Hoosier State of Mind
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Indiana Basketball: Juwan Morgan gets it done for Jazz

By Trevor Gersmehl

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - AUGUST 17: Juwan Morgan #16 of the Utah Jazz and Torrey Craig #3 of the Denver Nuggets go for the rebound during the first half of an NBA basketball first round playoff game at The Field House at ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on August 17, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ashley Landis - Pool/Getty Images)
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - AUGUST 17: Juwan Morgan #16 of the Utah Jazz and Torrey Craig #3 of the Denver Nuggets go for the rebound during the first half of an NBA basketball first round playoff game at The Field House at ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on August 17, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ashley Landis - Pool/Getty Images) /
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Former Indiana Basketball star Juwan Morgan reached a milestone yesterday

It was announced on Sunday night that Jazz point guard Mike Conley would be exiting the NBA bubble on the eve of the playoffs to be present for his son’s birth in Ohio. The Jazz also suffered an injury to starting forward Bojan Bogdanovic in practice before the NBA resumed play in the bubble.

This left the door open for former IU standout Juwan Morgan to start in his first-ever NBA game (and a playoff game, nonetheless). Morgan was perhaps the most unlikely choice to start in place of Conley and Bogdanovic. He was undrafted but then signed to an Exhibit-10 contract by Utah shortly after the draft. The Jazz then waived him, a strategy used by teams to gain access to a player’s G-League rights.

Morgan played in the G-League for 15 games and did very well, averaging 14.3 points and 7.7 rebounds. This led the Jazz to sign him once again. He rarely played for his NBA team throughout the course of the season, only taking the floor in 21 total games and playing only 134 minutes, mostly when it didn’t matter.

To go from that level of experience to playing in a playoff game, never mind actually starting, is unfathomable. What is even crazier is the fact that he thrived. Morgan’s box score numbers won’t wow anyone — three points and seven rebounds in 25 minutes — but he finished with a plus/minus rating of +17. The second-highest plus/minus on the Jazz in that game? Georges Niang with a +3.

"“We’re trying to have Juwan fill in and give us some good minutes early in the first and third quarters and then frankly, he did an excellent job. I want him to take his three from the corner, he made one of them. I thought he was very active and aggressive, committed to the defensive glass, so a lot of good things from Juwan tonight. Look for more of that.” — Jazz coach Quinn Snyder"

His team didn’t come out victorious versus the Nuggets, but Juwan Morgan proved that he belonged on an NBA roster. Coach Quinn Snyder threw him deep into the ocean in a sink-or-swim moment and Morgan looked like Michael Phelps.

Next. Indiana Basketball: Devonte Green signs in Greece. dark

It appears Mike Conley will be back by game three of the Jazz’s first-round series against the Nuggets, but Morgan has done enough to warrant consideration to start moving forward.

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