Brooklyn Nets lose to Philadelphia 76ers 87-83 in Summer League finale

Without any of their four first-round rookies, this game was not at the top of the marquee, even for a 5th Las Vegas Summer League game.

The Brooklyn Nets played their fifth and final game of Las Vegas Summer League on Friday evening. So even die-hardiest of Nets fans likely had something better to do than view auditions for the last available two-way contract or maybe a training camp invite which this year includes a ticket to China!

After all, none of Brooklyn’s top-flight rookies, nor Drew Timme and Tyson Etienne, were playing…

With the opposing Philadelphia 76ers also running out their C-team, meaning no V.J. Edgecombe, the most intriguing participants were Brooklyn’s bigs, 6’11” Grant Nelson and 6’10” Tyrese Samuel.

With one two-way contract currently up for grabs (Tyson Etienne and Tosan Evbuomwan hold the other two), Nelson and Samuel are strong candidates to get another look heading into training camp.

Nelson, a 23-year-old reportedly has a camp invite already. He finished his college career at the University of Alabama, got off to a strong start on Friday, attacking the rim repeatedly including this monster flush…

Tyrese Samuel, slightly older at 25, spent last season with the G League’s Valley Suns. The Canadian hooper was not to be outdone. After posting solid performances playing low minutes in Brooklyn’s last two games, Samuel blocked a shot and scored nine points in the first quarter on perfect shooting, including a smooth-looking 3-pointer…

Nelson would finish with 11 points, four boards, and two dimes in 24 minutes, while Samuel posted 19 points, 12 rebounds, two assists, and a block in 29 minutes.

Tosan Evbuomwan, who had missed previous LVSL contests with injury, did not have such luck. Once again doing a bit too much primary ball-handling as a result of roster constraints, he bricked his way to six points on 2-14 shooting. Will it affect his two-way status? Probably not. But it wasn’t fun to watch.

As for the game itself, the Nets held a double-digit lead early, clicking on all cylinders until the Sixers deployed a 3-2 zone that truly made the game unwatchable. Turnovers, missed 3-pointers to cap stagnant possessions. At least Nelson switched capably onto guards while Samuel showcased real strength and coordination inside. But hopefully, you just caught the highlights.

A stagnant second half saw Sixers lay siege to and eventually take the lead, pumping it up to double digits on more than one occasion. Philly’s zone continued to stiff arm Brooklyn’s offense which lacked the shooting and passing prowess to stretch and tear it.

Brooklyn didn’t retake control until around the three minute mark of the final period after Grant Nelson cashed three one way and Quincy Olivari did the other, finishing and-one to put the Nets up a digit with just over three to go.

But the comeback effort ended there, as did the summer league two of Brooklyn’s ball handlers. Olivari exited a few sequences after his lead-taking bucket with an apparent injury. As the 76ers climbed back in front, earning a handful of trips to the line, Caleb Daniels also went down with a knee injury, leaving on a wheelchair.

Olivari finished the night with 18 points, two rebounds, and an assist, while Daniels tacked on five points, seven rebounds, three assists, and two steals. It was the 76ers, however, who held on to win, taking this final contest by an 87-83 score.

For the Sixers, Mark Armstrong who played for the Long Island Nets last season, finished with 23 points to lead all scorers. The South Orange, N.J. native and Villanova product, is Dariq Whitehead’s cousin.

But perhaps the most entertaining part of the evening was Egor Dëmin’s cameo on the NBA TV broadcast. If nothing else, the Russian rookie is going to be a great quote…

He also shouted out Brooklyn food scene. Mind you, not American Brooklyn food, but Brooklyn’s restaurants which serve Russian cuisine.

Can’t say I blame the kid — but he should try Bark Barbecue in Dumbo and get back to us.

Next Up

Photo by Oisin Keniry/R&A/R&A via Getty Images

Rest and relaxation. We’ll be writing through it all, but no Nets basketball for quite some time. To be precise, the next Brooklyn Nets game will be a preseason game vs the Phoenix Suns exactly 84 days — seven weeks — from now in Macao, China. Enjoy the summer. We’ll be here.

• Boxscore: Philadelphia 76ers 87, Brooklyn Nets 83 – NBA
• Game Highlights: Philadelphia 76ers 87, Brooklyn Nets 83 (Video) – NBA
• Nets summer league grades: Tyrese Samuel drops 19 in loss to 76ers – Sharif Phillips-Keaton – USA Today
• Tyrese Samuel Shines in Nets’ Summer League Finale Despite Loss to 76ers – Kyler Fox – Sports Illustrated