Austin Rivers had a rough rookie season, and some might say the word rough is an understatement. He struggled to shoot, struggled to find his rhythm, and wore down as the season moved into the spring. But this is still the same kid that dominated in high school and was very solid for a year at Duke, so even if everyone else in this “what have you done for me lately?” age is ready to write him off, we aren’t.
Today is his 21st birthday and knowing Rivers, he might spend a few hours celebrating before rushing back to the gym. It’s more important than ever… now that he’ll be battling for minutes not just with Eric Gordon, but also Tyreke Evans and Jrue Holiday.
During summer league, he had a couple of big nights, and this game against New York was probably the best one: 24 points on 15 shots, seven boards and six dimes while getting to the basket at will. Now if he can save this for the fall, we might be onto something…
What do you expect from Rivers this year?
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