​The Houston Rockets made a risky decision in trading up for Marcus Thornton, but the rewards are already looking promising. After the first three games of the NBA Summer League, Bruce Thornton’s impressive performances are increasingly silencing those who doubted him.Albeit being underdogs in all three games thus far, the Rockets have won two of them, earning a 4th place position in the standings. Thornton has established himself as the leader of the team, and his statistics prove that. He has already accumulated 62 points, 11 rebounds, 13 assists, and most impressively, 10 steals. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementHouston’s most recent game against the Philadelphia 76ers on July 14 exceeded all expectations, resulting in a 90-64 victory. Thornton shot efficiently, as he went 5-of-9 from the field, including 3-of-5 from three-point range, accruing to 18 points. He added to his box-score tally by adding 2 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and a stunning 0 turnovers. Being the primary ball handler, not having a single turnover is extremely impressive and proves that he has a very high basketball IQ.His dominating performances on both ends of the court make him a great fit under Ime Udoka’s strategy, as Udoka relies predominantly on defensive physicality and ball security. If he continues on this trajectory, he will earn minutes and opportunities on the court as he approaches his first year in the regular NBA season.Houston’s roster lacks depth at the point guard position, and Fred VanVleet’s injury concerns only adds to the issue. This makes Thornton a more valuable asset, therefore increasing the potential rewards from the investment made in trading up forthe promising rookie.The Rockets are eyeing a spot in the elimination stage of the Summer League, and Thornton will need to provide another dominant performance in order to do so, as they face the Brooklyn Nets in their next game.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe Nets were projected to be likely to make it to the elimination stage when the league began, and have matched their expectations. The Nets also have a 2-and-1 record thus far, and are coming off a dominant performance against the Sacramento Kings in which they won 115 to 83. The Nets currently stand in third place in the standings and will be the toughest opponents that Houston has faced.In a do-or-die game for both teams, Houston will need to rely on Thornton’s leadership and skill. Will Thornton be able to handle the pressure in his most difficult matchup yet?