Charlotte Hornets: Malik Monk gets off to hot start in NBA Summer League opener
Malik Monk missed the NBA Summer League last season with an ankle sprain and he hated sitting so much that he didn’t want to accompany the Charlotte Hornets to Orlando.
Different summer, different league, entirely different impact: Monk made his first four shots in Friday’s opener in Las Vegas against the Oklahoma City Thunder. That was good for 11 of the Hornets’ first 13 points.
Monk finished with 23 and made a late-game steal that preserved an 88-87 victory against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Thomas & Mack Center.
Some observations:
▪ Monk has been reminded constantly by the new coaching staff to make quick decisions with the ball. He clearly took to that Friday, whether finding a shot, driving or giving it up.
▪ Don’t figure on center Willy Hernangomez to bring up the ball in the regular season, the way he did in the first quarter Friday.
▪ Rookie Miles Bridges looked a little confused passing out of double-teams or knowing when to look for passes out of cuts. While he shot poorly, his energy and defensive versatility were apparent.
▪ As expected, the Hornets started Monk, Hernangomez, Bridges, Dwayne Bacon and Devonte Graham Friday. J.P. Macura was the first Hornets reserve off the bench. Macura, a guard who played for Xavier, went undrafted in June but the Hornets signed him to a two-way contract.
▪ Two things you have to like about Macura: He sees passes that lead to high-quality shots for others and he runs the floor hard.
▪ The Hornets drafted Arnoldas Kulboka 55th overall in June with the intention of leaving him in Europe at least next season before testing if he’s ready for the NBA. Kulboka knows he needs strength and bulk, and that was obvious watching him Friday against NBA rookies and second-year players.
▪ Nice ball-fake by Kulboka from the corner early in the fourth quarter to set up a four-point play. The guy’s best skill is as a shooter, but he’s also a good passer and ballhandler.
This story was originally published July 6, 2018 at 8:47 PM with the headline "Charlotte Hornets: Malik Monk gets off to hot start in NBA Summer League opener."