Denver Nuggets rookie Peyton Watson on Thursday dropped his first career 30-point game as a professional on assignment in the NBA G League with the Grand Rapids Gold.
Watson produced a game-high 32 points, seven rebounds, two steals, one assist and one block in the 106-96 loss to the Motor City Cruise. He shot 10-of-17 from the field and 6-of-6 from the free-throw line in 39 minutes of work.
His 32 points are tied for 10th-most in a G League game this season.
The 30th pick got off to a quick start in the contest, scoring 10 points in the first quarter as the Gold raced out to an early 17-point lead. He was effective on both ends of the court and was successful in driving into the paint and finishing at the rim.
Peyton Watson is heating up🔥 He swiped it and slammed it!! @NBAGrandRapids pic.twitter.com/ivz8tM7EDj
— NBA G League (@nbagleague) November 11, 2022
Watson is off to a great start in the G League, averaging 26.7 points, eight rebounds, 2.7 assists, 2.7 steals and 2.7 blocks in three games. He has scored at least 20 points in each game and is shooting 55.6% from the field in the early going.
He has totaled just nine minutes across four appearances with the Nuggets. With playing time at a minimum, and a few players ahead of him on the depth chart, Watson is making good use of his time with Grand Rapids to stay sharp and continue his development.
Watson could see sporadic playing time this season in Denver, but the 20-year-old is proving that he could eventually crack the rotation and contribute on a nightly basis.
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