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Tim BontempESPN
Las Vegas-Before his lonely season at Duke, Paolo Banchero Tattooed a message to himself on his right forearm:
“There is no pressure.”
Not surprisingly, last month’s NBA Draft No. 1 pick was mentioned in a confrontation with the No. 3 overall selection while excited about the first match in the NBA uniform on Thursday night. Jabari Smith Jr. He wasn’t too worried about the NBA’s annual Summer League opening game.
To help Orlando Magic defeat the Houston Rockets 91-77, Banchero said, “I tattooed it,” after finishing 17 points, 4 rebounds and 6 assists in 25 minutes. “Literally, there is no pressure.
“So I was always able to deal with the pressure well and handle it. So after all, it’s just basketball. There’s all the pressure, all the noise in the world, but in the end That day you had to get out there and hoop with the other five guys, so it would be like, “What if it was just basketball?”
The match on Thursday may have been a nonsensical exhibition during the summer, but it won’t take long for Banchero to show off some of the skills that made Orlando choose him with a top pick rather than Smith. It was.
Banchero, a 6-foot-10,250-pound forward, expected a balanced NBA outlook for many to play most quickly, showing off a balanced combination of points, passes and rebounds. He won the Rookie of the Year Award in the league.
He hit two 3 pointers. One was a chance to catch and shoot in the wing, and the other was a difficult step back from the top of the key on Smith’s long arm. He also played a role that could play much of the game in Orlando this season and acted as the de facto point guard for the team. As a result, he fired some great passes, including two quick lasers inside, for layup opportunities.
When asked what he wanted to prove in Thursday’s match, Banchero said, “I’m not a man who hurt the team, I’m a dependable man, and at the same time I can influence the victory.”
“I feel like I have the ball in my hand, giving the team points, assists and rebounds,” he said. “So, just doing that will give you better defense. I think it was okay, but I can be better.”
Smith, on the other hand, looked like someone who turned 19 within two months. He has two great moments of attack, including two nifty drives on the left side of the lane for layups (one for each half) and one great catch and shoot 3 pointer in the wing. spent.
Otherwise he was generally quiet. He finished with 10 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists in 31 minutes as the guard who dominates the ball became the latest non-guard at the expense of the pace of summer league play, which tends to control play. ..
“Yes, I was nervous about it,” Smith said. “It was hard. Do you know what I’m saying? I understand that. The first NBA game was a completely different style of play. It was fun, but I’m ready for the next game. “
Smith’s game also has a lot to like, including the high and fast release of his jump shots, given his long arms and 6ft 10 frame. He also has defensively fast legs.
As the game progressed, Smith became more comfortable and as a result seemed more involved. This is what he admitted after the game.
But Smith added that it was his responsibility to get more involved from the forward jump.
“I feel like I was able to get more involved away from me,” he said. “Because I broke the offensive glass, I found more ways to get involved in the offensive purpose. But that would accompany me learning the attack and learning the system. But other than that, I got involved feeling clean. I need to make some open shots and crash the glass further. “
After all, Thursday night’s match was just a summer league debut for both players. But they were both pleased to put their virgin NBA game under their belt.
“Yes, you need to know that, but you can’t worry too much about it,” Smith said of the attention he and Banchero received for their direct match. “You just have to get out there and have fun and have the rest take care of you.”
Smith added with a smile. “It’s fun. I want to do it that way more than any other way,” he said.
