Oct. 19, 2017
By Andrew Clausen
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Marcus Georges-Hunt makes the final Timberwolves roster spot … Thaddeus Young drops a double-double in his season opener … Derrick Favors scores 14 points in his opening-night victory … Jarrett Jack returns to active duty for the New York Knicks to give the Yellow Jackets five alumni on opening-night rosters … All of that and more can be found in this week’s Georgia Tech #ProJackets Basketball Report.
Derrick Favors began his eighth year with the Utah Jazz as they opened up the 2017-18 campaign with a 106-96 win over the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night. Favors started for the Jazz and finished with 14 points on 7-of-14 shooting, while also grabbing four rebounds and handing out four assists in 28 minutes of action. After missing more than 30 regular season games last year, Favors is looking to return to form, being “in a much better place” mentally and physically than he says he was last year.
Marcus Georges-Hunt earned the final spot on the opening night roster for the Minnesota Timberwolves after singing an unguaranteed contract on Aug. 11. Georges-Hunt did not see action in the Wolves’ 107-99 season-opening loss to the San Antonio Spurs.
Jarrett Jack made the opening night roster for the New York Knicks. The Knicks begin the 2017-18 season on Saturday, Oct. 21 against the Oklahoma City Thunder at 8 p.m. ET on TNT. The guard signed with New York on Sept. 15 after playing in two contests for the New Orleans Pelicans last season and is looking to be veteran voice in a relatively young Knick locker room.
Iman Shumpert and the Cleveland Cavaliers opened the 2017-18 season on national TV when they played the Boston Celtics in Quicken Loans Arena on Tuesday night. Coming off a sprained ankle that limited his practice for 10 days, Shumpert contributed just under 13 minutes for the new-look Cavs that lost Kyrie Irving to the Celtics and gained Dwayne Wade from the Bulls. Despite three personal fouls, Shumpert went 2-for-3 from the field, grabbing two rebounds and making one steal.
Thaddeus Young entered his second year with the Indiana Pacers and helped lead them on opening night to a 140-131 victory over the Brooklyn Nets with a double-double. Young finished with an impressive 17 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks in 33 minutes for the Pacers on the night. After missing eight games last season due to a wrist injury, Young hopes to remain healthy this season in order to take on a greater role as a leader with the Pacers this season.
