Rookie Dylan Harper registered a new career high in scoring, leading the San Antonio Spurs to a win over the Washington Wizards for their fourth straight victory.
Harper produced a team-high 24 points, five rebounds and three assists in the 119-94 win at the Frost Bank Center. He finished by shooting 9-of-13 from the field, including 3-of-5 from 3-point range, and was a plus-13 in 22 minutes off the bench.
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The second pick is one of three rookies with multiple 20-point games as a reserve player this season. He set a new season high in 3s and drew praise from coach Mitch Johnson for his shot selection and ability to lead the second unit.
“I think he is starting to anticipate where his shots may come from, which takes time in this league,” Johnson said afterward. “The game is going fast and now I got to figure out what I’m doing, what the defense is doing, what my teammates are doing. I think Dylan is doing a great job of shot preparation. He is shooting it with confidence, and he is making some, which is, obviously, going to give him positive feedback on what he is doing.”
Harper is averaging 13.8 points, 3.6 assists and 3.3 rebounds while shooting 47.8% from the field in 16 appearances with the Spurs. He ranks fifth in rookie scoring and is one of eight first-year players with three 20-point performances.
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The Spurs welcomed Harper back to the lineup on Nov. 26 after a 10-game absence due to a calf strain. He believes he is slowly getting back into full game shape and is pleased to see his work in the gym paying off from beyond the arc.
“If (I) just keep shooting, shooting and shooting and focusing on the right things, I think my shot is going to start getting more consistent,” Harper said. “That has just been what I’m doing, whether that is pregame, my off-day, going to the gym and shooting, and just staying consistent with that. I’m just trying to get that better.”
This article originally appeared on Rookie Wire: Spurs news: Mitch Johnson credits Dylan Harper for shot preparation