LAS VEGAS (AP) It’s been a bumpy ride for Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young.
The No. 5 overall pick out of Oklahoma has struggled in NBA summer League action. He made just 12 of 52 shots in three summer league games in Utah, and now, he’s shooting just 29 percent in two games Las Vegas. After showing signs of figuring things out with a 21-point, 11-assist performance against New York this past Saturday, he suffered a minor right quadriceps injury on Sunday against Portland.
It’s still just July and the sample size is small, but Young’s early struggles reflect the concerns about him being too frail, short and undisciplined to succeed in the NBA. He’ll have more chances to silence his critics, possibly on Tuesday against Chicago if he can play through his injury.
Young isn’t the only high profile rookie point guard struggling in Las Vegas, though. Second-round pick Jalen Brunson, The Associated Press National Player of the Year for Villanova, is averaging just seven points and shooting 19 percent from the field in three games for the Dallas Mavericks.
Meanwhile, Cleveland’s Collin Sexton has been on point. The eighth overall pick out of Alabama is averaging 16.7 points per game and shooting 43 percent from the field in Las Vegas.
Other rookie point guards have been shining in Las Vegas.
– Los Angeles Clippers newcomer Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the 11th overall pick from Kentucky, is averaging 19.7 points and shooting 45 percent.
– Houston’s De’Anthony Melton, the 46th overall pick from USC, is posting 16.3 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.7 steals per contest.
– Indiana’s Aaron Holiday, the 23rd selection from UCLA, has averaged 15 points, 5.7 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 2.7 steals.
Tuesday’s summaries:
TRAIL BLAZERS 95, SPURS 89
Gary Trent Jr. scored 20 points to help the Trail Blazers (4-0) hold off the Spurs.
Trent, a second-round pick, made 4 of 8 3-pointers.
Wade Baldwin IV scored 16 points Jake Layman scored 15 points for the Trail Blazers. Portland made 11 of 21 threes and outscored the Spurs 24-11 at the free throw line.
Jaron Blossomgame and first-round pick Lonnie Walker IV each scored 12 points and Olivier Hanlan and Trey McKinney-Jones added 11 for the Spurs (1-3).
HEAT 98, JAZZ 90
Bam Adebayo scored 24 points to help the Heat (2-2) top the Jazz.
Ike Nwamu scored 18 points, Yante Maten scored 14 points and Duncan Robinson added 12 for the Heat, who made 27 of 30 free throws.
First-round pick Grayson Allen had 17 points and seven rebounds for the Jazz (1-3). Diamond Stone scored 17 points, Georges Niang scored 12 points and Trey Lewis added 11 for Utah.
The teams were tied at 47 at halftime, but Miami took control by outscoring the Jazz 30-19 in the third quarter.
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