The Grizzlies' rookie Kenneth Lofton Jr. played his best game of the season in the finale.
In 40 minutes, he shot 17-of-25 from the field, scoring 42 points, 14 rebounds and 1 steal, while making only 2 turnovers.
It is worth mentioning that this is the first player in NBA history to score at least 40 points in his first start.
However, even this will not change the fate of Kenneth Lofton Jr. who can only play in garbage time most of the time.
He played just 24 games this season in the regular season, averaging seven minutes, ranking second to last on the team.
Let's start with Kenneth Lofton Jr.
Born in 2002, currently 20 years old, only 2 meters tall, but weighing a staggering 125 kilograms.
Because of his cute appearance, he was also nicknamed "Little Fat" by domestic fans.
In college, Little Fat was the Rookie of the Year in his division and was also selected for the U19 World Junior Championship in the United States.
In the final against France, he scored a team-high 16 points to lead the team to the championship against the penalty area defended by top favourites Venbanyama.
On draft night 2022, Kenneth Lofton Jr. unfortunately lost due to physical problems.
However, he did not give up because of this, but chose to participate in the Grizzlies' training camp and successfully signed a two-way contract.
After becoming an NBA player, Kenneth Lofton Jr. spent most of his time in the Development League.
Only when the team suffers a wave of injuries or back-to-back schedules will he be allowed to play a dozen in garbage time.
Therefore, today's 42 points and 14 rebounds are the pinnacle of Xiaochuan's career, and it is likely to be the only peak.
Because his two-way contract will end in the offseason, the Grizzlies have not expressed the idea of renewing his contract.
Being able to shoot close to 70% from the field and cut 40+ in a single NBA game shows that Kenneth Lofton Jr. has some strength.
But why did he spend most of the regular season in garbage time and development leagues?
The reason is actually simple, mainly because Xiao Fat as an inside line, the movement speed is too slow, and the long-term projection ability is not good.
Take today's game, for example, where his stats were good, but he failed to lead the Grizzlies to a win.
Team sports, the main thing is to look at the results, otherwise it is a brush.
If the Grizzlies dare to reuse Kenneth Lofton Jr. in the regular season, it will most likely lead to a decline in record.
He is the type of player who fits in the nineties when he was in the box, not in today's small-ball era...