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12-09-2003, 11:59 PM
http://www.nba.com/milk_rookie/rookie_rankings_031208.html
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While LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony continue to prove they're superstars in the making, rookies elsewhere are getting increased playing time and the chance to produce. Josh Howard with Dallas and Chris Kaman with the L.A. Clippers are two notables who are thriving while replacing their teams' injured starters. Take a closer look at these and other first-years as NBA.com ranks the top 10 rookies.
1. LeBron James, Cavaliers (No. 1 pick in 2003 Draft)
Key Stats: 20 GP, 16.5 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 6.4 apg, 1.30 spg, 40.0 mpg
Breakdown: Big minutes may be taking a toll -- Young James ranks fifth in the NBA in minutes per game, and he is coming off his worst back-to-back shooting games of the season, scoring four points (2-of-13) against the L.A. Clippers and eight (4-of-12) versus Atlanta. Win over Hawks halted eight-game losing streak for Cleveland.
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Toronto's Chris Bosh hauled in a rookie-season-high 16 boards on Sunday against Seattle.
Ron Turenne/NBAE/Getty Images
2. Carmelo Anthony, Nuggets (No. 3)
Key Stats: 20 GP, 18.8 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 3.1 apg, 1.25 spg, 35.3 mpg
Breakdown: Terrific week for Anthony as he led the Nugs to a 3-1 record -- including a 115-103 victory over James' Cavaliers -- averaging 24.3 points on .476 shooting. At 13-7 overall, Denver remains tied with Dallas for first in the Midwest.
3. Chris Bosh, Raptors (No. 4)
Key Stats: 20 GP, 11.6 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 1.65 bpg, .483 FG%, 32.6 mpg
Breakdown: Thriving in the new and improved Raptors rotation, posting his best game of the season (22 points, 16 boards) against Seattle on Sunday to conclude a week where he averaged 14.8 ppg and 10.5 rpg and helped Toronto to a 4-0 record. Commented Vince Carter, "You talk about guys like LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony stepping up, but Chris Bosh is right there."
4. Dwyane Wade, Heat (No. 5)
Key Stats: 18 GP, 14.1 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 4.2 apg, 1.39 spg, 35.7 mpg
Breakdown: Recorded an efficient 13.3 ppg over three games last week, shooting 22-of-41 (.537) from the field overall, and has been enjoying increased time at his natural position of shooting guard. ''My eyes light up when that lineup comes in," Wade told the Miami Herald, "knowing that I could take it myself and knowing that there are other guys around me that can take it off the dribble.''
5. T.J. Ford, Bucks (No. 8)
Key Stats: 19 GP, 6.5 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 6.2 apg, 27.1 mpg
Breakdown: Best effort yet couldn't lift Bucks to a victory over Washington on Saturday as Ford posted season-highs of 16 points, 12 assists and three steals in 44 minutes. His 7-of-14 (.500) field-goal shooting against the Wiz also ended a woeful four-game stretch where he'd hit just 2-of-21 (.095).
6. Jarvis Hayes, Wizards (No. 10)
Key Stats: 18 GP, 11.2 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 1.37 spg, 34.6 mpg
Breakdown: Wizards are just 2-6 over their last eight games, and Hayes is simply not as consistent offensively compared to the first two weeks of the season. Not counting his 22-point performance against the Lakers on Nov. 26, he is averaging just 5.9 ppg on 21-of-79 (.266) shooting since Nov. 19.
7. Raul Lopez, Jazz (No. 24, 2001 Draft)
Key Stats: 19 GP, 7.5 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 4.3 apg, 21.6 mpg
Breakdown: Played through a sprained ankle last week to post back-to-back nine-assist games -- season-highs -- against Houston and the L.A. Clippers. "He didn't look like he had a sprained ankle," lauded Utah coach Jerry Sloan in the Deseret News. "He came right back. He's amazing. He really wants to play basketball." Lopez's 82 total assists on the season put him third among rookies behind only James and Ford.
8. Chris Kaman, Clippers (No. 6)
Key Stats: 16 GP, 6.9 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 19.4 mpg
Breakdown: Chris Wilcox is the latest Clipper to go down with an injury, and Kaman has gotten the minutes to produce. Averaging 32.4 minutes over four games last week, Kaman made quality contributions, posting 12.3 ppg, 10.5 rpg and 1.75 bpg. "For a young guy he rebounds so well in traffic, and he gives us some really good offense at times," commented coach Mike Dunleavy on Clippers.com. "There is no substitute for size and energy, and he has both.”
9. Josh Howard, Mavericks (No. 29)
Key Stats: 16 GP, 6.4 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 0.94 spg, 15.9 mpg
Breakdown: With Dirk Nowitzki continuing to sit out with his ankle injury, Howard is logging big minutes, and he got his second start of the season against Orlando on Saturday, posting 13 points and eight boards. Over three games last week overall, the 6-7 forward averaged 9.3 points, 10.7 rebounds and 27.0 minutes.
10. Udonis Haslem, Heat (Undrafted)
Key Stats: 20 GP, 7.4 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 1.1 apg, 29.0 mpg
Breakdown: Has become an afterthought of late in the Miami rotation, losing his starting job to Loren Woods and posting a total of 16 points and 21 rebounds over the Heat's last five games.
Honorable mention: Marcus Banks, Boris Diaw, Kirk Hinrich, Luke Ridnour
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My boy Lopez staying stron at #7!
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While LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony continue to prove they're superstars in the making, rookies elsewhere are getting increased playing time and the chance to produce. Josh Howard with Dallas and Chris Kaman with the L.A. Clippers are two notables who are thriving while replacing their teams' injured starters. Take a closer look at these and other first-years as NBA.com ranks the top 10 rookies.
1. LeBron James, Cavaliers (No. 1 pick in 2003 Draft)
Key Stats: 20 GP, 16.5 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 6.4 apg, 1.30 spg, 40.0 mpg
Breakdown: Big minutes may be taking a toll -- Young James ranks fifth in the NBA in minutes per game, and he is coming off his worst back-to-back shooting games of the season, scoring four points (2-of-13) against the L.A. Clippers and eight (4-of-12) versus Atlanta. Win over Hawks halted eight-game losing streak for Cleveland.
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Toronto's Chris Bosh hauled in a rookie-season-high 16 boards on Sunday against Seattle.
Ron Turenne/NBAE/Getty Images
2. Carmelo Anthony, Nuggets (No. 3)
Key Stats: 20 GP, 18.8 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 3.1 apg, 1.25 spg, 35.3 mpg
Breakdown: Terrific week for Anthony as he led the Nugs to a 3-1 record -- including a 115-103 victory over James' Cavaliers -- averaging 24.3 points on .476 shooting. At 13-7 overall, Denver remains tied with Dallas for first in the Midwest.
3. Chris Bosh, Raptors (No. 4)
Key Stats: 20 GP, 11.6 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 1.65 bpg, .483 FG%, 32.6 mpg
Breakdown: Thriving in the new and improved Raptors rotation, posting his best game of the season (22 points, 16 boards) against Seattle on Sunday to conclude a week where he averaged 14.8 ppg and 10.5 rpg and helped Toronto to a 4-0 record. Commented Vince Carter, "You talk about guys like LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony stepping up, but Chris Bosh is right there."
4. Dwyane Wade, Heat (No. 5)
Key Stats: 18 GP, 14.1 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 4.2 apg, 1.39 spg, 35.7 mpg
Breakdown: Recorded an efficient 13.3 ppg over three games last week, shooting 22-of-41 (.537) from the field overall, and has been enjoying increased time at his natural position of shooting guard. ''My eyes light up when that lineup comes in," Wade told the Miami Herald, "knowing that I could take it myself and knowing that there are other guys around me that can take it off the dribble.''
5. T.J. Ford, Bucks (No. 8)
Key Stats: 19 GP, 6.5 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 6.2 apg, 27.1 mpg
Breakdown: Best effort yet couldn't lift Bucks to a victory over Washington on Saturday as Ford posted season-highs of 16 points, 12 assists and three steals in 44 minutes. His 7-of-14 (.500) field-goal shooting against the Wiz also ended a woeful four-game stretch where he'd hit just 2-of-21 (.095).
6. Jarvis Hayes, Wizards (No. 10)
Key Stats: 18 GP, 11.2 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 1.37 spg, 34.6 mpg
Breakdown: Wizards are just 2-6 over their last eight games, and Hayes is simply not as consistent offensively compared to the first two weeks of the season. Not counting his 22-point performance against the Lakers on Nov. 26, he is averaging just 5.9 ppg on 21-of-79 (.266) shooting since Nov. 19.
7. Raul Lopez, Jazz (No. 24, 2001 Draft)
Key Stats: 19 GP, 7.5 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 4.3 apg, 21.6 mpg
Breakdown: Played through a sprained ankle last week to post back-to-back nine-assist games -- season-highs -- against Houston and the L.A. Clippers. "He didn't look like he had a sprained ankle," lauded Utah coach Jerry Sloan in the Deseret News. "He came right back. He's amazing. He really wants to play basketball." Lopez's 82 total assists on the season put him third among rookies behind only James and Ford.
8. Chris Kaman, Clippers (No. 6)
Key Stats: 16 GP, 6.9 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 19.4 mpg
Breakdown: Chris Wilcox is the latest Clipper to go down with an injury, and Kaman has gotten the minutes to produce. Averaging 32.4 minutes over four games last week, Kaman made quality contributions, posting 12.3 ppg, 10.5 rpg and 1.75 bpg. "For a young guy he rebounds so well in traffic, and he gives us some really good offense at times," commented coach Mike Dunleavy on Clippers.com. "There is no substitute for size and energy, and he has both.”
9. Josh Howard, Mavericks (No. 29)
Key Stats: 16 GP, 6.4 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 0.94 spg, 15.9 mpg
Breakdown: With Dirk Nowitzki continuing to sit out with his ankle injury, Howard is logging big minutes, and he got his second start of the season against Orlando on Saturday, posting 13 points and eight boards. Over three games last week overall, the 6-7 forward averaged 9.3 points, 10.7 rebounds and 27.0 minutes.
10. Udonis Haslem, Heat (Undrafted)
Key Stats: 20 GP, 7.4 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 1.1 apg, 29.0 mpg
Breakdown: Has become an afterthought of late in the Miami rotation, losing his starting job to Loren Woods and posting a total of 16 points and 21 rebounds over the Heat's last five games.
Honorable mention: Marcus Banks, Boris Diaw, Kirk Hinrich, Luke Ridnour
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My boy Lopez staying stron at #7!