SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The San Antonio Spurs put up a lopsided win over the Charlotte Hornets in the NBA Summer League opener.
San Antonio crushed Charlotte 98-77 on Monday night in a battle between the teams with the first two picks in the 2023 NBA Draft.
The Spurs led 58-32 at halftime and were in control of the game the whole night.
None of the Hornets' primary starters from last year appeared in the game but fans did get to see two players on the court that they hope will make an impact for years to come.
Brandon Miller, the No. 2 pick in the draft, scored 18 points while making five of 11 shots from the field in his debut from the team. Nick Smith, who the Hornets selected later in the first round, put up 12 points while shooting five of 14 points from the field.
Amari Bailey, who the Hornets chose in the second round, made six points but shot just two of seven from the free-throw line.
The Hornets' other draft acquisition, James Nnaji, did not play in the game.
San Antonio's No. 1 pick, the highly touted Victor Wembanyama, did not appear in the game and is not expected to play for the Spurs in the Summer League until the team's next matchup with Charlotte on July 7.
As a team, the Hornets made just 39.4% of their shots, a low number that follows last season's production when the team ranked second-last in shooting percentage.
The loss does sting a bit for fans who hope Charlotte can turn things around, but without key players on the court, this game is not a direct indication of what is to come from the Hornets this season.
Charlotte's next Summer League game is on Wednesday against the Golden State Warriors.