Update on Duke Basketball Forward Maliq Brown's Recovery From Injury

Leading up to Maliq Brown's right knee injury against Notre Dame on Jan. 11, Duke basketball had won by over 20 points six straight times. Now, counting the 86-78 home win over the Fighting Irish, in which Brown played less than a minute before sustaining the injury that has sidelined him ever since, the Blue Devils' margin of victory has been 10 points or less in three of its past five outings.

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Granted, despite Brown's absence, Duke (18-2, 10-0 ACC) has extended the nation's longest winning streak to 14 games. However, given the 6-foot-9, 222-pound junior forward's team-high average of 3.3 steals per 40 minutes, almost double No. 2 on the list in freshman phenom Cooper Flagg, there's no doubt the Blue Devils would benefit from his return to action.

On that note, the fact he's now participating in pregame warmups with the team is undeniably encouraging.

"It's not just the defense," third-year Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer noted about the missing impact from Brown following the Blue Devils' 74-64 comeback win over NC State in Cameron Indoor Stadium on Monday night. "It's also the creating some disruption on defense, which can lead to easy baskets.

"So, we don't have that. Of course, we miss Maliq. But I think our guys have done a great job stepping up...

"And Maliq, he hasn't done any practice. He's done everything with our medical team. They've done a great job getting him back ready. We thought tonight, just to be out there helps. And I haven't heard yet how everything went.

"But this week, we'll see if he can do some practice. And obviously, that would be important to see what his timing is here."

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