Some of the best former Blue Devils in the league have hit midseason slumps with the All-Star break approaching.
Kyrie Irving, Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavaliers have been in a bit of a slump the past couple of weeks, but their star guard has continued to maintain the production that earned him a starting spot in this year’s All-Star Game. Irving had a stellar weekend in wins against the Oklahoma City Thunder with 29 points and 10 assists and the Brooklyn Nets with 28 points on 58.8 percent shooting, including 3-of-5 from long range. The young guard struggled in Cleveland's loss to the Dallas Mavericks Monday, though, scoring just 18 points on 33.3 percent shooting and making only one of his eight 3-point attempts. He followed that with a poor 5-of-18 shooting night in a win Wednesday, but did dish out a career-high 14 assists against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Cavaliers are still firmly atop the Eastern Conference standings at 33-15 despite their recent struggles, as Irving continues to be the perfect sidekick to LeBron James. Cleveland should continue to reaffirm its case as the favorite in the Eastern Conference in its upcoming game Feb. 4 against the lowly New York Knicks.
Jabari Parker, Milwaukee Bucks
Parker has seen his stats dip as the Bucks dropped eight of their last 10 contests. The 6-foot-8 forward scored 17.7 points in those games compared to the 20.2 he is averaging on the season, but upped his rebound and assist totals in that stretch to 7.4 and 3.4, respectively, as he has been forced to make plays that the team around him cannot.
Parker is still having a career year despite not being chosen as an All-Star reserve. With Giannis Antetokounmpo running the show for Milwaukee, Parker has been a dependable sidekick much like Irving on the Cavaliers. Despite being 21-27, the Bucks are just one and a half games out of the playoffs in the Eastern Conference due largely to the former Blue Devil’s production this season.
Seth Curry, Dallas Mavericks
Since entering the NBA as an undrafted free agent in 2013, Seth Curry has found a niche in the league with the Mavericks. The 6-foot-2 guard has a higher 3-point percentage than his two-time MVP brother Stephen this season and has made multiple triples in nine straight games. He has seen his role increase, averaging 32.8 minutes in his last 10 games to go along with 16.2 points, a significant increase from his 11.3-point season average.
Mason Plumlee, Portland Trail Blazers
Plumlee has been a consistent presence on the blocks for Portland and is top-three in assists among centers this season at 4.1 per game, though he is averaging just 2.3 in his last four games. However, three of those four have been double-doubles for the 6-foot-11 big man, and he has had at least 10 rebounds in the last seven games. Plumlee’s stats don’t jump off the page, but he is exceeding expectations on a struggling Trail Blazers team.
Brandon Ingram, Los Angeles Lakers
Despite lofty comparisons to Kevin Durant going into the draft, Ingram has struggled in his rookie season on a Lakers squad that has lost eight of its last 10 games. After two 15-point outings against the Denver Nuggets and Indiana Pacers, Ingram has averaged just 2.5 points in his last four games and was held scoreless in two of those contests. His scoring has been inconsistent this season to say the least, but the former one-and-done Blue Devil should remain a cornerstone for the young Lakers as he continues to develop as a versatile swingman.
Rodney Hood, Utah Jazz
After missing five games due to a bone bruise in his right knee, Hood had a 20-point showing on 7-of-12 shooting in a loss against the Memphis Grizzlies Saturday, but hyperextended his right knee Wednesday against the Bucks and did not return. The former first-round pick makes up a potent scoring duo with forward Gordon Hayward as the Jazz are right in the middle of a tight Western Conference playoff race. As he continues to adjust after his time away from the court, expect Hood to remain an effective number two option for Utah going into the remaining stretch of the season.
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