Before starting the game, Chris Duarte I was already making a bit of history at Pacers. The team had the casualties of Caris LeVert and T.J. Warren, and the Dominican player started as a starter in his NBA debut, something that historical Pacers such as Reggie Miller, Danny Granger O Paul George.
With that title under his arm, the young Duarte displayed on the court all the self-confidence that he had already shown with Oregon in the NCAA. Very soon he put his first basket in the league (a close shot against the board), at 5 minutes he already had 5 points and in the last seconds of the first quarter he already put all his nerve into play, an amazing nerve, to score two triples, the second on the horn of the room without caring that he had the heavyweights of his team next to him.
Duarte, who had a lot of chemistry on the track with Domantas Sabonis, scored 11 points in the first quarter, went into halftime having plugged in 16 and, after having put his team 17 ahead (40-57) in that quarter, finished the game as the Pacers’ third leading scorer.
Their numbers speak for themselves: What a premiere! He added 27 points and 5 rebounds in 33 minutes of action, after making 60% of his field goals and a splendid 6 of 9 from the triple. With him on the track, +7 for Pacers on the scoreboard. A game and statistics to leave your mark.
Too bad for him that Indiana, his team, lost the game 123-122 despite starring in a spectacular first half in attack.
The team of Rick Carlisle it was a Rick Carlisle team, following the same patterns as the Mavs of late. A fantastic first part in offense (59-75), to fall 33-13 in the third quarter and lose all the advantage acquired in a few minutes.
Charlotte won with 31 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists and 7 of 9 from the triple of the great phenomenon LaMelo Ball, which promises great emotions this season, and with 27 points of Gordon Hayward.
P.J. Washington he put the 123-122 from free practice 4.6 seconds from the end and Domantas Sabonis missed the last shot, the one that could have given his team the victory.
The Lithuanian finished with 33 points and 15 rebounds (he had 22 points 8 minutes before the break), Malcolm Brogdon he added 28 points and 11 assists and Duarte emerged as an important player in his new team with the aforementioned 27 points. Watch out for this player! It is pure dynamite.
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