With the NBA playoffs underway, seven Blue Devils head into the postseason looking to recreate some of Duke’s postseason magic. Although a title seems realistic for only a couple of the former Blue Devil standouts, expect a few spectacular performances from Duke's best on the way. We take a look back at the season it's been for some of the Blue Devils playoff-bound NBA talent and what lies ahead:
Kyrie Irving, Cleveland Cavaliers: About to take on the Boston Celtics in the first playoff series of his career, the explosive point guard capped off an All-Star year averaging 21.7 points per game and 5.2 assists per game while shooting a scorching 41.5 percent from beyond the arc. After an early slump for the Cavaliers, Irving and two-time champion LeBron James managed to gel together to finish the season with the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.
The former Duke guard had the two highest scoring games in the NBA this season—55 points against the Blazers and 57 points against the Spurs—reminding the league just how deadly of an offensive weapon the young gun is. Against the Blazers, Irving hit 11 triples as he led a James-less squad to a 99-94 victory. A month and a half later, the Spurs hosted the Cavaliers in one of the most-anticipated games of the regular season—a 128-125 overtime thriller in which Irving dropped a league-high 57. The third-year guard went a perfect 7-for-7 from long range including a game-tying three as the regulation buzzer sounded to send the game to overtime.
With a NBA title in their grasps, the Cavaliers will need Irving to shine on the national spotlight and help carry the squad to postseason success.
J.J. Redick, Los Angeles Clippers: The former Duke sharpshooter has had a career year for the third seeded Clippers—averaging 16.4 points per game on 43.7 percent from deep. After an injury-plagued 2013 season, Redick bounced back strong and played in 78 contests this year. The Clippers ended the season winning 14 of their last 15 games during which he scored above 20 points nine times including a season high 27 twice.
Redick's current squad may be his best shot to hang a championship banner with the explosive trio of Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan sure to provide a handful of highlights. But the guard's hot shooting from deep will be huge for the Clippers as they look to dethrone the defending champion Spurs in the first round.
Austin Rivers, Los Angeles Clippers: The formerly hyped Duke guard was traded to the Clippers this year joining head coach Doc Rivers to form the first father-son duo in league history. He has received steady playing time since being acquired and scored a career-best 28 points on 11-for-19 shooting in a blowout of the Kings in mid-March. Rivers has been the primary backup at both guard spots for the Clippers behind Paul and Redick and will be an X-factor for the squad throughout the playoffs.
Mike Dunleavy, Chicago Bulls
The 34-year old forward missed 19 games due to a nagging ankle sprain this year. But, Dunleavy has remained a constant source of offensive support from beyond the arc upon returning—shooting 40.7 percent and averaging 9.4 points per game. Despite having been around the league for 12 years, this will be just his fourth trip to the playoffs and second in a row with the Bulls. The third-seeded Bulls face the sixth-seeded Bucks and will look to Dunleavy to help stretch the floor around power forward Pau Gasol and point guard Derrick Rose.
Mason Plumlee, Brooklyn Nets: The sophomore center has strugged this season after last year’s strong rookie debut. Plumlee’s shooting percentage dropped sharply—66 percent to 57 percent—while his overall scoring and rebounding increased slightly.
Although he had a very strong showing in January and February—averaging 11.4 points per game and 7.2 rebounds per game on 62 percent shooting—the Nets center struggled with consistency throughout the year. In his last 21 games, the former Blue Devil has scored in single digits 17 times and failed to grab double digit rebounds even once. The Nets snuck into the playoffs ahead of the Indiana Pacers by virtue of a tiebreaker and will need a strong showing from Plumlee to have any chance of derailing the 60-win Atlanta Hawks.
Miles Plumlee, Milwaukee Bucks
The fourth-year center was traded from the Phoenix Suns to the playoff-bound Milwaukee Bucks midway through the season but has struggled to find playing time. His best game of the season came back in Phoenix when he scored a season-high 15 points and 16 rebounds for a big double-double in a narrow loss to the Kings. Although he doesn't figure to get much playing-time, the Bucks will take on Dunleavy’s Bulls in the elder Plumlee’s first trip to the playoffs.
Elton Brand, Atlanta Hawks
Brand has been a little-used role player on the Eastern Conference's best team, putting up 2.7 points and 2.8 rebounds per game in 13.5 minutes per game. The veteran brings plenty of experience to the low-profile Hawks, though, even if he is not a key cog in their on-court success. Brand will go up against Mason Plumlee and the Nets in the first round beginning Sunday.
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