Dukies in the NBA - 2017-18 Season

[dukelifer]

Quinn got in! He used his time on the court effectively, scoring 2 pts in 1 minute.
Jahlil also saw his first action of the year, and played well, scoring 10 and grabbing 9 boards.
Nobody else did much of note, but worth noting is that Rodney Hood didn't play in the Jazz win.

Hood with a minor injury after a very good night the game prior. Quinn pp 48 minutes is outstanding.

[Mabdul Doobakus]

Winslow's stat sheet won't jump off the page, but he was absolutely instrumental in the Heat's big 2nd quarter last night that basically won them the game. It was the first time I've seen the athleticism and ferocity that I remember from this Duke days translate into the NBA, but he basically dominated that quarter. He was a +16 at halftime and it was well earned on both sides of the court. He was 3 for 3 at halftime, hitting a nice 10 foot turnaround jumpshot and finishing a couple shots close to the rim. And he had some really nice crisp passes to open shooters. The second half was messier but not terrible. He did miss his final 5 shots, but the defense was still good, and they subbed him in for Olynyk on defensive possessions in the final minute.

Anyway, that was the most encouraged I've been by a Winslow performance in some time and if he plays like that he'll continue to earn 25 minutes or so a night. He's basically functioning as the Heat's backup PG and then moves to the wing when Dragic comes back in.

[JasonEvans]

Jahlil also saw his first action of the year, and played well, scoring 10 and grabbing 9 boards.

Jah played because it was the 2nd game of a back-to-back for the Sixers and they are planning to sit Embiid in back-to-backs this season to ensure that he will be healthy. It is hardly a sign that Okafor is part of the Sixers rotations except for games where Embiid is out.

His status with them is really frustrating and you would have to expect they will deal him at some point. I doubt they could get even a late first rounder for him at this point and I dunno if trading for a 2nd rounder is worth anything given the low success rate of 2nd round picks. He needs to look engaged on D to make teams give him a chance but it must be so hard to really lock in when your playing time is sporadic and you know your team does not want you.

[budwom]

^ or they can wait twenty minutes for Embiid to get hurt again.

[BD80]

^ or they can wait twenty minutes for Embiid to get hurt again.

The Sixers are going to stretch that 20 minutes into the 4th or 5th week of the season

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Anyone know the story on Deng this year? I believe he started the first game and has been DNP-CD since then.

[Mabdul Doobakus]

Anyone know the story on Deng this year? I believe he started the first game and has been DNP-CD since then.

After playing 13 minutes in the first game of the regular season, forward Luol Deng, 32, has received two consecutive DNP-CD's (Did Not Play -- Coaches Decision) and that will continue, according to Los Angeles Lakers head coach Luke Walton.

"As of now, he [Deng] is not in the rotation as far as consistently penciled in without something happening," Walton told The Orange County Register.

http://www.espn.com/blog/nba/rumors/...-for-luol-deng


Sucks for Luol, but sounds like he's trapped in a bad situation there. And I use the term "bad situation" pretty liberally here because he's gonna collect 50-some million dollars the next 3 years and he just might be washed up if last year's numbers are anything to go by. If he thinks he still has something left and the Lakers have the ability to do it, maybe they should be talking buy out, like the Bulls did with Wade.

[pfrduke]

Sounds like the Lakers are, appropriately, focusing on providing their young core with opportunities to develop rather than giving minutes to someone who is not likely to be part of their long term future.

[JasonEvans]

I use the term "bad situation" pretty liberally here because he's gonna collect 50-some million dollars the next 3 years and he just might be washed up if last year's numbers are anything to go by. If he thinks he still has something left and the Lakers have the ability to do it, maybe they should be talking buy out, like the Bulls did with Wade.

$54 mil over the next 3 seasons... He will be 34 when the contract is done but it sure feels like he's got nothing left in the tank even now. I blame Thibs who played Luol 39+ minutes per game from 2010-2013, which led the NBA in minutes per game. He burned Deng out those seasons and brought old age to him sooner than expected. Plus, Luol has always seemed kinda old.

-Jason "Luol will be at $170+ mil in career earnings when his current deal is done... wow" Evans

[COYS]

$54 mil over the next 3 seasons... He will be 34 when the contract is done but it sure feels like he's got nothing left in the tank even now. I blame Thibs who played Luol 39+ minutes per game from 2010-2013, which led the NBA in minutes per game. He burned Deng out those seasons and brought old age to him sooner than expected. Plus, Luol has always seemed kinda old.

-Jason "Luol will be at $170+ mil in career earnings when his current deal is done... wow" Evans

Deng staying to play for the 2005 team (along with Shaun Livingston) will always be one of my top Duke "what-if's" but this is also good evidence for why it's good to leave for the NBA at the first opportunity. If he had stayed for his sophomore or junior year, he might have burned out before he had the chance to sign this final big contract. Man, I wish we could've seen him destroy NCAA competition in 2005, but it's hard to argue with his NBA career.

[toooskies]

Deng staying to play for the 2005 team (along with Shaun Livingston) will always be one of my top Duke "what-if's" but this is also good evidence for why it's good to leave for the NBA at the first opportunity. If he had stayed for his sophomore or junior year, he might have burned out before he had the chance to sign this final big contract. Man, I wish we could've seen him destroy NCAA competition in 2005, but it's hard to argue with his NBA career.

Or, he could have had two fewer years of NBA minutes on him while debuting in the NBA at a higher skill level than he did after only a year at Duke, and he could have been able to get one more contract after his current one. If he stays another year, he probably doesn't end up with Chicago, so maybe that extends his career another year or two. It's really hard to say how things would turn out differently-- he had a good career regardless, but there's no telling what the other outcome would have been.

[JasonEvans]

Tatum had probably his best game as a pro (I know, only 4 games thus far) as he went 9-15 from the field including 4-6 from 3point range to score 22 points as the Celtics easily beat the hapless Knicks. I'm sure most of you have seen the absurd dunk that Jayson had over Porzingas and some other now deceased Knick. Also worth noting that Tatum had 4 steals and 2 blocked shots. If he can play D with some effectiveness, he is going to be one of the best players in the league in a couple years.

Kyrie had a poor shooting night, 5-13, but hit all 9 of his FTs so he ended up with a rather efficient 20 points.

The Twolves had an awful game, getting blown out at home by the Pacers. Ugh. Tyus again had a relatively modest stat game - 3 pts, 3 rbs, 2 ast - but I have noticed a trend with him. He consistently seems to have among the best +- on the team, an indication that the team plays better with him in the game. He was -1 in this game while starting PG Jeff Teague was -17. I know +- is not a perfect stat by any means, but it is meaningful. He's now had a better +- than Teague in 3 of their 4 games (though Teague was waaay better in the TWolves win over OKC). It will be interesting to see if this trend continues.

For the Clippers, Austin moved into the starting lineup and had his best game, by far, of the season. He scored 16 points on 7-13 shooting as the Clips beat the Jazz by 18. Rodney Hood remains sidelined for Utah with a calf injury.

-Jason "see Tatum's destruction of the Knicks here" Evans

[Truth&Justise]

-Jason "see Tatum's destruction of the Knicks here" Evans

He was just getting started. Here's a blocked shot leading to an alley-oop finish. Then he continued to torment the Knicks with a steal that led to a fast-break dunk. He was tremendous on both ends of the floor.

[budwom]

I know it's so very very early in their careers, but I can see the Celts chuckling about taking Tatum in lieu of Fultz for years to come...in fact, they already are.

[English]

He was just getting started. Here's a blocked shot leading to an alley-oop finish. Then he continued to torment the Knicks with a steal that led to a fast-break dunk. He was tremendous on both ends of the floor.

There was a point in the game last night when Jayson Tatum & Jaylen Brown were outscoring the entire Knicks team, 34-33. Count me among Jayson's biggest fans, but even I didn't see this incredible start coming...of course, no one could possibly predict the Heyward thing, but still. Fantastic to watch.

[Billy Dat]

Tatum had probably his best game as a pro...

...and that's partially why I am putting him atop the Week 1 Power Rankings!

1. Jayson Tatum - great first week in the league, starting for a probable play-off team (who cares if it's the East)
2. Quinn Cook - from late preseason cut to a spot with the Warriors. That deserves a big shout out.
3. Kyrie Irving - despite the fan flap and huge expectations, showed he's the best Dukie in the NBA
4. Austin Rivers - comes of injury, early top 20 ranked defender, gaudy +/- for the undefeated Clips
5. Brandon Ingram - under a serious microscope, starting and putting up 15 ppg despite criticism
6. JJ Redick - 32 mpg, 11 ppg, Sixers have a win, trust the process
7. Justise Winslow - Coming off the bench as the Heat makes sure he is OK
8. Luke Kennard - established himself as a rotation player for Stan Van in Week 1, no small feat
9. Tyus Jones - Like Luke, seems established in the rotation which is ok, for now.
10. Rodney Hood - would have been much higher but is already injured. Great first game and a half.
11. Mason Plumlee - interesting decision to sign as a free agent and only average 13 mpg, he has his work cut out for him
12. Lance Thomas - essentially out of the rotation for the lowly Knicks. Free Lance!
13. Luol Deng - Big money and little minutes, veteran on a youth movement squad. Tough spot for a competitor like him.
14. Jahlil Okafor - only playing when Embiid sits. Lots of chatter about his lack of shoring up his deficiencies. Free Jah!
15. Kyle Singler - not hurt, not active, in a suit..never thought his NBA career would turn out this way.

Everyone else is hurt and not playing.

[JasonEvans]

2. Quinn Cook - from late preseason cut to a spot with the Warriors. That deserves a big shout out

Hey, it is great that Quinn is on the Warriors roster, but he is not really playing anything other than a mop up minute or two for them. He's not in their rotation. What's more, with a 2-way contract, he's probably going to spend the vast majority of this season with a D-League team. The 2-way contract limits the amount of time he can be on a NBA roster; the Warriors would have to cut someone like Omri Casspi to keep Quinn more than 45 days. That just doesn't seem likely at this point.

Still, nice for him to be making the most (money) out of his 2-way contract situation. Quinn is slowly clawing his way into the League. He made a little over $111k last season for New Orleans and Dallas. Depending on how long Golden State keeps him up with the team, he should be able to top that this season (he'll make $75k from the G-League and could make another $200k with the Warriors if he is up for the full 45 days). He's living the dream...

[Mabdul Doobakus]

I'll admit I kind of saw Tatum as the classic guy who does everything well but nothing great kind of player who just ends up frustrating you because in the NBA there are superstars and there are role players and there is very little in between. I even thought he was picked a little too high.

Jury is still out, but I may end up being wrong on this one. I hope so. I don't think he's going to continue to shoot with the same efficiency, but he could drop off a little and still be having a great rookie season. I don't think a lot of guys go from shooting 34.2% on college 3 pointers to 45.5% on NBA 3 pointers the following season. But you never know. Josh Richardson did basically that with Miami.

[ElSid]

I'll admit I kind of saw Tatum as the classic guy who does everything well but nothing great kind of player who just ends up frustrating you because in the NBA there are superstars and there are role players and there is very little in between. I even thought he was picked a little too high.

Jury is still out, but I may end up being wrong on this one. I hope so. I don't think he's going to continue to shoot with the same efficiency, but he could drop off a little and still be having a great rookie season. I don't think a lot of guys go from shooting 34.2% on college 3 pointers to 45.5% on NBA 3 pointers the following season. But you never know. Josh Richardson did basically that with Miami.

You're one of the lone contrarians here. I saw his lack of explosive athleticism as a risk, but his consistency with Duke last season outweighed that considerably. I think he's got All Star potential. 82 games is a lot, but Tatum plays under control, picks his spots well.

Add to this the news today that Boston expects he could grow another 2 or 3 inches and end up 6'10" or 6'11". That's a recipe for greatness, physically.

[ElSid]

Hey, it is great that Quinn is on the Warriors roster, but he is not really playing anything other than a mop up minute or two for them. He's not in their rotation. What's more, with a 2-way contract, he's probably going to spend the vast majority of this season with a D-League team. The 2-way contract limits the amount of time he can be on a NBA roster; the Warriors would have to cut someone like Omri Casspi to keep Quinn more than 45 days. That just doesn't seem likely at this point.

Still, nice for him to be making the most (money) out of his 2-way contract situation. Quinn is slowly clawing his way into the League. He made a little over $111k last season for New Orleans and Dallas. Depending on how long Golden State keeps him up with the team, he should be able to top that this season (he'll make $75k from the G-League and could make another $200k with the Warriors if he is up for the full 45 days). He's living the dream...

C'mon! Just let us enjoy the moment for a while.