BC in the NBA Playoffs: Reggie Jackson, Thunder Done

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

If you’re looking for incisive NBA analysis, then you done stumbled upon the wrong sports blog (though the associate editor knows a great deal more about pro basketball than the editor), but neither of us are ignorant to the fact that we have ex-Boston College Eagles in the Association. One of them happens to have played in the 2013 NBA playoffs, but that run is now over.

Reggie Jackson was a star here at Boston College, and when Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook went down with an injury, it was his time to shine.

Unfortunately for him and his team, they were eliminated by the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night after an 88-84 loss. The Thunder, the defending Western Conference champions from last season, held on for just five games in the second round of the playoffs and their road ends in the Western Conference semifinals.

In the Game 5 defeat, Jackson played 42 minutes — only Kevin Durant played more on his team — and went 7-for-15 from the floor, scoring 16 points and grabbing nine rebounds. In fact, Jackson led the Thunder in rebounds for the game. He also had a perfectly infinite assist/turnover ratio, assisting five times and not turning the ball over at all, which is impressive for 42 minutes of court time. Jackson was cold from outside the arc, making just one of his five shots from long-range, though his one make tightened the game late.

Reggie saw heavy minutes for the Thunder since the Westbrook injury and he acquitted himself well, posting a double-double in Game 3 and shooting 50% from the floor for the series.