With only a quarter of the regular season remaining, the Blue Zone takes a look at which former Blue Devils are making an impact in the league.
Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
Tatum got off to a hot start in the Celtics’ first game after the All-Star break, scoring 15 points against the Pistons in just 21 minutes and connecting on a pair of threes. He scored 11 the following night against the Knicks, but was held to just five points on 2-of-8 shooting Monday night against the Grizzlies.
The 19-year-old forward has been a vital contributor to the Celtics despite cooling off a bit after a red-hot start to the season. Tatum has played solid defense and held his own against some of the best wings in the game, and will continue to be called upon in the playoffs unless All-Star forward Gordon Hayward is able to return before the season’s end.
Kyrie Irving, Boston Celtics
Irving kicked off the second leg of the season by dropping 18 points to go along with five rebounds and six assists in a win against the Detroit Pistons, but the former Duke guard didn't stop there.
The next night, Irving torched the Knicks at Madison Square Garden for a near triple-double—31 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists. Then on Monday night he scored another 25 points on 8-of-13 shooting in a blowout win, handing the floundering Grizzlies their tenth straight loss. He went off again for 34 points in a win against the Hornets Wednesday night.
In four games since the All-Star Break, Irving has knocked down 19-of-35 shots from deep and has led his team to four straight victories.
Boston now trails Toronto for the first seed in the Eastern Conference by just half a game.
Austin Rivers, Los Angeles Clippers
Rivers has played well since the All-Star break, scoring 17 points against the Suns and Nuggets and 14 against the Warriors. The Clippers have gone 2-2 in those games, one of those losses a close one to Golden State. Los Angeles dropped now-Rockets' point guard Chris Paul's return to the Staples Center Wednesday night, in which Rivers scored seven points.
The Clippers, however, are now on the outside looking in at the playoff picture—the Denver Nuggets recently passed them for the eighth seed in the Western Conference. After dealing All-Star forward Blake Griffin to the Pistons and losing point guard Paul in free agency, gone are the days of Lob City. The Clippers will now have to retool with their current core.
Brandon Ingram, Los Angeles Lakers
Ingram led the Lakers in scoring Monday night against the Hawks, filling up the stat sheet with 21 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists and helping his team earn its third straight win. He also had a solid all-around game Saturday against the Kings with 13 points, seven rebounds, and eight assists.
After years of being Western Conference bottom feeders, the Lakers have finally begun to pick themselves up off the mat. With their first-round draft pick owed to either the Celtics or 76ers, the Lakers have no incentive to tank and have turned their attention toward developing their young roster. Ingram has been a beneficiary of the team’s new focus, vastly improving his scoring output, efficiency, and rebounding numbers from last season.
Ingram and the Lakers will head to Miami to take on the Heat Thursday night.
Jabari Parker, Milwaukee Bucks
Since returning to the Bucks’ lineup earlier this month after more than a year of recovery following his second ACL tear, Parker has been gradually reintegrated into Milwaukee’s system. The 22-year-old was recently cleared to play in back-to-back games, and will be on the floor Wednesday night as the Bucks visit the Pistons. Parker scored 14 points on a 5-of-6 shooting night against the Wizards on Tuesday and scored a season-high 18 two days earlier against the Pelicans. He added seven points in 18 minutes Wednesday in a loss to the Pistons.
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