Washington Wizards: 5 Best Games from Rui Hachimura’s Rookie Season

Game Score: 150-125 loss to the LA Clippers
Game Stats: 38 mins, 30 Points, 13-23 Fg, 56.5 FG%, 2-5 3pt, 40 3pt%, 2-3 FT, 66.7 FT%, 9 Rebounds, 3 Assists, 0 Blocks, 1 Steal, 3 PF, 0 Turnover, -8

I was reluctant to add this game to the list because the Clippers blew the Wizards out by 25 points. However, it would have been disrespectful to leave out Rui Hachimura’s only 30-point game of the season.

This is the one exception on the list where statistics will come before winning and it’s only because it was a career-high for Rui. Neither the Clippers nor Wizards decided to play any defense this game as both teams combined for 275 points on the night. From the opening tip to the final buzzer, Hachimura made his presence felt throughout the entire game.

Shooting 13-23 from the field and 2-5 from three, Rui was efficient for the duration of the game. He attacked the basket relentlessly all night. He also crashed the boards with a reckless abandon, finishing the game with nine rebounds. Hachimura’s on-ball defense was actually quite impressive against the Clippers. Yes, he only had one steal and no blocks. But Rui had multiple good possessions defending Kawhi where he forced him into tough, contested jump shots. It’s almost as if he heard the Kawhi comparisons on draft night and wanted to prove a point.