Battier with the trophy via @DukeBluePlanet (Twitter)

I have to admit, as much as I dislike the Miami Heat, I was quietly rooting for them if only to see former Duke great Shane Battier hoist another trophy.

He did just that on Thursday night in Miami. The Heat won the deciding Game 5 in blowout fashion, 121-106 over the OKC Thunder.

I don’t really get into the NBA, but I have to admit that I did steal some quick looks of the series and watching Battier hit big three after big three (especially in the first two games) was pretty awesome to see.

Yes Miami has the big three, but I honestly don’t think they would be celebrating today if it wasn’t for Battier. He started all five games, averaged 11.6 points, shot 61% from the field (57.7% from three point land), and hauled in 3.4 rebounds.

Battier has now won three high school championships, a national title at Duke, and an NBA title. He is also the winningest player in college.

Go ahead and celebrate Shane, you deserve it!

Former Duke forward Shane Battier is headed to the NBA Finals, as the Miami Heat used a huge fourth quarter on Saturday night to beat the Boston Celtics in seven games.

In that Game 7, Battier started and scored 12 points on 4-of-9 shooting. He also had three steals. That was his best game of the conference finals, in which he started all seven games.

Battier and the Heat will face the OKC Thunder in the NBA Finals beginning on Tuesday night at 9pm ET on ABC. Not sure if he’ll continue to start with Chris Bosh back, but we will see.

Well, there’s just one former Duke men’s basketball player still alive in the NBA Playoffs. That would be Miami’s Shane Battier.

The Miami Heat are in the Eastern Conference Finals facing the Boston Celtics. The Heat lead the series 1-0. Battier started Game 1 and scored ten points on 4-of-11 shooting. He hauled in ten rebounds, dished out two assists, and blocked two shots over 36 minutes. He was one of three players to score in double-figures (behind LeBron James and Dwayne Wade).

In the conference semifinals, where the Heat ousted the Indiana Pacers (and former Blue Devil Dahntay Jones), Battier started four of the six games. He averaged 3.8 PPG and 3.3 RPG.

» Continue reading “Former Blue Devils in the NBA Playoffs”

The NBA Playoffs have begun the conference semifinals, as just eight teams remain. There are still quite a few former Duke men’s basketball players still competing.

The eight-seed Philadelphia Sixers upset the top-seed Chicago Bulls in six games to send two former Blue Devils home, Carlos Boozer and Luol Deng.

Boozer averaged 13.5 points and 9.8 rebounds. However he scored just three points (1-for-11 shooting) in the Game 6 loss. Deng averaged 14 points and 8.3 rebounds in the series loss. In wins, he averaged 20.5 PGG, but just eight points in losses.

However, there is still a former Blue Devil moving on from that series, Sixers starter Elton Brand. It was pretty cool watching Boozer and Brand guard each other. In the first round, Brand averaged eight points and 5.5 rebounds over 32.5 minutes.

The Sixers again lost their first game, a road game, this time to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. They only lost by one point. Just like they did against the Bulls, the Sixers returned home with the series tied at 1-1. However they were blown out last night in Philly. Brand has struggled (just 4.7 PPG) while not playing as many minutes (16).

» Continue reading “Blue Devils in the NBA Playoffs”

Duke has 16 former players in the NBA. Eight of those former players are members of playoff teams.

The Miami Heat have blown out the New York Knicks to take a 2-0 series lead heading into tonight’s game at Madison Square Garden.

Shane Battier comes off the bench for the Heat. In their Game 1 win, he went 2-of-8 (2-of-5 from three) for eight points. He hauled in six rebounds. In Game 2, Battier scored 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting (3-of-5 from beyond the arc). He also hauled in three rebounds.

Three former Blue Devils have faced off in the Chicago-Philadelphia series, which is tied at 1-1. Carlos Boozer and Luol Deng start for the Bulls, who will need them to step up with the loss of All-Star Derrick Rose. In the Game 1 win, Boozer scored nine points on 4-of-8 shooting. He hauled in seven rebounds and dished out four assists. Deng scored 17 points on 8-of-14 shooting. He hauled in six rebounds. In the loss, Elton Brand was the Sixers leading scorer: 19 points on 8-of-15 shooting. He hauled in seven rebounds and blocked four shots.

In the Game 2 loss, Boozer scored nine points, but made just 4-of-10 shots. Deng scored eight points on just 3-of-12 shooting. In the win for the Sixers, Brand scored 12 points on 5-of-6 shooting.

Game 3 gets underway Friday night in Philly.

» Continue reading “Former Blue Devils in the NBA Playoffs”

After not getting a whole lot from Lebron James and Dwayne Wade for most of the game, the two Miami Heat stars’ combined for 20+ points in the fourth quarter to take the lead late. The Heat went on a 18-3 run to end the game.

Down two with 28 seconds left, Derrick Rose drove to the basket and was fouled. He missed the second free throw and Miami had the ball up one. It became a free throw game, after the Bulls almost stole the inbounds pass.

The Heat are headed to the NBA Finals as Rose’s desperation three was blocked in the final seconds.

In the 83-80 loss, former Dukie Carlos Boozer scored just 5 points on 1-of-6 shooting over 26 minutes. He had six rebounds. Former Blue Devil Luol Deng scored 18 points on 6-of-17 shooting over 35 minutes. He had seven rebounds and five assists. The Bulls shot just 35% as a team (Rose was just 9-of-29 from the field).

The Bulls head off to the offseason while the Heat head to face the Dallas Mavericks.

Heat rally, end Bulls’ season win 83-80 in Game 5 Chicago Sun-Times

Amazing rally sends Heat past Bulls, into finals NBC Sports

Heat vs Bulls: Game 5 Live Game Discussion Kissing the Rim

Tenacious D powers Bulls to lead at half Chicago Bulls Report

The Miami Heat took Game 4 and took a commanding 3-1 Eastern Conference Finals lead over the Chicago Bulls. The series now heads back to Chicago for Game 5.

In OT, the Heat took the game 101, 93.

Former Blue Devils Carlos Boozer and Luol Deng each contributed 20 points. Boozer was 7-of-14 from the floor, while Deng was 8-of-16. Boozer hauled in 11 boards while Deng contributed with eight. The two combined for five assists and four steals.

Unfortunately for the Bulls, Joakim Noah scored just six points (though he had 14 rebounds) and Derrick Rose’s shooting woes continue. Rose scored 23 points but shot just 8-of-27 from the floor. Three-point shooting also continues to plague the Bulls as they shot just 25% (6-of-24) from behind the arc.

Check out more of the series coverage:

Heat take 3-1 series lead: Game 4 recap Kissing the Rim
Miami takes Game 4 in OT, 101-93 NBA.com

NBA Playoffs AM Links Cleveland.com

Frustration got to Bull’s Luol Deng in Game 4, too Chicago Sun-Times

Boozer, Noah on being pushed to brink CBSSports.com (video)

Joakim Noah faces heat for gay slur: Fan reaction Yahoo Sports

Despite a much-needed big game from former Dukie Carlos Boozer, the Chicago Bulls lost Game 3 to the Miami Heat, 96-85. Problem was, the Bulls defense had no answer for Heat big man Chris Bosh. Bosh scored 34 points on 13-of-18 shooting.

Boozer had 26 points on 8-of-19 shooting over 39 minutes. 10 of his points came from the free throw line (10-of-12). He also hauled in 17 rebounds. Problem was, no one else really stepped up for the Bulls. Derrick Rose scored 20 points, but had just five assists.

Former Blue Devil Luol Deng scored 14 points on 6-of-13 shooting over 42 minutes. He also had eight rebounds. Big man Joakim Noah had just one point and five rebounds, but he did have six assists. Noah also was involved in a bit of a controversy similar to the one LA Lakers star Kobe Bryant received a $100,000 fine for.

Check out all the latest news:

Miami takes Game 3, 96-85 NBA.com

Bulls vs Heat Game 3 Live Discussion Kissing the Rim

Bulls in precarious position Chicago Sun-Times

Noah acknowledges saying ‘something’ to fan NBA.com

Chris Bosh Winning Battle Against Carlos Boozer in Heat vs. Bulls Series SB Nation

Behind the Box Score, where Miami is made of mettle Ball Don’t Lie

The Miami Heat took Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals to tie the series at 1-1 heading back to Miami. The Heat held a big lead, but the Chicago Bulls came back to make it a game. They just didn’t have enough to overcome the Heat’s big lead. The Heat held on for a 85-75 lead.

The Bulls did not shoot the ball well (34.1 % overall) from any spot on the court. The Bulls shot just 15% from three-point land and 61.5% from the free throw line.

Former Dukie Luol Deng scored 13 points but shot just 5-of-15 from the field. Over 45 minutes, he had five rebounds, two assists, and four turnovers. Former Blue Devil Carlos Boozer scored just seven points on 3-of-10 shooting over 26 minutes. He had eight rebounds. NBA MVP Derrick Rose scored 21 points but was just 7-of-23 from the field.

Miami wins Game 2, 85-75 NBA.com

James leads Heat past Bulls for 1-1 tie USA Today

The Heat surges late and gains split in Chicago New York Times

Bulls lose to Heat for the first time this season Kissing the Rim

Carlos Boozer or Chris Bosh: Who was the better pick for the Miami Heat? Bleacher Report

Congratulations to the OKC Thunder as they defeated the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 7 of the Western Conference Semifinals. The Thunder will face the Dallas Mavericks in the conference finals beginning Tuesday night. This time the Grizzlies couldn’t stop Kevin Durant, as he scored 39 points. Russell Westbrook contributed a triple-double (14 points, 10 rebounds, and 14 assists).

Former Blue Devil Shane Battier scored just four points on 2-of-6 shooting over 28 minutes. He did contribute four rebounds. Grizzlies fans you should be proud of your overachievers!

The Eastern Conference Finals began Sunday night as the Chicago Bulls faced off against the Miami Heat. The Bulls blew out the Heat 103-82 (the two teams were tied at the half). The Bulls outscored the Heat in the second half 55-34. The Bulls out-rebounded the Heat 45-33. The Bulls had 23 assists to the Heat’s 11. The Bulls forced 16 Heat turnovers. A complete Bulldozing!

Former Dukie Luol Deng scored 21 points, hauled in seven rebounds, and had four steals. Deng played 45 minutes and hit 4-of-6 three-pointers. The other former Blue Devil on the Bulls, Carlos Boozer, had 14 points on 5-of-10 shooting over just 26 minutes. He also had nine rebounds.

Check out Kissing the Rim for all the Bulls coverage.

OKC Wins Game 7, 105-90 NBA.com

Oklahoma beat Memphis to reach Conference finals Reuters

Thunder oust Grizzlies as Kevin Durant answers bell with 39-point Game 7 ESPN

Chicago takes Game 1, 103-82 NBA.com

Bulls lead Miami Heat 1-0 Bulls.com