3 observations after Bona blocks 5 shots, Summer Sixers lose at the buzzer

3 observations after Bona blocks 5 shots, Summer Sixers lose at the buzzer originally appeared in NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Sixers suffered a blowout loss on Tuesday night, falling to 1-1 in the Salt Lake City Summer League.

Jaylen Wells’ putback floater just before the final horn lifted the Grizzlies to an 87-85 victory.

Wells scored 27 points. Jeff Dowtin Jr. led the Sixers with 18 points and six assists.

The Sixers’ third and final game in Utah will be Thursday at 9 p.m. ET against the Jazz. They will begin play in the Las Vegas summer league on Saturday.

Here are observations from the close loss to Memphis:

Dowtin, the veterinarian surrounded by young people

After an 0-of-6 game from three-point range in Sixers’ summer-opening win over Thunder, Jared McCain broke his long-range ice with two consecutive quick jumpers. Not surprisingly, a player with his shooting ability hit a pair right away.

McCain didn’t have the same success in two-point territory, going 3-for-10 from the floor in a 12-point, four-assist performance.

As a team, the Sixers started 5-6 from three-point range and took an 18-point lead at the end of the first quarter. Dowtin went 3-for-4 from beyond the arc that night and had another good game.

We thank the 27-year-old guard for being the quintessential summer league veteran – hitting shots, running the offense and generally lessening the usual level of July basketball chaos.

Rookie wing Justin Edwards I had a good night too. The all-around Kentucky product scored the Sixers’ first five points on a mid-range jumper in transition and a catch-and-shoot three on a drive and shot by McCain. Edwards recorded 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting, three rebounds, two steals and two blocks.

Bona moving away for blocks

Adem Bona had a difficult time when he faked a dribble, tried a sneak attack and took the ball out of his hands. Later, the 21-year-old center was whistled into a sharply defined moving screen. Bona won’t be an offensive center anytime soon, but he hopes to develop his decision-making and skills when the ball gets to him at the top of the key.

His night was not short on positive moments, however. In the second quarter, Bona played a two-man game with McCain, rolled to the rim, drew a foul and made both free throws. He was 6 of 6 from the foul line.

On the other hand, last season’s Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year deterred and altered many shots in the paint. He also blocked five.

Bona will want to curb his NBA fouls a bit, but Sixers coach Nick Nurse – who is watching courtside in Utah – endorses his players “taking shots” on blocks. Bona is a great man who will do just that.

No magic in the fourth quarter this time

Ricky Council IV was unable to replicate his 29-point performance against OKC, which put up a 19-point fourth quarter.

The Grizzlies seemed to be focused on limiting their clean looks and Council made some mistakes while trying to force a tight defense. He went 2-for-9 from the field, with four rebounds, three assists and three turnovers.

Like the Council, David Jones He showed that he knows how to make free throws and get rebounds. He scored six points, 10 rebounds and three steals.

Jones racked up 21.8 points per game last year in Memphis, but the rookie tends to have tunnel vision with the ball in his hands. Our initial impression is that he will need to be a top-notch shooter to open doors for himself in the NBA. Jones took a big leap in that regard during the 2023-24 season, shooting 38 percent from three-point range after converting just 28.4 percent of his triples in his first three years of college.

Keve Aluma was productive again as the Sixers’ backup center and is now 12-of-14 in two summer league games. Aluma played well for much of the fourth quarter, but looked tired midway through the period and committed an ugly, uncontrolled foul on a corner three by Wells.

McCain managed a three-point pass attempt with about 70 seconds remaining. Despite missed jumper after missed jumper, the Sixers’ defensive effort was strong down the stretch. Ultimately, they stayed a fraction of a second short of forcing extra time.