Rookie Report: Anthony Davis Starts Off Hot, Austin Rivers Cold

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Published: October 31, 2012

In his Hornets debut Anthony Davis started off hot and didn’t close too poorly either, while Austin Rivers was ice cold throughout. The Hornets lost a close one to the Spurs 99-95.

San Antonio Spurs 99 FinalRecap | Box Score 95 New Orleans Hornets
Anthony Davis, PF 29 MIN | 6-12 FG | 9-9 FT | 7 REB | 0 AST | 21 PTS | -20The Legend slowed down statistically after a first quarter that saw him score 9 points on just 5 shots and pull down four boards, but his impact continued to be felt. He chased down Kawhi Leonard and blocked what would have likely been a layup in the second quarter, dove to the floor and corralled a loose ball whilst calling timeout early in the third, and more than held his own on both individual and help defense throughout the game. He was active off the ball, looked to set up teammates, and didn’t make dumb mistakes.

On the downside he didn’t pull so much as a rebound in quarters two or three and managed just a single basket. In the fourth he checked back in with just over six minutes to go and went to work immediately, pulling down three boards and scoring eight points, mostly against Tim Duncan, in the closing minutes. He didn’t back down, didn’t give anything up easy, and proved he belonged on the floor when it matters most. That’s not something most 19 year old rookies can say.

Austin Rivers, SG 24 MIN | 1-9 FG | 5-6 FT | 1 REB | 2 AST | 7 PTS | -2Let’s blame this performance on Davis stealing all the first round rookie magic. Rivers was ice cold, missing eight field goal attempts before he finally found one he could manage– a breakaway layup following an Aminu steal. He was able to get to the line a few times, hitting on five of six foul shots, but it wasn’t enough to make up for what was otherwise a poor debut. There’s no doubt he has the tools to one day be a successful NBA player, but at this point it’s a stretch (at best) for him to be starting. I’ve thought he was a few years away from even being a reliable bench player, and tonight did nothing but reaffirm my position.
Darius Miller, SF 14 MIN | 1-2 FG | 0-0 FT | 1 REB | 2 AST | 3 PTS | +15Miller looked every part the experienced competitor he is, and looked completely comfortable as part of the squad. He had a nice all-around effort, making his impact felt all over the box score. If not for Aminu having a particularly good day I reckon that Miller would have found himself racking up more time on the court. As it was, he showed that he’s a far cry from what is generally expected from a rookie taken at number 46.
Brian Roberts, PG 0 MIN | 0-0 FG | 0-0 FT | 0 REB | 0 AST | 0 PTS | -3Brian played for 9 seconds at the end of the first half, earning him an official NBA debut. Since he did nothing wrong, he gets an A.

 

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