Duke basketball: Former Blue Devil makes NBA history in shooting barrage

A former Duke basketball point guard made NBA history on Tuesday night. 

As the Duke basketball program was in the midst of its victory over Georgia Tech on Tuesday evening, a former Blue Devil was setting NBA records after a stunning first half.

Austin Rivers, who has been dealing with Achilles soreness all season, was back on the floor for the final game of a four-game road trip for the New York Knicks (8-11) against the Utah Jazz (13-4).

Rivers posted his season-high against the Jazz in New York’s upset win on January 6, and the point guard must love playing against Utah because he was unconscious coming off the bench on Tuesday night.

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The former Los Angeles Clipper and Houston Rocket was a perfect 10-for-10 from the field and 5-for-5 from three-point range in the first half with 25 points.

https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1354261841434664961?s=20

According to ESPN Stats and Info, Austin Rivers became the first New York Knicks player over the last 25 seasons to go 10-for-10 or better in a half, and he is the first player over the last 25 seasons to go 10-for-10 from the field and 5-for-5 on 3-pointers in a single half.

Unfortunately for Rivers, he was unable to continue his hot streak in the second half as he missed all four of his shot attempts as the Knicks fell, 108-94, after leading 59-46 at halftime.

Former Blue Devil RJ Barrett logged a team-high 40 minutes and finished with 17 points on 7-for-11 shooting in the loss for the Knicks.

Other NBA superstars notice shooting of former Duke basketball star

As Austin Rivers was in the midst of his career half, others around the NBA took to social media to comment on his performance, including two-time MVP Steph Curry.

Rivers and Curry are brothers-in-law as Seth Curry, a former Blue Devil, married Rivers’ sister, Callie, in September 2019.

The Knicks return home to New York and will face the Cleveland Cavaliers (8-9) at Madison Square Garden on Friday, January 29 at 7:30pm EST.