Bennett Stirtz gave the Oklahoma City Thunder exactly the kind of jolt a rookie guard needs in Las Vegas.
In Friday night’s NBA Summer League debut against the Los Angeles Lakers, Stirtz turned in his best outing of the summer and did most of his damage after halftime, helping OKC claw back after Los Angeles had opened up the game. The offensive-minded guard found his rhythm late and finished with 18 points, a strong step forward after a mixed showing in Salt Lake City.
That matters because Stirtz had already shown signs of progress before arriving in Vegas. Through two games in Salt Lake City, the Iowa product averaged 9.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 35% overall and 30% from 3-point range.
Against the Lakers, though, the efficiency jumped. He hit 50% of his shots and went 37.5% from deep while putting together a scoring burst built on tough looks.
The second half was where he really settled in. Stirtz scored 13 of his 18 points after the break and added eight in the fourth quarter, never really losing his touch once the shot started falling.
That kind of heater is familiar territory for him. At the college level, once he got rolling, he could be tough to slow down.
That same trait has carried over into Summer League.
There’s still a clear next step for him, and it starts with getting comfortable on easier opportunities. Stirtz spent most of his college career handling the ball and taking nearly all of his shots off the dribble, so the adjustment in Oklahoma City is obvious. With more playmakers around him, he’s going to have to live with the looks that come his way and make them count.
"I'm not used to catch-and-shoot threes and I had some open ones that I passed up," Stirtz said after the game. "I gotta just let it fly and trust my shot."
That hesitation has shown up at times during Summer League, as he’s passed on open chances while searching for something better. The NBA game doesn’t offer the same kind of reset button that can exist in college, which makes quick decisions even more important.
Still, Friday gave Stirtz something tangible to build on. After an 18-point performance in his Las Vegas NBA Summer League debut, he now has a chance to carry that momentum into the rest of the rookie summer.
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