Cyclones in the NBA: Week 24

AMES, Iowa – Monté Morris and the Minnesota Timberwolves look to secure the top seed in the western conference while the Cavs and the Pacers look to secure their places in the 2024 playoffs with a head-to-head matchup looming.

Tyrese Haliburton - #0, Indiana Pacers (46-34)
The Pacers are on a three-game winning streak heading into the last two games of the regular season. Key wins against the Heat and the Thunder have Indiana lined up for a monumental meeting in Cleveland on Friday where a Pacers win can secure their spot in the 2024 playoffs and propel themselves as high as fourth place in the standings based on other matchups.

Haliburton averaged over 18 points per game during the past four games while adding eight assists and keeping a strong assist-to-turnover margin of 4.4.

In their last game against the Raptors, Haliburton shot over 60 percent from the field which led to 30 points and five assists in the Pacers 140-123 win. The game against the Raptors was Haliburton's ninth game of the season with at least 30 points and five assists.

Haliburton's Week: 18.5 PPG, 8.0 APG, 3.5 RPG
Next Week: @ CLE (4/12), vs. ATL (4/14)

Georges Niang - #20, Cleveland Cavaliers (46-33)
The Cleveland Cavaliers have lost their last three games with all coming on a road trip against three playoff-bound western conference teams. The losing streak caused the Cavaliers to fall back to fifth place in the eastern conference standings and are only a half-game ahead of the Pacers with three games left on their schedule.

Niang had his struggles in the past week, averaging under five points in the last three games. Niang's lone bright spot was an efficient 12-point performance against the Lakers.

Niang's Week: 4.7 PPG, 1.7 RPG, 1.0 APG
Next Week: vs. MEM (4/10), vs. IND (4/12), vs. CHA (4/14)

Monté Morris - #23, Minnesota Timberwolves (55-24)
Morris and the Minnesota Timberwolves continued their winning ways, going 3-1 in the past week with a lone loss in Phoenix to the Suns. Minnesota now has a clear path to the number one seed in the western conference as they play the Nuggets Wednesday night in Denver to take sole possession of the one seed with a win.

Monté put up a season-high 13 points in a dominant 133-85 win against the Raptors.

Morris' Week: 7.5 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 2.3 APG
Next Week: @ DEN (4/10), vs. ATL (4/12), vs. PHX (4/14)

Talen Horton-Tucker - #5, Utah Jazz (29-50)
The current losing streak for the Jazz has hit seven games after losing to three teams in the thick of the western conference playoff race. The lone bright spot for the Jazz has been Talen Horton-Tucker who had a pair of solid outings this last week.

Horton-Tucker was only able to compete in games against the Clippers and the Nuggets but averaged over 20 points per game and shot 46.2 percent from three in those games.

Horton-Tucker's strongest game was a 24-point showing against the Nuggets where he was 50 percent from three-point range. 24 points was the third-highest scoring game of Talen's season.

Horton-Tucker's Week: 20.5 PPG, 1.5 APG, 3.0 RPG
Next Week: vs. HOU (4/11), @ LAC (4/12), @ GSW (4/14)

G League Check In
Izaiah Brockington - #21, Birmingham Squadron (15-19)
Stats: 12.6 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 2.1 APG

George Conditt IV - #16, Rip City Remix (18-16)
Stats: 12.8 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 2.3 APG

Deonte Burton - #4, Stockton Kings (24-10)
Stats: 11.9 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 2.1 APG

Gabe Kalscheur - #20, Iowa Wolves (7-27)
Stats: 3.5 PPG, 0.8 RPG, 0.3 APG

To follow your favorite Cyclones throughout the NBA season, head over to the NBA App: https://link.nba.com/IowaSt23-24

Cyclone vs. Cyclone Matchups this Week
Pacers at Cavaliers – April 12

Players Mentioned

Gabe Kalscheur

Sponsors

Iowa State University Athletics