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Rockets rookie Bruce Thornton scores game-high 27 in summer opener
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- Rockets rookie Bruce Thornton scores game-high 27 in summer opener
Rockets rookie Bruce Thornton made an impressive debut in Friday's 2026 NBA summer league opener.
The Ohio State product finished with a game-high 27 points while leading Houston to a 97-86 victory ( box score ) over the Denver Nuggets . The Rockets went +20 in Thornton's 35 minutes, best of any player on the floor.
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The physical 6-foot-0 guard connected on 7-of-18 shots from the field (38.9%), including 3-of-8 from 3-point range (37.5%). He made all seven of his free-throw attempts, and his true shooting finished at a robust 64.0%.
Aside from scoring, Thornton added 3 assists, 3 rebounds, and 3 steals, with the latter showcasing an ability to make plays defensively. He also committed only one turnover while frequently serving as Houston's primary ball handler.
Other individual standouts from Friday's matchup included:
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Isaiah Crawford : 17 points (31.3% FG), 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, 3 blocks
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Quadir Copeland: 14 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals; 4-of-6 shooting, 2-of-3 on 3-pointers (both 66.7%)
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Oscar Cluff : 10 points, 9 rebounds, 2 blocks in 21 minutes; 3-of-5 shooting (60.0% FG)
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Bryce Hopkins (Nuggets): 24 points (69.2% FG), 4 rebounds, 3 steals
But in the big picture, Friday's most important storyline was clearly Thornton.
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The Rockets drafted the 22-year-old last month at No. 31 overall , where he was the top pick of the 2026 second round. He's now on a standard NBA contract for up to four years, which makes him a viable rotation option for head coach Ime Udoka in the 2026-27 season.
As for summer league, Houston continues its five-game slate with Saturday's matchup versus the Toronto Raptors . Tipoff is at 8:30 p.m. Central, and the game will be televised and streamed via Prime Video (national) and Space City Home Network (regional).
More: Rockets sign rookie guard Bruce Thornton for up to four years, $9.3 million
This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: Rockets rookie Bruce Thornton scores game-high 27 in summer opener
