Former Kansas Jayhawks basketball star shows out in season-ending NBA Playoffs loss

The Kansas basketball program has sent off some elite talent to the NBA in past years. There are 13 former Jayhawks currently playing in the league one of them being Marcus Morris.

He and his twin brother Markieff have been one of the better forwards in the NBA for over a decade. Even at 34 years of age, Marcus can still put points up in a hurry. He signed a late-season deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers and served in a bench role. Yesterday, Morris had the best performance with his new team yet in Cleveland’s season-ending loss to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Former Kansas basketball star Marcus Morris lights up Celtics in ECSF

The Cavaliers were already without superstar guard Donovan Mitchell in addition to missing Jarrett Allen and Caris LeVert. Coach JB Bickerstaff needed some contributors off the bench to fill those voids in a must-win elimination game. Morris played his part flawlessly, albeit in a loss.

In 34 minutes off the bench, the Philadelphia native finished a scorching 10-for-13 from the field. He totaled 25 points and connected on 5-of-6 attempts from 3-point range. While he was absent from Game 1 and played sparingly in the ensuing three contests, Morris showed that he is still capable of playing big minutes in important moments.

For the first time since his second year in the league, Morris saw his playing time drop considerably during the regular season. He played 37 games for the 76ers and 12 with the Cavaliers but had the lowest minute total since his rookie season. The savvy veteran served his role as a leader and nearly propelled his team to a Game 6. His efforts were not enough, though there are still good things that can be taken from this performance.

Morris was left without a home after he was bought out by the San Antonio Spurs after being dealt to them. However, the KU product might have revived his career and found himself a permanent landing spot in Cleveland.