The Los Angeles Lakers have been steadily moving closer to full strength as the season progresses. While Rui Hachimura was held out of Saturday’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks due to calf soreness—presumably out of an abundance of caution—the team welcomed rookie forward Adou Thiero, who made his NBA debut.
Thiero had been recovering from a knee injury sustained several months ago, but on Saturday, he saw action for the first time, logging four minutes on the court. During his brief stint, he scored his first NBA points on two free throws and later nailed his first field goal with an impressive fast-break dunk.
After the Lakers secured a convincing 119-95 victory, an interesting moment unfolded. Luka Doncic attempted to give the game ball to Thiero as a token of recognition, but one of the referees prevented him from doing so. In a surprising twist, Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo stepped in, took the basketball, and handed it over to Doncic.
Thiero showcased his considerable athleticism against Milwaukee, raising hopes that he can eventually carve out a role in the Lakers’ rotation. While his outside shooting was subpar during his college years at the University of Kentucky and the University of Arkansas, there is optimism that if he improves to a respectable level, he could develop into a solid contributor at the professional level.
https://sports.yahoo.com/article/giannis-antetokounmpo-made-sure-lakers-070237398.html
