Duke basketball: Harry Giles sets career high in points as Kings falter

Former Duke basketball standout Harry Giles dunks for the Sacramento Kings. (Photo by Kim Klement-Pool/Getty Images)
Former Duke basketball standout Harry Giles dunks for the Sacramento Kings. (Photo by Kim Klement-Pool/Getty Images)

Former Duke basketball standout Harry Giles showed his true potential with a new career high in points as the Sacramento Kings fell to the Orlando Magic.

Harry Giles has always been oozing with potential but various injuries, specifically to his knees, have derailed what could have been a special career.

However, the former Blue Devil still is in the early stages of his career and the rest caused by the coronavirus pandemic may have helped Giles perform better in the NBA’s restart.

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As the Kings, without Marvin Bagley III, took the floor for the second time in the league’s bubble at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports Complex, it wasn’t too long before the Orlando Magic had things under control following a 44-point first quarter.

Despite the 132-116 loss, Kings forward Harry Giles posted a new career high with 23 points off the bench in addition to eight rebounds and one assist on 9-of-11 shooting from the floor and 5-of-6 from the free throw line.

Giles missed the only 3-point shot he attempted in the game in 19 minutes played.

The new career high comes after a lackluster two points, one rebound, and one assist in only four minutes in the Kings’ loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Friday night.

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Giles’ previous career high was 20 points back on January 30, 2019, against the Atlanta Hawks.

Sacramento is beginning to fade quickly after dropping its first two games in Orlando and certainly will not be favored in five of its next six games, the lone game a win could be assumed is against the Brooklyn Nets.

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The Kings trail the Memphis Grizzlies for the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference by three and a half games and will play the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday, August 4 at 2:30pm EST.

Harry Giles will look to build off this performance as he continues to improve the trajectory of his career in the bubble.