4 exhilarating takeaways from the Spurs' finale at the California Classic

The San Antonio Spurs dominated the California Classic, winning both of their games in convincing fashion. Their matchups in Sacramento acted as a preseason of sorts for their upcoming trip to Las Vegas Summer League, and numerous players notched impressive performances that left even the most optimistic fans surprised. So what can we take away from their first action of the offseason?

Malaki, You're Too Good for Summer League

It was only one game, but Malaki Branham proved why he belongs in the NBA. After sitting out on Monday against the Hornets as a healthy scratch, Branham showed no mercy to the Lakers as he dropped 32 points on 12-of-24 shooting, including a 3-of-6 showing from beyond the arc.

Branham struggled to find his shot or create space at the beginning of the night, but he quickly found his rhythm, scoring 17 points on 54% shooting in the second half alone. He demonstrated three-level scoring ability, finding his spots in the midrange, faking out defenders while driving to the basket, and hitting threes out of the pick-and-roll with ease.

It was more than apparent Branham was the best player on the court, and he looked like a full-fledged superstar in Sacramento. The second-year swingman is too good for Summer League, and we're only 36 hours away from seeing him team up with Wembanyama in front 19,000 fans at a sold-out Thomas & Mack Center during opening night in Las Vegas.

Julian, You Also Might Be Too Good

Julian Champagnie was a man among boys over the last week. He signed a new four-year, $12 million contract last Friday and then proceeded to score 58 points in two games to kick off Summer League. Oh, and he did it while shooting 46% from the floor and 46% from deep. You couldn't have asked for a better performance from the second-year forward.

Champagnie showed off his scoring chops, with impressive outside shooting and the ability to get to the rim, including multiple putbacks off second-chance opportunities.

Champagnie started his 28-point performance against the Lakers with a perfect first quarter, scoring 12 points on 4-of-4 shooting from the floor. Just like a shaken bottle of champagne, Champagnie was raining buckets all over the Lakers' defense.

Consistent performances like this could earn the 6-foot-9 forward some legitimate minutes within the rotation come the regular season. Draining catch-and-shoot threes and playing with energy on both ends will always open the door to new opportunities in the NBA. Spurs fans should be excited to see Champagnie suit up next to the aforementioned French phenom on Friday night.

The French Defense

While the San Antonio Spurs selected a generational rim protector in the draft with the number one overall pick, they might have found another outstanding defender with their second-round pick. Sidy Cissoko only scored a combined four points in both games, but he still showcased his talents on the defensive side of the ball. He locked up Brandon Miller on Monday and had another promising outing against the Lakers.

Following Monday night's matchup versus the Hornets, Head Coach Matt Nielsen touted the young Frenchman for his defense.

While he will need to find some success on the offensive end, there were flashes of his playmaking ability, including this impressive pass to Blake Wesley while running in transition.

Even with the lack of scoring, Cissoko's defensive impact should be evident early in his career. The 19-year-old forward already has experience against NBA-caliber competition from his one-season stint with the G League Ignite, and Nielsen believes it shouldn't take too long for him to adapt.

"When you can do that, then we can build off other things and develop," Nielsen said. "When that's your starting point, it's encouraging."

The Continued Growth of Barlow

Dominick Barlow has been one of the more pleasant surprises through two games. He recorded a 24-point and 10-rebound double-double against Charlotte, protecting the rim with two blocks. He rolled to the rim and fired a handful of spot-up jumpers from midrange, going 6-of-6 from outside the paint in his first matchup. He also showed off uncanny mobility for his 6-foot-11 frame, effectively guarding Brandon Miller and causing all sorts of chaos for the Hornets.

While Barlow was limited to only three points against the Lakers on Wednesday, that didn't stop him from having an impact on the final score. He maintained his defensive intensity, staying in front of his assignments, blocking three shots, and snatching a steal. Offensively, he set his teammates up for success, dishing the ball out for six assists. He also secured six rebounds, with four of them coming on the offensive glass.

The undrafted big man out of Overtime Elite will continue to have more chances to impress in Las Vegas when paired with Wembanyama. The idea of that defensive-minded frontcourt locking down the paint should make opposing teams second-guess their offensive game plans.