Early in his first rotational stint Wednesday night, Chandler Hutchison received a pass from Denzel Valentine on the wing.
With no defender near him, Hutchison prepared to shoot the open 3-pointer. As the nearest defender started to close out, Hutchison pump-faked, put the ball on the floor with two dribbles and attacked the rim, drawing a foul.
This is a young player beginning to understand his strengths and weaknesses.
Hutchison didn’t need to miss all three of his 3-point attempts to prove shooting isn’t currently a strength. Attacking the rim is.
And it’s a big reason why Hutchison continued his solid play since returning from his shoulder injury with a career-high 21 points against the Pacers.