ATLANTA — When asked what it was like to play four NBA games in six days, rookie Zaccharie Risacher had a succinct answer:
“I’m tired.”
Risacher should have been fatigued after enjoying the biggest night of his young career during the Atlanta Hawks’ 121-116 victory over the New York Knicks on Wednesday night. He filled the box score with 33 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocked shots. The 33 points is the most by a rookie this season and easily surpassed his season high of 17 points.
According to ESPN Research, Risacher, 19, also joined Victor Wembanyama, Kevin Durant, LeBron James and Lamar Odom as the only players to have 30 points and multiple blocks and steals in a game before turning 20. Risacher is the only one of those players to have also scored five three-pointers.
Risacher, who was the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft, has started the last seven games following De’Andre Hunter’s knee injury and has had mixed results to date. He entered the game shooting 21.1% from 3-point range and 32.9% from the floor. Hawks coach Quin Snyder has encouraged Risacher to keep shooting through his ups and downs.
“He basically tells me to throw the damn ball,” Risacher said. “That’s not just him. It’s all the members of the coaching staff and my teammates. It helps me have confidence.”
Risacher made 6 of 10 three-pointers and was 11 of 18 from the field. He was 5 of 7 from deep in the first half alone. Risacher also showed off his driving ability, at one point finishing off an attack from the corner with a left floater into the lane.
Risacher scored a key basket late, tying the score at 110-110 with 1:31 left. With Trae Young double-teamed, Risacher cut to the foul line, caught a pass from Young and hit the decisive shot at the line.
“We’ve practiced that,” Young said. “He went to the middle. I knew where to find him, and he knew how to turn around and score if [Karl-Anthony Towns] He didn’t take a step forward. And if he did, Clint [Capela] was behind him to catch the balloon. Zac made a great play. “That was a big possession for us.”
After the game, Snyder said the players were excited for Risacher in the locker room because they understand how difficult the first weeks and months can be when starting an NBA career.
“It made me very happy to see how people reacted when I was good,” Risacher said.
Risacher now leads all rookies with 12 points per game and increased his three-point shooting to 27%.
“Their progress will not be linear,” Snyder said. “He has to keep it up. We have confidence in him, whether he hits it or not. He was also very good on the defensive glass today.”
