The first round of the NBA playoffs are coming to a close, but let’s take a look at the former Duke men’s basketball players who were not lucky to participate in the playoffs.

The worst team in the NBA was Orlando (20-62) and Josh McRoberts began the season with the Magic, but finished it with Charlotte (the second worst team at 21-61). He averaged just 3.9 points in 16.7 minutes with the Magic, but received more playing time with the Bobcats. McRoberts averaged 9.3 points and 7.2 rebounds in 30.8 minutes.

His teammate was Gerald Henderson, who averaged 15.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game with Charlotte. In the Bobcats second to last game (a win over the Knicks), Henderson scored 27 points and dished out five assists.

Kyrie drives against KSU via DukeBluePlanet

The Cleveland Cavaliers had a tough season (24-58), but it wasn’t because of Kyrie Irving. He averaged 22.5 points, 5.9 assists, and 3.7 rebounds, as he started all 59 games that he played. However, he committed 3.2 turnovers a game. Irving scored 30+ points 13 times this season.

New Orleans changed from the Hornets to the Pelicans, but the results were the same, another losing season (27-55). It was a rough rookie season for Austin Rivers, who did not play after March 6th due to a fractured right hand. In the games he did play, he averaged 6.2 points. He dished out 2.1 assists, but committed 1.2 turnovers. Rivers finally seemed to adjust to the professional level over his final month.

Lance Thomas was a Pelicans teammate and averaged 2.5 points in 59 games. His best game came in a March 12th loss. He scored 12 points on 3-of-4 shooting and hauled in five rebounds. Thomas was also cleared in an NCAA investigation where he spent nearly $100,000 on jewelry while he was still at Duke.

The Detroit Pistons finished their season at 29-53 and Kyle Singler had a solid rookie season. He averaged 8.8 points and four rebounds over 28 minutes a game. His best game came in a March 22nd loss, when he scored 18 points on 8-of-14 shooting. He also hauled in eight rebounds, five on the offensive side.

Nolan Smith drives against Michigan in NCAA Tournament. Courtesy of DukeBluePlanet

Corey Maggette played in just 18 games with the Pistons and the team is expected to part ways with him. He struggled with staying healthy and finding a spot in the lineup (he was the oldest player on a team trying to go younger).

Nolan Smith played in just 40 games for the 33-49 Portland Trailblazers. He averaged 2.8 points per game. His lone double-digit scoring game in the second half came in a February 2nd win versus Utah (13 points on 5-of-7 shooting).

Elton Brand mostly came off the bench for the 41-41 Dallas Mavericks. He averaged 7.2 points and six rebounds. Brand only scored in double-digits twice over his final 19 games.

My next update will be of the former Blue Devils who were playing in the NBA playoffs. How many will still be playing on teams that are still alive? We shall see.

Former Duke men’s basketball player Shane Battier was named the Magic Johnson Award winner. The award is given to the NBA player that shows excellence both on the court and with the media and fans. It is voted on by members of the Pro Basketball Writers Association.

Battier with the trophy via @DukeBluePlanet (Twitter)

Battier is the fifth former Blue Devil to win this award, joining Grant Hill (who won it twice in 2004-2005 and 2007-2008), Elton Brand (2005-2006), and Luol Deng (2006-2007).

In 70 games with the Miami Heat (who lead the Eastern Conference standings), Battier is averaging 6.5 points and 2.3 rebounds in 24 minutes. He is shooting 42.5% from three point range (which is a career-best). The Heat have the best record in the NBA at 61-16.

Here is what Battier tweeted following the announcement:

“Really proud of being selected as the recipient of the Magic Johnson Award. Magic was a hero of mine growing up. Great group of winners too.”

The NBA season is in full swing, as All-Star starters were recently announced. This is a great time to take a look at how the former Duke men’s basketball players are doing in the NBA.

Three players are rookies in the NBA, two of which were members of last season’s Duke team that was upset in the NCAA Tournament by Lehigh.

Kyle Singler is not one of them. After spending last season in Europe, he has returned to the Detroit Pistons, who drafted him in 2011. He has started 31 of the Pistons 39 games in his first season. The Pistons are just 14-25 (fourth in the Eastern Division’s Central Division). Singler is averaging 8.4 points per game and 3.8 rebounds a game in 27.6 minutes. In his last game, he scored 15 points on 5-of-10 shooting (3-of-6 from beyond the arc). He also had four assists.

Austin Rivers has been hampered by injuries in his rookie season with the New Orleans Hornets. Overall, he has started 22 of the 38 games for the 13-26 Hornets (last place in the Western Conference’s Southwest Division). His shooting percentages are low (33% overall and just 56% from the free throw line), as he is averaging just 6.2 PPG. In his last game, against his father’s Boston Celtics, he scored eight points.

Miles Plumlee

Miles Plumlee has been shuttled back and forth between the Indiana Pacers and the D-League Fort Wayne Mad Ants. He is averaging 12.6 PPG and 11.1 RPG in ten D-League games (eight starts). Plumlee is coming off a ten point, 12 rebound performance on Friday night. He last played with the Pacers on December 21st (six total games).

Lance Thomas is in his second season in the NBA and has stuck with the Hornets. He has started nine of the 32 games he has played. He is averaging 2.8 PPG and 2.5 RPG, while shooting 45.8% from the field.

Kyrie Irving is having a great second season in the NBA for the Cleveland Cavaliers. However, the Cavs are in last place in the Central Division (10-31). Irving has started all 30 games he has played and is averaging 23.3 PPG, 3.6 RPG, and 5.6 assists per game over 35.7 minutes. His is shooting 46.3% overall, 40.5% from three point land, and 83.2% from the free throw line. In his last game, he scored 31 points on 13-of-24 shooting.

Nolan Smith has played in 19 of the Portland Trailblazers 39 games. The Trailblazers are 20-19, fourth place in the Western Conference’s Northwest Division. Smith is averaging 2.5 PPG over 8.4 minutes. In his last game (January 16th after not playing for two weeks), he scored three points and hauled in four rebounds.

Now to the former Blue Devils who have been in the league for awhile.

» Continue reading “Duke in the NBA Update”

Coach K‘s Team USA is flawed, or so the headlines say today as they squeaked by Lithuania, 99-94 to improve to 4-0 in Pool A. They finish it up on August 6th against Argentina (2-1) before heading to the Quarterfinals which begin on August 8th.

The second highest scorer in the game for Lithuania was former Blue Devil Marty Pocius. He scored 14 points, dished out six assists (to just one turnover), and hauled in seven rebounds.

Other former ACC players on the Lithuanian team include Maryland’s Sarunas Jasikevicius (who started and scored eight points and is averaging six assists per game) and Wake Forest’s Darius Songalia (who scored 11 points on 5-of-6 shooting). Right now, Lithuania is 1-3 and will play Tunisia (0-4) in their final Pool A game on August 6th.

Luol Deng is playing for host Great Britain, who is 0-4. They have played tough in two of those losses, as they only lost to Brazil by five and Spain by just one point. They finish up Pool B play on August 6th against China.

Prior to today’s game against Australia, Deng was third in the Olympics in scoring at 21.3 points per game. He has played in over 37 minutes a game. He is also averaging eight rebounds and 5.7 assists.

The NBA offseason is in full swing and there are a few former Duke players who have been in the news.

Via Duke Blue Planet

The Detroit Pistons signed their 2011 pick, forward Kyle Singler, to a multi-year deal. Singler was a second round pick in 2011 and spent this past season playing in Spain. He signed a three-year deal.

Early on in the summer league season, the Pistons have been impressed with his all-around game. That has increased speculation that Singler could start next season (meaning Tayshawn Prince may be on the trade block).

The Indiana Pacers traded Dahntay Jones (and guard Darren Collison) to the Dallas Mavericks for big man Ian Mahinmi. It is a deal that makes sense for the Mavs, who lost two guards to free agency.

Donnie Nelson, the Mavs president of basketball operations, called Jones “a rugged veteran who will play the kind of tough defense that will fit perfectly in coach (Rick) Carlisle’s system.”

Joining Jones in Dallas will be Elton Brand, who agreed to a one-year deal after spending the last few seasons in Philadelphia. The Sixers put him on amnesty waivers and he was claimed by the Mavericks for a winning bid of $2.1 million. The Sixers still have to pay the remaining balance of the $18.2 million owed Brand in the final year of his contract. Brand said he is excited to play alongside Dirk Nowitzki.

Veteran Grant Hill signed with the LA Clippers, as he was swayed by head coach Vinny Del Negro, Chauncey Billups, and Chris Paul. Hill, who rebounded from ankle injuries to still be a productive player at age 40 with the Phoenix Suns, averaged 10.2 points on 44.6% shooting this past season.

Kyrie Irving playing defense. Courtesy of DukeBluePlanet

Less than a year after being the number one pick in the NBA draft, Cleveland Cavaliers guard and former Duke player Kyrie Irving was named the Kia Rookie of the Year in the NBA.

He received 117 first place votes from a panel of 120 sportwriters and broadcasters.

Among NBA rookies, Irving ranked first in scoring (18.5 points per game), field goal percentage (46.9%), and free throw percentage (87.2%). He was second in assists (5.4 assists per game) and three point field goal percentage (39.9%).

Among all NBA players, Irving was fourth in fourth quarter scoring (6.4 points).

Irving became just the fifth player ever to be drafted number one in the NBA draft and average at least 18 PPG and 5 APG. He joins Oscar Robertson, Magic Johnson, Allen Iverson, and LeBron James.

KIA Motors America will donate a new Kia Sorento CUV to the New Jersey Roadrunners, Irving’s former AAU team. They will also present a brand new Sorento to the charity of choice of each of five 2011-12 year-end award winners as part of the “The Kia NBA Performance Awards.”

Click HERE for video.

Multiple sources are reporting that Duke freshman guard Austin Rivers is leaving for the NBA and will hire an agent. For the second straight season, the Blue Devils will deal with a one-and-done player.

Last year, it was guard Kyrie Irving, who looks to be this year’s Rookie of the Year in the NBA. Honestly, I wasn’t 100% sure Irving was ready for the NBA. But he definitely was better than Rivers.

This season did not end the way many had hoped for the Blue Devils, with a first round exit to 15-seed Lehigh. Rivers was a big reason why. He made decisions that a freshman would, which were usually bad ones. I just think he needed more seasoning.

But NBA scouts are saying he is a lottery pick. It’s not like the NBA is known for its defense (which he didn’t play much of for Duke).

I remember hearing ESPN analyst Dick Vitale talking about Rivers and the possibility of him leaving early sometime during the middle of the season. He said something like, his dad is an NBA coach and knows he isn’t ready.

Well, I guess Doc believes he is ready. Anyway, good luck to Austin. I just wish we got a chance to watch you fully grow at Duke.

*There are also rumors that Mason Plumlee may also leave early, though a decision is expected within the week. I guess there’s a chance that we won’t get to see Marshall play with his brothers.

The NBA All-Star Game is Sunday night with the festivities set to begin Friday night. I figured now was a good time to put together another former Duke players in the NBA update.

Dunleavy & Battier via Duke Blue Planet

Mike Dunleavy returned to the Milwaukee Bucks on January 20th and has played in 19 games since. He has played off the bench for the 13-19 Bucks. Dunleavy is averaging 10.6 points and 2.5 rebounds a game. He is shooting 45.8% from the field.

The worst team in the NBA, the Charlotte Bobcats had two former Blue Devils in their starting lineup. Their head coach believes that once they can get their entire lineup healthy and playing together, they will be a better team.

Corey Maggette returned to the Bobcats on February 10th and has played in six games since. His best game since returning came in a loss to the Philadelphia Sixers on February 13th. He scored 22 points on 8-of-16 shooting, hauled in two rebounds, and had three steals. Overall, Maggette is averaging 12.9 points and 4.8 rebounds for the 4-27 Bobcats.

Now that Maggette is back, Gerald Henderson has been out since February 1st due to a hamstring strain. He hopes to be back after the All-Star break. He was averaging 15 points and 4.4 rebounds a game.

» Continue reading “Blue Devils in the NBA Update”

It was a big weekend for NBA rookie Kyrie Irving, the former Duke star.

Two days after scoring a career-high 32 points against the NJ Nets (in January 27th), the Cleveland Cavaliers guard scored 23 points in a road win over the Boston Celtics.

What was so great about him scoring 23 points?

Well, two of those points came on this game-winning layup with 2.6 seconds left, as the Cavs won 88-87:

Via Duke Blue Planet

As I mentioned in my preview of the NBA, Duke has the most players in the league at 16. Well, that total dropped to 15 on December 31st, when forward Lance Thomas was waived by the New Orleans Hornets.

Thomas played in two games prior to being waived and averaged 0.5 points. He has since re-joined the Developmental League and the Austin Toros. He has started ten games and is averaging 15 points and 8.6 rebounds a game. In his last game (yesterday), he scored 16 points and hauled in ten rebounds (eight on the offensive end).

There are two former Blue Devils who are injured and expected to miss 2-4 weeks.

Mike Dunleavy of the Milwaukee Bucks is out with a groin injury. Prior to the injury, he started the Bucks first three games. He was averaging 10.3 points per game, along with four assists and 4.3 rebounds.

Corey Maggette is out with a strained left hamstring after getting hurt last Wednesday. Prior to the injury, he started the Charlotte Bobcats’ first six games. He had two 20-point games, one in a blowout loss to Orlando on December 30th and a 21-point effort in a loss to Cleveland on January 3rd. Maggette was averaging 12.2 points per game and 6.2 rebounds.

Maggette’s teammate on the Bobcats, Gerald Henderson, has started all twelve of their games. However the Bobcats are just 2-10. He is averaging 13.4 points per game and 4.8 rebounds. His best game so far was a 24 point performance in their win over the NY Knicks on January 4th. He was 10-for-13 from the field with four steals.

flickr/Keith Allison

The Orlando Magic are 8-3, tied atop the Southeast Division with the Miami Heat. JJ Redick has played in all 11 games, averaging 12.2 points per game. He has scored in double-figures in all but four games, with his best game coming December 26th versus Houston. In the win, he went 8-for-12 from the floor (3-of-4 from three-point land) for 20 points.

Redick’s teammate, guard Chris Duhon, has started one of the Magic’s first 11 games (he has played in all of their games). He is averaging 3.3 points per game and 2.8 assists. His best game so far came December 29th versus New Jersey. He scored nine points on 3-of-6 shooting (3-of-4 from three-point land). Duhon also had four assists in the win.

» Continue reading “Blue Devils in the NBA Update”