Despite coming off the bench, former Maryland stars Alex Len and Greivis Vasquez both are very productive NBA players.
They showed why on Wednesday evening.
In 22 minutes, Len scored 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds while connecting on 7-of-12 shots from the field for the Phoenix Suns. The former Terp big man was Phoenix’s best bench player and was one of six Suns who finished in double figures.
Len also had the third-highest +/- on the team with +12 (only Eric Bledsoe & T.J. Warren had higher).
It also didn’t hurt that Sacramento’s star center DeMarcus Cousins was out. Former Kentucky phenom Willie Cauley-Stein started in his place and didn’t score a single point.
On the East Coast, Vasquez turned in an equally solid performance for the Milwaukee Bucks in their game against the Philadelphia 76ers. The Venezuelan native scored 11 points and dished out five assists as he filled in for starter Michael Carter-Williams, who didn’t play due to an ankle injury.
Jerryd Bayless ended up getting the start in place of Carter-Williams, but only registered five points and three assists in 30 minutes. Vasquez only played 22, but still seemed to have the pulse of the Bucks.
Vasquez shot 4-of-12 from the floor and was a team-high +20.
Both Len and Vasquez are expected to be key cogs for their respective teams this season, and clearly displayed why on Wednesday. This is a big year for Len, who is playing behind Tyson Chandler, to prove that he is a huge part of Phoenix’s future.
The very same is true for Vasquez, who has bounced around the NBA since entering the league. A strong season behind Carter-Williams could open the door to starting gig somewhere else because it’s very clear that Vasquez has the talent.