Saturday, November 24, 2012

Machado Scores 20 In D-League Debut

Assigned to NBDL last week, Scott Machado made the most of his debut, with 20 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists for Rio Grande Valley Vipers last night.  (Photo courtesy of NBC Sports)

Following a longer layoff than he and his fans would have liked, the Scott Machado show resumed last night in the shadow of the border separating the United States from Mexico, a somewhat fitting backdrop for the Brazilian-American guard whose abilities are as multifaceted as his culture.

Machado, last season's Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Player of the Year who was signed in September by the Houston Rockets as an undrafted free agent, made his debut Friday for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers just nine days after being assigned there by the Rockets, who have decided to use Toney Douglas as Jeremy Lin's backup at the point guard position.  The results for Machado were nothing unusual, as the former Iona star scored 20 points while adding seven rebounds and eight assists in 36 minutes as the Vipers fell to the Bakersfield Jam by the final score of 115-113.  Machado also shot 7-of-16 from the field in what was, for all intents and purposes, his first official game as a professional.

Machado got the start for the Vipers, grabbing a rebound and missing his first two shots before registering his first points on a pair of free throws with 5:48 remaining in the first quarter.  The guard picked up his first assist on the next Rio Grande possession, feeding former UConn forward Jeff Adrien for a layup inside, only to make one of his own for his first field goal just 47 seconds after converting the two foul shots.  He ended the first half with six points, and shot 6-of-9 from the field after the intermission.

Machado and the Vipers take the court for their second game of the season tonight, as they host the Jam in a rematch from the State Farm Arena in Hidalgo, Texas.  Tipoff is slated for 8pm Eastern time, and all NBDL games can be seen free of charge on YouTube.  Check NBA.com for more information and follow A Daly Dose Of Hoops for additional updates on Machado throughout the season.

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