Duke in the NBA Update: LT Emerging with Hornets

Shane Battier
Miami Heat - Forward
Drafted: 1st Round (6th Pick) by the Memphis Grizzlies (2001)
2011-12 Stats: 45 games, 4.7 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 1.2 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.7 BPG

Battier remains a contributor off the bench for the Heat, who have fallen into a rut, losing two of their last three games. In the last five contests, Battier is averaging 22.4 minutes per game, 5.6 points per game, and 2.2 rebounds per game. He scored nine points, shooting 4-of-8 from the field, tallied four rebounds and a steal in the 88-73 win over Detroit last Friday. The Heat then dropped two straight defeats by more than 10 points after losing to the Oklahoma City Thunder (103-87) and the Indiana Pacers (105-90). It was the fourth loss in eight games for the Heat, who struggle to gain ground on first-place Chicago atop the Eastern Conference. The Heat have gone 8-6 since returning from the All-Star Break and are now 35-13 overall. Miami, who has the league's best home record at 20-2, will look to snap its two-game losing streak when they face Dallas at the American Airlines Arena.

Carlos Boozer
Chicago Bulls - Forward/Center
Drafted: 2^nd Round (35^th pick) by the Cleveland Cavaliers (2002)
2011-12 Stats: 51 games, 15.5 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.4 BPG

Boozer has been an extremely consistent power forward for the Bulls, who have been faced with a series of injuries throughout the season. The Bulls swept a two-game series against the Toronto Raptors this week. Boozer registered eight points, three rebounds and two assists in the first win (94-82), and registered his third double-double in five games and his eleventh this season, when he scored a game-high 24 points and pulled down 10 rebounds in the second 102-101 overtime win. The victory against the Raptors made the Bulls the first team to reach 40 victories this season. Chicago owns a 40-11 record overall, 20-4 record at home, an NBA best 20-6 record on the road, 29-7 vs. the Eastern Conference, 11-3 vs. the West and 19-0 when they score 100-plus points. The Bulls are set to face the Atlanta Hawks and the Detroit Pistons next.

Elton Brand
Philadelphia 76ers - Forward/Center
Drafted: 1^st Round (1^st pick) by the Chicago Bulls (1999)
2011-12 Stats: 45 Games, 10.7 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 1.5 APG, 1.1 SPG, 1.6 BPG

Brand, who has provided the 76ers will solid offensive efforts throughout the season, has been on a hot streak. In the last nine games, Brand is shooting 54 percent (54-of-96) from the floor after shooting 40 percent in the previous 19 games. Over the last 13 games, he is averaging 9.1 rebounds compared to the previous six games when he averaged just 4.7 rebounds. Brand scored 20 points, 14 of which came in the third quarter, while tallying five rebounds and four steals to help the 76ers defeat the Boston Celtics 99-86. With this win, the Sixers were able to protect their lead in the Atlantic Division while also improving to 2-0 against Boston on the season, which guaranteed them the tiebreaker advantage. Brand also scored 14 points and pulled down nine rebounds while tallying two assists, two blocks and a steal as Philadelphia fell to San Antonio 93-76. In March, Brand is averaging 30.8 minutes per game, shooting 55.3 percent from the floor, averaging 11.9 points per game and 8.7 rebounds per game. The Sixers own a 28-22 record. They are 2-6 vs. the top three teams in the Eastern Conference and will face Miami once more and Orlando twice before the end of the regular season.

Luol Deng
Chicago Bulls - Forward/Center
Drafted: 1^st Round (7^th pick) by the Phoenix Suns (2004)
2011-12 Stats: 42 games, 15.1 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 3.0 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.7 BPG

NBA All-Star Luol Deng, who has been playing with a torn ligament in his left wrist, remains a constant force for the Chicago Bulls. He scored 17 points, pulled down 10 rebounds and handed out three assists and two blocks for his sixth double-double of the season in the 94-82 win over Toronto. Deng made the game-winning buzzer beater in overtime Saturday to give Chicago a 102-101 win over Toronto. He recorded 23 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, and one block to register his seventh double-double of the season. ''I saw the light [signifying no time on the clock] after I shot it, but I still wasn't sure how close it was,'' Deng said. ''We're finding ways. It's a long season ... so many games. So every game is going to be a different story. We stuck with it. Toronto played great. And we just found a way to win.'' He is averaging 15.1 points per game, and is third in scoring for the Bulls behind Derrick Rose and Carlos Boozer. The Bulls own an NBA best 40-11 record and were the first NBA team to reach 40 victories this season.

Chris Duhon
Orland Magic - Guard
Drafted: 2^nd Round (38^th pick) by the Chicago Bulls (2004)
2011-12 Stats: 50 Games, 3.8 PPG, 1.7 RPG, 2.4 APG, 0.6 SPG, 0.1 BPG

Duhon, who is averaging 17.2 minutes per game, remains a quality reserve point guard for the Magic and helped them to three wins this week. He scored two points, grabbed two rebounds and handed out three assists in the 103-93 win over the Phoenix Suns. Duhon recorded three points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals in the 93-80 win over Cleveland. He collected seven points, one rebound, two assists, one block and one steal in the 117-101 win over the Toronto Raptors. The Magic are now 32-18 overall, second in the Southeast behind Miami, and third in the Eastern Conference.

Mike Dunleavy
Milwaukee Bucks - Guard/Forward
Drafted: 1^st Round (3^rd pick) by the Golden State Warriors (2002)
2011-12 Stats: 39 Games, 12.6 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 2.3 APG, 0.6 SPG, 0.1 BPG

Dunleavy, a consistent force off the bench for the Milwaukee Bucks, has been on fire of late. In the month of March, he is averaging 28.8 minutes per game, shooting 56.9 percent from the floor to average 15.6 points per game. He has scored double-digits in 12 of his last 15 games. Dunleavy knocked down 15 points and recorded four rebounds, two assists in the 112-92 win over the Charlotte Bobcats. He came off the bench late in the first quarter and scored 24 points to lift the Bucks to a 52-47 halftime lead over the New York Knicks. He sank 9-of-10 field goals, including 5-of-6 three-point attempts in just 13 minutes of action. The Bucks fell to New York 89-80 and are now 2.5 games behind the Knicks for the eighth playoff spot in the East. Dunleavy then tallied 13 points, four rebounds and one assists in the 108-101 win over the Atlanta Hawks. The Bucks' remaining schedule consists of eight teams currently not in playoff positions, and 11 of their final 17 games are home. Their only elite opponent is the Oklahoma City Thunder. Milwaukee, which has struggled all season to beat winning teams, owns a 7-19 record against .500 or better squads and a 23-27 record overall. They are currently in third place in the Central Division.

Gerald Henderson
Charlotte Bobcats - Shooting Guard
Drafted: 1^st Round (12^th pick) by the Charlotte Bobcats (2009)
2011-12 Stats: 36 games, 14.5 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 2.2 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.3 BPG

Henderson has been an offensive force for the struggling Charlotte Bobcats, who have lost four of their last five games and are now 7-40 overall. Henderson scored a season-high 29 points, pulled down six rebounds and handed out three assists in the 112-92 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. The Bobcats lost to the New Jersey Nets, 102-89, where Henderson registered only seven points, five rebounds, and two assists. He recorded 21 points, three rebounds and three assists in the 102-95 loss to the Boston Celtics. The Bobcats will start a two-game homestand against Minnesota and Denver before going on a three game road trip.

Grant Hill
Phoenix Suns - Forward
Drafted: 1^st Round (3^rd pick) by the Detroit Pistons (1994)
2011-12 Stats: 46 Games, 10.7 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 2.3 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.6 BPG

Hill, the second oldest player in the NBA, has been a dynamic player for the Suns, but is currently listed as day-to-day due to a right knee strain. He missed Tuesday's game against San Antonio where the Suns lost 107-100. He netted a season-high 22 points while handing out one assist in the 113-111 win over the Indiana Pacers. He scored seven points and recorded three rebounds and two assists in the 108-83 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. In the last five games, Hill averages 29.8 minutes per game and is shooting 51.2 percent from the floor for 13.5 points per game. The Suns' are 11-5 this month, with losses to four of the NBA's top five teams. Phoenix will play eight of its next 10 games on the road and is two games out of the eighth playoff spot in the West.

Kyrie Irving
Cleveland Cavaliers - Point Guard
Drafted: 1^st Round (1^st pick) by the Cleveland Cavaliers (2011)
2011-12 Stats: 43 games, 18.6 PPG, 3.9 RGP, 5.7 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.4 BPG

Despite a five-game losing streak, Irving continues to have a stellar rookie season, leading the Cleveland Cavaliers in scoring with 18.6 points per game and assists with 5.7 per game. In the month of March, Irving is averaging 32 minutes per game, shooting .448 from the floor for 19 points while handing out 6.9 assists per game. Cleveland is 17-30 overall, fourth in the central division and 7.5 games out of the eighth playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Irving has scored in double figures in ten of his last 11 games. He tallied 13 points, grabbed four rebounds and handed out six assists in the 93-80 loss to the Orlando Magic. He recorded 16 points, six rebounds, four assists and one steal in the 108-83 loss to the Phoenix Suns. He had 12 points, four rebounds, seven assists and one block in the 103-85 loss to the 76ers. He registered 22 points, nine rebounds, six assists and two steals as Cleveland fell to the Pistons 87-75.

Dahntay Jones
Indiana Pacers - Guard/Forward (2003)
Drafted: 1^st Round (20^th pick) by the Boston Celtics
2011-12 Stats: 48 Games, 5.6 PPG, 1.7 RPG, 1.0 APG, 0.3 SPG, 0.2 BPG

Jones, a reserve off the bench for the Phoenix Suns, saw time in three games as the Suns' went 2-1 this week. Jones registered 13 points, two rebounds and three assists in the 125-104 win over the Milwaukee Bucks. The Pacers defeated the Miami Heat 105-90, which ended a five-game losing streak. Jones saw only six minutes and recorded one rebound and one assist in the win. In the month of March, Jones is averaging 14.9 minutes per game, shooting 51.9 percent for 5.7 points. Indiana will travel to New Jersey to face the Nets for the fourth time this season. Indiana dominates the series 3-0 and will look for its 11th consecutive win overall in the series.

Corey Maggette
Charlotte Bobcats - Forward
Drafted: 1^st Round (13^th pick) by the Seattle SuperSonics (1999)
2011-12 Stats: 27 Games, 15.0 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 1.1 APG, 0.5 SPG, 0.0 BPG

Maggette remains an offensive power for the Bobcats who continue to struggle, losing their last four games. Maggette leads the Bobcats in scoring, averaging 15.0 points per game. He scored 10 points, going 4-of-4 from the free throw line, while registering four rebounds and an assist in the 112-92 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. He tallied 13 points in the 102-89 loss to the New Jersey Nets, and five points, one rebound, and one assists in the 102-95 loss to the Boston Celtics. The Bobcats remain in fifth place in the Southeast Division with a 7-40 overall record.

Josh McRoberts
Los Angeles Lakers - Forward/Center
Drafted: 2^nd Round (37^th pick) by the Portland Trail Blazers (2007)
2011-12 Stats: 32 Games, 2.2 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 0.8 APG, 0.3 SPG, 0.4 BPG

McRoberts, a reserve in for the Lakers, saw time all four games this past week as Los Angeles went 3-1. McRoberts, who averages 12.5 minutes per game, registered four rebounds in the win over Dallas (109-93) and five rebounds and one assist in the loss to Memphis (102-96). He registered two points and six rebounds in the win against Portland (103-96), and six points, three rebounds, and two assists in the 104-101 win over the Golden State Warriors. The Lakers are 31-19 and first in the Pacific Division.

J.J. Redick
Orlando Magic - Shooting Guard
Drafted: 1^st Round (11^th pick) by the Orlando Magic (2006)
2011-12 Stats: 50 Games, 10.9 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 2.5 APG, 0.3 SPG, 0.1 BPG

Redick has stepped into his role in the rotation as the team's sixth man, averaging 25.8 points per game to help lead the Magic to a 3-1 week. Redick scored 10 points and registered one rebound, four assists and one steal in the 103-93 win over the Phoenix Suns. He notched eight points, two rebounds, and four assists in the 93-80 win over Cleveland. He recorded 12 points, two rebounds, and four assists in the 117-101 win over Toronto. In the only loss of the week, Redick scored 15 points while pulling down four rebounds and handing out an assist as the Magic fell to New York 108-86. He has now scored in double digits three of his last four games, and in the last five games, he is shooting .474 percent from the floor for 9.6 points per game. Redick is also fourth in the league in free throws shooting .898 percent from the line. Orlando is currently 32-19 overall and in second place in the southeast division behind Miami, and third in the Eastern Conference.

Nolan Smith
Portland Trail Blazers - Point Guard
Drafted: 1^st Round (21^st pick) by the Portland Trail Blazers (2011)
2011-12 Stats: 32 Games, 2.8 PPG, 0.9 RPG, 1.1 APG, 0.3 SPG, 0.1 BPG

Smith, a rookie who is averaging nine minutes per game, received his first career NBA start against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Smith, who started in place of Raymond Felton, knocked down his first shot of the game, before missing his remaining eight to finish the game with three points, two rebounds and three assists as Portland fell 109-95. "I'm definitely hoping for another chance," Smith said. "Honestly, it wasn't the best shooting night. But defensively, I helped my team. I felt pretty good about that." Portland loss to the Los Angeles Lakers 103-96, where Smith registered six points, one rebound and three assists, while Smith grabbed one rebound and handed out two assists as they defeated the Golden State Warriors 90-87. The loss to Oklahoma City keeps the Blazers in 12th place in the Western Conference and four games behind Denver for the eighth and final playoff spot.

Lance Thomas
New Orleans Hornets - Forward
Drafted: Undrafted out of Duke in 2012
2011-12 Stats: 24 Games, 4.3 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 0.1 APG, 0.3 SPG, 0.0 BPG

Thomas, who has been a defensive and rebounding presence for the Hornets averaging 13.4 minutes per game, earned his first career start on Saturday against the San Antonio Spurs. Thomas knocked down eight points while grabbing four rebounds and registering two blocks and one steal as the Hornets fell to the Spurs 89-86. New Orleans saw the Clippers twice this past week, winning the first meeting (97-90) and losing the second (97-85) as Thomas scored four points, while recording three rebounds and one assist in the second meeting in five days. New Orleans is 12-37 overall and fifth in the Southwest Division.

Shelden Williams
New Jersey Nets - Forward/Center
Drafted: 1^st Round (5^th pick) by the Atlanta Hawks (2006)
2011-12 Stats: 51 Games, 4.9 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 0.6 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.7 BPG

Williams, one of the most consistent players for the Nets this season, averages 22.5 minutes per game as the Nets went 1-2 this past week. He recorded eight rebounds in the 93-84 loss to the Atlanta Hawks. Williams recorded his second double-double of the season when he scored 10 points and pulled down 11 rebounds in the 102-89 win over Charlotte. He registered four points and six rebounds in the 105-84 loss to the Utah Jazz. On Wednesday night, the Nets faced the Pacers, and Williams suffered a right eye injury with 7:44 left in the half after being fouled. He left in the half and did not return. The New Jersey Nets are now 16-35 overall and 14 games out of the eighth playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Other Blue Devils in Professional Basketball

Daniel Ewing
Azovmash (Ukraine) - Guard
2011-12 Stats (Eurocup): 8 Games, 13.0 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 3.6 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.6 BPG
2011-12 Stats (Ukraine): 31 Games, 13.2 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 5.3 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.4 BPG
2011-12 Stats (VTB United): 16 Games, 12.3 PPG, 2.1 RPG, 3.3 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.2 BPG

David McClure
Kedainiai (Lithuania) - Forward
2011-12 Stats (Baltic): 18 Games, 10.8 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 1.3 APG, 1.4 SPG, 0.8 BPG
2011-12 Stats (Lithuania): 18 Games, 9.4 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 1.6 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.9 BPG

DeMarcus Nelson
Cholet (France) - Guard
2011-12 Stats (France): 17 Games, 14.6 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 3.4 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.2 BPG

Marty Pocius
Real Madrid (Spain) - Guard
2011-12 Stats (Euroleague): 14 Games, 7.4 PPG, 1.6 RPG, 0.9 APG, 0.2 SPG, 0.1 BPG
2011-12 Stats (Spain): 23 Games, 6.2 PPG, 1.9 RPG, 1.0 APG, 0.3 SPG, 0.1 BPG

Shavlik Randolph
Donnguan Leopards (China) - Center
2011-12 Stats (China): 37 Games, 24.7 PPG, 11.9 RPG, 1.3 APG, 1.5 SPG, 1.6 BPG

Jon Scheyer
Maccabi Tel Aviv (Israel) - Guard
2011-12 Stats (Adriatic): 23 Games, 3.0 PPG, 1.0 RPG, 0.4 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.0 BPG
2011-12 Stats (Euroleague): 6 Games, 1.0 PPG, 0.2 RPG, 0.0 APG, 0.2 SPG, 0.0 BPG
2011-12 Stats (Israel): 17 Games, 2.5 PPG, 0.9 RPG, 0.7 APG, 0.2 SPG, 0.0 BPG

Kyle Singler
Real Madrid (Spain) - Forward
2011-12 Stats (Euroleague): 8 Games, 8.1 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 0.8 APG, 0.4 SPG, 0.4 BPG
2011-12 Stats (Spain): 16 Games, 7.4 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 0.9 APG, 0.6 SPG, 0.3 BPG

Duke in the NBA Update: LT Emerging with Hornets

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Kyrie Irving

Kyle Singler

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Duke in the NBA Update: LT Emerging with Hornets

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