Washington’s aggressive physicality forced a rare off-night for Utah’s rising star. Now, the rookie must refine his ball security and discipline to counter the league's defensive adjustments.
After looking utterly dominant in his first two summer league appearances, Utah Jazz rookie Darryn Peterson came back down to earth in his clash with No. 1 pick AJ Dybantsa and the Washington Wizards on Thursday.
Peterson still finished with 24 points, but he did so on 6-of-18 shooting while committing eight turnovers and nine fouls.
Off-shooting nights happen; that's not the worry here. Peterson can't be that careless with the ball, and if his tendency to foul remains where it was against Washington, he's going to get disqualified a lot.
“They told me I had 10 (to give). It was a physical game, so I was going out with nine,” Peterson said, courtesy of our own Nick Crain.
But that's not who Peterson is — nor is it the player he will be.
The Wizards did have a great blueprint to slow him down in the form of second-year forward Jamir Watkins ... to an extent.
Watkins picked Peterson up early, played physically at the point of attack and consistently forced him to operate through contact. He's an excellent defender, but Watkins did finish the contest with nine fouls of his own.
It's difficult to get into an offensive rhythm when the man guarding you keeps fouling, so Peterson's performance isn't all that alarming.
However, it is something he must prepare for when the regular season comes.
Peterson has a very rare feel for the game. Watching him on the offensive end doesn't make you feel like you're observing a rookie. He already looks like a vet.
And his rivals are going to know this. It took Washington two games worth of summer league tape to come up with a scheme that gave Peterson fits. Other coaching staffs will certainly be able to do the same.
... but this isn't a cause for concern. Peterson will adapt, and as the blueprint of how to guard him changes, so will his ability to maneuver through what is thrown at him.
That's what separates good players from great ones at the NBA level.
Opposing teams identify weaknesses, exploit tendencies and force adjustments. The stars respond with counters of their own.
Thursday may have represented the first time Peterson looked human in a Jazz uniform, but it likely won't be the last time defenses throw everything — including nine fouls from the guy assigned to him — they have.
If Utah's front office is correct about its newest franchise cornerstone, Peterson will spend the rest of his career solving those kinds of puzzles.
