Four Observations From Rockets Summer League Loss To Magic

A pair of Seattle natives put on a show, while the Houston Rockets try to figure out their backup point guard situation during Game 1 of Summer League play.

LAS VEGAS — The Houston Rockets came up short during Game 1 of the 2K23 Summer League NBA tournament Thursday night. The Rockets sustained a 91-77 loss to the Orlando Magic, despite a 22-point performance from Josh Christopher.

Paolo Banchero was the star of the game for the Magic without being the highest scorer for his team. Caleb Houston led the way for Orlando with 20 points on 5-for-9 shooting from behind the arc.

Rockets' lottery pick Jabari Smith Jr. had a modest NBA debut and credited nerves for his inadequate performance of 10 points, seven rebounds and three assists.

Ahead of the Rockets' showdown against the Oklahoma City Thunder Saturday night, here are four takeaways from Houston's defeat to the Magic.

Paolo Banchero lives up to No. 1 pick

A week before the 2022 NBA Draft, Banchero held media availability via Zoom from the comfort of his own home. Banchero held himself as the best player in the draft, concurring with Duke's assistant coach Chris Carrawell.

In his first NBA game, Banchero validated his statement.

With 17 points on the night, Banchero displayed all of the offensive mechanics that made him a highly sought-after prospect entering the draft. He shot 41.6 percent from the field and killed the Rockets from inside and out with his scoring. 

The highlight of the game came at the 3:26 mark of the fourth quarter when Banchero went one-on-one with Houston's Tari Eason. Banchero attacked Eason driving to the right to convert an up-and-under play for his final points of the night. 

Banchero's ability to facilitate the ball made his performance more impressive, as he added six assists in the win.

Tari Eason was Houston's best rookie

Smith's performance against the Magic left the organization yearning for more. But the Rockets received significant on-court production from Eason. A source told Inside the Rockets that Eason had been high on Houston's draft board, and he proved his worth against the Magic. 

Eason scored the first points of the game with a dunk over the top of Emanuel Terry, and he sustained his energy throughout the night.

His high production on both ends of the court led to Eason finishing the game with 13 rebounds, showcasing that he will help the Rockets' rebounding woes that plagued the team last season. 

Washington takes lead in backup point guard battle

The Rockets have two quality point guards who can backup Kevin Porter Jr. during the regular season — second-year prospect Daishen Nix and rookie TyTY Washington. 

The battle between Nix and Washington will last throughout training camp. But whoever has the most productive summer league performance will have an advantage heading into camp in September. Thursday night, the needle moved in favor of Washington. 

Nix struggled to handle the pressure when bringing the ball up the court and had a rough time finishing at the rim. He also struggled to knock down shots from the charity stripe by missing five out of his seven free throw attempts.

These are the primary issues that led to Nix spending his first campaign with the Rockets in Rio Grande Valley playing for the Vipers.

Not only did Washington handle the pressure better than Nix, but he was a solid facilitator who created plays for his teammates. It also didn't help that Washington ended the game with seven points while Nix scored four in the loss.

Usman Garuba cannot catch a break

Usman Garuba missed Thursday's game due to a left ankle injury he sustained during practice Tuesday afternoon in Houston. 

Garuba is hopeful that he can return to play Saturday when the Rockets take on the Thunder. But the latest injury is another testament to Garuba's lack of availability that has plagued his career. 

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You can follow Coty Davis on Twitter @CotyDavis_24

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