Duke basketball product Luke Kennard makes NBA history

Former Duke basketball guard Luke Kennard ought to repeat as 3-point champ.
Duke basketball product Luke Kennard makes NBA history
Duke basketball product Luke Kennard makes NBA history

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On Friday night, Memphis Grizzlies guard Luke Kennard became the first NBA player in history to drain 10 threes in a game while shooting better than 90 percent from the field. The Duke basketball alum went 10-for-11 — all from downtown — posting a game-high 30 points in a 151-114 victory over the visiting Houston Rockets.

And the sharpshooter did so in only 24 minutes off the bench.

Moreover, Kennard's 10 made threes marked a career-high and a franchise record. He added three assists and one steal.

Meanwhile, Memphis' other Duke basketball product, 26-year-old guard Tyus Jones, scored 11 points in 23 minutes on the floor as a fill-in starter for Ja Morant. The 2015 Blue Devil national champ came up one assist shy of a double-double, and he committed only one turnover in the process.

RELATED: List of every Blue Devil currently in the NBA

But back to Kennard's sizzling campaign. With only nine games remaining on the Grizzlies' regular-season slate, the 26-year-old lefty, a 2017 late lottery pick, looks like a shoo-in to finish with the league's highest 3-point percentage for the second straight year; last season, he shot a then-career-high 44.9 percent from deep.

Luke Kennard is shooting 54.7 percent beyond the arc across 17 games since a February trade sent him to the Grizzlies from the Los Angeles Clippers. That has bumped his season 3-point percentage to a new career-high of 48.6 percent, well ahead of the Boston Celtics' Al Horford, whose 45.7 percent is second-best.

The Memphis Grizzlies (46-27), sitting No. 2 in the Western Conference standings and only 3.0 games back of the Denver Nuggets, now have a day off before a road bout against the Atlanta Hawks at 6 p.m. ET Sunday.

Stay tuned to Blue Devil Country for daily Duke basketball content.


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Matt Giles
MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of Duke Blue Devils on SI, North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining SI in 2022, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.

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