LAS VEGAS — In his 59 games as a rookie, Noah Penda never attempted more than seven 3-pointers in a single contest nor did he make more than three from distance in a game once last season.
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In his first Summer League game Thursday night against the Hornets inside Cox Pavilion at UNLV, the Magic forward shot 5-for-10 from beyond the arc to notch a team-high 23 points in nearly 30 minutes of action.
Although it was just one Las Vegas exhibition that featured varying levels of talent on both sides, Penda’s shot-taking and shot-making didn’t happen by chance.
“We’re encouraging that,” Magic Summer League coach D.J. Bakker said after Orlando dropped its first game out west 86-74 to Charlotte. “He’s been working at it. I think it’s about taking the right shots. That’s probably the biggest thing, understanding what our shot quality is, what shots we want to generate. Then once we do that, and you catch it, be aggressive and let it fly.”
That encouragement from Orlando’s new coaching staff under Sean Sweeney has translated to hard work on the court from Penda. The 6-foot-7 French forward said he can sometimes shoot anywhere from 500-750 triples per day depending on the amount of time he has on the practice court.
“I’ve worked a (expletive) ton on my shot this summer,” Penda said. “It’s an occasion to, as I said before Summer League, to gain a little confidence before the season starts. It’s about the shot selection. You want to take good shots, and even though it’s Summer League, don’t take shots that you know you’re not going to take during the regular season.”
So why is it important for Penda to develop a consistent long-range shot? It could be a major development for the Magic.
Orlando finished 27th in overall 3-point percentage (34.3%) this past season. While the Magic were able to generate the 10th-most “wide-open” 3-pointers (shots where the closest defender was 10-plus feet away), the team shot the third-worst percentage (36.5%) in those looks, according to NBA.com.
When long-range shots weren’t falling, opponents were able to pack the paint defensively, making it more challenging for players such as Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs to drive to the basket.
“I really wanted to improve this part because I know this is what is going to keep me on the floor next year — my ability to space the floor for Franz and Paolo,” Penda said. “So, it’s going to be an important way of progression and (I’m) just going to keep working.”
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Of course, there were more aspects to Penda’s game that were on display Thursday night. Active with and without the ball in his hands, he recorded seven rebounds, two assists, two steals and three blocks.
At times, however, he was overly aggressive, earning five personal fouls. But that’s part of the Summer League process, learning when to attack on both sides of the floor.
“He could do so much more than just shoot the ball,” Bakker said about Penda. “He’s a big body. He’s strong. He does a very good job screening and rolling. We put him in different scenarios for that and we trust him in the paint. He did a great job (Thursday night) playing off of two feet and playing with patience and balance.
“So, (we) saw some really good strides from him in that department, which is really encouraging,” Bakker added.
The Magic return to Cox Pavilion for a Saturday afternoon matchup versus the Heat (3:30 p.m., Prime). Orlando then faces the Trail Blazers on Sunday on the second night of a back-to-back (7 p.m., ESPNU).
For Penda, his diligence in improving as a shooter has been recognized by his teammates, including second-year guard Jase Richardson.
“He’s worked on that all summer,” said Richardson, who notched 15 points, four assists and two steals against Charlotte. “He’s come in a lot more confident in his shot. When he’s seeing those tough ones go down, the basket gets bigger and bigger for him.
“His intensity (Thursday) was amazing,” the guard added. “He played amazing. That really helps us. We feed off his energy.”
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Jason Beede can be reached at [email protected]