Hawks rookie Damion Lee’s ninth NBA game was his best one.
Lee scored a career-high 20 points in a loss to the Sixers on Friday night at Philips Arena. Lee also had four rebounds, two steals and one assists without a turnover in 32 minutes.
“He continues to play well on both ends of the court,” Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said. “I like what he does defensively, sticking his nose in, competing. He made some shots. Gets to the basket and kind of scores different places, backdoor cut for a layup and things like that. Just happy with the way he’s playing.”
Lee made 8 of 17 shots against the Sixers, including two of six three-point attempts. In the third quarter Lee scored 10 of his team’s 18 points and made four of its six field-goal attempts.
The Hawks signed Lee to a 10-day contract on March 13 and he made his NBA debut that same night. The Hawks signed him to another 10-day contract after the initial one expired.
By NBA rule, the Hawks can’t sign Lee to another 10-day contract when his current deal expires after Sunday’s game. The Hawks also aren’t likely to sign Lee to a regular contract for the rest of the season but he’s a candidate for their summer league team.
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