DURHAM, N.C. - A month and a half into the season, several former Blue Devils are playing significant minutes for their teams. Austin Rivers scored a career-high 15 points last week against the Memphis Grizzlies. Luol Deng continues his impressive play, leading the league in minutes played and leading the Bulls in scoring for the season. Meanwhile, Kyrie Irving made a successful return from a left thumb injury Tuesday night against the Lakers and recorded his second double-double of the season with 28 points, 11 assists.

Shane Battier
Forward - Miami Heat
Drafted: 1st Round (6th pick) by the Memphis Grizzlies (2001)
2012-13 Stats: 17 games, 6.7 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 0.8 APG, 0.6 SPG, 0.9 BPG
Battier has returned to the Heat lineup after being sidelined for three games with a sprained MCL suffered against the Cavaliers. He has played limited minutes in the three games since his return. In his second game back against the Hornets, the 11-year veteran scored 11 points on 3-of-5 shooting from the floor, while recording a game-high +22 plus-minus rating. The Heat are currently a half game behind the New York Knicks for first place in the Eastern Conference.

Elton Brand 
Forward - Dallas Mavericks
Drafted: 1st Round (1st pick) by the Chicago Bulls (1999)
2012-13 Stats: 21 games, 6.6 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 1.4 APG, 0.7 SPG, 1.3 BPG
Brand has started 13 of 21 games this season for the Mavericks, while averaging just under seven points a game. In a game on Dec. 1, Brand matched his season high with 17 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Mavs to a 92-77 win over the Pistons. This season, Brand ranks 24th in the league in blocked shots with 27 on the year.

Carlos Boozer 
Forward - Chicago Bulls
Drafted: 2nd Round (35th pick) by the Cleveland Cavaliers (2002)
2012-13 Stats: 21 games, 14.0 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 2.0 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.4 BPG
Boozer has enjoyed a solid start to the month of December, recording a double-double in five of the past seven games for the Bulls. He played a key role in the Bulls' recent 108-104 win over the Pistons last week, scoring three of the team's final four field goals in the game and scoring 24 points overall. Boozer recorded his 10th double-double of the year on Tuesday in a 94-89 loss to the Clippers, which ties him for 12th in the league in double-doubles. In addition, he ranks as one of the top rebounders in the league averaging 9.9 per game. 

Luol Deng 
Forward - Chicago Bulls
Drafted: 1st Round (7th pick) by the Phoenix Suns (2004)
2012-13 Stats: 21 games, 17.9 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 2.9 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.4 BPG
Deng has continued his solid start to the 2012-13 campaign, scoring in double figures in 19 of 21 games this season for the Bulls. In the absence of point guard Derrick Rose, he has stepped up as the team's leading scorer for the season averaging 18.3 points per game. Deng leads the league in minutes played so far this season, averaging 41.1 minutes per game. In Wednesday's game against Philadelphia, Deng recorded his third double-double of the year with 19 points and 12 rebounds. Deng has helped the Bulls win four of their past five games, as the team has jumped to a fourth place tie in the Eastern Conference.

Chris Duhon 
Guard - Los Angeles Lakers
Drafted: 2nd Round (38th pick) by the Chicago Bulls (2004)
2012-13 Stats: 18 games, 4.2 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 3.8 APG, 0.6 SPG, 0.0 BPG
Duhon has seen his role increase since in the month of December, including starting in each of the last four games for the Lakers. The eight-year veteran has scored in double figures in the last two games, including a season-high 14 points in a 117-110 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Duhon recorded his first double-double of the season on Sunday against the Utah Jazz, recording 12 points and 11 assists. He also ranks fourth in the NBA this season in three-point shooting percentage, with a .486 clip from beyond the arc.

Mike Dunleavy 
Forward - Milwaukee Bucks
Drafted: 1st Round (3rd pick) by the Golden State Warriors (2002)
2012-13 Stats: 15 games, 10.8 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 2.4 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.4 BPG
Dunleavy has not played since Dec. 3 due to a knee injury that has kept him out of three consecutive games for the Bucks. Before the injury, Dunleavy posted seven double-figure scoring games, including a season-high 29 points and 12 rebounds against the Cavaliers for his first double-double of the season.  

Gerald Henderson
Guard - Charlotte Bobcats
Drafted: 1st Round (12th pick) by the Charlotte Bobcats (2009)
2012-13 Stats: 8 games, 12.4 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 1.0 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.6 BPG
Henderson returned to the Charlotte lineup on Dec. 3rd after missing a month with a foot sprain. He has slowly returned to form, scoring in double figures in four of the six games he has played. He scored a season-high 19 points in his third game back in a 108-93 loss to the Bucks. The Bobcats are in 11th place in the Eastern Conference with a 7-14 record.

Grant Hill 
Forward - Los Angeles Clippers
Drafted: 1st Round (3rd pick) by the Detroit Pistons (1994)
2012-13 Stats: Has not accumulated any stats to date
Hill is currently out indefinitely with bone bruises in his right knee. He last played in a preseason game against the Heat in Shanghai on Oct. 14, where he played 19 minutes and scored eight points.

Kyrie Irving
Guard - Cleveland Cavaliers
Drafted: 1st Round (1st pick) by the Cleveland Cavaliers (2011)
2012-13 Stats: 12 games, 22.2 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 5.9 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.2 BPG
Irving returned to the Cavaliers lineup Tuesday after being sidelined for three weeks with a broken left finger, helping propel the Cavs to a 100-94 victory over the Lakers. In the game, the reigning NBA Rookie of the Year picked up where he left off three weeks ago, recording his second double-double of the season with 28 points and 11 assists.

Dahntay Jones 
Guard/Forward - Dallas Mavericks
Drafted: 1st Round (20th pick) by the Boston Celtics (2003)
2012-13 Stats: 22 games, 3.7 PPG, 1.7 RPG, 0.5 APG, 0.2 SPG, 0.1 BPG
Jones has appeared in each of the Mavericks' 22 contests this season, while averaging 3.3 points per game. He has started five games, scoring a season-high 12 points in his last start Wednesday in a 117-115 double overtime loss to the Boston Celtics.

Corey Maggette
Forward - Detroit Pistons
Drafted: 1st Round (13th pick) by the Seattle SuperSonics (1999)
2012-13 Stats: 16 games, 5.4 PPG, 1.3 RPG, 1.1 APG, 0.3 SPG, 0.1 BPG
After being acquired by the Detroit Pistons over the summer, Maggette has appeared in 16 games this season coming off the bench. He has scored in double figures in two contests, with his season-high 11 points coming in a 103-83 Pistons win over the Celtics. 

Josh McRoberts
Forward - Orlando Magic
Drafted: 2nd Round (37th pick) by the Portland Trail Blazers (2007)
2012-13 Stats: 18 games, 3.5 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 1.2 APG, 0.3 SPG, 0.3 BPG
McRoberts has appeared in 18 games for the Magic this season, while starting two. He scored a season-high nine points in his second game of the season, while grabbing a season-high 14 rebounds later in the month of November 116-110 loss to the Celtics.

Miles Plumlee
Forward - Indiana Pacers
Drafted: 1st Round (26th pick) by the Indiana Pacers (2012)
2012-13 NBA Stats: 4 games, 1.0 PPG, 1.3 RPG, 0.3 APG, 0.0 SPG, 0.5 BPG
2012-13 D-League Stats: 2 games, 14.0 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 1.0 APG, 0.5 SPG, 1.0 BPG
After playing two games for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, where he averaged 14 points and 9.5 rebounds per game, Plumlee was recalled by the Pacers but has not seen any game action. He has not seen game action since Nov.25 with the Mad Ants.

J.J. Redick 
Guard - Orlando Magic
Drafted: 1st Round (11th pick) by the Orlando Magic (2006)
2012-13 Stats: 20 games, 13.8 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 5.0 APG, 0.6 SPG, 0.0 BPG
Redick has continued has strong play of late for the Magic, scoring in double figures in 15 of the 20 games that he has played. The sixth-year veteran played a key role in the Magic's 98-90 win over the Suns on Sunday, while tying his season-high nine assists in the same contests. Redick has always been known for his outstanding free-throw percentage and this year is no different as the Roanoke, Va., native ranks fifth in the NBA with a .914 free-throw percentage.

Austin Rivers 
Guard - New Orleans Hornets
Drafted: 1st Round (10th pick) by the New Orleans Hornets (2012)
2012-13 Stats: 20 games, 7.0 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 2.9 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.2 BPG
Rivers has continued his solid start to his rookie season and recently scored a career-high 15 points in a 96-89 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies. The rookie has appeared 20 of the Hornets' 21 games this season, while starting 11 games. He ranks 14th among rookies in the league points per game.

Kyle Singler 
Forward - Detroit Pistons
Drafted: 2nd Round (33rd pick) by the Detroit Pistons (2011)
2012-13 Stats: 24 games, 9.3 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 1.0 APG, 0.4 SPG, 0.5 BPG
Singler has continued his solid rookie season with the Pistons, averaging 9.3 points per game. The rookie has shown the ability to shoot from beyond the arc, ranking 29th in the league with a .421 three-point field goal percentage. Overall, Singler has scored in double figures in 11 games this season, while recording one double-double.

Nolan Smith 
Guard - Portland Trail Blazers
Drafted: 1st Round (21st pick) by the Portland Trail Blaizers (2011)
2012-13 Stats: 14 games, 2.6 PPG, 0.4 RPG, 1.1 APG, 0.1 SPG, 0.1 BPG
Smith continues to play limited minutes for the Blazers this season, appearing in 14 games and averaging just under nine minutes per contest. The second-year player scored a season-high 11 points in a 92-74 win over the Raptors. In the same game, Smith also had a season-high three assists and played a season-high 21 minutes.

Lance Thomas 
Forward - New Orleans Hornets
2012-13 Stats: 15 games, 3.5 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 0.1 APG, 0.3 SPG, 0.1 BPG
In his second season with the Hornets, Thomas has seen playing time in 15 contests. Earlier this month, Thomas scored a season-high 10 points in a 102-81 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.  In the game, Thomas was 4-of-5 from the floor.

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