Catching Up with the 'Cats: Foye & Lowry are heating up

Randy Foye

Who says pros don't pay attention to the record books? As the end of the NBA season quickly approaches, Randy Foye seeks to make this season a memorable one. We reported last week that Randy only needed to connect on 19 more long bombs to vault him atop the Denver Nuggets' single-season record for most three pointers in the season.

Well, that information must have been passed on to Foye. The guard out of Villanova exploded for three consecutive games of 20 points or more. In a home contest against the Houston Rockets, Foye put up a huge stat line: 30 points on 6-10 shooting form deep, 15 assists, and 5 rebounds. Check out some of his highlights below:

Randy Foye Explodes for 30 Points and 15 Assists Against the Rockets (via NBA)

He followed up that performance with an all-around solid effort of 20 points, 7 assists, and 7 rebounds against the Golden State Warriors. He also picked up NBA.com's Assist of the Night:

Assist of the Night: Randy Foye (April 10th 2014) (via Nathaniel Buen Emaas)

As if that wasn't enough, Foye contributed another 26 points (9-9 from the charity stripe) and 6 assists in a win over the Utah Jazz.

During that three game stretch, Randy averaged a scorching 25 points, 9 assists, and 6 rebounds per contest. Most importantly, he totaled 13 three pointers, cutting the deficit between him and first place in the record books to a mere 6 connections from downtown.

Tuesday night however, in a prime match-up against the Los Angeles Clippers, Foye laid an egg. He launched seven attempts from beyond the arc and missed on all of them. Bummer. On Wednesday night against the Golden State Warriors, Foye will have his last chance. Let's hope he channels his inner Steph Curry!

You may notice from those highlights that Foye has developed a propensity to throw the lob to a certain "Manimal." NBA.com notes that Randy took on a big brother type of role with his teammate Kenneth Faried, a fellow New Jersey native. Foye comments that "Kenneth is learning every single day. We have built a relationship....on the court [where] I can get on him and he responds the next play. And if I'm not doing something, he can say something to me. We're building chemistry."

This link on the court bodes well for Foye's future with the Nuggets, as Denver considers Faried to be one of the building blocks for the franchise. And if it leads to more highlight plays? Well, that's the type of connection 'Nova fans can get behind.

Kyle Lowry

Kyle Lowry returned to the court week with a vengeance. After spending three games on the bench with a knee bruise, the seven year veteran out of Villanova torched his next four opponents. Statistically, his best night came in a homecoming contest against the Philadelphia 76ers; Lowry netted an impressive 29 points (9-9 from free throws) and added an additional 8 assists and 5 rebounds.

But the Raptors win over the hapless Sixers marked just the beginning of a stellar week. Over the next three games, Lowry would continue his torrid pace with totals of 25, 28, and 24 points. On average over the past week, Lowry averaged 25 points, 5 dimes, and 4 rebounds.

He also made sure to leave his impact on the defensive end as well:

Steal of the Night:Kyle Lowry (April 13th 2014) (via Nathaniel Buen Emaas)

With their win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday night, the Raptors notched their now franchise best 48th win of the season. They control their destiny in the Eastern Conference playoff race; a win over the New York Knicks would lock up the third seed and set up a very winnable first round match-up with the Washington Wizards.

The success of Tornoto's season and the impact of Lowry's dynamism isn't lost among those paying attention to the team North of the border. Eric Koreen, a writer for the Canadian National Post, wrote a very flattering piece regarding the brilliance of Lowry's play the season. Among some of the amazing statistics include his 11.2 win shares, a figure that places him eighth in the league. Additionally, Lowry currently boasts a plus-20 PER.

DeMar Derozan appreciates what Lowry brought to the table during the regular season. "We go off of him," DeRozan said. "If you see your smallest guy on the court going in there for offensive rebounds, going in there for strips, doing all of the dirty work, you feel like you're not doing something and you've got to step up a little bit. It definitely rubs off on us."

Fans of Villanova during the 2005 and 2006 team are very familiar with the grit and hustle Lowry puts into the game. And it seems like the league is just catching on. It's been a pleasure following the man during the regular season, and I can't wait to see what he does in the playoffs.

Dante Cunningham

No new information has emerged out of Minnesota since. For those new to the situation, Dante was arrested for domestic violence in his home in Minneapolis. Then, two days later, Dante was arrested for a second time on "suspicion of terroristic threats." In a statement to the media, Cunningham apologized for his actions that "have unintentionally placed his teammates and the organization in a challenging position. "He has yet to comment further on the arrests due to the "legal process."

While figuring out his issues off the court must be the number one priority, it is worth noting that Cunningham managed to register 20 points and 13 rebounds in 42 minutes as the Timberwolves took down the Rockets. It marked his second double-double of the season. Assuming he can get his personal life in order, Dante continues to prove that he is able to contribute effectively when given the chance.

Maalik Wayns

As the Rio Grande Valley Vipers get set to start their playoff campaign, Maalik Wayns remains sidelined with an apparent knee injury. He hasn't played in a game for since March 21st. Hopefully, the Vipers' coaching staff has been saving their speedy guard for the playoffs. They open the D-League playoffs with a match-up against the Santa Cruz Warriors.

As he waits for the recovery process to run its course, Wayns found himself in Philly cheering on his hometown team:

@MaalikWayns2 here at Donofrio Classic cheering on Team Philly.

— inRecruit (@inRecruit) April 11, 2014

Maurice Sutton

It's officially the end of the season for Mo' Sutton, who played his last game on April 5th; Sutton only logged 4 minutes and 2 points in the finale. The Tulsa 66ers will not be participating in the D-League playoffs. They finished with a 24 and 26 record, good for fifth in the Central Division.

Looking back on the season, Sutton certainly made some noise during multiple games. The center averaged 7 points, 5 rebounds, and over a block a game; he turned in five double-doubles as well. Unfortunately for those rooting for the big man, Sutton was plagued by foul trouble and erratic play from game to game. Consequently, he was unable to establish himself as a center NBA teams should target. If he works on his consistency over the summer, he could turn into a prospect to be called up.

Thanks for reading everyone!