The NBA regular season has concluded with the playoffs beginning Wednesday night with the NBA Play-In Tournament. Read below as we highlight some of the impressive outings for our former Terps and
Click HERE to see the full NBA schedule for this week along with how you can follow along!
AARON WIGGINS – OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER
Sunday, April 20 – vs TBD
Tuesday, April 22 – vs TBD
Thursday, April 24 – vs TBD
Throughout the regular season, Wiggins was an extremely effective shooter for the top-seeded Thunder, making 48.8% of shots from the FG range. He has posted 23 games with 15+ points and is currently averaging 12 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.8 assists on the season. His most notable appearance of the season was on Feb. 1, where he scored a remarkable career-high 41 points against the Sacramento Kings along with 14 rebounds and three assists. He shot 16-30 in this game, including cashing in on 6 3s. Leading up to the playoffs, Wiggins is on a hot streak, averaging 26.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 4 assists across his last three games. As a result of his consistency, Wiggins has started 26 games this season, and his reliable shooting will undoubtedly be a major strength for the Thunder as they enter the postseason.
Kevin Huerter – CHICAGO BULLS
Wednesday, April 16 - vs Miami - NBA Play-In Tournament
Friday, April 18 - at Atlanta - NBA Play-In Tournament
After 2.5 years with the Sacramento Kings, Huerter was traded to the Bulls in February of this year. In his time this season with the Kings, he averaged 7.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.7 assists. Since being acquired by the Bulls, all of these numbers have improved to 13.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.2 assists. He played a productive game in a win over the Heat on Apr. 9 in which he shot 9-16 from the FG range, ultimately contributing 22 points, seven assists, four rebounds, and one steal. Huerter has been successful from 3 in recent games, as he's averaged three 3-pointers per game across his last eight performances. Huerter and the Bulls have an opportunity to make the playoffs should they win two play-in games against the Heat and the Hawks.
Jalen Smith – CHICAGO BULLS
Wednesday, April 16 - vs Miami - NBA Play-In Tournament
Friday, April 18 - at Atlanta - NBA Play-In Tournament
In his first season with the Bulls, Smith has had a successful year establishing himself as an effective rebounder and steady scorer in the paint. He is currently averaging 8.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1 assist per game. Heading into the playoffs, Smith is playing well, having posted two recent double-doubles, one on Apr. 13 and the other on Apr. 8. He scored 12 and 13 points in each respectively and grabbed 10 rebounds in both. Smith's consistent rebounding will likely prove to be a great advantage for the Bulls in their upcoming play-in game.
Wednesday, April 16 - vs Miami - NBA Play-In Tournament
Friday, April 18 - at Atlanta - NBA Play-In Tournament
Young began the season with the G League's Grand Rapids Gold and was extremely successful, averaging 23.1 points, 7.4 assists, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.0 steals per game in his 37 appearances with the team. In 32 of those games, Young scored 20+ points, highlighting his exceptional talent as a PG. Young had a career night on Feb. 12, in which he posted a 40-point triple-double with 12 rebounds and 10 assists. His consistent scoring abilities evidently got the attention of the Bulls, as he signed a two-way deal with them on Feb. 19. Since joining the team, he has played 7 games with the Windy City Bulls, and 6 games with the primary Bulls team. He played an outstanding game on Mar. 15 against the Raptors 905 in which he scored 32 points, along with five assists, four rebounds, and two steals. Young's strong performances with various teams this season reflect a promising start to a successful professional career.
ALEX LEN – Los Angeles Lakers
Saturday, April 19 - vs Minnesota
Tuesday, April 22 - vs Minnesota
Friday, April 25 - at Minnesota
Len started the year with the Sacramento Kings and was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers to increase their depth in the paint. With the Kings, he averaged 1.5 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 7.5 minutes per game. Since signing with the Lakers, these numbers have improved to 2.2 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 12.2 minutes per game. Len had a standout game on Mar. 20 when he posted a near double-double against the Milwaukee Bucks, with 10 points and nine rebounds. Len's consistent rebounding for the Lakers will be a helpful asset for the team to utilize in the playoffs.
In his first year out of college, Scott has been playing for the G League's Santa Cruz Warriors. Scott was a key bench player for the team as he averaged 12.9 points, 6 rebounds, and 26.7 minutes per game. Scott's best performance on the season was recorded on Feb. 22, when he posted a double-double with 22 points and 10 rebounds against the Oklahoma City Blue. Scott's consistent shooting and rebounding assisted the team in achieving a spot in the playoffs as the 4th seed in the Western Conference. Unfortunately, the team's playoff run was cut short after a first-round loss. After Scott's recent successful career at Maryland, it is no surprise that he has made an impact on the SC Warriors in his first year with the team.
Bruno Fernando – Real Madrid
Fernando began the season with the Toronto Raptors coming off the bench, and averaged 4 points and 3.2 rebounds in his two months with the team. His most impressive performance during that period was against the Milwaukee Bucks on Nov. 12, where he grabbed 13 rebounds and scored 8 points in 18 minutes of playing time. After appearing in 17 games for the Raptors, Fernando was released on Jan. 17 and was quickly signed by Real Madrid of Spain's Liga ACB. Since moving overseas, he has been an efficient center and has had quite a few notable games in his nearly three months with the team. Most recently, he recorded a double-double on Apr. 13 against Lenovo Tenerife, with 10 points and 10 rebounds along with a steal and a block. If Real Madrid defeats FC Bayern Munich on Friday, Apr. 18, the team will secure a playoff spot in the Euro League as the 8th seed. In addition, with their 22-4 record in the Liga ACB, they have already secured a playoff spot in that league. Fernando's productive minutes will play a key role for the team in the playoffs.
