The Sixers wrapped up their 2025 summer league on a winning note Friday night.
With an 87-83 victory over the Nets, the Sixers concluded their Las Vegas play at 3-2. The team went 1-2 in the Salt Lake City summer league.
Mark Armstrong scored 23 points and Judah Mintz tallied 20.
Several of the Sixers’ 2025 top summer league players watched from the bench, including VJ Edgecombe, Johni Broome, Adem Bona and Justin Edwards.
Here are observations on the Sixers’ summer league finale:
The Sixers’ two Vegas constants
The Sixers started a lineup of Mintz, Hunter Salis, Jalen Slawson, Keve Aluma and Izan Almansa. Aluma and Mintz were the only Sixers to play in all five of the team’s Vegas games.
Mintz drove hard, absorbed contact and converted an and-one layup in the first quarter.
Mintz’s foul drawing is a legitimately impressive skill. He shot 8.0 free throws per game (29 for 40 total) in Las Vegas action. The 22-year-old guard averaged 14.0 points, 4.0 assists and 3.0 rebounds.
Aluma posted 10.8 points and 4.4 rebounds per contest.
Stellar finish to Armstrong’s summer
The Nets took a double-digit lead with a run late in the first quarter against the Sixers’ bench. Coming off of a 22-point outing Wednesday night vs. the Mavs, Armstrong forced a few shots and struggled in his opening stint.
For his first hoop, Armstrong delivered a second-quarter highlight slam.
The Sixers played effective zone defense in the second period and erased their deficit. Armstrong hit a difficult baseline runner with 13.6 seconds left in the first half to put the Sixers up 43-42.
He stayed hot in the third quarter and again had a good overall game. Credit to the 21-year-old rookie for closing his summer in strong fashion after an 0-for-7 performance in the Sixers’ Salt Lake City opener.
Defense holds up with three-guard unit
Slawson had a subpar offensive game (1 for 4 from the field, five turnovers), but the 25-year-old forward’s hustle and eagerness to do dirty work stood out.
Slawson grabbed 10 rebounds and had four blocks and three steals. He sunk two late free throws to ice the win, too.
Brooklyn briefly regained the lead in the fourth quarter, but the Sixers’ closing three-guard lineup with Mintz, Armstrong and Sallis defended well. By summer league standards, the Sixers generally left the right players open, helped each other out and showed sound fundamentals.
Armstrong broke an 83-all tie by knocking down two foul shots with 36.0 seconds remaining and the Sixers managed to see their final Vegas victory through.
