“Fight on, Dribble on” is a weekly column by Joseph Domingot about how Trojans are performing in the NBA.
We are less than 10 days away from the conclusion of the 2023-24 NBA regular season, and some former Trojans have continued to light up NBA floors with their stellar play:
- Evan Mobley has scored 20-plus points in four consecutive outings. His average shooting percentage is above 70% from the field in his last three games for the Cleveland Cavaliers, who are currently third in the Eastern Conference.
- DeMar DeRozan extended his double-digit scoring streak to 34 games after scoring 31 points against the Atlanta Hawks on April 1. He is currently the favorite to win Clutch Player of the Year, according to FanDuel.
- Jordan McLaughlin scored 11 points and dished out seven assists against the Houston Rockets to help the Minnesota Timberwolves get a huge win and remain first in the Western Conference standings.
However, this week, we will be highlighting other former Trojans who have elevated their play in the past seven days with the playoffs looming ahead.
Nikola Vucevic
Along with his former college teammate DeRozan, Nikola Vucevic has proven vital for the Chicago Bulls as they clinched a play-in tournament spot for the second consecutive season.
With former UCLA Bruins duo of Zach Lavine and Lonzo Ball out for the rest of 2024, Vucevic has become the secondary scoring option for the Bulls.
Despite having career-low 3-point efficiency this season, the Montenegrin has made it up for his efficiency from the charity stripe, shooting 82.1% from the free-throw line this season. Vucevic has scored 10-plus points in 64 of his 71 games this season, including a few from the penultimate week of the regular season.
Against the conference rival Brooklyn Nets, the two-time All-Star dropped 13 points and collected 10 rebounds. However, he was one of the few bright spots for the Bulls en route to a double-digit loss in Barclays Center on March 29. Vucevic recorded his 42nd double-double of the season in this matchup.
Two nights later against the No. 1-seeded Timberwolves, Vucevic carried more of a well-rounded offensive load. The former First-Team All-Pac-12 honoree scored 19 points on 50% shooting against one of the best defensive teams in basketball this year. He added six assists and eight rebounds to guide the Bulls to an unlikely win against Minnesota.
Vucevic and the Bulls took on the Atlanta Hawks in the last game of the week. In a likely preview of a matchup in the play-in tournament, the 13-year NBA veteran contributed differently than simply scoring. He had a game-high 14 rebounds — including 13 boards on the defensive end. Vucevic performed well defensively, matching up against one of the best offensive rebounders today in Clint Capela.
However, the defensive effort was not enough, as the Bulls lost an important home game by double digits to the Hawks, who currently sit one game behind Chicago in the East standings.
The Bulls currently sit at 36-39 with seven games remaining. Vucevic and Chicago hope to eclipse the .500 mark and earn a solidified playoff berth for the first time since 2021-22.
Chimezie Metu
After previously playing 34 times this season for the Phoenix Suns, Metu was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies and eventually waived during the trade deadline window.
The 27-year-old got another opportunity by signing a 10-day contract with the Detroit Pistons on March 20, and he has proved his worth. During his time with the Pistons, he has been hyper-efficient with his shooting, making 62% of his 2-pointers and 94% of his free throws. The Pistons extended his deal until the conclusion of the regular season.
Metu and the Pistons started the week away from home against the Washington Wizards. In limited minutes, the 2017 Pac-12 Most Improved Player scored five points and collected three rebounds to help the Pistons even the season series with the Wizards at two apiece.
On April 1 — against the team that waived Metu earlier in the season — the former Trojan showed out off the bench. He went 6-for-10 from the field and made all four of his free throws, scoring 17 points and grabbing eight boards en route to a devastating 110-108 loss to the Grizzlies.
In Detroit’s final game of the week versus the Hawks, Metu further proved his value on the hardwood, especially on the defensive end. In 27 minutes, he logged a plus/minus of +20,. Metuscored nine points and recorded a career-high five steals, but the Pistons lost by eight points to Atlanta.
The Pistons have the option to extend his deal until the end of the 2024-25 season. If Detroit decides not to trigger that option, many hopeful suitors will look to add Metu as a veteran piece.
“Fight on, Dribble on” runs every Friday.