The Sixers and San Antonio Spurs have played a few wild games in recent years, and while there was not much juice entering Friday night's matchup between the two teams in San Antonio, the basketball itself turned out to be pretty entertaining. In a season like this, can anyone ask for anything more at this point?

Behind strong showings from Quentin Grimes and Ricky Council IV, the Sixers erased a 16-point Spurs lead in the third quarter and took a lead into the final frame. They could not finish the job, though, as San Antonio surged ahead in the fourth quarter and came away with a victory that, frankly, relieved any Sixers fans still watching these games. Here is what stood out from the Sixers' latest defeat, a 128-120 loss in San Antonio:

Quentin Grimes does more than just score

It is difficult to say or write anything that has not already been said or written about Grimes in the month of March, as he has produced like a full-blown star under some of the most difficult circumstances possible. But when it comes to Grimes, nearly all of the focus on his stellar month has pertained to his remarkable growth as a three-level scorer.

After a modest first half, Grimes erupted in the third quarter, leading a furious Sixers comeback which brought them from the wrong side of a 16-point deficit into a tie. He continued to thrive as a pull-up shooter and a driver, and also his best games as a Sixer in terms of facilitating. Grimes' passing was on point all night long, and the Sixers were able to gain some good flow offensively because of it. By the time Grimes' dominant third quarter was over, he had a career-high 10 assists.

But even as Grimes finds new ways to shatter expectations offensively, he is still leaving a mark on the defensive end. Remember, when the Sixers traded for Grimes they hoped he could be one of the pillars of their defense thanks to his strong defensive chops on the perimeter. And despite expending so much more energy on offense than he ever could have imagined when joining the Sixers, Grimes has been a steady force defensively as well, consistently forcing turnovers with smart gambles in passing lanes and against unsuspecting ball-handlers.

One of Grimes' best sequences of the night came when he made a smart, calculated attempt at a steal, took the ball away and set up Jared Butler for a transition triple:

It is hard to get too excited about silver linings given the way this Sixers season has gone, but Grimes' emergence into a player of this caliber is a special development.

Could San Antonio be a destination for Guerschon Yabusele in free agency?

When the Spurs came to Philadelphia on Dec. 23, absolute chaos ensued. Andre Drummond was ejected, then un-ejected, then suffered the toe injury which is still plaguing him as we near three months since the event. Joel Embiid was ejected and not un-ejected. (Ironically, the official who was at the center of this all was part of Friday's crew.) The Philadelphia crowd took out their frustration on Victor Wembanyama, who responded with a flurry of triples and blocked shots. But the Sixers won, and it was largely because of Yabusele, whose two-way efforts against his countryman and Olympic teammate Wembanyama were brilliant:

Yabusele now finds himself in the opposite of Council's situation entering the summer. While Council will be forced to embrace a lack of certainty about his future, Yabusele will be able to determine on his own volition what his own long-term outlook looks like. And after submitting best performance in at least a few weeks on Friday night on San Antonio, could Yabusele get used to playing in Frost Bank Center?

As Yabusele nears his first traditional trip to free agency in the NBA this summer, it is worth wondering if a reunion with Wembanyama could be in the cards. The Spurs have a clean cap sheet, even after trading for star point guard De'Aaron Fox, and they should have easy access to the non-taxpayer's mid-level exception which the Sixers will have difficulty opening up while also keeping other key free agents around. And while Yabusele has expressed nothing but gratitude for the Sixers offering him the opportunity to return to the NBA, during good times and bad, it is fair to say the 29-year-old would be in a better situation moving forward if he joined an ascending Spurs team with a much more stable future.

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This idea is not just sparked by the fact that Yabusele and Wembanyama have familiarity with one another. The Spurs have 10 players under contract for the 2025-26 season, with two first-round picks joining the mix in June. Wembanyama, however, is the only center among them.

The Spurs have locked in their backcourt of the future in Fox and Rookie of the Year contender Stephon Castle, with Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson and Harrison Barnes among steady presences on the wing. They could use a big who can play the four or five, with or without Wembanyama, and Yabusele clearly fits that bill.

Back in November, another member of Team France in last summer's Olympics raved about both Yabusele and Wembanyama. Former Sixers veteran wing Nic Batum, who has become a tremendous mentor to many young players in France, was remarking about Yabusele's strong start to his first NBA campaign in a half-decade. At one point, Batum said Wembanyama was Team France's most important player during that run, but Yabusele was their best player.

Odds and ends

Some more notes and takeaways from this one:

• Chuma Okeke nabbed his first start as a Sixer on Friday night after posting a double-double in Oklahoma City on Wednesday night; this made him the 21st player to start a game for the Sixers this season. Good luck recalling the other 20. Okeke starting over Council may have surprised some, but it was a reflection of where things stand for the second-year wing who has just not been able to latch onto his opportunities and parlay them into trust from his coaches. Council has acknowledged as much, and it has clearly been a frustrating season for someone who entered the season with high expectations for himself.

So, it was only natural that Council was emotional on Friday night, emotive as he celebrated after leading a furious Sixers push in the second half. Council had it all working in this one: he was scoring at the basket, drawing fouls and connecting on some... interesting... long-range attempts. 

Perhaps more exciting for Nurse was that Council made a concerted effort to attack the glass and become a force as a rebounder. Nurse has been insistent that consistently impacting the game in that capacity is part of Council's path to becoming an NBA regular, but it has come and gone.

Friday's game likely represented Council's best showing of the season, a meaningful jolt for a player who needs sources of confidence right now. (Expect more thoughts here on Council's difficult year, impressive showing in San Antonio plus more on Saturday).

• Lonnie Walker IV, who suffered a concussion 20 seconds into an appearance against the Toronto Raptors on March 12, returned to action against the Spurs, who drafted him in the first round to kickstart his NBA career. Walker missed four games after hitting his head on the floor in Toronto, halting a strong run of offensive play that had the Reading, PA native looking like an intriguing piece. Unfortunately, Walker did not play in the second half due to a headache. 

• Rookie wing Justin Edwards has continued to grow more comfortable offensively, and in the long run these games in which the hometown 21-year-old has the chance to play free basketball without much worrying could be quite productive. Edwards is finding ways to be assertive on the ball without damaging the team's ball movement. Edwards' basketball instincts are off the charts and it does wonders for him in all facets of the game.

Up next: With four games complete in their six-game road swing, the Sixers will wrap the trip with a back-to-back, facing the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday and the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday.

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