Former Duke basketball standouts snubbed from All-Bubble Teams

Two former Duke basketball standouts were snubbed from the NBA All-Bubble Teams following their outstanding performances in Orlando.

Credit to the NBA for somewhat treating the bubble down in Orlando, Florida like its own season as the league named an MVP plus First Team and Second Team All-Bubble selections.

While there were some no-doubt choices, like Damian Lillard winning the Bubble MVP Award, there were questions about the other nine players that were to be named for the other recognitions.

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Two players who were not named to either team, and have a legitimate reason to be listed as a snub, are former Blue Devils Jayson Tatum and Gary Trent Jr.

Tatum, the star of the Boston Celtics, averaged 22.4 points per game in the seven regular season restarted games he played in. And if you would remove his dreadful opening night performance where he scored just five points on 2-of-18 shooting, he would have averaged 25.3 points per game.

The All-Star did receive votes to be on the Second Team All-Bubble but was ousted by the collection of players such as Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard, Kristaps Porzingis, Caris LeVert, and Michael Porter Jr.

ALSO READ: Jayson Tatum finishes regular season nearly perfect

Jayson Tatum shot 53-of-113 in the regular season bubble games, 46.9 percent, as the Celtics solidified the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference and will face the Philadelphia 76ers in the First Round of the NBA Playoffs.

Gary Trent Jr., who came off the bench for the Portland Trail Blazers, truly exploded and burst upon the scene in his eight bubble games, averaging 16.8 points per game on 47-of-88 shooting from the field (53.4 percent) and 34-of-67 from 3-point range (50.7 percent).

Trent Jr.’s performance on Saturday afternoon against the Memphis Grizzlies in the Western Conference Play-In Game does not count towards any regular season or postseason records, but the Blazers won and will now face the Los Angeles Lakers in the First Round of the NBA Playoffs.

ALSO READ: Pair of Duke teammates go quiet in first-ever NBA Play-In Game

The First Team All-Bubble was comprised of Lillard, Devin Booker, Luka Doncic, James Harden, and T.J. Warren.

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