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.”

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.

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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).

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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.

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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.

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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”

As I noted yesterday, there are plenty of former Duke players speckled across the NBA. I only covered a few yesterday and today I will cover the rest.

The NBA season begins tomorrow (Christmas Day) and the preseason was shortened to just two games, so here is how the rest of the former Blue Devils did in those two games:

Grant Hill, who re-signed with the Phoenix Suns, played just one preseason game (their last one). He went just 2-for-8 from the field for eight points. He did play 26 minutes.

Dunleavy & Battier via Duke Blue Planet

Mike Dunleavy signed with the Milwaukee Bucks once the lockout was over. He started both of the Bucks preseason games (0-2) and averaged 14.5 points over an average of 27 minutes. He also shot 50% from the field while averaging three rebounds and 3.5 assists. He also did not commit a turnover.

Josh McRoberts signed with the LA Lakers once the lockout was over. In their two games, he came off the bench to go 2-for-2 from the field. He also hauled in three rebounds in about an average of 16.5 minutes.

Sheldon Williams, who just signed with the NJ Nets, may see more playing time with the foot injury to big man Brook Lopez. He started both of the Nets preseason games (0-2) and averaged four points in an average of 22.9 minutes. He shot 50% from the field and hauled in eight rebounds.

Dahntay Jones went just 2-for-11 in the Indiana Pacers’ two preseason games (0-2). That turns out to an average of three points in an average of 14 minutes.

Shane Battier, who just signed with the Miami Heat, did not play in the preseason due to a strained left quad.

It wasn’t just the veterans who had decent preseasons.

Cleveland Cavaliers press conference

The number 1 pick in this past NBA draft, Kyrie Irving, played well coming off the bench for the Cleveland Cavaliers. He averaged 16 points and 26 minutes in those two games. He did commit five turnovers in his first game (though he scored 21 points), but settled down and did not commit a turnover in his next game. He shot 34.6% while averaging four rebounds and three assists.

Fellow rookie, Nolan Smith, is competing for the backup point guard spot with the Portland Trailblazers. He only averaged nine minutes in their two games for an average of two points. He did however average 2.5 rebounds.

*Tune in Christmas Day to ABC, ESPN, and TNT as the NBA season kicks off with five games throughout the day and night.

Taken by Keith Allison at the Suns-Wizards game on 1/26/09

Now that the NBA lockout is over and the season is finally set to begin on Christmas Day, I can delve a bit into the former Duke players. Preseason games begin tonight. Opening Day for the NBA features five games: Boston @ NY at noon, Miami @ Dallas at 2pm, Chicago @ the Lakers at 5pm, Orlando @ OKC at 8pm, and finally the Clippers @ Golden State at 10:30pm.

I mentioned in an earlier post that Kyle Singler is staying in Spain rather than return to try out for the Detroit Pistons. However there has been a lot of movement regarding former Blue Devils.

Shane Battier began last season playing for the Houston Rockets, before being traded to the Memphis Grizzlies near the end of the season. He helped the Grizzlies in the playoffs (he played in 23 games). Battier was a free agent and signed with the defending Eastern Conference Champion Miami Heat. In his career, he is averaging 9.6 points per game, 4.7 rebounds, one block, and 1.1 steals per game. So far during training camp, Battier feels comfortable and thinks playing with the big three will give him some open looks.

Grant Hill chose to re-sign with the Phoenix Suns rather than sign elsewhere. He is set to begin his 17th NBA season. Hill agreed to a one year, $6.5 million contract. Over the last four seasons with the Suns, he has averaged 12.4 points per game.

Another free agent, Mike Dunleavy, has signed on with the Milwaukee Bucks, after spending the last five seasons with the Indiana Pacers (he was the third pick in the 2002 draft). Over his NBA career, he has averaged 14 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. Dunleavy signed a two year, $7.5 million deal with the Bucks.

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