Nikola Jokic had to give his props to DJ Burns.
DJ Burns and DJ Horne completely flipped the switch for NC State in their March Madness run. They molly-whopped Duke’s defensive schemes and left Kyle Filpowski to defend the paint for himself. This obviously got the attention of a lot of stars who are keeping an eye on the NCAA Tournament. Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic, Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton along with legends like Baron Davis and CJ Watson just could not help but gush over this insane national title chase by the Wolfpack.
DJ Burns had a lot of comparisons entering March Madness. None have been more prominent than the similarities that NC State fans drew between him and Nikola Jokic. This has gone on for so long that even the Nuggets legend had to give his praise to the Wolfpack star, via Underdog Fantasy.
“He’s amazing. I think he’s so skilled, especially lefty … seems like teammates like to play with him. That’d be a good guy,” Nikola Jokic declared.
The Nuggets legend is not at all mistaken, the Wolfpack star is amazing. DJ Burns went absolutely feral against Duke in this March Madness matchup. He led NC State in scoring by knocking down 13 out of his 19 field goal attempts and going three out of four from the free throw line. The big man got 29 points out of this while also dropping three assists. On the defensive end, he was giving out a serviceable performance for the Wolfpack. This got him four rebounds and two blocks to round out his insane all-around performance.
NC State and the stars shining for them
The whole basketball world was watching and took notice.
“Burns, a problem!!” Tyrese Haliburton exclaimed.
CJ Watson also followed it up with, “Big boi got that work on the block.”
Others preferred to give the whole NC State squad their flowers.
“Like this NC state team. They all play Super Roles,” Baron Davis declared.
Much like Davis’ sentiments, everyone from the Wolfpack was able to contribute to their victory over Duke. DJ Horne was the complimentary secondary scoring option for NC State. He lit it up in all three levels of scoring for 20 points while also dropping three dimes and ripping four rebounds straight out of misses.
Mohammed Diarra, despite being on a fast for Ramadan, was still dominant in guarding Kyle Filipowski and Mark Mitchell. Michael O’Connell also churned out 11 rebounds, six points, and six assists which rounded out the leaders. Everyone was active for NC State because they knew the only way they could keep dancing was through their DJs getting into a rhythm.
Next up, Purdue awaits them in Phoenix. They won’t be the first double-digit seed to make the Boilermakers go home early but NC State can surely make themselves the most memorable to do so.
About the Author
Jay is a sports writer for ClutchPoints, with expertise in covering the NBA, NFL, MLB, Tennis, and Formula 1. He is a lifelong motorsports and tennis fan. Jay’s need for speed may no longer be on the grid or courts but has stayed with him through writing.
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