Oklahoma Sooners in the NBA: Your weekly update on Blake Griffin, Buddy Hield and Trae Young - March 11

With just a month to go in the 2019 NBA season, the three former Oklahoma Sooners currently in the league — Blake Griffin, Buddy Hield and Trae Young — continue to make big impacts for their respective teams. We began bringing you weekly updates on the Sooner trio last month and in case you missed any of them, you can catch up by clicking on the links below.

The Blake, Buddy & Trae Update - Feb. 11

The Blake, Buddy & Trae Update: All-Star Weekend Edition

The Blake, Buddy & Trae Update: Feb 25

The Blake, Buddy & Trae Update: March 4

After beginning last week with a 14-point, eight-assist, eight-turnover performance in a tough one-point loss in Miami, Hawks rookie Trae Young achieved yet another milestone to close out the week in strong fashion. Trae messed around and got the first triple-double of his career against the Nets on Saturday, finishing with 23 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds, and becoming the first Hawks rookie to ever achieve the feat.

Young is now fifth in the league in assists at 7.8 per game. Last week also saw him put up 22 points against the Spurs at home on Wednesday night. Shooting a rough 8-of-24, with just 1-of-7 from deep against the bigger Derrick White, this game was one to learn from, but Trae still found enough space to make his share of plays, as usual.

Following TNT’s broadcast of the Thunder-Trail Blazers game, the former Sooners star joined the Inside the NBA crew to discuss his rookie season. As if playing on the same team as Vince Carter wasn’t cool enough...

Young then put up a 10-point, 10-assist performance on a tough shooting night in a win against the Pelicans at home on Sunday. Behind the sizzling play of their dynamic rookie point guard, the Hawks take on the Grizzlies on Wednesday before traveling to Boston on Saturday.

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Kings shooting guard and one of the leading candidates for the league’s Most Improved Player award, Buddy Hield, started last week on a roll in a 115-108 win against the Knicks. Finishing with a team-high 28 points on 9-of-18 shooting, Hield also added six rebounds, seven assists and shot a perfect 7-of-7 from the free throw line to help the Kings grab their 32nd win of the season.

Two evenings later, Buddy and the Kings lost a nail-biter against the Celtics, 111-109, at home. The 2016 NCAA Player of the Year contributed 23 points and eight rebounds against Kyrie Irving and company, and now averages 21.0 points a game while also ranking fourth in the league in both three-pointers made and three-point percentage (43.8) though 65 games.

Hield’s 19 points and four threes helped the Kings close out the week with a second win over the Knicks on the road. Sacramento, though vastly improved from last season, is unfortunately still on the outside looking in on the Western Conference playoff picture at 33-32 and three games back of the Spurs for the eighth seed. The road trip continues for the Kings, with stops in Washington, Boston and Philadelphia coming this week.

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Pistons All-Star forward Blake Griffin, currently 12th in the NBA in scoring at 25.3 points per game, has led Detroit on a five-game win streak, with victories coming against the Timberwolves and Bulls this past week. The Pistons boast a 12-2 record since Feb. 4 and are the hottest team in the East, having not lost a game since February 27.

Griffin has been the biggest key to that success. Following a quiet nine-point night in the win against Minnesota last Wednesday, Blake bounced back with two huge outings against the Bulls in a home-and-away on Friday and Sunday.

In the first matchup, on the road in Chicago, Griffin connected on three three’s and scored 27 points on 10-of-19 shooting in the 112-104 win. Blake did most of his damage late, with 16 of his 27 coming in the fourth quarter, despite dealing with a leg injury sustained earlier in the ball game.

Griffin was even better on Sunday, going for 28 points, six rebounds and five assists on an incredibly efficient 10-of-14 shooting and 3-of-6 from deep.

The Pistons are still holding onto sixth place in the East at 34-31 and travel to Brooklyn on Monday to take on the Nets, who are just a half-game back in seventh place at 35-33. Griffin quietly continues his outstanding season as one of the most underrated players in the league.

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Blake Griffin

Season Stats: 25.3 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 5.4 APG, 0.4 BPG, 47.4% FG, 36.4% 3FG, 74.8% FT

Schedule: Mon. at Nets, Wed. at Heat, Fri. vs Lakers, Sun. vs. Raptors

Buddy Hield

Season Stats: 21.0 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 2.4 APG, 0.6 SPG, 46.5% FG, 43.8% 3FG, 87.7% FT

Schedule: Mon. at Wizards, Thu. at Celtics, Fri. at Sixers, Sun. vs. Bulls

Trae Young

Season Stats: 18.3 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 7.8 APG, 0.8 SPG, 40.8% FG, 33.0% 3FG, 82.2% FT

Schedule: Wed. vs. Grizzlies, Sat. at Celtics, Sun. at Magic

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