselves in a dogfight against the winless San Antonio Spurs on Saturday.
Both teams traded baskets late in the fourth quarter. The Grizzlies were down three when a Dakota Mathias 3-pointer in the final seconds was air-balled.
The Grizzlies were defeated by the Spurs 90-87 at Thomas & Mack Center to end their Summer League run. Memphis went 2-1 in Salt Lake City, then finished 2-3 in Las Vegas.
Four Grizzlies scored in double figures, but 18 turnovers led to 21 Spurs points off those miscues. Memphis shot 45.9% and had some encouraging performances from its young core.
Here are some observations from Saturday's game:
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Key Grizzlies out for finale
Jake LaRavia, Ziaire Williams, Xavier Tillman Sr. and Santi Aldama did not play against the Spurs. LaRavia was out due to being in health and safety protocols, while the other three sat on the bench out of uniform. Williams, Tillman and Aldama were the three returning Grizzlies from last season. Each player put up strong performances and showed signs of improvement. Williams and Tillman were named outstanding performers in Salt Lake City and Aldama had back to back Las Vegas games of 22 and 31 points.
Kenneth Lofton Jr. shines
No Aldama and Tillman meant lots of paint touches for Kenneth Lofton Jr. The Grizzlies' two-way big man showed his midrange touch and bullied defenders with his 275-pound frame into easy baskets. He also made two 3-pointers, including a step-back that gave Memphis a 87-86 lead in the final two minutes. He finished with 27 points on 10-for-16 shooting, 12 rebounds and two blocks. David Roddy chipped in 19 points on 6-of-14 shooting, Ronald Segu added 13 points and Kennedy Chandler finished with 10.
Vince Williams showcases underrated skill
Vince Williams made three 3-pointers in the Salt Lake City Summer League opener. He wasn't asked to do much in offensive sets, but with LaRavia and Williams out, he showed off his playmaking ability. Williams made crisp passes within the flow of the offense and finished with six assists. He also finished a team-high plus-10 in 26:34 because of his passing and sound defense. Williams is on a two-way contract, but the Grizzlies are high on his 3-point shooting and defensive ability. He was often given the toughest perimeter assignments on offense.
Contact Damichael Cole at damichael.cole@commercialappeal.com and on Twitter @damichaelc
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Kenneth Lofton Jr. scores 27 points in Memphis Grizzlies Summer League finale
