The Sixers were unable to achieve their first win today in this year's Orlando Pro Summer League, as they fell to the Oklahoma City Thunder, 74-62. Jeremy Lamb lit it up for OKC, as he torched the Sixers for 32 points on 10-14 shooting and 9-10 from the line. The Sixers had no answer for Lamb on either side of the court, as their highest scorer was Minnesota product Rodney Williams who put up 12 points (10 of which came in the 1st quarter).
Besides Williams, there were very few bright spots for the Sixers in this game. Arsalan Kazemi got nearly 30 minutes of playing time, and he was all over the court for the Sixers. He finished the game with 6 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, a steal and a block. This stat line may not seem impressive at first, but it was his hustle plays that stood out throughout the game. It is obvious that Kazemi has a nose for the ball, as he was constantly fighting for loose balls on both ends of the court.
The Sixers' big name rookie, Michael Carter-Williams, was disappointing. He scored a measly 7 points on 3-16 shooting. He had 5 assists in the game to go along with 4 steals, but he also turned the ball over 4 times. MCW's offensive efficiency needs to improve in order for him to be a successful point guard in this league. I like the way he plays-physical and aggresive- but that style of play can turn into reckless basketball if he does not harness his skillset for the greater good.
Second year player Arnett Moultrie, who many people expected to explode in this year's Summer League, had yet another quiet game today. He posted 7 points with just 1 rebound in the game.
The Sixers will play their final Summer League game tomorrow against the Magic at 5 PM on NBA TV.
NOTE: Sixers have considered Grizzlies' player development coach, Lloyd Pierce, for their head coaching job.
