Richard Jefferson is a man on a mission.
After agreeing to a restructured deal with the San Antonio Spurs in the offseason, he dedicated his time over the summer to work and improve his game.
Four games into his second season with the Spurs and it seems Jefferson’s offseason regimen is paying off. He currently leads the team in scoring at 20 points per game, and is shooting 65.9 percent from the field, including 53.3% from behind the three-point line.
If there is any doubt he has regained his old form, his performance against the Phoenix Suns could keep skeptics on hold. Jefferson scored 28 points, made all of his six shot attempts in the final quarter, including four 3-pointers that turned the game into the Spurs’ favor. The result was a thrilling finish with the Spurs winning it 112-110 in Phoenix.
When Jefferson arrived in San Antonio a year ago, the Spurs and their fans had high hopes and expectations for the team. However, Jefferson was inconsistent during his first year with the Spurs and finished the season averaging 12.3 points per game. His lowest scoring average since his rookie year.
However, with one year under his belt with the Spurs’ complex system, Jefferson appears to have exorcised the ghosts which haunted him in his previous season with San Antonio. Last year, Jefferson looked hesitant and at times seemed lost on the floor. This season he looked more confident, focused and aggressive. And he knows when and where to pick his spots.
He chose to stay with the Spurs, improved his game and is trying to prove his doubters wrong.
It’s still early in the season, four games are too few to tell how will Jefferson’s sophomore year as a Spur will end up. Nonetheless it has been a good start and if his early rebound continues, then the Spurs will be a tougher team to beat in the NBA.
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