Marshall Plumlee made his NBA debut Saturday, joining the ranks of former Blue Devils who are performing well at the highest level.
Jabari Parker, Milwaukee Bucks:
During the past two weeks, Parker has continued to improve his numbers across the board. He is currently averaging 19.7 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game across 13 games so far this season, at a fairly efficient rate of 46.3 percent shooting from the field and an impressive 38.5 percent clip from deep. Parker has emerged as Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo’s partner in crime, as the two lead the team in points per game. If Parker’s start is his new normal rather than a hot streak, the third-year player will serve as a franchise cornerstone in Milwaukee for years to come.
Kyrie Irving, Cleveland Cavaliers:
Irving has been a model of consistency in recent weeks, scoring at least 19 points in seven games in a row. The 6-foot-3 guard is making 40 percent of his 3-point attempts this year for the first time in his career, and he is also averaging 5.0 assists per game. Irving is leading the Cavaliers in scoring with 24.0 points per contest, ahead of star teammates LeBron James and Kevin Love, and he has helped Cleveland to a scorching 11-2 start to begin its title defense.
Marshall Plumlee, New York Knicks:
The youngest member of the Plumlee clan, who went undrafted last spring, was scheduled to play for the D-League Westchester Knicks on Sunday night. That went out the window when he received a late call-up from the New York Knicks after starting center Joakim Noah fell ill shortly before game time. Plumlee arrived at Madison Square Garden about midway through the first quarter following a hectic journey that included a train ride, bribing a taxi driver to run a red light and a manic sprint to the stadium, according to ESPN's Ian Begley. His NBA debut was uneventful, with one foul and one rebound in five minutes of action against the Atlanta Hawks.
Luol Deng, Los Angeles Lakers:
Much has changed for the 12-year NBA veteran, who signed with the Lakers in the offseason for four years and $72 million. Deng has seen a drop in almost all of his per-game statistics, which is in part due to the fact that the forward is averaging the least minutes per game of his career. Although Deng is in the midst of a shooting slump—he is shooting only 32.7 percent from the field this season—his veteran presence has helped the Lakers' young core to a fast start for the team.
Brandon Ingram, Los Angeles Lakers
Ingram’s stout defense and better-than-expected scoring have allowed Lakers head coach Luke Walton to play him in crucial late-game situations this season, though a nagging ankle injury has limited him during the last few days. The rookie forward got his first career start Wednesday night and had to match up with Kevin Durant of the Golden State Warriors, as the Warriors trounced Los Angeles 149-106. Ingram scored a career-high 16 points in the loss and has helped the Lakers to an 8-8 record a year after they won just 17 games all season.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.