BEIJING (China) - There are some guards who make scoring look like the easiest thing possible. The way Lester Quinones is doing it, it's no wonder he goes by Effort-Les.
The 25-year-old Dominican Republic national team player has been sensational at the FIBA Intercontinental Cup, when you watch him warm up through shooting drills before the game, you get an idea of what he might do once the game starts.
Same kind of situations, same kind of positions, same kind of range - he's done it a million times and it makes no difference to him at all if you're playing the best defense in the world or not. As long as he gets a look at the rim, he's putting it up.
And if you're aggressive enough that way, you'll get a lucky bounce or two. In Quinones' case, it means banking in two three-pointers in the first half.
"Of course I called it. Okay, maybe not the first one, but definitely the second one, I felt it," he said at the halftime, already up to 16 points at that point.
Lester is familiar with the rims in China. In fact, in his last game with the Qingdao DoubleStar last season, he scored 29 points against the Shanxi Brave in May.
Now, in September, he returned to China with another 29-point performance to take down the RSSB Tigers in the Semi-Finals of the Intercontinental Cup.
"I guess I can't score 30 in China," he laughed.
"But yeah, it was great. Like I said talking to you at halftime, we made those adjustments defensively and the game pulled away."
"I guess I can't score 30 in China."
It wasn't all about Quinones in the Semi-Finals, as both Phillip Wheeler (24pts) and Eric Dixon (16pts) came up big in the frontcourt. Dixon's big third quarter is what propelled the G Leaguers to a massive +12 edge during those 10 minutes.
"Oh, it's huge (when Eric Dixon takes over). If you can hear me on TV, I'm out there yelling, 'give him the ball every single time!' He's 260 pounds, so it's hard to guard that," Quinones praised his power forward.
Up next for Quinones and his teammates: Boca Juniors or Rytas Vilnius in the Championship Game.
"That's two great basketball clubs. So we definitely have to go back tonight, watch film on them - actually, we're going to watch them play now, so we're going to study that and then we'll be ready to go (in the Final)."
Well, sounds like another chance to go for 30 in China.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah... We're going to get 30 this time," Quinones laughed out loud again.