Playoff Performance Tracker: Iowa State Cyclones in the 2020 NBA playoffs

Monte Morris celebrates in the first half of the Big 12 Championship game on March 11, 2017, in Kansas City, Missouri.

Zane Douglas

Editor’s note: The Iowa State Daily will be documenting the playoff performances of the eight former Iowa State basketball alumni that have found themselves in the 2020 NBA playoffs.

This article will be updated daily with new stats for each game played.

Monte Morris:

Western Conference Finals vs Lakers

(9/18: Game 1 vs Lakers) The Nuggets lost the first game of the series 126-114 with Morris scoring eight points, one rebound, three assists, a steal and a block in just under 21 minutes.

(9/20: Game 2 vs Lakers) Morris scored nine points and had a rebound and a steal in the 105-103 loss to the lakers.

(9/22: Game 3 vs Lakers) The Nuggets won 114-106 as Morris scored 14 points and added a rebound and an assist on 5-7 shooting in just under 20 minutes.

(9/24: Game 4 vs Lakers) Morris played 27 minutes and had 12 points, two rebounds and four assists on 4-7 shooting as the Lakers won 114-108.

Western Conference Semifinals vs Clippers

(9/3: Game 1) Morris found himself in the starting lineup once again and made his presence felt in the Nuggets’ 120-97 loss to the Clippers. Morris scored 12 points on 5-11 shooting along with 0-3 from three. Along with his efficient shooting, Morris collected four rebounds and one assist in his 17 minutes of action.

(9/5: Game 2) Morris played a key role off Denver’s bench in the Nuggets’ 110-101 win over the Clippers. In 18 minutes, Morris recorded 10 points on 4-9 shooting, including 1-3 from beyond the arc, and 1-1 from the free throw line, along with two assists.

(9/7: Game 3) Morris played good minutes coming off the bench in Denver’s 113-107 Game 3 loss to the Clippers. Morris had a very efficient shooting night, scoring nine points on 4-5 from the field and making his only three point attempt. Along with that, Morris recorded one rebound and four assists in his 18 minutes of play.

(9/9: Game 4) Despite playing good minutes off the bench, Morris struggled shooting the ball in the Nuggets’ 96-85 loss to the Clippers in Game 4. Morris shot 1-6 from the field and 0-1 from three, while knocking down three of his four free throw attempts. In 17 minutes, Morris put up five points and one rebound.

(9/11: Game 5) In Denver’s 111-105 bounce back win against the Clippers, Morris led the Nuggets’ bench in scoring. In his 17 minutes of play, he recorded 12 points on 5-8 shooting from the field, as well as 2-2 from the free throw line, and tacked on one assist and three steals.

(9/13: Game 6 vs Clippers) The Nuggets forced another game with a 111-98 win. Morris earned 10 points, a rebound and four assists on 4-7 shooting.

(9/15: Game 7 vs Clippers) Morris played only 13 minutes and got only five points and one assist on 2-3 shooting, but the Nuggets advance with a 104-89 win. 

Eastern Conference First Round vs Jazz

(8/17: Game 1) The first game of the playoffs was between Georges Niang’s Utah Jazz and Monte Morris’ Denver Nuggets and the game did not disappoint. The Nuggets won in overtime with Morris playing over 29 minutes, shooting 6-9 from the field with 14 points, three rebounds and four assists.

(8/19: Game 2) Morris continued to be a key contributor off the Nuggets bench in the Game 2 loss to the Jazz. He played 23 minutes for the Nuggets and shot 3-6 from the field, recording 10 points, four assists and one rebound, as well as going 2-2 from the free-throw line.

(8/21: Game 3) Morris struggled shooting the ball in Game 3 against Niang and the Jazz. In 24 minutes, Morris scored four points on 2-7 from the field, including an 0-3 performance from three, and recorded two assists.

(8/23: Game 4) Despite being named a starter in place of Torrey Craig before Game 4, things didn’t go as planned for Morris in the Nuggets’ 129-127 loss. Morris shot 2-5 in the first half with five points and ended his night 3-10 from the field in 36 minutes, scoring seven points in all.

(8/25: Game 5) Morris made his second straight start for the Nuggets, but only played 18 minutes in the Nuggets’ 117-107 win over the Jazz. Morris recorded four points, four rebounds and three assists, while shooting 1-5 from the floor, 0-2 from three-point range and 2-2 from the charity stripe 

(8/30: Game 6) Morris totaled 10 points, two rebounds and three assists on 4-6 shooting in about 25 minutes in a 119-107 Nuggets win to force a game seven in the series.

(9/1: Game 7) Morris got the start for the Nuggets in Game 7 against the Jazz. He scored seven points, shooting 3-8 from the field and 1-4 from the three point line, and recording three rebounds and five assists in 25 minutes. Morris and the Nuggets won the series, eliminating his former Cyclone teammate, Georges Niang, from the playoffs.

Matt Thomas:

Eastern Conference Semifinals vs Celtics 

(8/30: Game 1) In the first game of the second round for the Raptors, Thomas played only 3 minutes with one rebound.

(9/1: Game 2) Thomas didn’t record any minutes in the Raptors’ 102-99 loss against the Boston Celtics.

(9/3: Game 3) In the Raptors’ nail-biting 104-103 win over the Boston Celtics, Thomas played six minutes and brought down two rebounds as Toronto climbed back into the series.

(9/5: Game 4 vs Celtics) The Raptors took the fourth game of the series 100-93 with Thomas only playing three minutes and grabbing one rebound.

(9/7: Game 5 vs Celtics) Thomas scored 10 points, grabbed four rebounds and came away with two assists in 18 minutes of playing time as the Celtics won 111-89.

(9/9: Game 6 vs Celtics) The Raptors forced a winner-take-all game in the series with a 125-122 double overtime win. Thomas scored two points and one rebound in six minutes of play.

(9/11: Game 7 vs Celtics) The Raptors were eliminated, losing 92-87 with Thomas hitting a three and bringing down a rebound in four minutes of play.

Eastern Conference First Round vs Nets

(8/17: Game 1) Later in the day, Toronto Raptors guard Matt Thomas played only seven minutes in a convincing Raptors win over the Brooklyn Nets while only totaling three assists and one steal on 0-1 shooting.

(8/19: Game 2) Thomas only played five minutes in the Raptors close victory over the Nets. He made his only field goal attempt and recorded two points and one rebound.

(8/21: Game 3) Thomas played another small role in the Raptors’ 117-92 win over the Nets. In his five minutes on the floor, Thomas recorded two points on 1-2 shooting, one rebound and one assist.

(8/23: Game 4) In the Raptor’s series clinching 150-122 win over the Nets, Thomas had his best game of the playoffs to date. In his 25 minutes of action (third most minutes on the team), Thomas provided 12 points on 5-6 shooting, including 2-3 from beyond the arc. He also managed three rebounds and one assist in the win.

Talen Horton-Tucker:

Western Conference Finals vs Nuggets

(9/18: Game 1 vs Nuggets) Horton-Tucker did not see the floor in the 126-114 Lakers win.

(9/20: Game 2 vs Nuggets) Horton-Tucker did not enter the game as the Lakers won 105-103.

(9/22: Game 3 vs Nuggets) Horton-Tucker didn’t play in the 114-106 Denver win.

(9/24: Game 4 vs Nuggets) Horton-Tucker did not see playing time in Los Angeles’ 114-108 win over the Nuggets.

Western Conference Semifinals vs Rockets

(9/4: Game 1) Horton-Tucker did not record any minutes in the Lakers’ 112-97 Game 1 loss to the Houston Rockets.

(9/6: Game 2) Horton-Tucker did not record any minutes in the Lakers’ 117-109 bounce back win against the Rockets in Game 2.

(9/8: Game 3) Horton-Tucker didn’t play at all in the Lakers’ 112-102 Game 3 win over the Rockets.

(9/10: Game 4) Horton-Tucker made his first playoff appearance for the Lakers in their 110-100 win over the Rockets. At only 19 years and 290 days old, Horton-Tucker became the fifth youngest player in NBA to play in a conference semifinals. In his seven minutes on the floor, Horton-Tucker scored five points on 2-5 shooting from the field and 1-3 from the three point line, as well as recording two rebounds and two steals.

(9/12: Game 5 vs Rockets) Los Angeles won the series with a 119-96 win. Horton Tucker scored nine points and had three rebounds on 4-7 shooting in just under 10 minutes.

Western Conference First Round vs Trailblazers

(8/18: Game 1) Los Angeles Lakers guard Talen Horton-Tucker did not play in the Lakers 100-93 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers.

(8/20: Game 2) Even with the Lakers defeating the Trail Blazers 111-88, Horton-Tucker did not play any minutes in Game 2.

(8/22: Game 3) Horton-Tucker did not play any minutes against the Portland Trail Blazers in a 116-108 Lakers win.

(8/24: Game 4) The Lakers blew out the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday 135-115, but Horton-Tucker did not see any minutes.

(8/26: Game 5) Horton-Tucker didn’t play any minutes in the Lakers’ 131-122 Game 5 win, eliminating the Portland Trail Blazers from the playoffs.

Georges Niang:

 Western Conference First Round vs Nuggets

(8/17: Game 1) Niang didn’t impact the game as much as Morris, but still did alright off the bench in just under 20 minutes with seven points and three rebounds on 3-6 shooting and 1-4 from three.

(8/19: Game 2) Niang also played some good minutes coming off the bench. He played 21 minutes in the 124-105 win over the Nuggets, but didn’t have an as efficient shooting night compared to Morris. Niang shot 3-10 from the field, including 1-6 beyond the arc, while recording seven points, three rebounds and one assist.

(8/21: Game 3) Niang had the opposite shooting performance as compared to Morris in the Jazz’s 124-87 win over the Nuggets. Niang shot 6-9 from the floor, including 4-6 from beyond the arc, recording 16 points and two rebounds in 16 minutes.

(8/23: Game 4) Niang once again saw limited minutes but was able to make his presence felt. Niang shot 2-4 from the field and 1-2 from three in his 12 minutes of playing time. He also grabbed two rebounds in his short stint.

(8/25: Game 5) Niang saw good minutes off the Jazz’s bench, despite suffering a loss in Game 5. In 18 minutes, Niang shot 3-5 from the floor and 1-3 from beyond the arc, recording seven points, three rebounds and two assists.

(8/30: Game 6) In 20 minutes, Niang scored 10 points to go along with one rebound on 3-6 shooting in the loss to the Nuggets.

(9/1: Game 7) Niang only played seven minutes in the Jazz’s 80-78 Game 7 loss to the Nuggets. He shot 2-4 from beyond the arc, scoring six points and recording one rebound and an assist.

Marial Shayok:

Eastern Conference First Round vs Celtics

(8/17: Game 1) Philadelphia 76ers guard Marial Shayok did not play in the 76ers 109-101 loss to the Boston Celtics.

(8/19: Game 2) Shayok did not play in the 128-101 loss to the Celtics.

(8/21: Game 3) Shayok did not appear in the 76ers Game 3 loss against the Celtics.

(8/23: Game 4) Shayok and Sixers were swept in four games by the Celtics in a 110-106 loss. Shayok recorded no minutes of playing time in any of the four games in the series. 

Naz Mitrou-Long:

Eastern Conference First Round vs Heat

(8/18: Game 1) Indiana Pacers guard Naz Mitrou-Long did not play in the Pacers’ 113-101 loss to the Miami Heat.

(8/20: Game 2) Just like Game 1, Mitrou-Long saw no playing time in the Pacers’ 109-100 loss to the Miami Heat.

(8/22: Game 3) Mitrou-Long didn’t get any playing time in the Pacers’ 124-115 loss to the Miami Heat.

(8/24: Game 4) Mitrou-Long did not enter the fourth and final game of the series sweep by the Miami Heat as the Heat won game 4 99-87.