Rutgers never got the chance to see Dylan Harper play in the tournament but it turns out that he is pretty good in that format.
The former Rutgers star is off to the NBA Finals after the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals on Saturday night.
Harper played 27 minutes in this game finishing with 12 points and seven rebounds on 5-for-8 from the field. He averaged 14.7 points per game in the conference semifinals against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
In Game 1 of the WCF, he made an immediate impact with 24 points, six rebounds, and seven steals in a double-overtime win.
Harper averaged 12 points in 26.3 minutes per game, proving to be a key component off the bench. Now, the New Jersey native will get a chance to face the New York Knicks, and fellow Garden State star Karl-Anthony Towns, in the NBA Finals.
New Jersey is the place where Harper made his name at Don Bosco High School. A career that featured over 1,600 points came to an end with a 19-game winning streak and a state championship.
Harper committed to Rutgers, joining Ace Bailey, in what was a historic recruiting class. The team did not live up to the hype as it went 15-17 and missed the NCAA Tournament.
Harper dominated its way to a state championship in high school and is now a key rotation piece for a Spurs team that is returning to the NBA Finals.
So, Rutgers fans, how did this team miss the tournament two years ago?
That is a question that you will have to live with, especially with the current state of the team. Nonetheless, Rutgers will be represented in this year’s NBA Finals and that is not something that can be said every year.
