6 former Longhorns ready for NBA Playoffs
A total of six University of Texas will be involved in the upcoming 2014 NBA Playoffs beginning this weekend.LaMarcus Aldridge (Portland Trail Blazers), D.J. Augustin (Chicago Bulls), Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder), Jordan Hamilton(Houston Rockets), Cory Joseph (San Antonio Spurs) and Dexter Pittman (Houston Rockets) are all currently on their team's postseason rosters and will begin pursuit of the NBA Championship, when the first round of the Playoffs starts on Saturday, April 19.
Aldridge, currently in his eighth season in the league (all with the Trail Blazers), averaged a career-high 23.2 points and career-best 11.1 rebounds per game while playing in 69 games during the regular season. He converted 45.8% from the floor and 82.2% from the free throw line this year. Portland earned the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference and opens its First Round series against No. 4 seed Houston on Sunday (8:30 pm Central, TNT).
Augustin, currently in his first season with the Chicago Bulls after being acquired earlier this year (Dec. 13) and his sixth season in the NBA, averaged 14.9 points and 5.0 assists per game in 61 contests with the Bulls during the regular season. He converted 41.1% from three-point range and 88.2% from the free throw line this year. Chicago earned the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference and opens its First Round series against No. 5 seed Washington on Sunday (6 p.m. Central, TNT).
Durant, currently in his seventh season in the league (all with the Thunder) and a strong candidate to claim Most Valuable Player honors, averaged an NBA-best 32.0 points, 7.4 rebounds and a career-high 5.5 assists per game in 81 games during the regular season. He converted 50.3% from the floor, including 39.1% from three-point range, and 87.3% from the free throw line this year. Oklahoma City earned the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference and opens its First Round series against No. 7 seed Memphis on Saturday (8:30 p.m. Central, ESPN).
Hamilton, currently in his first season with the Houston Rockets after being acquired earlier this year (Dec. 13) and his third season in the NBA, averaged 6.6 points and 2.9 rebounds in 16.6 minutes per game in 21 contests during the regular season with the Rockets. Houston earned the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference and opens its First Round series against No. 5 seed Portland on Sunday (8:30 p.m. Central, TNT).
Joseph, currently in his third season with the league (all with the Spurs), averaged 5.0 points and 1.7 assists in 13.8 minutes per game in 68 contests during the regular season. He converted 47.5% from the floor and 82.3% from the free throw line this year. San Antonio earned the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference and opens its First Round series against No. 8 seed Dallas on Sunday (Noon Central, TNT).
Pittman, currently in his fourth season in the league after being signed by the Houston Rockets earlier this month (April 10), has not seen game action to this point for the Rockets. Pittman did play in two regular-season games for the Atlanta Hawks during the regular season. Houston earned the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference and opens its First Round series against No. 5 seed Portland on Sunday (8:30 p.m. Central, TNT).
For more information on the 2014 NBA Playoffs including full series schedules with television information, please visit the official NBA web site.
Article courtesy of TexasSports.com
