DeAndre Liggins got his first NBA start tonight due to an injury to Thunder forward Thabo Sefolosha, and he made the most of it. Liggins nearly messed around and got a double-double his first time out as a starter, as he helped his Oklahoma City team edge Portland 87-83 in Portland.
Liggins finished with 11 points and 9 rebounds, easily setting career highs for himself to make it even more of a banner night for the former Cat. He also was a perfect 3 for 3 from behind the arc.
Liggins has done nothing but work hard, and persevere during his career. He battled through ego and stubbornness, and BCG, in Lexington to being a leader on the floor for the Cats Final Four run in 2011 when they were not expected to, beating #1 Ohio State and North Carolina in route to launching into Houston that season.
Liggins is one of my favorite Cats in recent years, and his messing up Cal's hair and their embrace is one of the images for which I will always remember this kid. For all he went through, not quiting, and then hitting that big 3 to catapult Kentucky into the Final Four, with an ear-to-ear grin.
Liggins' intensity and motor on the floor is a quality that his team and coach Scott Brooks recognize and appreciate. Liggins understands what his role is, and he understands what he has to do to benefit his team the most. It is not known how long Thabo will be out with his neck injury, but after tonight, one could only assume that Liggins will continue to get opportunity and minutes for the Thunder.
He even logged more minutes tonight than Kevin Durant (albeit a mere 23 seconds). With the way he approached the game and how he went out an performed, it was obvious that he was not going to be coming out of that game.
His ''energy'' is something that Scott Brooks said the Thunder needed. Brooks also says that Liggins has shown that he can be an "impact" player for Oklahoma City.
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