In their second game of this year’s California Classic, the Los Angeles Lakers fought hard for much of the contest, but they came up short to the San Antonio Spurs by the score of 109-99.
The Lakers fell behind early 20-10, but they responded to build a five-point lead near the end of the first quarter. Unfortunately, that was about as good as it got for them, as they got outrebounded by 15 and gave up 20 offensive rebounds, which led to 26 second-chance points for San Antonio.
Still, four players stood out for Los Angeles and could have some potential as far as making its big-league team this fall.
Jalen Hood-Schifino had a very solid performance
Hood-Schifino, the No. 17 pick in last month’s draft, looked off in the first half of Monday’s game versus the Miami Heat. But he played much better in the second half, and he continued that strong play on Wednesday.
He finished with 20 points on 8-of-17 shooting, and he not only did his damage from the mid-range area, but he also attacked the hoop at times, converting three shots in the restricted area on as many attempts. It also led to him attempting seven free throws, although he only made four of them.
At this point, there are still questions about Hood-Schifino’s ability to hit from long distance. He missed all four of his 3-point attempts versus the Spurs, and he also needs to take care of the ball better after committing five turnovers.
Still, he looks like he can have a serious future in the NBA.
Cole Swider was doing his thing from downtown
Despite adding some reliable 3-point shooters over the last several months, the Lakers still need more of them in order to claim their 18th NBA championship. Perhaps Swider, an undrafted free agent last year, could supply some buckets from long range.
He hit 3-of-6 from downtown on Monday, and on Wednesday, he did even better, making his first two treys and three of his first four. He finished 4-of-7 from that distance and scored 18 points.
Swider seems to be a one-dimensional player, but he also grabbed seven rebounds in 28 minutes.
If he continues to throw in darts from the outside throughout summer league play, perhaps Swider will earn some playing time with the big-league Lakers this coming season.
Is Max Christie more well-rounded than first thought?
Christie has looked like a player with 3-and-D potential, but on Wednesday, he showed something more than that.
He hit an outstanding 4-of-5 from downtown, but he also connected on a couple of midrange jumpers. Most impressively, he attacked the basket, which allowed him to convert 7-of-8 from the free throw line.
Overall, he scored 25 points on 7-of-13 field-goal shooting, plus four rebounds, four assists, one steal and one blocked shot.
Colin Castleton showed off his skills
Castleton, a 6-foot-11 undrafted big man from the University of Florida who is known for blocking shots, had four rejections against San Antonio, but he did much more than simply protect the rim.
He also scored 18 points on 6-of-10 from the field and 6-of-7 from the free throw line, to go along with eight rebounds and six assists.
He doesn’t exactly appear to be an aggressive or overpowering rebounder, but if he continues to show aptitude in terms of blocking shots and patrolling the paint, perhaps he has a shot at sticking with the big-league Lakers.
