Well, I promised my faithful readers (Hi, mom!) that I would give my breakdown of the upcoming Rookie Challenge (Friday, 9 p.m., TNT), so here goes. My heart is with the rookies (how can it not be when I'm writing about them every week?), but I have to admit, this looks to be a daunting task in the Big Easy. The sophomores have won the past five years, and unless the rookies play a perfect game, it looks like a sixth straight L. The sophomores have a solid trio in first-time All-Star Brandon Roy, Grizzlies leading scorer Rudy Gay and Portland big man LaMarcus Aldridge. Point guard Rajon Rondo has proven, especially over the last few games, to be a reliable point guard for the Celtics. And the bench should be deep with Utah's Ronnie Brewer, Toronto's Andrea Bargnani and the Lakers' Jordan Farmar providing scoring. Still, don't count out the rookies quite yet. They certainly have the talent and depth to win this glorified pickup game. Unfortunately, their strength is in their defense (shot-blocker Sean Williams, Jamario Moon and Al Horford, specifically), but there's rarely any defense played in these games, so the onus will be on the scorers. Unfortunately again for the rookies, the sophomores have the edge on the offensive end. Looking at the rookie roster, Kevin Durant is the only true scorer (Al Thornton could have helped, no doubt), and he'll get his points, but who else will step up? Can Juan Carlos Navarro hit the open three-pointers he'll certainly see? Can Yi Jianlian break out with millions of Chinese fans watching? Will the game be the start of a big weekend for Moon, who will also get a chance to shine the next night in the Dunk Contest? We'll find out Friday night, and you can bet I'll be paying close attention. And if you know of a good bar in Atlanta to watch the game, let me know and we can share a drink. (Send comments, complaints or hype for your favorite rookie to Drew Packham at drew.packham@turner.com.) | NBA Rookie Rankings |
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Durant is getting more and more credit for his play on the defensive end. Maybe that's what happens when your offensive numbers are dipping and your team is struggling. Durant had a subpar week, averaging 15.3 points on 15-for-39 shooting from the field (a 2-for-12 game Saturday didn't help matters). Still, Durant's shot selection has improved (he's only taken three three-pointers in his last five games) and his perimeter defense has helped keep the Sonics in games.
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With Kobe Bryant and the Lakers in town, Horford showed the hometown fans (who were outnumbered 80-20, according to some) the team's future is in good hands. In the Hawks' emotional win over the Lakers, the former Gator had 15 points and 20 rebounds -- the first 20-rebound game by a Hawk since Alan Henderson on Nov. 26, 2002. The performance prompted one Atlanta columnist to call him the team's "third-best player" (better than Marvin Williams) and another to tout him for Rookie of the Year honors. The work Horford's quietly doing on the boards is certainly closing the gap between him and Durant.
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Well, being that I'm a self-proclaimed rookie homer, here's hoping Moon will be reigning Dunk Contest champion at this time next week. Being a former Harlem Globetrotter, the well-traveled Moon might have a few tricks up his sleeve. In this interview with NBA.com, Moon discusses his preparations for the contest. If you want a sneak peak, check out this video, which just happens to get turned away before Moon's so-called "finale."
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Keep an eye on Scola, who jammed a finger on his left hand during Saturday's win over the Hawks. The Argentine went to the bench in the third quarter and did not return. You can bet the Rockets -- no strangers to dealing with injuries this season (read: Tracy McGrady) -- are holding their breath. Scola has been a solid starter for the Rockets in the first half of the season, averaging 11.7 points and 8.0 rebounds per game.
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With the return of Nenad Krstic, Williams lost his starting job, but still showed his value to New Jersey. The struggling Nets finished the week with back-to-back wins (including a rout of the Mavs) and the rookie out of BC came up big. In the two games, he averaged 13.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks. "I'm more suited to coming off the bench and bringing energy and more production," Williams told The Newark Star-Ledger after helping hold Dirk Nowitzki to a 4-for-16 shooting night. "It just feels a lot better."
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It's no secret the Clippers rookie was disappointed to be left out of the Rookie Challenge ... and he's letting his play do the talking. In four games last week, Thornton averaged 13.0 points and 5.8 rebounds, including a 19-point, nine-rebound win to spark the short-handed Clips to a 102-98 win over the Raptors. "He's like our Energizer Bunny," Corey Maggette said of Thornton. "When he comes in in the fourth quarter, he really takes over the game." The rookies could use that energy against the sophomores, but at which player's expense?
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It's been a rough stretch for the Spaniard sharpshooter. Not only did Navarro lose his best friend (Pau Gasol) to the Lakers, he also found out he didn't make the Three-Point Shootout field as hoped. Instead, Kobe Bryant, a 35 percent shooter (74th league-wide) was chosen (Navarro is 37th with a 39 percent clip). Navarro's play on the court has faded, too, without Gasol around. In three games, all losses, Navarro shot just 6-for-21 from the field (3-for-10 from beyond the arc) and averaged 6.7 points (well below his season average of 10.6).
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In a recent interview, Sixers president and GM Ed Stefanski had some high praise for Young, who had another solid week, averaging 12.0 points and 6.8 rebounds while starting all four games. "You don't want to put too much pressure on a 19-year-old kid, but he shows glimpses of being able to score down low. He's an interesting character to see what happens next year. He's got big upside." Asked if he was surprised by Young's recent contributions, Stefanski continued: "No, it doesn't surprise me. I give a lot of credit to whoever his coaches and mentors were. He has excellent makeup to be a very good player in this league. I give credit to Mo [Cheeks] and his staff for getting this kid ready. It's easy to criticize coaches, but you also have to give them credit for getting two rookies ready to play in NBA games. They've done a nice job with both Jason [Smith] and Thaddeus."
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Yi's stock has dropped, thanks in large part to a shoulder injury that caused him to miss last week's first two games. Yi did return Saturday, but played just 14 minutes, scoring four points and grabbing five boards in the Bucks' 99-98 loss to the Knicks. Still, before the game, the Knicks were all speaking highly of the Chinese rookie. "He's got skills, he definitely looks like he belongs," Knicks forward Zach Randolph told the New York Daily News. "He definitely has a strong shot and he plays with confidence."
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After missing five games with a bruised chest, Conley returned and didn't skip a beat. In two games, the point guard out of Ohio State averaged 12 points, 4.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists while playing 33.5 minutes. Of course, the Grizzlies are in the midst of a six-game losing streak, so Conley will have to improve on those numbers to keep the Memphis fanbase happy. Considering how well Conley's bounced back from injuries in his rookie campaign, his numbers should only improve.
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Honorable mention: Jeff Green, Sonics (15 points and seven rebounds in two games); Glen Davis, Celtics (nine points, eight rebounds Sunday in win over Spurs); Carl Landry, Rockets (3 games, 7.7 ppg, 5.3 rpg) |
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