LAS VEGAS — On the bench, seated next to the coaches with a hat to the back and in a vintage Nuggets rainbow jersey of his Congolese compatriot — Dikembe Mutombo — rookie guard Emmanuel Mudiay took Friday off. He had earned it.
His summer league over, it was time to take stock in the four games he played.
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“It’s been a good summer league,” Mudiay said. “We were 3-0 before we lost. Like I said, I didn’t care how many points, assists, whatever we got as long as we won. But this is where I critique myself the most. I could have had a better game (in the loss). I’m banged up, but I could have been a lot better.”
Mudiay, 19, averaged 12 points and 5.8 assists in four games. He also averaged 3.5 rebounds and 1.2 steals.
That was the good.
Mudiay also leaves Las Vegas with a healthy to-do list.
He shot just 38.5 percent from the field, including 14.3 percent from the 3-point line. First-year Nuggets coach Michael Malone pointed to the types of shots Mudiay was taking as the issue.
“Obviously his shooting needs to get better,” Malone said. “The reason that his shooting percentages are down sometimes is because he’s taking very tough shots — leaning, fading, off balance, contested. So as he takes better shots, his percentages are going to go up.”
Malone then turned his attention to Mudiay’s defense.
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“For me, defensively he’s just got to lock in,” the coach said. “And that’s everybody. He has to understand the personnel, who he’s guarding. He has to understand what the game plan is and have discipline. And he has to give the defensive end of the floor the same amount of energy and focus that he gives the offensive end of the floor. And he’s trying. He’s making strides in that area.”
Malone emphasized that “Emmanuel and I talk a lot. We watch film, we look at clips. Offensively, the game comes very easy for him, he has a great feel for the game, has a great poise for such a young kid.”
Mudiay said he was not looking to be aggressive offensively more than he was trying to be a playmaker. Yet the No. 7 pick in the NBA draft scored in double figures in three of his four games. His best was 19 points in the Nuggets’ victory over Sacramento. He shot 7-of-15 from the field in that game, but was more pleased with his 10 assists.
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“I love playmaking, love making other people better,” Mudiay said. “This week, I wasn’t too focused on the scoring part, just because I wanted to facilitate.
“I’m going to work on everything — even finishes around the basket.”
Christopher Dempsey: cdempsey@denverpost.com or
