Three games took place on day seven of 2021 NBA Preseason.
Young big men like Precious Achiuwa and Brandon Clarke had solid nights.
Toronto Raptors
Precious Achiuwa: All around game is at a high level right now. Also came up with 3 steals vs. Boston. 13 points, 13 rebounds
Scottie Barnes: The rookie has the basketball IQ of a veteran. Took in good experience guarding Jayson Tatum last night. 9 points, 8 assists
Svi Mykhailiuk: Scoring the ball with energy early on during preseason. Averaged 10.3 PPG for OKC after getting traded back in March. 12 points, 4 rebounds
Dalano Banton: Confident rookie playmaker. Brings versatility and size to the Raptors. 7 points, 2 assists
David Johnson: Second round pick out of Louisville. Had a nice scoring run in short minutes on Saturday. 5 points, 2-2 FG
Boston Celtics
Al Horford: Horford looks in great shape. Knocked down all 4 of his three point attempts vs. Toronto. 16 points, 2 blocks
Romeo Langford: Shooting the ball efficiently off the bench. Definitely ready to increase his role for Boston. 13 points, 3-4 3-PT
Payton Pritchard: Playmaking and shooting continue to stand out. Guard skills are polished. 11 points, 5 assists
Grant Williams: Playing improved during preseason. Can provide shooting and energy in short minutes. 12 points, 2-4 3-PT
Josh Richardson: Now with the Celtics after one season in Dallas. Also collected 2 steals on Saturday. 7 points, 6 rebounds
Juancho Hernangomez: Shooting and rebounding can make an impact for the Celtics. Just turned 26 on September 28th. 7 points, 2-3 FG
Aaron Nesmith: Definitely deserves more minutes in his second season. Improving every day. 5 points, 2-4 FG
New York Knicks
Obi Toppin: Toppin has some pretty impressive strength and athleticism. Should be interesting to see what his role will be in his sophomore year. 13 points, 8 rebounds
Kevin Knox: Knox can put up points fast when he’s making shots. Efficiency looks improved. 12 points, 4-6 3-PT
Taj Gibson: Competes harder than most players. Energy has helped him stay in the NBA for a very long time. 8 points, 6 rebounds
Jericho Sims: The rookie big man has proven he can certainly play in this league. Also collected 3 steals vs. Washington. 7 points, 13 rebounds
Immanuel Quickley: Showed off deep range on Saturday. Earned All-Rookie Second Team last season. 11 points, 3-5 3-PT
Quentin Grimes: #25 pick out of Kansas/Houston. Shooting from deep stood out in short minutes last night. 6 points, 2-2 3-PT
Washington Wizards
Montrezl Harrell: Fitting in nicely for the Wizards off the bench. Non stop motor. 18 points, 10 rebounds
Raul Neto: Underrated guard skills. Brings a spark on both ends. 10 points, 4-8 FG
Daniel Gafford: Activity around the rim makes a big difference. Also came up with 2 steals vs. New York. 7 points, 4 blocks
Deni Avdija: Second year player with a smooth feel for the game. Coming off an ankle injury. 4 points, 3 rebounds
Jordan Goodwin: Scoring off the dribble is polished. Averaged 10.1 RPG in college last season. 4 points, 2-4 FG
Atlanta Hawks
Sharife Cooper: Rookie point guard who plays with supreme confidence. Also recorded 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals vs. Memphis. 10 points, 2-3 3-PT
Danilo Gallinari: Veteran scorer with strength. Averaged 11.8 PPG at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics for Italy. 11 points, 10 rebounds
Kevin Huerter: Scorer with playmaking skills. Solid skillset on both ends. 9 points, 4 assists
Lou Williams: Williams creates his own shot with ease. Experienced guard who brings instant offense. 8 points, 2 assists
Gorgui Dieng: Underrated veteran. Shot 42.9% from three point range in 2020-2021. 4 points, 4 rebounds
Jahlil Okafor: Big man with productive moves on offense. Hoping to make Atlanta’s roster this season. 4 points, 2-3 FG
Skylar Mays: Second year guard who plays heads up. Energy can be counted on when needed. 4 points, 2-2 FG
Memphis Grizzlies
Desmond Bane: Efficiency has been at a high level all preseason. Gets to his spots with a smooth feel. 18 points, 4-8 3-PT
Brandon Clarke: Plays under control every possession. Also had 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks on Saturday. 16 points, 2-4 3-PT
Santi Aldama: The #30 pick out of Loyola (Maryland) played great last night. Cut and finished with explosiveness. 16 points, 9 rebounds
Xavier Tillman: Basketball IQ makes a difference. Also dished out 4 assists and came up with 2 steals vs. Atlanta. 6 points, 11 rebounds
John Konchar: Gets on the offensive glass extremely well for a guard. Had an impressive putback dunk last night. 6 points, 7 rebounds
