Three takeaways from the San Antonio Spurs’ nail-biter against the Philadelphia 76ers

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA – AUGUST 03: Jakob Poeltl #25 of the San Antonio Spurs misses against Tobias Harris #12 and Matisse Thybulle #22 of the Philadelphia 76ers at Visa Athletic Center. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

Though the San Antonio Spurs came up short in their third game inside the bubble, it was a great testament to the team’s willpower and upside.

For a brief moment, it seemed like the San Antonio Spurs had this upset in the bag. With mere seconds left on the clock, the team had a two-point lead that was torn from them by a 3-pointer by Sixers point guard Shake Milton. San Antonio fell 132-130 despite clawing back in an all-around effort led by guess who? Starting power forward (?!?!) DeMar DeRozan.

The veteran win dropped 30 points in the victory including some clutch shots down the wire to extend the Spurs’ lead. It was one of the best defensive performances he’s put up in a Spurs jersey, sticking with a rotating cast of talented forwards and wings that the Sixers cycle through on a nightly basis. He was the best player on the court tonight and has been for the last three games.

San Antonio continued to play a modern, team-based game with assists on 21 of their 46 made field goals that included 12 3-pointers at 46.2 percent. Their offensive efficiency was remarkable for a group without a ton of chemistry playing in these lineups. That’s part of the Spurs’ mentality every time on the court that resulted in a next-man-up approach to the game.

Tonight’s next man up was rookie Keldon Johnson, who just keeps getting better the more he plays. The rook had a career-high 15 points on six shots along with three boards and an assist. San Antonio has taken on a lot of projects in recent seasons, drafting players for who they could be as opposed to who they are. That’s not Johnson’s case as the 20-year-old entered the league with a grown man’s game and the physical profile to match.

Johnson was one of five Spurs in double figures and while they couldn’t quite get it done tonight, it was still an offensive performance to be proud of. Here’s why.

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