Jeremy Sochan finally stabilised his form in recent weeks, producing one decent NBA performance after the other - and scoring ten points or more in four of his five previous games.
The Pole's good performances made Gregg Popovich, the coach of San Antonio Spurs, surprised by the lack of a place for Sochan in the NBA Rising Stars Challenge roster for the upcoming All-Star Weekend.
“I don’t know who chooses these things or what the criteria are, anything like that, but he’s been great for us” - Popovich said via Nate Ryan of KENS 5. “He’s been a two-way player, which is very few and far between in this league. He’s played well on the defensive end and the offensive end. He’s really grown. Nobody would’ve believed he’d shoot the three the way he’s shooting it right now. So I think he should be there” - said the experienced coach.
On Friday to Saturday night Sochan played to the tune of his coach's praise. He was particularly impressive on the boards, setting a career high with as many as 16 rebounds. He added 15 points, 3 assists and 2 steals, all in 31 minutes he spent on the court.
Despite leading 65:58, however, his San Antonio Spurs lost the game in the end. In the last quarter, the Texas team lacked effectiveness - and four points in a row by Pelicans' Zion Williamson set the score in the final seconds.
It was a third loss in a row for the Spurs, who now have an unimpressive 10-39 record. They are at the bottom of the Western Conference, but not the worst in the league - as Washington Wizards and Detroit Pistons are even less successful this season if the entire league is considered.
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Source: weszlo.com, usatoday.com