While the Porzingis-Gafford pair dominated Brook Lopez and Kyle Kuzma scored a triple-double, Rui Hachimura took advantage of the victory against the Bucks to confirm his good intentions. Now accustomed to his role as 6th man, the Japanese scored 26 points off the bench, and it was he, in the 2nd quarter, who put the Bucks’ head under water with 13 points in this quarter alone. -time.
It’s his second game to 25 or more points in a few days, and for five games he’s been averaging 21.6 points. An offensive aggressiveness that transforms Washington since the formation of the capital remains on five wins in a row.
Wizards opponent Monty Williams noticed a change in his game last Thursday. “From the start, we knew he was a guy who could score. Previously, in my opinion, it was more at mid-range, to play at the post. Now he seems more confident to step aside and shoot 3-pointers.
Tonight, Hachimura posted a nice 11 of 18 on shots with a 3 of 5 from 3-pointers. He adds 4 rebounds, 3 assists and an interception. He is less hesitant with the ball in hand, and when he tumbles on a counter-attack or a transition game, he no longer asks himself any questions.
Ten wins in his last twelve matches
“I always felt he was a guy who could take his shot after a dribble. Now he is able to take shots after several dribbles. notes the Suns coach. “He’s big and strong. If you don’t have a defender of his size, he can run over you… I think he’s going to be one of his players who can draw two-ups against smaller players, and that’s always an advantage for a team. »
After missing a month of competition to treat his ankle, Hachimura confirms that he is indispensable to his team. In his absence, the team lost ten matches in a row! On the other hand, when he plays, the team hardly loses: 10 successes in twelve matches! For the interested party, a single watchword: aggressiveness.
“I try to stay aggressive, whether it’s rebounding, defending… While I was away, I watched games from the bench, I watched and studied a lot of videos, and it’s a matter of state. of mind, to have a scorer’s mentality. If I take a rebound, I go forward, and I take every action as a challenge. I think that’s why there is now a difference. »
