Kyle Anderson's Spurs Advance to Summer League Quarterfinals

In a game that was nip and tuck for most of four quarters, Kyle Anderson's San Antonio Spurs defeated the Utah Jazz , 86-77 on the strength of an 11-2 run in the last two minutes.   San Antonio moves on to the quarterfinals to face the Washington Wizards on Saturday.

Utah's Summer League team boasts two first round draft choices, the overall #4 Dante Exum and #23 Rodney Hoood.

Once again, the Spurs gave Kyle a tough assignment - Rodney Hood.  Kyle immediately got into foul trouble (five for the game), and only played 15 minutes, but scored 7 of his 8 points in the second half.  Austin Daye, a 2009 #15 pick from Gonzaga, was again the team leader with 20 points.

It has to be said.  The Spurs organization manages to win in the Summer League with a no-name team outside of its first round pick, Anderson, using the same secret sauce it used to win the real NBA championship this past June:  unselfish play, passing, and helping defense.  This coaching  feat is pretty difficult to achieve in a summer league that is basically a showcase for sub-NBA talent  to buyers from the foreign leagues around the world - the Canne of professional basketball.  Further, they're winning with Kyle struggling to cover his man.  There's hope for Kyle in this organization - he might just be the smart, passing player they can use off the bench in the long grind of the NBA season.

Meanwhile, Zach LaVine's  Minnesota Timberwolves were knocked out of the playoffs by the Sacramento Kings, 100-86.  Shabazz Muhammad scored 24 and Zach LaVine scored 16 in the loss.  Sacramento regular season starter, Ben McLemore led all scores with 22 points, and the Kings managed to win without Derrick Williams who was held out of the game - possibly related to trade rumors.

The Wolves got close early in the fourth quarter, but then fell apart allowing the Kings to end the game on a 17-2 run.

Once again it was a poor shooting, 41% inside the arc, low assist effort by the Wolves.