The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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APRIL 2020 THE WOLVERINE 71 BY AUSTIN FOX B rooklyn Nets guard Caris LeVert began the month of March on the right foot, putting on a dazzling 51-point performance in his team's 129-120 overtime win at Boston March 3, before recording his first career triple-double two games later. LeVert's 51 points against the Celt- ics came on 17-of-26 shooting, with the former Wolverine guard (2012-16) connecting on three free throws with 0.2 seconds remaining in regulation to send the game into overtime. Per- haps the most incredible aspect of his career performance, however, was that 37 of his 51 points occurred in the fourth quarter and overtime, with 24 coming from the 4:05 mark of the game's final frame on. "It's really hard to even comment," former Nets head coach Kenny At- kinson (who resigned March 7) ex- claimed afterward. "I'm trying to process it all — 51 points [as a team] in the fourth quarter against a team like that." LeVert put on a phenomenal encore two games later in a 139-120 victory over San Antonio, when he posted 27 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists af- ter entering the night with only three career double-doubles under his belt. "Honestly, it's like a team award," he said when asked about the ac- complishment. "I couldn't have done it without my teammates with the assists and things like that. God is good — I've been working on my game a lot and staying with my craft, and my teammates are great." The NBA DUNCAN ROBINSON MAKES HISTORY Miami Heat guard Duncan Robin- son knocked down his 226th three- pointer of the season in his team's 110-104 loss at New Orleans March 6, breaking the franchise record for triples by one player in a single campaign. The former Wolverine also set a new NBA mark that night for the most three-pointers by an undrafted player, with former Heat guard Da- mon Jones holding the previous re- cord of 225 during the 2004-05 season. FORMER WOLVERINES ON NBA ROSTERS All statistics as of March 11 when the season was suspended • Ignas Brazdeikis (Played at U-M from 2018-19), F, New York Knicks: Has only appeared in nine games for the 21- 45 Knicks, having spent the majority of the season with the Westchester Knicks of the G-League … Averaging 1.9 points and 0.6 rebounds in 5.9 minutes of action. • Trey Burke (2011-13), G, Free Agent: Waived by the 39-26 76ers Feb. 6 and has been a free agent ever since … Averaged 5.9 points and 2.1 assists in 13.2 minutes over 25 contests (no starts) for Philadelphia. • Tim Hardaway Jr. (2010-13), G/F, Dallas Mavericks: Has started 50 of the 63 games he has appeared in for the 40- 27 Mavericks … Averaging 15.8 points and 3.1 rebounds in 28.8 minutes of ac- tion … Is the team's third-leading scorer. • Caris LeVert (2012-16), G, Brooklyn Nets: Has started 25 of 39 games this year after missing 24 with a thumb injury … Averaging 17.7 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 29.0 minutes … Is the third-leading scorer for the 30-34 Nets. • Jordan Poole (2017-19), G, Golden State Warriors: Averaging 8.8 points, 2.4 assists and 22.4 minutes in 57 con- tests (14 starts) for the 15-50 Warriors. • Duncan Robinson (2014-18), F, Mi- ami Heat: Has started 60 of the 65 games he's played in for the 41-24 Heat, and is averaging 13.3 points and 3.3 rebounds in 30.0 minutes … His 44.8 three-point percentage is the fourth best in the NBA. • Glenn Robinson III (2012-14), F, Philadelphia 76ers: Traded from the Warriors to the 76ers Feb. 6 … Started 48 games for Golden State, and aver- aged 12.9 points and 4.7 rebounds in 31.6 minutes per outing … Has played in 12 games (four starts) with Philadel- phia, where he is averaging 7.4 points. • Moritz Wagner (2015-18), F, Wash- ington Wizards: Appeared in 37 games (five starts) with 24-40 Washington … Averaging 9.5 points and 5.2 rebounds in 19.1 minutes … Was slowed by an ankle injur y from early December through early February. • Derrick Walton Jr. (2013-17), G, Free Agent: Traded from the Los Ange- les Clippers to the Atlanta Hawks Feb. 6, but was then waived and signed by the Detroit Pistons to a 10-day contract Feb. 21 … Was not retained by Detroit and became a free agent March 4 … Appeared in 26 total contests, and aver- aged 2.0 points in 9.5 minutes. • D.J. Wilson (2014-17), F, Milwaukee Bucks: Has come off the bench in 31 con- tests for the 53-12 Bucks … Averaging 3.2 points and 2.2 rebounds in 9.0 minutes. The NHL KYLE CONNOR STRINGS TOGETHER DOMINANT STRETCH Winnipeg Jets left wing Kyle Con- nor enjoyed an outstanding seven- game stretch from Feb. 25 through March 11, tallying at least one goal in six of the club's seven contests. The 23-year-old also registered two separate two-goal outings, with his 38 goals on the year tying him for the sixth most in the entire NHL. His 73 points, meanwhile, were deadlocked for the 15th most in the league. MICHIGAN IN THE PROS Caris LeVert Kicks Off March With A Bang LeVert had a dramatic 51-point perfor- mance in a 129-120 overtime win at Boston March 3, and then two games later earned his first career triple-double in a 139-120 win over San Antonio. PHOTO BY NATHANIEL BUTLER/COURTESY BROOKLYN NETS