UCLA Basketball: Kyle Anderson's Spurs Lose in Quarterfinals of NBA Summer League

In an up-and-down game of runs, the Spurs finally succumbed to the Washington Wizards, 95-84, in triple overtime (OT's are two minutes in the Summer League-- outside of the playoffs, the second OT is actually sudden death).  The Spurs were knocked out of the playoffs, and now play one consolation game.

Washington, a good team seeded fourth, was led by Glen Rice, Jr., the Summer League's leading scorer, with 36 points and Otto Porter with 27 points. Once again, fourth year man, Austen Daye, led the Spurs with 27 points.

Kyle Anderson had 9 points, 2 rebounds and 0 assists in 29 minutes.  However, six minutes were in OT;  Kyle actually sat most of the third and fourth quarters.

The Spurs went on a 20-1 run in the first quarter, and seemed to lock up the game, but the Wizards went on two big runs of their own, and led by as many as 6 early in the third period.  Kyle was again drew a tough defensive assignment, Otto Porter.  As the Spurs appear to be one of the few Summer League teams that want to win (the Wizards, Rockets, Kings and Hornets -- the semifinal teams -- are the others), they sat Kyle for a long stretch from the third to fourth quarters, and the Spurs retook the league.

The game was back-and-forth until the end with stupid fouls and mental breakdowns playing big roles.  The Spurs' Jeff Ayers fouled Otto Porter in the backcourt with 13 seconds left in the third overtime. Porter went 1-2 from the line putting the Wizards up  by one, 95-94.  The Spurs then had two shots to win.  Daye was blocked on an inbounds play with six seconds.  Kyle got a good look at a close-in turnaround with one second, but drew air as he was lightly touched on the palm on the way up.

Meanwhile, in a Friday consolation game, Zach led all scorers with 22 points, and was named "player of the day" (LOL), as Minnesota beat New Orleans, 97-78.

As an aside, and in the name of perspective, the top-seeded Chicago Bulls elected not to play Doug McDermott in their semifinal game, and were promptly trounced by Sacramento, 80-61.  Sacramento played starter Ben McLemore.  So how much does the Summer League mean?  I'll have more on that in my NBA Summer League Recap.