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Washington Wizards rookie Rui Hachimura earned praise from head coach Scott Brooks after participating in the first scrimmage game on Wednesday ahead of the season restart this month.
Hachimura scored a team-high 18 points and nine rebounds in the 89-82 loss to the Denver Nuggets. He started off by drilling his first mid-range attempt for the Wizards’ first basket and finished by shooting 6-of-14 from the field in 26 minutes of work.
Brooks thought Hachimura displayed a good feel for the game.
I thought he was good. He was aggressive but he got good shots. I love this about his game, he gets to a spot and he gets on balance and he takes the shot. Those are very high-percentage shots. I think he just needs to keep doing it. There are going to be games where he doesn’t have the high-end shots but I like the way he played tonight. I’m really pleased with how he came back and you can just see that he has a really good feel for the game for being a young player in the game.
Hachimura worked over the summer on a number facets of his game, most notably his shot form. Brooks said Hachimura returned with more arc on his jump-shot after having more of a flat shot this season. The shot was on display Wednesday and he said he is comfortable from all over the floor.
I’m comfortable anywhere from mid-range. I don’t know the numbers but I’m pretty much comfortable everywhere I shoot, especially mid-range and my three is coming right now. I don’t know the numbers but I’m comfortable from mid-range, for sure.
Hachimura was aggressive throughout the scrimmage on Wednesday, which should be a welcomed addition to the floor when the Wizards kick off the season restart on July 31. The Wizards will be looking for other players to step up without John Wall, Bradley Beal and Davis Bertans available at Disney and Hachimura appears ready to take on that responsibility.
The Wizards play their next scrimmage game on Saturday against the Los Angeles Clippers.
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