Goga Bitadze showed promise during his long-awaited preseason debut for the Indiana Pacers
A long-awaited day finally came for Indiana Pacers fans across the country as rookie center Goga Bitadze made his preseason debut against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Bitadze’s debut had been continuously delayed this offseason and through training camp. He was not able to participate in Summer League play with the Pacers due to VISA issues and then missed the first three games of the preseason with an ankle sprain.
Pacers fans have been waiting to see the 6-foot-11 and 245-pound center in action since the organization drafted him with the 18th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft.
The big man out of Sagarejo, Georgia (the country Georgia if you did not already know) played 17 minutes in the 119-111 loss to the Timberwolves. Bitadze looked a little lost at the beginning of the game. His first touch was a missed pass in the lane that he turned over. But it was not long until the rookie found his footing.
Bitadze surprised the fans at Bankers Life Fieldhouse by draining a couple from behind the arc and sparking a run for the blue and gold in the second half. He ended the game with 14 points on 6-9 shooting and 2-3 from behind the 3-point line. He had four rebounds, two assists, and one block as well.
Goga's first points with the #Pacers 🙌#NBARooks pic.twitter.com/RgmHk3CTxQ
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) October 16, 2019
It was not all good for Bitadze, though. The rookie showed his lack of playing time by committing six turnovers. This issue should be cleared up fairly quickly as he continues to get more practice and playing time.
Pacers fans should only begin to worry if this becomes a lingering issue. The only other downside to his game was four personal fouls in 17 minutes. He was fouling someone close to a rate of one foul per four minutes. That comes with being a young big man in the league, but if the Georgian wants to stay on the floor he will have to figure out how to defend without fouling.
On that note, his defense was less than stellar. As a player that was touted for his shot-blocking ability, his overall defensive performance was underwhelming. He was able to alter some shots, so that is a start. He also had the task of guarding the two-time NBA All-Star, Karl-Anthony Towns, so he is going to get somewhat of a pass on his defensive play. His defense will hopefully come together as the season continues.
Overall, this was a quality outing for Bitadze. The Pacers organization and the fans should feel confident after this initial appearance. If he can figure out how to stay on the court without fouling while also being able to hang onto the ball, it should be safe to assume the Pacers will have a capable center coming off of the bench.