BBNBA: Oscar's first career start, Herro's 30-pieces, Davis's return

It’s a weird time in the basketball year. Kentucky’s season is over, as other teams still vie for a championship despite the apathy from Big Blue Nation toward the outcome. Meanwhile, in the NBA, teams are holding their breath until the playoffs begin. Playoff teams are walking the line between resting players and getting a fine, while teams near the bottom of the standings are losing on purpose behind the guise of developing younger talent.

It’s like basketball purgatory. I mean, Kevin Knox is getting run with the Warriors, for goodness sake.

Regardless, hoops are still happening, and since there are no current Kentucky players to follow, let’s recap the last handful of games of former ‘Cats.

Oscar Tshiebwe earns first career start

Okay, earns is a strong word. The Utah Jazz have the worst record in the league and aren’t exactly hoping to come out on the winning side of the scoreboard for lottery purposes. That being said, Oscar Tshiebwe made his first-career NBA start, and that is worth talking about it.

Tshiebwe scored seven points and grabbed 10 rebounds in a game where the Nuggets absolutely routed the Jazz 129-93. Oscar was near the bottom of his team in the plus/minus category at -31, but who counts that a legitimate stat? The key here is that one of Big Blue Nation’s favorites earned his first career NBA start and pulled down double-digit boards, as he does best.

Oscar is averaging 5.6 points and 7.5 rebounds in 10 appearances this year for the Jazz.

Johnny Juzang came off the bench for Utah in this game and chipped in 10 points and four rebounds himself.

Anthony Davis comes back from injury

The Anthony Davis era in Dallas did not exactly get off to a stellar start. Following the trade that rocked the NBA world that sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for the former NCAA National Champion Davis, the Brow got hurt. Well, it wasn’t his eyebrow, more of an adductor strain, but it happened in his very first game with the Mavs so…ouch.

After missing 18 consecutive games, Davis made his Ali-like return to the court this week, where he immediately put up 12 points, six rebounds, and a block, only to sit out the next game. He did manage to suit up on both Friday and Sunday, scoring 15 and 18 points, respectively, as he eases back into competition.

He now makes up the unlikely frontcourt of former ‘Cats alongside PJ Washington, who has health with his own injuries this season but returned to action after a two-game absence to score 18 points and grab seven rebounds in the Mavs’ one-point win over the Bulls on Saturday.

Tyler Herro drops back-to-back 30-point games

Just to get this out of the way, MVP front-runner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 33 points in yet another win for the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday, but that is a routine, mundane, average day at the office for him, so the BBNBA scoring highlights will shine on someone else for a change. And on this day, it is Tyler Herro.

Soon to wrap up his first All-Star season, Herro dropped back-to-back 30-pieces in his last two games. On Friday in the Heat’s win over the Hawks, the former Kentucky Bucket had 36, only to follow it up with 30 against the 76ers on Saturday.

His Kentucky partner in crime, Bam Adebayo, had a strong showing for Miami as well in the last few games as well, as he is averaging over 18 points per game over his last three outings.