Former Michigan Wolverines basketball standouts have impressed in the NBA Playoffs, but now just two remain — Miami Heat starting forward Duncan Robinson and Milwaukee Bucks reserve forward D.J. Wilson — and they're matched up against each other in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
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Robinson averaged 13.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game during the regular season, while shooting 44.6 percent from three-point land. In the playoffs, he's put up 12.5 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists per outing, with a three-point shooting clip of 44.4 percent.
New Orleans Pelicans guard Brandon Ingram was named the NBA's Most Improved Player on Monday night, but Robinson was in the conversation for the honor, as well, receiving one third-place vote. Some, including ESPN NBA insider Bobby Marks, believe Robinson should've been given more consideration for the award, after averaging just 3.3 points per game in 15 outings last season before his breakout campaign here in 2019-20.
He had a quiet night in game one, however, posting just four points, three assists and one rebound and shooting 1-for-4 from long range in 26 minutes. His lone field goal was a 27-foot bank shot three early in the first quarter. He also nailed a free throw after a Bucks defensive three-second violation in the second half. Robinson finished with a plus-minus of plus-six.
Robinson's Heat were able to pull off the upset over Wilson's Bucks, 115-104, on Monday night. Wilson did not appear in the contest, and has still yet to see the floor during the team's playoff run thus far. Game two of the series is set for Wednesday, Sept. 2, at 6:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
The latest two Wolverines to be eliminated from the playoffs are Dallas Mavericks guards Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr., who both shined in the team's first-round series loss in six games to the first-seeded Los Angeles Clippers.
Hardaway averaged 17.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 34.0 minutes per game during the series. Burke, meanwhile, was thrust into the starting lineup for the remainder of the series in game four following an injury to Kristaps Porzingis, and posted 12.3 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.0 assists per contest. Burke, who was not on a roster from February until the NBA's restart in Orlando, played himself back into the conversation as a backup point guard in the league, and should have several offers this offseason.
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