After missing the California Classic and the opening game of Summer League, Dylan Harper made his pro debut against Cooper Flagg and the Mavericks. The second overall pick didn’t disappoint, finishing the night with 16 points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals in a 76-69 win.
The Harper vs. Flagg showdown started with the Summer Spurs playing suffocating defense that kept the No. 1 overall pick in check. The Mavericks scored just 11 points in the opening frame on 2-for-14 shooting, as Carter Bryant wreaked havoc in the half-court. The tables unfortunately turned in the second quarter. Dallas found ways to get going while San Antonio didn’t get good looks consistently due to a low-pace offense that was too reliant on the individual talent of its ball handlers. The Silver and Black were only up one at the half.
Harper helped the Spurs right the ship in the third, both by playing with more pace and by being disruptive on defense. Flagg got going as a scorer thanks to screens but the Mavericks’ offense didn’t have many other threats. David Jones-Garcia, meanwhile, shook off the indecisiveness that limited his impact in the second frame and put points on the board to get his team a significant lead.
The Summer Mavs tried to make some runs with Flagg leading the way, but in the end, it was a comfortable win for San Antonio.
Harper was as impressive as expected
Harper hadn’t played since March and had a small injury that kept him out of the California Classic, so it was understandable to have lowered expectations for his debut. Those apprehensions didn’t last long, as he looked special from the start.
The No. 2 overall pick scored the first bucket of the game but, more impressively, he bought into the defensive identity the Summer Spurs have adopted, offering energy that is not common from most blue-chippers in Vegas. The two steals, four deflections, and highlight-reel block were great, but he also pressured ball handlers and was not afraid to mix it up on loose balls. On the other end, he got into his spots at will, using his handle and quickness to touch the paint and draw fouls. He played on the ball a lot but also shared the floor with other ball handlers and looked comfortable, cutting for layups or keeping the offense going. The vision and decision-making were in full display despite a low assist total. He was the player the Spurs hoped he’d be.
There were some issues, particularly with getting into the offense early and fouling too much, but those were team-wide problems. As for his shot, Harper missed all four of his threes that counted but hit a pull-up that was erased because of a foul before the shot, and only had one bad miss. The form looked solid, and he made six of his seven free throws.
After just a game, it’s probably appropriate to say he’s too good for Summer League, but hopefully he’ll suit up again, because on top of being good, he’s also fun to watch.
Carter Bryant gave Cooper Flagg some trouble, at least on one end
Flagg dropped 31 points, bouncing back from a low-scoring debut and looking like the future All-NBA player he is. Yet it wasn’t easy for him to get those buckets, especially in the first half when the 14th overall pick was harassing him in the perimeter, testing his handles and never conceding an inch. Flagg mostly scored when others were on him early and relied on high screens to get past Bryant and punish the Spurs’ drop defense in the second half. Against a special talent, the other San Antonio rookie looked NBA-ready on defense.
The offense is another story. There’s nothing Bryant currently does at a high level on that end. He can’t dribble at all under any type of pressure. His shot is inconsistent. He’s not an intuitive passer. He finished the game with two points and four turnovers and missed all his seven shots, including his five three-point attempts. At this point in his development, if Bryant and his clone were to be locked in a gym for a day playing one-on-one, the score at the end would likely be tied at zero. Fortunately, the Spurs didn’t draft him to be their leading scorer and at just 19 he has time on his side to develop into a two-way player.
David Jones-Garcia continues to dismantle defenses
Jones-Garcia has been one of the best performers of the summer, not just for the Spurs. The wing-turned-combo guard dropped 21 points off the bench against the Mavericks after scoring 24 in his first game in Vegas following an impressive California Classic. He’s a legitimate three-level scorer who has the handles and craft to create separation and the touch to hit even contested looks. At times, he’s the entire offense when he’s on the floor. He’s been fun to watch.
Is his skill set transferable to the NBA, where he’s not going to have the ball in his hands as much? That’s the big question with him. He’s not a bad distributor, but he’s a score-first guy. He psyched himself out in the second quarter by trying to pass instead of attacking and looked more comfortable later on, when he focused on just getting buckets. The Spurs, with their abundance of scoring guards, might not be the right team for him right now, but he’s definitely earning a two-way deal somewhere with his play, if not a full spot on a roster.
Next game: vs. Utah Jazz on Monday
The Jazz and Ace Bailey await the Summer Spurs. Bailey, who was in attendance to watch Harper’s debut, missed the first game of the Las Vegas Summer League but will hopefully be ready to go against the Spurs.
Source link
