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Austin Rivers’ impressive journey to the NBA and LA Clippers

By Andrew Miller

Dec 30, 2015; Charlotte, NC, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Austin Rivers (25) talks to his father and head coach Doc Rivers during a time out in the second half of the game against the Charlotte Hornets at Time Warner Cable Arena. Clippers win 122-117. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 30, 2015; Charlotte, NC, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Austin Rivers (25) talks to his father and head coach Doc Rivers during a time out in the second half of the game against the Charlotte Hornets at Time Warner Cable Arena. Clippers win 122-117. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports /
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New Orleans Pelicans

Austin Rivers was drafted at  No. 10 and seemed to struggle adapting to the NBA game almost immediately.

Starting nine of his first 10 games for the then New Orleans Hornets, Austin averaged only seven points, 2.9 assists, two rebounds and 0.8 steals in 28.1 minutes of play before being dropped into the reserve unit. Over the course of the season, Rivers minutes fluctuated up and down to meet the needs of the team, with guys like Eric Gordon missing through injury.

The biggest struggle Austin had in his transition into the professional game was his offensive consistency.  In 61 total games, Rivers shot an abysmal 37-32-54 from the floor and never managed to find the link-up play with Anthony Davis that New Orleans had been hoping for when they drafted the young duo.

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Rivers showed relative improvement in his second season, playing 79 percent of his minutes at the point guard position (compared to only seven percent in his first season) and although his minutes took a slight dip, Austin seemed to be far more comfortable in a role coming off the bench. He posted career highs across the board with 7.7 points, 2.3 assists and 1.9 rebounds, as well as shooting 40-36-63 from the field. Still not nearly as consistent as everyone had hoped, but an improvement nonetheless.

Going into his third season there were rumours swirling that this might be Rivers’ last chance to prove himself with the Pelicans before they would look to move on from, which they did at around the half way point of the season.

Austin was traded to the Boston Celtics and then three days later, as part of a multi-team deal, joined Doc Rivers and the LA Clippers, becoming the first ever father-son team in NBA history.

In 165 games with New Orleans, Rivers averaged 6.9 points, 2.3 assists and 1.9 rebounds, which many (especially Pelicans fans) viewed as a “bust”.

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