Grayson Allen has been hobbled of late, and coming into Saturday we hadn't truly seen the guy that many people picked to win National Player of the Year.
That changed vs. UNLV.
Allen put together his very own highlight reel in Duke's 94-45 cakewalk against the completely outgunned Rebels, finishing with a career-high 34 points, two of which came on, well, this ...
That might be the dunk of the year so far.
Allen had been battling a toe injury that has lingered off and on this season. He did not play in the Blue Devils' previous game against Maine, but it appears he's back as close to 100 percent as we've seen him all season. Check out the explosiveness he shows here to charge all the way from outside the arc to finish this putback with force.
With his injury that has been nagging him, the explosiveness and burst have been the missing ingredients to his game. That's what makes him the dynamic player he is. It has greatly affected how he has been able to finish around the rim, most notably. But what a difference it made being back to close to full health.
Additionally, his shooting received a considerable boost. Allen went 12 for 16 from the floor, and his 3-point shot, which has been, understandably, semi-erratic this year, looked to be back to its true form; he went 6 for 9 from beyond the arc. That's what can happen when you're not favoring an injury.
This was more than the stats, too. Watching Grayson Allen, he looked back to his old self. Aggressive but comfortable. Athletic. Springy. If this guy is going to be this kind of player -- which there is every reason to think he will be -- how will anyone be able to deal with this Duke team as it continues to get healthy?
