USC Trojans in the NBA: Kevin Porter Jr. sidelined with foot injury
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The USC basketball program is well-represented in the NBA, with 10 former Trojans playing in the league this season. Every two weeks, we will take stock of how the USC alums are faring.
Here is a recap of each player’s performance over the past couple of weeks. Players are listed in alphabetical order.
DeMar DeRozan, Chicago Bulls
DeRozan was sidelined for three games because of a quad injury suffered during the Bulls’ Jan. 9 loss to the Boston Celtics. On Thursday, he returned to the lineup and posted 26 points, nine rebounds and five assists in the team’s 18-point win over the Detroit Pistons. Monday’s matchup against the Atlanta Hawks represented DeRozan’s 1,000th career regular-season NBA game.
Dewayne Dedmon, Miami Heat
It’s been a tough season for Dedmon. After missing six games due to a foot injury, he returned to find his role reduced. He played in three of the Heat’s four games from Jan. 4 through Jan. 10, but during the team’s win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, his frustration boiled over and he tossed a massage gun onto the court during play while apparently arguing with members of the coaching staff. Dedmon was suspended for one game as a result and has not played in any of the subsequent five games.
Taj Gibson, Washington Wizards
After being sidelined for four games because of a groin ailment, Gibson has played five of the past six games for the Wizards. That included his first start of the season when he took the place of an injured Daniel Gafford and played more than 24 minutes in a win over the Bulls. He scored nine points and grabbed eight rebounds during the contest. In the three games since, Gibson has logged a total of seven points and six rebounds.
Jordan McLaughlin, Minnesota Timberwolves
McLaughlin continues to sit with a calf injury. He’s now missed the past 23 games for the Timberwolves. It sounds like he’s not particularly close to returning, either, as head coach Chris Finch said last week that he’s viewed as week-to-week rather than day-to-day.
De’Anthony Melton, Philadelphia 76ers
Photo by Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Melton had been in a bit of a scoring slump recently, averaging just 4.7 points across a seven-game span, but he broke out of that with a 14-point performance in the 76ers’ win over the Sacramento Kings on Saturday. He added seven rebounds, five assists and three steals. He’s still averaging nearly two steals per game, third-most in the NBA.
Chimezie Metu, Sacramento Kings
Metu has played in each of the Kings’ past seven games and had a couple of nice performances during that stretch, including an 11-point, nine-rebound effort during the team’s Jan. 9 win over the Orlando Magic. He had eight points and five rebounds during a win over the San Antonio Spurs on Jan. 15.
Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers
Mobley had a massive performance in the Cavaliers’ Saturday win over the Milwaukee Bucks. The second-year pro scored a career-high 38 points and added nine rebounds. That came three days after he scored 18 points and grabbed 15 boards against the Memphis Grizzlies. Mobley has scored in double-figures in nine consecutive games and has scored at least 17 in each of the past six.
Onyeka Okongwu, Atlanta Hawks
After starting 12 games in a row, Okongwu returned to his bench role for the Hawks’ past two games. It hasn’t really impacted his playing time, though. Okongwu has played 24 or more minutes in each of the seven games since our last update. He’s scored in double figures in four of those matchups, including an impressive 18-point, 20-rebound performance in a Jan. 13 win over the Indiana Pacers. Unfortunately, Okongwu injured a hamstring during the Hawks’ loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday.
Kevin Porter Jr., Houston Rockets
Photo by Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports
Porter’s breakthrough season has been interrupted by a foot injury. He left the Rockets’ Jan. 11 game due to the injury and has not returned to the court since. He’s expected to miss at least the team’s next four games, as well. The Rockets have lost each of the six games with Porter injured, extending their losing streak to 13.
Nikola Vucevic, Chicago Bulls
The double-double machine that is Vucevic just keeps churning. Vucevic has logged double-doubles in each of the Bulls’ five games since our last update, bringing his streak to an incredible 10 in a row. That included a 43-point, 13-rebound explosion in the team’s Jan. 15 win over the Golden State Warriors, the most points he’s scored in a game during his 12-year career. He’s averaging 17.5 points and 11.0 rebounds per game this season. That rebounding average ranks fifth in the NBA, and of the players in front of him, only Domantas Sabonis and Giannis Antetokounmpo have scored more. He should have a good chance to earn his third career All-Star Game selection.
