Michigan Basketball: Former Wolverines drop openers in NBA playoffs
The NBA playoffs started on Saturday and two former Michigan basketball players suffered defeats during the opening game of their respective series.
Last season during the NBA playoffs, Michigan basketball fans watched former Wolverine Jordan Poole have a breakout run as he helped the Golden State Warriors win another NBA championship.
Poole backed it up with a solid season for the Warriors who wound up as the No. 6 seed heading into the Western Conference Playoffs against the upstart Sacramento Kings.
The former Michigan basketball standout, famous for his game-winning shot against Houston, averaged 20.4 points per game this season in 30 minutes. He shot 33 percent from 3-point range.
On Saturday, Poole had a solid outing but Golden State fell three points short against the Kings, losing Game One 126-123. Andrew Wiggins had a wide-open look to take the lead with about 10 seconds left.
The Kings went up three, yet Steph Curry had a shot to tie and missed it at the buzzer. Poole played just 22 minutes for Golden State but scored 17 points. He was 2-for-5 from 3-point range and Game Two is now incredibly important for the Warriors.
Caris LeVert and the Cavs fall to New York
Another former Michigan basketball player was playing a prominent role off the bench in the NBA playoffs and that’s Caris LeVert, who is playing for the Cavs — the No. 4 seed.
Game One didn’t go as hoped for Cleveland. New York was able to steal it thanks to a 101-97 victory. LeVert didn’t have a great night either, scoring just three points in 18 minutes and making just one of nine field-goal attempts.
LeVert averaged 12 points per game during the regular season for the Cavs and averaged 39 percent from beyond the arc. Cleveland will need more of that in the postseason if it wants to avoid another early exit.
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The Cavs will play Tuesday. Golden State will try to even its series against the Kings on Monday.