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Two Duke Basketball Products Help Steal Homecourt Advantage in LA
Former Duke basketball one-and-dones Kyrie Irving and Dereck Lively II have assisted in the Mavericks now looking like contenders.
Outside of Jayson Tatum with the Eastern Conference No. 1 seed Boston Celtics, one could argue Dallas Mavericks starting guard Kyrie Irving and backup center Dereck Lively II give Duke basketball fans the best chance at watching former Blue Devils make a deep run in this year's NBA Playoffs.
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In Tuesday night's Game 2 of No. 5 seed Dallas' Western Conference first round series against the No. 4 seed Los Angeles Clippers, who boast the oldest active NBA Blue Devil in 34-year-old backup center Mason Plumlee, Irving and Lively both did their part in ensuring the Mavericks return to Texas with homecourt advantage in tow.
The Mavericks prevailed in crunch time, 96-93, thanks in part to Irving's three makes at the charity stripe in the closing seconds. The series is now tied at one win apiece as the teams prepare for the next two battles in Dallas.
Kyrie Irving's 23 points, including a 4-for-8 clip from deep, helped free up space for co-starring guard Luka Doncic to cook to the tune of his game-high 32 points. And the 32-year-old Irving, an eight-time All-Star and one-time NBA champion, delivered arguably the most impressive assist of the postseason thus far:
Plus, Irving was notably helpful as a defender, tallying three steals and a handful of defensive rebounds across his 42 minutes on the floor while contributing to Clippers guard James Harden's cold shooting night.
As for Dallas' rookie lottery pick, Dereck Lively II, whose mother, Kathy Drysdale, died of cancer on April 12 at the age of 53, the 7-foot-1 Duke basketball product and mere 20-year-old performed admirably in his 21 minutes off the bench. He finished with seven points, nine rebounds, one dime, and one steal.
Meanwhile, Mason Plumlee logged only 11 minutes in the Clippers' loss, scoring one point and grabbing five boards.
Game 3 in Dallas tips off at 8 p.m. ET Friday.
Stay tuned to Blue Devil Country on SI for more updates on NBA Blue Devils and other Duke basketball news.
