Bruce Thornton follows debut with 17-point, 5-steal encore

Ohio State legend Bruce Thornton continues to light up the NBA Summer League.

Thornton followed up his breakout debut with another all-around effort on Saturday night, reinforcing early impressions that the former Ohio State guard is quickly finding his footing for the Houston Rockets.

Thornton finished with 17 points, six rebounds, and six assists in the Rockets’ 102-89 loss to the Toronto Raptors. He also had a game-high five steals in a performance that showcased just as much of his defensive side as his offense.

It was not the greatest shooting night for Thornton, as he went 6-for-17 from the field, though a very solid 3-for-6 from beyond the arc. While maybe not as eye-opening as his 27-point debut against the Denver Nuggets, the fact that Thornton was able to fill up the box score the way he did offers further validation what Ohio State fans have known all along, that you should never doubt Bruce Thornton.

Houston’s summer league staff has already praised Thornton’s ability to stay on the floor and handle primary-ball-handler responsibilities. And while he did have 4 turnovers in Saturday night’s matchup, the staff has mentioned his minimal mistake approach where he only had one turnover in the opener.

As summer league continues, if Thornton continues to produce at the pace that he is producing, the Rockets’ coaching staff will have to account for more minutes for the second-round pick and the front office that drafted him will be given credit for finding great value late in the draft.

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This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Bruce Thornton follows debut with 17-point, 5-steal encore