June 5, 2004
Danny Nee and Dan Durkin, and their coaches and players, may have to wait almost six months for the start of the 2004-05 season but that doesn't mean that Dukes aren't playing now. Alums Mike James and Candace Futrell are continuing their careers with the Detroit Pistons and Connecticut Sun.
Mike, in his third NBA season, is heading to his first NBA Championships as the Pistons take on the Los Angeles Lakers in the Game 1 of the Finals on Sunday, June 6th at 9:00 p.m. at L.A.'s Staples Center. So far in his first-ever NBA playoffs, James is averaging 3.1 points, 1.3 rebounds amd 1.2 assists as a reserve guard for the East Conference Champions.
James ('98), who spent three seasons playing for pro teams in Europe, began his NBA career with the Miami Heat during the 2001-02 season. He was signed by the Boston Celtics this past summer and started all 55 games for the 2003-04 Celtics, averaging 10.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.27 steals in 30.6 minutes per contest. He was acquired by the Pistons on February 19, 2004, as part of a seven-player, three-team trade. James averaged 6.3 points, 2.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.0 steal in just under 20 minutes in Detroit's final 26 regular season games.
The Pistons, who finished the regular season with a 54-28 record, topped Milwaukee, New Jersey and Indiana in gaining the championship series.
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Second Duke in WNBA |
Futrell, drafted in the top of the third round of the 2004 WNBA draft, performed well in the Sun's exhibition games and is averaging 2.3 points and 1.0 rebound in three of Connecticut's five games. The Duquesne alum is leading the WNBA in steals per turnover (2.0) and is 18th in steals per 40 minutes (2.67)
The Sun are currently in second place in the Eastern Conference with a 3-2 record. This Sunday they will be taking on the Detroit Shock, with assistant coach Korie Hlede ('98), at 4:00 p.m. at the Mohegan Sun Arena, Connecticut'e home court.
Below are links to the Pistons' playoff and the Suns' regular season schedules.
