BBNBA: Hamidou Diallo excels across the pond
The injury bug has hit former ‘Cats hard lately in the NBA. Thankfully, UK has no shortage of representatives.
Devin Booker (groin) and Karl-Anthony Towns (calf) sat out on Thursday night due to injuries. However, their absences didn’t stop other former Wildcats from putting on a show. Between two contests, three former Kentucky players saw NBA action on Thursday night.
Hamidou Diallo lights up the scoreboard
Although he was on the losing end of the Bulls’ 126-108 win over the Pistons, Hamidou Diallo was fantastic. In just 21 minutes, the 6-foot-5 guard recorded 17 points and three rebounds. Moreover, Diallo was nearly perfect from the field, shooting 7-8.
Fans expect Diallo’s efficiency at this point. The New York City native is shooting 57.3% from the field this season. Diallo has been exceptional in 2023. The former NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion’s top-five scoring performances this season have all been in January.
Evidently, crossing continents couldn’t even cool down Diallo. The Thursday evening contest was held in Paris, France, only the sixth time ever the city hosted an NBA game. While in the City of Love, Diallo delivered some lovely highlights.
Tyrese Maxey has a solid showing
Tyrese Maxey has quickly become one of the most consistent players in the NBA. He lived up to this title Thursday night. The 6-foot-2 guard dropped 15 points, two rebounds and two assists in 29 minutes. While Maxey’s numbers were slightly below his season average, they were more than enough to push the Philadelphia 76ers to a 105-95 win over the Portland Trail Blazers.
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On the flip side of the coin, Portland guard Shaedon Sharpe wasn’t quite as consistent. Sharpe dropped just two points in 21 minutes while shooting 1-6 from the field. The Canada native is unpredictable, alternating high-scoring nights with four-point performances.
With that in mind, his occasional highs aren’t enough to pull him from the bottom of the totem pole. Sharpe is not listed in the NBA’s Kia Rookie Ladder, which includes the top-12 performing rookies. Just over halfway through the season, Sharpe still has time to turn things around.
1/19/2023 Statistics
| Player | Score | PTS | FG (3PT) | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | MIN | +/- |
| Hamidou Diallo (DET) | 126-108 L @ PAR | 17 | 7-8 (0-0) | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 21 | +1 |
| Tyrese Maxey (PHI) | 105-95 W vs. POR | 15 | 7-12 (1-4) | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 29 | -4 |
| Shaedon Sharpe (POR) | 105-95 L vs. PHI | 2 | 1-6 (0-3) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | -5 |
| Devin Booker (PHX) | 117-112 W vs. BKN | DNP | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Karl-Anthony Towns (MIN) | 128-126 W vs. TOR | DNP | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Kevin Knox (DET) | 126-108 L @ PAR | DNP | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Nerlens Noel (DET) | 126-108 L @ PAR | DNP | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
Tonight in the NBA
7:00: Pelicans @ Magic
7:30: Knicks (Randle, Quickley) @ Hawks
7:30: Warriors @ Cavaliers
7:30: Heat (Adebayo, Herro) @ Mavericks
8:00: Clippers (Wall, Boston) @ Spurs (Johnson)
9:00: Pacers (Jackson) @ Nuggets (Murray)
9:00: Nets @ Jazz (Vanderbilt)
10:00: Grizzlies @ Lakers (Davis: out, Gabriel)
10:00: Thunder (Gilgeous-Alexnader) @ Kings (Fox, Monk)
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