University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Bruins in the NBA Postseason Conference Semifinals
May 03, 2024 | Men's Basketball
The UCLA men's basketball program has at least four former players set to advance into the NBA postseason conference semifinals, which will get underway on Saturday evening in Denver.
Kyle Anderson (Minnesota Timberwolves), Jaylen Clark (Minnesota), Jrue Holiday (Boston Celtics) and Peyton Watson (Denver Nuggets) are all competing on NBA teams that have advanced in postseason action.
Norman Powell and Russell Westbrook of the No. 4-seed Los Angeles Clippers are trailing in a best-of-seven-game series to the Dallas Mavericks, by a three games to two margin, with Game 6 set for Friday evening in Dallas (6:30 p.m. PT, televised on ESPN). The Clippers must win Game 6 on Friday and a potential Game 7 on Sunday evening in Los Angeles to advance to the conference semifinals.
Anderson, now in his 10th NBA season, helped the Minnesota Timberwolves sweep the No. 6-seed Phoenix Suns in four games. Seeded No. 3 in the Western Conference, Minnesota won each of its first three contests by at least 10 points, closing the series on Sunday night with a 122-116 victory in Phoenix. Anderson averaged 2.7 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists and shot 50.0 percent from the field in three games.
Holiday, now in his 15th NBA season, helped No. 1-seed Boston surge past the No. 8-seed Miami Heat in the best-of-seven-game series (four to one). Boston won the final three games after the two teams had split the two opening games. Holiday averaged 7.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.4 assists in five contests, shooting 35.0 percent from the field and 36.8 percent from beyond the 3-point arc. This marks Holiday's eighth playoff appearance – and his first with Boston.
Watson, in his second NBA season, and the Denver Nuggets powered past the Los Angeles Lakers in five games, having won the first three in the series. Seeded No. 2 in the Western Conference, Denver outlasted the L.A. Lakers in the decisive fifth game by a 108-106 margin at Ball Arena in Denver. Watson averaged 3.4 points and 0.6 rebounds in five games, totaling four blocks. He shot 35.3 percent from the field and drained three 3-pointers.
Clark has been unable to play with Minnesota, while recovering from an injury he sustained at the conclusion of the 2022-23 college season at UCLA.
Denver will take on Minnesota in the Western Conference semifinals. Boston prepares to face either the No. 4-seed Cleveland Cavaliers or the No 5-seed Orlando Magic in the Western Conference semifinals.
UCLA's program has seen at least one of its former players win the NBA title in seven of the past eight NBA seasons – including in each of the last three. Last season, Watson played for the Denver Nuggets when that organization won its first-ever NBA championship. In 2021, Jrue Holiday helped the Milwaukee Bucks to the NBA championship, while in 2022, Kevon Looney (Golden State Warriors) was a part of his third NBA title-winning team with the Warriors.
