LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Starting a strong performance in his first professional record, Jonathan Kuminga then followed with another lead tour on Friday.
Kuminga scored 24 high points in the game, while he added six rebounds, four assists, two leads and one shutout in 30 minutes of work to lead the NBA G Ignite League to a 109- win. 103 over the OKC Blue.
The 18-year-old fired a 7-of-15 from the field, including a 2-of-5 from a 3-point field.
While Kuminga played well again, Ignite guard Jalen Green scored 21 points and five rebounds in the tournament. Green broke for 11 points on his own in the third quarter, going 4-of-4 perfect from the field.
With the second game in the books for the Ignite, Rookie Wire took a look at how each of Friday’s high-profile expectations from AdventHealth Arena met.
Jalen Green
After scoring 11 points in his first professional record Wednesday, Green kicked back Friday and looked much better during his time on the court.
Ignite head coach Brian Shaw said after the opening of the season that Green appeared to be doing too much on the court and hurt his play a bit. Shaw revealed that Green, in an attempt to kick back, hit the gym Thursday night and posted additional scenes.
The extra work that Green put in in his second game seemed to pay off.
Green finished the contest by shooting 8-of-12 from the field, including 1-of-3 from a 3-point field. He got a number of impressive finishes again during transfer and even threw down a couple of alley-oops to start the game in the first quarter.
“I felt like today he did what good players do – they kick back when they have a subpar night,” Shaw said. “Jalen went into the gym last night, he was shot in without anyone asking him to do so. I thought he kicked back today and showed him where he came from. ”
From his first game to the second, Green noticed how the game was slowing down a bit for him. He was feeling more comfortable on Friday and, while still making the move, believes he has only shown about 50% of his overall game to date.
“I’m still learning the game. I’m still young, ”said Green. “I was in high school last year. This is my whole move here. I’m just going to do everything I can, including it, and just be my favorite version on and off the court. ”
Jonathan Kuminga
After leading the Ignite in scoring, Kuminga proved once again that he was the best player on the court. He pulled in six rebounds, four assists, two leads and one closed shot as he went 7-of-10 from the free throw line.
Through two games, Kuminga has earned 43 points and has been the most accomplished show. He’s still working to find his 3-point shot, but he seems to have excelled in every other area on the court and may have missed the game. played on Aleksej Pokusevski in the first round.
Kuminga was active on both ends of the floor and showed off his ability to manage the quick break and find his team. He has put a lot of effort into the defensive end of the floor in both competitions so far, and it is still an area he wants to improve on.
Daishen Nix
Nix went scoreless Friday, missing the five shot attempts from the field. He fired five assists and slid in five rebounds in 21 minutes of off-the-bench work.
On Wednesday, Shaw mentioned that Nix often makes the small plays, including those that do not appear on the box score and that was again true in the second game. aige.
Nix tied on a lob or two with Green, and even one with Amir Johnson, because he seemed to know where each of his team would be on the court. Though scoreless, Nix had a few strong scratches to the edge, including one in which he passed right past Ty Jerome in the first quarter.
The chance to play in the G League this season will be a process for Ignite youngsters, but Nix still got the game on Friday despite finishing with zero points.
Isaiah Todd
On Friday, Todd was asked to bring in energy in the fourth quarter and the 19-year-old did just that.
After scoring just two points on Wednesday, Todd kicked back in a big way, scoring 12 points and seven rebounds in 21 minutes of action, including seven points by himself in the fourth quarter.
The Ignite outscored the Blue before 12 in the final period, and Todd’s play helped motivate the team to their second straight prize. While turning into a major fourth quarter, he made several plays throughout the game and helped bring in his players.
“Isaiah, to be honest, has been our most consistent player over the last three weeks in practice,” Shaw said. “Tonight’s little piece tonight was a kind of insight into what he has been doing for us on a regular basis. Many of the things he does go unnoticed. He does a lot of unrelated things.
“He can stretch the floor, knock down 3p and play plays for his players too. He is kind of a jacket of all trades. I wish he gained a lot more recognition and fame for the kind of player he is. I think as people start to see him, that part of his game will show up and I think he’ll start to raise the standards. ”
Todd, who thinks he hasn’t even scratched the surface yet, was pleased with how he accomplished his career on Friday. Coming into the bubble, Todd wants to show that he is comfortable in any career that will be called for as that will help translate into future success.
“The biggest thing I wanted to show was that I can literally do anything my coach needs to do,” Todd said. “Whether that means being a scorer, or being a career player for the development of my team for us right now, that’s what I’ve been preaching to the boys. If we all win as a group, then we will win alone. “
Princepal Singh
Photo through NBA Academies
Singh, who did not play in the season opener, was a DNP-CD on Friday.
Shaw said Wednesday that Singh was not responding at all to the team’s rotation and the case is likely to be repeated on Friday against the Blue.
“It was a call for me,” Shaw said Wednesday. “I didn’t feel like, in today’s game, there was a situation I could get for in the game. I rotate and when there are opportunities for me to get in the game, I will. ”