Here are some thoughts from the Nets’ 79-71 loss to the 76ers Wednesday afternoon, dropping Brooklyn to 0-3 in this year’s Orlando Summer League play:
– Since practice for summer league began last Thursday, Tornike Shengelia has consistently been one of the team’s most impressive players. That trend didn’t change Wednesday, when Shengelia entered the starting lineup for the first time.
Inserted into the lineup at small forward, he had a terrific performance, finishing with 17 points, six rebounds and two assists and earning even more plaudits from Nets coach Avery Johnson.
“He was outstanding,” Johnson said. “He was really good. He’s having a good summer league, and he had a good camp. He’s getting better and better and we think he has a chance to be a really solid NBA three with versatility.”
The Nets were open about the fact that Shengelia was expected to spend next season, at least, overseas when they drafted him. But after he pushed to come over and prove himself to Johnson and the rest of the Nets hierarchy, he has a shot to make the roster.
“We’re gonna have that conversation,” Johnson said.
– Johnson was also pleased with how the entire starting five – Tyshawn Taylor, MarShon Brooks, Shengelia, Bryant Dunston and Jeff Foote – played during the first quarter, when the Nets jumped out to an early lead.
“I thought just our whole starting team [did well],” he said. “I thought Taylor did a nice job running the team, I thought MarShon did a nice job, Toko, Dunston and Foote. I thought that group did a good job.
“We lost a little bit of momentum in the third quarter, but, again, I thought that group did us a better chance. We’ll see what the group does tomorrow, but hopefully we’ll be able to start well and finish well.”
– After sitting out of Wednesday’s game as a maintenance day, Al Thornton will return to the starting lineup Thursday, and MarShon Brooks will get the day off.
tbontemps@nypost.com