NBA Summer League: Justin Jackson scores game-high 28 in Kings loss
Justin Jackson pours in 28 points against Clippers
The Sacramento Kings have lost four consecutive games, but continue to see positive signs from second-year small forward Justin Jackson. Sunday night marked the third time in five games that Jackson has scored at least 20 points, and he currently leads the Kings in scoring over the first week of NBA Summer League play.
Jackson’s 28 points against the Clippers late Sunday night were a game-high and new personal best for the former first round draft pick. He was one of just two Kings to score in double-figures, and helped keep the game close in the absence of starting point guard De’Aaron Fox and rookie big man Marvin Bagley III.
Jackson scored in a variety of ways, knocking down 10-of-19 shots on the night including 4-of-7 from three-point range. He also recorded four rebounds, two assists and hit all four of his free throw attempts. And despite playing a game-high 33 minutes, Jackson committed just two turnovers in his most efficient performance of the summer.
Regardless of all of the hype surrounding Bagley this offseason, it’s Jackson who’s been the Kings’ most impressive player thus far. The former North Carolina standout and 2017 ACC Player of the Year has certainly gone through his growing pains over the first year-plus of his professional career, but appears to be rounding into form in his second NBA season.
Through three games in the inaugural California Classic and two in the Las Vegas Summer League, Jackson is averaging 17.4 points and 3.4 rebounds per game. He’s hitting better than 48 percent of his shots on the season, and 35.4 percent of his three-pointers.
He’s nearly perfect from the charity stripe in five games, knocking down 14 of his 15 free throw attempts. He’s also averaging just 1.6 turnovers-per-game despite playing nearly 32 minutes a night.
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Jackson and the Kings will be back in action on Tuesday night against the Memphis Grizzlies.