Pistons’ Luka Garza reacts to scoring first points in the NBA

Detroit Pistons rookie Luka Garza on Saturday made his official regular-season debut on the road versus the Chicago Bulls and had the opportunity to score his first points in the NBA.

With the Pistons down 27 points, Garza checked into the game just a few minutes into the fourth quarter. He would finish with three points, two rebounds, two steals and one assist in six minutes of work during the 97-82 loss to the Bulls.

Garza registered his first point in a rather unique manner. He notched it at the free-throw line after Bulls center Nikola Vucevic was assessed a flagrant foul when he mistakenly caught Garza in the face with his left elbow.

He later got his first basket on a putback layup with 4:17 left in the game.

“Obviously, I would want it to come in a better circumstance when we’re not down by 20 but, obviously, it’s just a surreal moment to be here and be on this stage,” Garza said. “In the moment when you’re down, it’s not really important, but I’ll always be able to look back on that.”

Garza will likely spend much of the season in a developmental role but could eventually see time on the court in certain situations. With the Pistons rebuilding, Garza will be part of a promising young core that could turn Detroit into a team on the rise over the next several seasons.

This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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