NBA News Update: LA Lakers' Talen Horton-Tucker talks about his recent playoff heroics, New York Knicks to begin practice camp under Tom Thibodeau
The LA Lakers are two wins away from booking their place in the 2020 NBA Finals. In a team filled with veterans like LeBron James, Rajon Rondo, and Dwight Howard, 19-year-old rookie Talen Horton-Tucker surprised fans with an inspiring performance in the series against the Houston Rockets. In this article, we'll take a look at the secret behind Talen's recent success along with other NBA news updates.
NBA News Update: Talen Horton-Tucker sheds light on his life inside the bubble
LA Lakers coach Frank Vogel surprised everyone when he decided to play Talen Horton-Tucker during a crucial stage of Game 4 against the Houston Rockets. Talen lived up to the coach's expectations as he went on to score five points with two rebounds and two steals in just seven minutes. Speaking about what transpired behind the scenes before the game, Talen said:
"Bron told me to stay ready. To hear that coming from him, he gave me a boost. The advice they gave me was to stay ready, stay patient and things are going to happen.”
Horton-Tucker praised the coaching staff and senior players like LeBron James and Anthony Davis for instilling confidence in him to perform at the highest level.
The Orlando bubble has been an excellent experience for the rookie so far, and he's using every opportunity to learn more from his teammates. Speaking about the bond he shares with other players, Horton-Tucker said:
“They drink a lot of wine. I don’t drink that. But I can still be around. They can drink their wine and give me an orange juice. I just like sitting around, listening and taking anything in."
Talen has not been featured in the series against the Denver Nuggets so far. It'll be interesting to see if Frank Vogel uses the services of the rookie in the upcoming games.
NBA News Update: New York Knicks begin preparations for next season
In another NBA news update, the New York Knicks are about to begin their first practice session with their new coach on Wednesday. Tom Thibodeau, who was appointed as the head coach of the Knicks in July, hasn't had full practice sessions with the team yet.
The New York Knicks finished at 12th place in the Eastern Conference this season and were not a part of the 2020 Orlando bubble. They are looking to turn their fortunes around by trading for a star player in the upcoming NBA offseason.
Also read: NBA News Update: LeBron James will surpass Kobe Bryant only if he wins the title but not Michael Jordan, proclaims Charles Barkley