Erik Spoelstra 'encouraged' by Kasparas Jakučionis amid early struggles
Jakučionis debuted with the Heat in San Francisco, averaging four points, two rebounds, two assists and 1.3 steals on 1 of 15 shooting from the field in three appearances. He committed 12 turnovers and 12 personal fouls across 66 total minutes of action.
The 20th pick bounced back by recording a team-high 24 points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals on Friday in a loss to the Atlanta Hawks. He shot 7 of 12 from the field, including 5 of 9 from 3-point range, and had only two turnovers in 28 minutes.
"Basketball is a lot more than just shooting," Jakučionis said after the game on Friday. "It felt good, but eventually, we still lost, so I didn't do a great job on the other side: rebounding, getting in transition defense. It definitely feels better with the shot."
Jakučionis was highly touted entering the draft thanks to his ability to score at all three levels, playmaking, vision and passing. He also boasts high-level experience after playing professionally in Europe before playing last season at Illinois.
The 19-year-old still found a way to remain productive on the court in California, despite struggling to shoot from the field. The team was pleased that Jakučionis could showcase other traits of his game to help the Heat finish with a 2-1 record in the event.
"We were all encouraged just by the mental make-up that he had and what he showed," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said Friday on ESPN. "It was uneven offensively, there is no doubt about it. He had a lot of turnovers, some mistakes, but all of the intangibles -- the defense, hustle plays, passing, all of that -- he was able to do while having some uneven offensive plays. Sometimes that can take a spirit or confidence away from a player, but he still found a way to impact the game."
After tipping off their stint in the desert on Friday, the Heat return to action on Sunday against the Cleveland Cavaliers (7:30 p.m. EDT, NBA TV). The group will play at least four more games, though it is unclear if Jakučionis will suit up in each contest after playing in California.
The team will look to help Jakučionis throughout its stay in Las Vegas to prepare him for next season. The group has even had the luxury of having former 20-year veteran Udonis Haslem around, mentoring Jakučionis and the rest of the team, which has helped ease the transition.
"He is helping me a lot," Jakučionis said. "Everybody on the staff and the players are helping me a lot. I'm just trying to listen and try to learn as much as I can."
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