Top Rookie Performances This Season
Aug 2, 2015 16:17:02 GMT -6
London, Madrid, and 2 more like this
Post by New York on Aug 2, 2015 16:17:02 GMT -6
I was working on a Rookie Ranking article which will be out later and got side tracked when I was looking at some of the top performances from these rookies. So I decided that i'd turn it into an article to go along with the rookie ranking. I decided to use the Game Score statistic to rank these and then look at the 20 highest scoring performances under that metric. So let's get into it and look at the:
Top Rookie Performances This Season
Top Rookie Performances This Season
*Pre-Season games were included to increase the pool of games we could potentially look at*
(20)
Nene Hilario: December 31st vs. Buenos Aires Boca Juniors BC
(19)
Amare Stoudemire: December 28th vs. Washington Bullets
(18/17)
Dwight Howard: January 12th vs. Toronto Raptors
(17/18)
Mike Dunleavy Jr.: December 12th vs. Philadelphia 76ers
(16)
Amare Stoudemire: November 27th vs. Olympia Milano
(15)
Carmelo Anthony: January 11th vs. Chicago Bulls
(14/13)
Amare Stoudemire: December 11th vs. Boston Celtics
(13/14)
Leandro Barbosa: October 28th vs. Detroit Pistons
(12)
Brandon Roy: November 20th vs. Olympia Milano
(11)
Nene Hilario; January 18th vs. Sydney Kings
Nene Hilario: December 31st vs. Buenos Aires Boca Juniors BC
Appearance: 1
Main Matchup: Rashard Lewis
Box Score: Boca Juniors @ Detroit
The #10 pick in this year's draft, Nene Hilario kicks off the list at #20 with an efficient 28 PTS - 9 REB - 3 AST- 1 STL game. At 6'11 he has the ability to play both big man positions but despite that he was looked at as a reach in the draft at #10. However his early season performance has silenced the doubters, with this game being one of his best. In a super competitive game he was matched up with highly touted prospect Rashard Lewis of Boca Juniors who put up 17 PTS - 5 REB - 1 STL - 2 BLK. I'd say despite the impress game from him, Nene got the better of the head to head matchup. His minutes may have been inflated but you can't argue with the efficiency. If he can keep this up then there is no argument that he was worth the top 10 pick used to acquire him.
Main Matchup: Rashard Lewis
Box Score: Boca Juniors @ Detroit
The #10 pick in this year's draft, Nene Hilario kicks off the list at #20 with an efficient 28 PTS - 9 REB - 3 AST- 1 STL game. At 6'11 he has the ability to play both big man positions but despite that he was looked at as a reach in the draft at #10. However his early season performance has silenced the doubters, with this game being one of his best. In a super competitive game he was matched up with highly touted prospect Rashard Lewis of Boca Juniors who put up 17 PTS - 5 REB - 1 STL - 2 BLK. I'd say despite the impress game from him, Nene got the better of the head to head matchup. His minutes may have been inflated but you can't argue with the efficiency. If he can keep this up then there is no argument that he was worth the top 10 pick used to acquire him.
(19)
Amare Stoudemire: December 28th vs. Washington Bullets
Appearance: 1
Main Matchup: Dominique Wilkins
Box Score: 76ers @ Washington
So i'll let you in on a little secret, Amare Stoudemire can score. I know it's a shocker, right? His scoring was on full display here as he put up 34 points in only 33 minutes. What makes this even more impressive is that he was matched up with one of the greatest scorers in league history in Dominique Wilkins and he held his own. Nique did put up 43 points in 40 minutes which highlights Amare's defensive woes as does his five fouls and 0 blocks and steals but you can't ignore his ability to score the ball. No one was able to slow him down in this game besides himself and if he can add some defensive ability to his top tier scoring then the 76ers have a star on their hands.
Main Matchup: Dominique Wilkins
Box Score: 76ers @ Washington
So i'll let you in on a little secret, Amare Stoudemire can score. I know it's a shocker, right? His scoring was on full display here as he put up 34 points in only 33 minutes. What makes this even more impressive is that he was matched up with one of the greatest scorers in league history in Dominique Wilkins and he held his own. Nique did put up 43 points in 40 minutes which highlights Amare's defensive woes as does his five fouls and 0 blocks and steals but you can't ignore his ability to score the ball. No one was able to slow him down in this game besides himself and if he can add some defensive ability to his top tier scoring then the 76ers have a star on their hands.
(18/17)
Dwight Howard: January 12th vs. Toronto Raptors
Appearance: 1
Main Matchup: Zydrunas Ilgauskas
Box Score: Raptors @ Philadelphia
Speaking of the 76ers, the other big man they drafted, Dwight Howard makes his first appearance on this list at #18 . While he didn't fill up the score board as quick and effortlessly than Amar'e, he had a more complete game against the Raptors. Interestingly enough, the big man that the Dwight Howard was matched up against was former 76ers big man "Big Z" Zydrunas Ilgauskas. While the Raptors won this game, it wasn't because of Big Z who shot 3 for 11 from the field for 8 PTS - 10 REB - 4 FLS - 4 TOV in his head to head matchup with Dwight. Dwight on the other hand had a double--double with an efficient 25 PTS & 10 REB while also adding 4 BLK and 1 STL. Hank Gathers outplaying Amare Stoudemire and Allen Iverson torching Dajuan Wagner made this an uphill battle for the team but Dwight's performance was promising. With some time the C/PF combo that this team has could be up there with the best in the league.
Main Matchup: Zydrunas Ilgauskas
Box Score: Raptors @ Philadelphia
Speaking of the 76ers, the other big man they drafted, Dwight Howard makes his first appearance on this list at #18 . While he didn't fill up the score board as quick and effortlessly than Amar'e, he had a more complete game against the Raptors. Interestingly enough, the big man that the Dwight Howard was matched up against was former 76ers big man "Big Z" Zydrunas Ilgauskas. While the Raptors won this game, it wasn't because of Big Z who shot 3 for 11 from the field for 8 PTS - 10 REB - 4 FLS - 4 TOV in his head to head matchup with Dwight. Dwight on the other hand had a double--double with an efficient 25 PTS & 10 REB while also adding 4 BLK and 1 STL. Hank Gathers outplaying Amare Stoudemire and Allen Iverson torching Dajuan Wagner made this an uphill battle for the team but Dwight's performance was promising. With some time the C/PF combo that this team has could be up there with the best in the league.
(17/18)
Mike Dunleavy Jr.: December 12th vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Appearance: 1
Main Matchup: Danny Ainge
Box Score: Boca Juniors BC @ Philadelphia
Man the 76ers are a popular team in this article. First Amar'e Stoudemire was highlighted, then Dwight Howard was highlighted and now Mike Dunleavy Jr. performance against them lands in the #17 spots. The first non-lotto pick on the list, Buenos Aires' Mike Dunleavy Jr. has been an excellent pick up. Top 5 in PPG among rookies, top 6 in Value Added it can be argued that at the 24th pick that is a steal. A marksmen from downtown he showcased that here going 4 for 5 from long range for 12 of his 28 points. He scored at will on Danny Ainge (he would do the same a month later in a rematch where he scored 31 points) and held him to 5 points on pitiful shooting percentages. If his play as a rookie is any indication he won't have any trouble putting the ball into the basket and with improved defense he could develop into a long term starter on a winning team.
Main Matchup: Danny Ainge
Box Score: Boca Juniors BC @ Philadelphia
Man the 76ers are a popular team in this article. First Amar'e Stoudemire was highlighted, then Dwight Howard was highlighted and now Mike Dunleavy Jr. performance against them lands in the #17 spots. The first non-lotto pick on the list, Buenos Aires' Mike Dunleavy Jr. has been an excellent pick up. Top 5 in PPG among rookies, top 6 in Value Added it can be argued that at the 24th pick that is a steal. A marksmen from downtown he showcased that here going 4 for 5 from long range for 12 of his 28 points. He scored at will on Danny Ainge (he would do the same a month later in a rematch where he scored 31 points) and held him to 5 points on pitiful shooting percentages. If his play as a rookie is any indication he won't have any trouble putting the ball into the basket and with improved defense he could develop into a long term starter on a winning team.
(16)
Amare Stoudemire: November 27th vs. Olympia Milano
Appearance: 2
Main Matchup: Wayman Tisdale
Box Score: 76ers @ Olympia
Another entry, another 76ers player makes the list. For the first time in the article we have a player making a second appearance on the ranking. Amare Stoudemire showed how effortlessly he can score when he put up 34 against Washington and in this matchup against Olympia it was more of the same. Matched up against another veteran scorer in Wayman Tisdale, he didn't disappoint putting up 32 PTS - 5 REB - 1 AST - 2 BLK to go against Wayman's 23 PTS - 10 REB - 2 AST - 1 STL . While it was debatable who got the best of the matchup against Dominique Wilkins, there is no debating he won this one especially when you consider that he led his team to a close win this time around.
Main Matchup: Wayman Tisdale
Box Score: 76ers @ Olympia
Another entry, another 76ers player makes the list. For the first time in the article we have a player making a second appearance on the ranking. Amare Stoudemire showed how effortlessly he can score when he put up 34 against Washington and in this matchup against Olympia it was more of the same. Matched up against another veteran scorer in Wayman Tisdale, he didn't disappoint putting up 32 PTS - 5 REB - 1 AST - 2 BLK to go against Wayman's 23 PTS - 10 REB - 2 AST - 1 STL . While it was debatable who got the best of the matchup against Dominique Wilkins, there is no debating he won this one especially when you consider that he led his team to a close win this time around.
(15)
Carmelo Anthony: January 11th vs. Chicago Bulls
Appearance: 1
Main Matchup: Julius Erving
Box Score Bulls @ Aoshen
A quarter of the way through the list we get the first appearance of the 2nd overall pick, Carmelo Anthony. Matched up with Bulls' legend, "Dr. J" Julius Erving we saw Melo more than hold his own despite his team coming up short in the end. While Dr. J put up 18 PTS - 10 AST - 6 REB - 2 BLK - 2 STL, he did it on 8-25 shooting. Melo was a lot more efficient and gave Beijing 29 PTS and added 9 REB, 2 AST, and 3 STL. Offensively Carmelo's potential is very similar to what Dr. J was over his career so this was an interesting matchup to see. I suspect that this is only the beginning of big performances for Carmelo Anthony and if i'm right, the Beijing Aoshen General Manager will be one happy guy.
Main Matchup: Julius Erving
Box Score Bulls @ Aoshen
A quarter of the way through the list we get the first appearance of the 2nd overall pick, Carmelo Anthony. Matched up with Bulls' legend, "Dr. J" Julius Erving we saw Melo more than hold his own despite his team coming up short in the end. While Dr. J put up 18 PTS - 10 AST - 6 REB - 2 BLK - 2 STL, he did it on 8-25 shooting. Melo was a lot more efficient and gave Beijing 29 PTS and added 9 REB, 2 AST, and 3 STL. Offensively Carmelo's potential is very similar to what Dr. J was over his career so this was an interesting matchup to see. I suspect that this is only the beginning of big performances for Carmelo Anthony and if i'm right, the Beijing Aoshen General Manager will be one happy guy.
(14/13)
Amare Stoudemire: December 11th vs. Boston Celtics
Appearance: 3
Main Matchup: Chris Webber
Box Score: 76ers @ Boston
Lets add another Amare Stoudemire appearance to the list. It's clear that this guy is one of the front runners for rookie of the year with how impressive he has been. People thought I was crazy when I said that I would've considered Amare as high as 2 in the past draft but so far he has made me look good. In this game against another star player in Chris Webber, Amare once again scored at will. Now he didn't put up the 30+ like his last two entries but i'd argue that this has been his most complete game so far on the list. On top of the 29 points he put up, he also added 11 rebounds, 3 assist and a block while only fouling twice. This is what the 76ers are hoping to get when Amare hits his prime. Webber was able to put up 28 points and for the most part had a pretty impressive game but he was kept off the boards which again is something you want to see Amare capable of doing. Like I said this may be a preview of things to come from prime Amare or just a tease, only time will tell but I think the odds are in his favor.
Main Matchup: Chris Webber
Box Score: 76ers @ Boston
Lets add another Amare Stoudemire appearance to the list. It's clear that this guy is one of the front runners for rookie of the year with how impressive he has been. People thought I was crazy when I said that I would've considered Amare as high as 2 in the past draft but so far he has made me look good. In this game against another star player in Chris Webber, Amare once again scored at will. Now he didn't put up the 30+ like his last two entries but i'd argue that this has been his most complete game so far on the list. On top of the 29 points he put up, he also added 11 rebounds, 3 assist and a block while only fouling twice. This is what the 76ers are hoping to get when Amare hits his prime. Webber was able to put up 28 points and for the most part had a pretty impressive game but he was kept off the boards which again is something you want to see Amare capable of doing. Like I said this may be a preview of things to come from prime Amare or just a tease, only time will tell but I think the odds are in his favor.
(13/14)
Leandro Barbosa: October 28th vs. Detroit Pistons
Appearance: 1
Main Matchup: Derek Harper
Box Score: Pistons @ Olympia
Sadly this was probably the crowing moment of the Brazilian Blur's season as he put on a long range show against the Detroit Pistons in the pre-season. Since the regular season started he has fallen out of favor with his coach who felt he didn't work hard enough in training camp. In this game though he was matched up with the 28 year old Derek Harper and absolutely torched him. He score 21 points off of 3-pointers, 6 from free throws, and 6 from inside the arc. On top of that he held Derek Harper to a total of 6 points for the game. He added 5 rebounds and 4 assist to his stat line to make things more impressive for the rookie. This may have just been an outlier but i'm sure the Milan GM is hoping that come next year he is able to work himself back into the rotation with performances like this.
Main Matchup: Derek Harper
Box Score: Pistons @ Olympia
Sadly this was probably the crowing moment of the Brazilian Blur's season as he put on a long range show against the Detroit Pistons in the pre-season. Since the regular season started he has fallen out of favor with his coach who felt he didn't work hard enough in training camp. In this game though he was matched up with the 28 year old Derek Harper and absolutely torched him. He score 21 points off of 3-pointers, 6 from free throws, and 6 from inside the arc. On top of that he held Derek Harper to a total of 6 points for the game. He added 5 rebounds and 4 assist to his stat line to make things more impressive for the rookie. This may have just been an outlier but i'm sure the Milan GM is hoping that come next year he is able to work himself back into the rotation with performances like this.
(12)
Brandon Roy: November 20th vs. Olympia Milano
Apperance: 1
Main Matchup: Darrell Griffith
Box Score: Maccabi @ Olympia
We've seen the #2, #3, and #4 picks so far on the list and now we've got Brandon Roy who was the 5th overall pick in the draft. Facing off against Darrell Griffith and Milano he was able to do a bit of everything and lead his team to a win. Holding Darrell Griffith to only 10 points, 2 REB, and 1 AST he shot an efficient 8 for 12 to give his team 21 PTS, 9 AST, 6 REB, and 2 STL. I wasn't a huge Brandon Roy fan at draft time but this is why he was taken, his versatility. He may never be a big time scorer but in his prime he should be capable of giving you 5 rebounds, 6-7 assist, and 2 steals to go along with whatever he scores. An excellent robin to someone's batman is what he projects to be and this game showed flashes of that.
Main Matchup: Darrell Griffith
Box Score: Maccabi @ Olympia
We've seen the #2, #3, and #4 picks so far on the list and now we've got Brandon Roy who was the 5th overall pick in the draft. Facing off against Darrell Griffith and Milano he was able to do a bit of everything and lead his team to a win. Holding Darrell Griffith to only 10 points, 2 REB, and 1 AST he shot an efficient 8 for 12 to give his team 21 PTS, 9 AST, 6 REB, and 2 STL. I wasn't a huge Brandon Roy fan at draft time but this is why he was taken, his versatility. He may never be a big time scorer but in his prime he should be capable of giving you 5 rebounds, 6-7 assist, and 2 steals to go along with whatever he scores. An excellent robin to someone's batman is what he projects to be and this game showed flashes of that.
(11)
Nene Hilario; January 18th vs. Sydney Kings
Appearance: 2
Main Match-up: Larry Johnson
Full Box Score: Pistons @ Kings
Nene Hilario finishes off the first half of the list with a big double-double game against the Sydney Kings. Matched up with 2x All-Star Larry Johnson these guys went back and forth with LJ pouring in 21 PTS - 10 REB - 6 AST - 1 BLK - 1 STL in 39 minutes to combat Nene's 29 PTS - 13 REB - 4 AST - 2 STL - 1 BLK. Originally looked at as a reach of a pick in this year's draft, i'd say two appearances in the top 10 helps change that perception of him. When you can say that as a rookie you went head to head with one of the league's most athletic scoring threats and arguably got the better of him then I'd say that you deserve to be highlighted.
Main Match-up: Larry Johnson
Full Box Score: Pistons @ Kings
Nene Hilario finishes off the first half of the list with a big double-double game against the Sydney Kings. Matched up with 2x All-Star Larry Johnson these guys went back and forth with LJ pouring in 21 PTS - 10 REB - 6 AST - 1 BLK - 1 STL in 39 minutes to combat Nene's 29 PTS - 13 REB - 4 AST - 2 STL - 1 BLK. Originally looked at as a reach of a pick in this year's draft, i'd say two appearances in the top 10 helps change that perception of him. When you can say that as a rookie you went head to head with one of the league's most athletic scoring threats and arguably got the better of him then I'd say that you deserve to be highlighted.
(10)
Nene Hilario: December 15th vs. Maccabi Tel Aviv
Appearance: 3
Main Matchup: Dirk Nowitzki
Box Score: Pistons @ Maccabi
Nene has definitely had a big presence on this list as he kicked off the top 20, ended the 20-11 rankings, and starts off the top 10. This time around he was matched up with former #6 pick, Dirk Nowitizki and they both had pretty good games. As you can see Nene had more of a big man game with 27 points - 11 rebounds - 2 assist - 1 block while Dirk had 25 points - 3 3-pointers made - 6 rebounds - 5 assist - 2 blocks. Definitely a fun one to look at and can definitely be debated who won the matchup but both clearly impressed. What impressed me most about Nene was his work on the offensive boards where he grabbed 7 offensive rebounds. Obviously that means he wasn't great on the defense boards but when you are creating that many second chances it's okay. He definitely deserves a thumbs up for his rookie performance so far this year. He should find a spot on the all rookie teams with his impressive play.
Main Matchup: Dirk Nowitzki
Box Score: Pistons @ Maccabi
Nene has definitely had a big presence on this list as he kicked off the top 20, ended the 20-11 rankings, and starts off the top 10. This time around he was matched up with former #6 pick, Dirk Nowitizki and they both had pretty good games. As you can see Nene had more of a big man game with 27 points - 11 rebounds - 2 assist - 1 block while Dirk had 25 points - 3 3-pointers made - 6 rebounds - 5 assist - 2 blocks. Definitely a fun one to look at and can definitely be debated who won the matchup but both clearly impressed. What impressed me most about Nene was his work on the offensive boards where he grabbed 7 offensive rebounds. Obviously that means he wasn't great on the defense boards but when you are creating that many second chances it's okay. He definitely deserves a thumbs up for his rookie performance so far this year. He should find a spot on the all rookie teams with his impressive play.
(9)
Danny Granger: October 21st vs. Sydney Kings
Appearance: 1
Main Matchup: Tom Chambers
Box Score: Knicks @ Kings
Danny Granger is a rookie that hasn't really gotten a chance to play much this year. Not because he lacks talent but because he is playing behind Elvin Hayes, Rick Barry, and Adrian Dantley while also sharing the bench with Earl Monroe and Walter Davis. The minutes and the PF, SF, and SG spots are not easy to come by but when he got a chance to showcase himself, he definitely impressed. He showed his efficient scoring in a higher volume as he put up 29 points on 19 shots and added 9 rebounds, 6 assist, 2 steals, and 2 blocks to give himself a pretty complete stat line. He did play a lot of minutes so that inflated his numbers but it's clear the talent is there with this guy. As he continues to develop he is expected to become a starter whether it be with the Knicks or with another team.
Main Matchup: Tom Chambers
Box Score: Knicks @ Kings
Danny Granger is a rookie that hasn't really gotten a chance to play much this year. Not because he lacks talent but because he is playing behind Elvin Hayes, Rick Barry, and Adrian Dantley while also sharing the bench with Earl Monroe and Walter Davis. The minutes and the PF, SF, and SG spots are not easy to come by but when he got a chance to showcase himself, he definitely impressed. He showed his efficient scoring in a higher volume as he put up 29 points on 19 shots and added 9 rebounds, 6 assist, 2 steals, and 2 blocks to give himself a pretty complete stat line. He did play a lot of minutes so that inflated his numbers but it's clear the talent is there with this guy. As he continues to develop he is expected to become a starter whether it be with the Knicks or with another team.
(8)
Lebron James: December 23rd vs. Buenos Aires Boca Juniors BC
Appearance: 1
Main Matchup: Mike Dunleavy Jr.
Box Score: REAL @ Buenos Aires
The first appearance of the #1 pick on the list as Lebron James performance back in December against Buenos Aires comes in at #8. This guy can pretty much do everything on the floor well which is what makes him so valuable. Take all the stuff I mentioned about Brandon Roy and turn it up a notch and you've got Lebron James. Here he had a near triple double with 25 points - 11 assist - 7 rebounds - 1 block in only 28 minutes from the shooting guard position. The most impressive thing was that he did it so efficiently with only 4 misses in 14 tries. He was matched up with the previously mentioned Mike Dunleavy and what was interesting about this match up was that it saw 6'8 and 6'9 Shooting Guards going at it which isn't common. Some were worried that Lebron wouldn't live up to the hype that came with his entrance into the league but I have to say he looks pretty damn good so far and I suspect he'll have many more games like this before his career is over.
Main Matchup: Mike Dunleavy Jr.
Box Score: REAL @ Buenos Aires
The first appearance of the #1 pick on the list as Lebron James performance back in December against Buenos Aires comes in at #8. This guy can pretty much do everything on the floor well which is what makes him so valuable. Take all the stuff I mentioned about Brandon Roy and turn it up a notch and you've got Lebron James. Here he had a near triple double with 25 points - 11 assist - 7 rebounds - 1 block in only 28 minutes from the shooting guard position. The most impressive thing was that he did it so efficiently with only 4 misses in 14 tries. He was matched up with the previously mentioned Mike Dunleavy and what was interesting about this match up was that it saw 6'8 and 6'9 Shooting Guards going at it which isn't common. Some were worried that Lebron wouldn't live up to the hype that came with his entrance into the league but I have to say he looks pretty damn good so far and I suspect he'll have many more games like this before his career is over.
(7)
Andre Iguodala: October 25th vs. Bayi Rockets
Appearance: 1
Main Matchup: Doug Christie
Box Score: Rockets @ Lakers
Much like the Granger entries, Iggy's mention(s) on this list weren't against the greatest competition but like I said that doesn't matter. There is no telling what he'd do if he got the opportunities he got in pre-season but with Ron Harper and of course the MVP Hakeem Olajuwon on his team, that's not a possibility. But he was the focal point this game and he didn't disappoint. Pouring in 37 points on 55% shooting is impressive but when you see that he added 3 steals, 6 assist, and 3 rebounds it becomes even more impressive. He has dealt with injury for the majority of this season but prior to going down he had a stretch where he was averaging a strong 15 point per game off the bench. This guy definitely has the potential to be a starter in the league but again much like Granger it'll come down to development and opportunity.
Main Matchup: Doug Christie
Box Score: Rockets @ Lakers
Much like the Granger entries, Iggy's mention(s) on this list weren't against the greatest competition but like I said that doesn't matter. There is no telling what he'd do if he got the opportunities he got in pre-season but with Ron Harper and of course the MVP Hakeem Olajuwon on his team, that's not a possibility. But he was the focal point this game and he didn't disappoint. Pouring in 37 points on 55% shooting is impressive but when you see that he added 3 steals, 6 assist, and 3 rebounds it becomes even more impressive. He has dealt with injury for the majority of this season but prior to going down he had a stretch where he was averaging a strong 15 point per game off the bench. This guy definitely has the potential to be a starter in the league but again much like Granger it'll come down to development and opportunity.
(6)
Danny Granger: October 28th vs. REAL Madrid
Appearance: 2
Main Matchup: Donyell Marshall
Box Score: REAL @ New York
Danny Granger makes his second and final appearance on the list with another big pre-season showing but this time against REAL Madrid. If this list factored in level of competition this may have been one of the performances to get cut but because it's not about that it comes in at #6. Again in heavy minutes, Granger had an efficient showing by shooting 13 of 19 to score 33 points. He also looked a lot better from long range here than he did in his last entry by scoring 6 points off of threes. Adding 7 rebounds and 5 assist was just icing on the cake. There isn't much to say but it'll be interesting when this guy gets more minutes in his career. I personally think he can be a very good scorer it's just the question of when he will get his opportunity.
Main Matchup: Donyell Marshall
Box Score: REAL @ New York
Danny Granger makes his second and final appearance on the list with another big pre-season showing but this time against REAL Madrid. If this list factored in level of competition this may have been one of the performances to get cut but because it's not about that it comes in at #6. Again in heavy minutes, Granger had an efficient showing by shooting 13 of 19 to score 33 points. He also looked a lot better from long range here than he did in his last entry by scoring 6 points off of threes. Adding 7 rebounds and 5 assist was just icing on the cake. There isn't much to say but it'll be interesting when this guy gets more minutes in his career. I personally think he can be a very good scorer it's just the question of when he will get his opportunity.
(5)
Brandon Roy: November 11th vs. Beijing Aoshen
Appearance: 2
Main Matchup: Otis Birdsong
Box Score: Maccabi @ Aoshen
Kicking off the top 5 rookie performances this season is the 5th overall pick, Brandon Roy. Earlier I talked up Brandon Roy's versatility while mentioning that he may not be able to score at a high level. But if this game is any indication of what he could be then I am completely off base. While he didn't show that same level of versatility, 27 points, 8 assist, 3 rebounds, and 4 steals is still a pretty versatile stat line. But like I said he scored 27 points and did it in only 29 minutes which is the biggest take away from this one. He also did it against one of the best shooting guards in league history, Otis Birdsong. These are the games you look back on as a player where as a new guy you went head to head with a legend and outplayed them. He kept Birdsong to 8 points on 3 of 10 shooting which is the second time he's had a strong defensive showing on this list. Brandon Roy seems like he just needs to become more consistent because looking at his individual performances, it's obvious the tools are there.
Main Matchup: Otis Birdsong
Box Score: Maccabi @ Aoshen
Kicking off the top 5 rookie performances this season is the 5th overall pick, Brandon Roy. Earlier I talked up Brandon Roy's versatility while mentioning that he may not be able to score at a high level. But if this game is any indication of what he could be then I am completely off base. While he didn't show that same level of versatility, 27 points, 8 assist, 3 rebounds, and 4 steals is still a pretty versatile stat line. But like I said he scored 27 points and did it in only 29 minutes which is the biggest take away from this one. He also did it against one of the best shooting guards in league history, Otis Birdsong. These are the games you look back on as a player where as a new guy you went head to head with a legend and outplayed them. He kept Birdsong to 8 points on 3 of 10 shooting which is the second time he's had a strong defensive showing on this list. Brandon Roy seems like he just needs to become more consistent because looking at his individual performances, it's obvious the tools are there.
(4)
Lebron James: December 4th vs. San Antonio Spurs
Appearance: 2
Main Matchup: Fat Lever
Box Score: Spurs @ REAL
The #1 overall pick makes his second appearance on the list with a double-double game against the Spurs. In just 31 minutes he took 11 shots, making 9 of them to score 26 points. Along with his 26 points he added 10 assist, 2 steals and 3 rebounds. He started out the game with Derek Anderson on him but due to TJ Ford getting big minutes, most of the SG time was taken up by Ford and Fat Lever. With no real size on him, he had his way with the Spurs and if he could've gotten a contribution from anyone else in the starting lineup he would've likely led his team to a victory. This guy is going to be really good if he fills his potential, you have to be blind to not see that. Will he be what he was expected to be pre-draft, maybe not but he will impact that game in multiple areas and as we can see the addition of his play has taken one of the worst team's in basketball last year and made them a playoff team.
Main Matchup: Fat Lever
Box Score: Spurs @ REAL
The #1 overall pick makes his second appearance on the list with a double-double game against the Spurs. In just 31 minutes he took 11 shots, making 9 of them to score 26 points. Along with his 26 points he added 10 assist, 2 steals and 3 rebounds. He started out the game with Derek Anderson on him but due to TJ Ford getting big minutes, most of the SG time was taken up by Ford and Fat Lever. With no real size on him, he had his way with the Spurs and if he could've gotten a contribution from anyone else in the starting lineup he would've likely led his team to a victory. This guy is going to be really good if he fills his potential, you have to be blind to not see that. Will he be what he was expected to be pre-draft, maybe not but he will impact that game in multiple areas and as we can see the addition of his play has taken one of the worst team's in basketball last year and made them a playoff team.
(3)
Carmelo Anthony: November 29th vs. Toronto Raptors
Appearance: 2
Main Matchup: Dennis Rodman
Box Score: Aoshen @ Raptors
This was a thrilling game as it went down to the wire and into overtime before a winner was decided. We saw Dennis Rodman actually show promise at the small forward spot with 24 PTS - 5 REB - 3 AST - 1 BLK - 1 STL along with big games from Latrell Sprewell, Sidney Green, Stephon Marbury, Elton Brand and Otis Birdsong. But the star of the show was clearly Carmelo Anthony who put up 40 points in 39 minutes and did it efficiently. On top of that he grabbed 9 boards, 4 assist, 1 steal, and a block as well. He had some help but clearly this win was thanks to his monster performance through the five periods. This guy has star potential like I said before, and we've very clearly seen flashes of it in his rookie season.
Main Matchup: Dennis Rodman
Box Score: Aoshen @ Raptors
This was a thrilling game as it went down to the wire and into overtime before a winner was decided. We saw Dennis Rodman actually show promise at the small forward spot with 24 PTS - 5 REB - 3 AST - 1 BLK - 1 STL along with big games from Latrell Sprewell, Sidney Green, Stephon Marbury, Elton Brand and Otis Birdsong. But the star of the show was clearly Carmelo Anthony who put up 40 points in 39 minutes and did it efficiently. On top of that he grabbed 9 boards, 4 assist, 1 steal, and a block as well. He had some help but clearly this win was thanks to his monster performance through the five periods. This guy has star potential like I said before, and we've very clearly seen flashes of it in his rookie season.
(2)
Andre Iguodala: October 18th vs. Lithuania BC Zalgiris
Appearance: 2
Main Matchup: Wally Szczerbiak
Box Score: Lakers @ BC Zalgiris
Iggy second appearance comes at the #2 spot with his performance against fellow rookie Wally Szczerbiak and BC Zalgiris getting the spotlight. He carried the scoring load here with 35 points but didn't stop his contributions there and added 5 rebounds, 7 assist, 3 steals while having 0 fouls and 0 turnovers. Many (myself included) thought that Mark Aguirre would give the Lakers a better shot at winning the title this year and wasn't in love with the idea of LA trading him. But Iggy has shown when he has gotten the opportunity that while he may not be at Aguirre's level right now, he has the potential to get there. I suspect he'll be a bigger piece of the puzzle for the team next year and big games will start to become more frequent for him.
Main Matchup: Wally Szczerbiak
Box Score: Lakers @ BC Zalgiris
Iggy second appearance comes at the #2 spot with his performance against fellow rookie Wally Szczerbiak and BC Zalgiris getting the spotlight. He carried the scoring load here with 35 points but didn't stop his contributions there and added 5 rebounds, 7 assist, 3 steals while having 0 fouls and 0 turnovers. Many (myself included) thought that Mark Aguirre would give the Lakers a better shot at winning the title this year and wasn't in love with the idea of LA trading him. But Iggy has shown when he has gotten the opportunity that while he may not be at Aguirre's level right now, he has the potential to get there. I suspect he'll be a bigger piece of the puzzle for the team next year and big games will start to become more frequent for him.
(1)
Amare Stoudemire: January 2nd vs. Boston Celtics
Appearance: 4
Main Matchup: Chris Webber
Box Score: Celtics @ 76ers (166-157)
First off before I get into Amare himself, let me just say wow at this game. In this game you have the third highest scoring game from a single team (Celtics) and fourteenth highest scoring game from a single team (76ers) and the highest point total from two teams in a single game and it happened without any overtimes. Now on to Amare Stoudemire, he and Chris Webber must get excited when playing each other. Amare delivered a career high 43 points - 10 rebounds - 3 assist - 2 blocks on 17 of 21 shots all in 43 minutes. That's 1 point every minute he played in the game, you can't sayy that's not impressive. Chris Webber answered back with 44 Point - 8 Rebounds - 7 Assist - 2 Blocks - 2 Steals which is super impressive as well. But the focus of this is STAT and while we've seen multiple 50+ point games, you can't overlook 43 points in 43 minutes by a rookie. The scary thing here is that he isn't even done filling out offensively so I wouldn't be surprised to see a few 50 point games on his resume once all is said and done. In my eyes and in the stats eyes this is unquestionably the most impressive game from any rookie this season.
Main Matchup: Chris Webber
Box Score: Celtics @ 76ers (166-157)
First off before I get into Amare himself, let me just say wow at this game. In this game you have the third highest scoring game from a single team (Celtics) and fourteenth highest scoring game from a single team (76ers) and the highest point total from two teams in a single game and it happened without any overtimes. Now on to Amare Stoudemire, he and Chris Webber must get excited when playing each other. Amare delivered a career high 43 points - 10 rebounds - 3 assist - 2 blocks on 17 of 21 shots all in 43 minutes. That's 1 point every minute he played in the game, you can't sayy that's not impressive. Chris Webber answered back with 44 Point - 8 Rebounds - 7 Assist - 2 Blocks - 2 Steals which is super impressive as well. But the focus of this is STAT and while we've seen multiple 50+ point games, you can't overlook 43 points in 43 minutes by a rookie. The scary thing here is that he isn't even done filling out offensively so I wouldn't be surprised to see a few 50 point games on his resume once all is said and done. In my eyes and in the stats eyes this is unquestionably the most impressive game from any rookie this season.
