2 studs, 1 dud from Indiana Pacers preseason loss to Houston Rockets
By Jack Simone
Dud – Jarace Walker
Tuesday night’s performance was a bit of a fall from grace for rookie forward Jarace Walker. After an incredibly impressive first preseason game against the Memphis Grizzlies, Walker struggled.
Walker came off the bench for Indiana in their contest against the Houston Rockets, playing 27:11. And while one preseason game doesn’t define him, it did define one of his clear weaknesses.
The rookie finished the game with seven points, four rebounds, two assists, and a block. He shot 2-of-10 from the field and 1-of-6 from beyond the three-point arc.
That’s where the problem was on Tuesday night. Walker’s jump shot has never been consistent, and that’s okay, but it is a very clear flaw of his game.
If he wants to earn the starting job, improving his three-ball will be a huge step, but it just wasn’t falling for him against the Rockets, leading to some questions from Pacers fans on Twitter about his jump shot.
All that said, Walker is still in a great spot heading into the season, as the talent is clearly there, and with just Obi Toppin in front of him, he could push for the starting job sooner rather than later, regardless of his three-point shot.