Duke in the NBA: Quinn Cook Shining in Opportunity With Warriors
The National Champion and then D-League All-Star Quinn Cook as seemed to find a home with the defending NBA Champions.
It’s not often when on again off again player gets steady minutes when he buried behind a Champion and an MVP on the depth chart, but that’s where the former Duke star Quinn Cook is.
Warriors guard Steph Curry has been struggling with injuries for the past month and Head Coach Steve Kerr has turned to Cook to fill the minutes that the former MVP logged.
Cook has excelled in this role, matching his career high three times over the past two weeks.
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On March 16 in a loss to the Sacramento Kings, Cook put up a career-high 25 points going 10-13 from the floor and 5-7 from deep. Cook also managed to pull down four rebounds, dish out three assists and have three steals, while only turning the ball over once.
It didn’t take long for Cook to top this performance as on the next night against the Phenoix Suns, Cook had a new career high 28 points. In this game, Cook was 11-17 from the floor, while still going 5-7 from three. Cook also stuff the stat sheet with four rebounds, assists, and two steals, all with only two turnovers in 40 minutes.
Although Cook did not put up career like numbers every game going forward, he still scored at least double figures in every game he has played dating back to March 14.
It was then just last night, March 29, when Cook set a new career high. Cook dropped 30 points against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Cook shot 80% from the floor, 12 of 15, and was a perfect 5 for 5 beyond the arc. Cook also had four rebounds and three assists in the outing, while only playing 32 minutes due to foul trouble.
Steve Kerr has said that it is unlikely that Curry will return before the First Round of the NBA playoffs, which means Cook could have a tremendous impact on the favorites to win the NBA title.
Should the Warriors get Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson back healthy before the start of the playoffs, Cook will probably not be putting up career highs, but he will have a say in how the Warriors will fare in the upcoming NBA Playoffs.