It has taken Elton Brand longer than expected to come back from his Achilles tendon injury, but if there is a silver lining for the L.A. Clippers, it’s the emergence of Corey Maggette as a consistently dominant scorer. Corey is averaging a career-high 22.4 points per game and has scored 20 or more points in his last seven consecutive games and all but four of his last 36 games, including eight games with 30 or more points.
Dunleavy Continues to Excel
Mike Dunleavy, Jr. continues to solidify himself as an NBA star in his breakout season with the Indiana Pacers, breaking the 30-point mark with regularity while leading the team on a late playoff push. Most recently, Mike finished with 33 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists Thursday night against the New Jersey Nets, and for the month of March, Dunleavy is averaging 21.9 points on a remarkable 57.4% shooting from long range and 50.8% from the field. Those numbers don’t even include late February games in which he scored 34, 25, and 36 points in a one-week stretch to end the month. Thanks to Dunleavy’s stellar performances, Indiana has won five of their past seven games and is currently 2.5 games back of the final playoff spot in the East.
Elton Update
Elton Brand’s return from a ruptured Achilles tendon suffered over the summer has taken longer than originally projected, but the All-Star forward has nailed down a potential return date. After going through a full practice last Monday, including a full-court scrimmage, Elton awoke on Tuesday morning with no soreness. He is now aiming for the Clippers’ final six games to make his return, which would have him back for L.A.’s game against Houston and former Duke teammate and fellow National Collegiate Player of the Year Shane Battier on Sunday, March 6th.
With Brand still out of the lineup for the Blue Devil team, Duke hasn’t been able to make the push for the top spot it otherwise may have. Still, established and rising stars like Boozer, Maggette, Dunleavy, Grant Hill, and Luol Deng have kept Duke firmly in the top three throughout the season.
2. North Carolina Tar Heels: 18,020.0
3. Duke Blue Devils: 15,320.0
4. Arizona Wildcats: 12,261.6
5. Florida Gators: 12,135.4
6. Kentucky Wildcats: 10,455.3
7. Kansas Jayhawks: 9963.1
Scoring summary: one point for each point scored, 1.5 point for each rebound, two points for each assist, steal or block, 0.5 points for each 3-pointer made, and -1.2 points for each turnover. Field-goal percentage is included by subtracting 0.2 points for each field goal attempt and adding 0.5 points for each field goal made, which would mean you break even by shooting 40% from the field.
Quote of the Week
“If Shane Battier is not on the All-Defense team, I’m protesting. I’m boycotting the All-Defense team. Seriously, because this guy, he did a phenomenal job on the best scorer in our league. That’s what he brings to us every night — he guards the opponent’s best player and he gives them hell.”
- Tracy McGrady, Houston Rockets forward, on teammate Shane Battier (March 18, 2008)
