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Doron Lamb was Kentucky’s unassuming star

spt-120403-doronlamb

Mike Miller

NEW ORLEANS - Doron Lamb may have finished with a game-high 22 points -- including a pair of massive threes midway through the second half -- but there was one member of the Kentucky program that wasn’t satisfied with that performance.

John Calipari.

“At the shoot‑around when I watched him, I said he’d get 30 tonight. I’m a little disappointed he only got 22,” he said with a smile after the game.

Sarcasm aside, Lamb’s performance is the perfect example of what made this Kentucky team so intriguing to watch and follow this season. Lamb was a talented scorer, a versatile guard that was one of the most dangerous shooters in the country this year. On most other teams, he would have been the star.

But on Kentucky, he was just another player. I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that he was the least-talked about member of the Wildcat rotation. Think about it. Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist are freshmen and heading to the top five of the NBA Draft. Terrence Jones was the primadonna-turned-glue guy. Marquis Teague was this year’s freshman point guard. Darius Miller was the senior that went from the NIT in his first year to the national title in his last.

There is nothing all that unique and compelling about Lamb’s game. He’s a decent NBA prospect, but not anything close to the level of Davis. He’s a good college player, but he’s not the kind of guy you have to tune in to see play. He’s not flashy or overly athletic. He’s not going to be making appearances on Sportscenter’s top 10 that often. He just goes out and does his job.

So it’s fitting. On a night where he was Kentucky’s biggest weapon offensively, his performance is almost an afterthought.