After a difficult showing in the Sacramento Kings' second preseason game against the Lakers, Darius Acuff rebounded nicely against the Warriors. This is a good sign, as it shows Acuff's commitment, work ethic, and mental fortitude. It's a strong indication that he can be successful in the league.
In the first game of the preseason against the Lakers, Acuff made his debut as a King. It was a tough outing as Los Angeles completely annihilated them. One of the big upsides was Acuff's performance, as he collected 19 points, two rebounds, four assists, one steal, and one block.
The Kings' second preseason match was also a loss to the Lakers, though it was at least a much closer score. Unfortunately, Acuff wasn't exactly on his game. He saw serious declines in both shooting and assists, this time finishing with 12 points, one assist, two steals, and one block.
In preseason game three, the Kings dropped another close one to the Warriors. How Acuff rebounded from his tough performance would say a lot about his character. Well, fans should be happy, as this outing saw him collect 25 points, four rebounds, and eight assists, his best so far.
What the numbers say about Acuff so far
Over the first three games of his NBA career, Acuff has started every time and is averaging close to 26 minutes. Being that his two top priorities are scoring and facilitation, numbers like 25 points and eight assists are right in the pocket for him. Those additional steals and blocks do help, though.
Coming off a tough showing against the Lakers to deliver such a great performance is what the Kings wanted to see. Every player has rough games. What's important is how an individual player responds to that situation. Acuff's comeback game was huge, delivering his best performance to date.
The main concern right now has to be turnovers. A starting point guard in the NBA should be averaging anywhere from two to three and a half per game. Acuff is currently averaging four. He's new to the league and still settling in, but definitely needs to tighten his game up.
Acuff did leave the Warriors game with a bit of a limp, so hopefully nothing serious is going on. Fortunately, he has time to rest before the Kings' next game against the Blazers, assuming they don't just rest him for the remaining preseason. Still, fans should be optimistic about him.
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