Former Kentucky players went off in the NBA on Friday. pic.twitter.com/sLgx9oGgpW
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) March 28, 2015
Performance of the WeekDeMarcus Cousins | Sacramento Kings: 107, Philadelphia 76ers: 106 | March 24, 2015In a one-point contest that came down to the closing seconds, Cousins’ defense stole the spotlight at Sacramento’s Sleep Train Arena on Tuesday night. The 6-foot-11 fifth-year veteran posted 33 points (on 17-for-19 free throws), 17 rebounds, four blocks and four steals in the Kings’ 25th win of the season. When Philly’s Hollis Thompson burst through the lane with hopes of getting to the basket with less than two seconds remaining, Cousins stepped in the lane and stripped the ball, sealing the Sacramento victory.Cats in the SpotlightEric Bledsoe | #2 PG | Phoenix Suns (38-35)Despite only one win in three tries for Phoenix last week, Bledsoe averaged 17.3 points, 5.7 assists and 4.7 rebounds over the stretch. The Suns defeated the Dallas Mavericks 98-92 on March 22, but fell to the Kings and Portland Trail Blazers on March 25 and 27, respectively. DeMarcus Cousins | #15 C | Sacramento Kings (26-46)Besides Cousins’ monster performance in the win over Nerlens Noel’s Sixers last Tuesday, the big man highlighted his week with victories over former teammates John Wall and the Washington Wizards and Bledsoe and the Suns. Cousins averaged an incredible 29.0 points, 13.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.5 steals and 2.0 blocks over Sacramento’s four-game stretch. The Kings’ only loss came at the hands of Anthony Davis and the New Orleans Pelicans on March 27.Anthony Davis | #23 PF | New Orleans Pelicans (38-34)The Pelicans’ 102-88 win over Sacramento put an end to a four-game New Orleans losing streak. In the three games that took place last week, Davis averaged 24.7 points, 11.7 rebounds, 3.7 blocks and 2.0 steals. Enes Kanter | #34 C | Oklahoma City Thunder (41-32)In two wins over the Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Lakers to start the week, Kanter averaged 26.0 points and 14.0 rebounds for the Thunder, who is fighting for its playoff life. However, OKC dropped its next two contests to the defending champion San Antonio Spurs on March 25, and Kanter’s former team, the Utah Jazz, on March 28. Kanter averaged 17.0 points and 10.5 rebounds in the losses.Nerlens Noel | #4 C | Philadelphia 76ers (18-55)With three double-doubles in four Philly games last week, Noel has positioned himself as a frontrunner for NBA Rookie of the Year in the minds of many of the award’s voters. The youthful 76ers defeated the Denver Nuggets 99-85 on March 25, but fell to the Lakers, Kings and Los Angeles Clippers in Philadelphia’s other three contests. Noel’s stat sheet was highlighted by a career-high 30-point, 14-rebound performance in Friday’s 119-98 loss to the Clippers.John Wall | #2 PG | Washington Wizards (41-32)Wall began his week with two lackluster personal performances in consecutive Wizards blowout losses on the road. However, Wall bounced back with 34- and 32-point scoring outings in Washington’s next two games. The Wizards fell to the Indiana Pacers 103-101 on March 25, and defeated the Charlotte Hornets 110-107 on March 27.
