How Spencer Dinwiddie has put himself in company with LeBron James, Luka Doncic

Spencer Dinwiddie has done far more than fill in for Kyrie Irving while the superstar point guard has been sidelined due to a right shoulder impingement. He’s started a full-fledged campaign to be a 2020 NBA All-Star.

Heading into Tuesday’s game against the New Orleans Pelicans, Dinwiddie has averaged 23.9 points and 7.4 assists per game since November 14 — the first day Irving was sidelined. His points per game average put him at No. 17 in the NBA during the stretch, his assists average is seventh-best.

This puts Dinwiddie in a select group.

Only Los Angeles’ LeBron James, Dallas’ Luka Doncic, Atlanta’s Trae Young and Houston’s Russell Westbrook are averaging both as many points and assists.

Safe to say Dinwiddie is in elite company.

Though, none of what Dinwiddie has done has surprised Garrett Temple.

The veteran explained on Sunday, following Brooklyn’s win, how Dinwiddie is doing the same things he normally does off the bench — he’s just getting more time on the court right now:

We know that’s his role. It’s not like he’s somebody that, ya know, wasn’t leading the second unit. So we’ve seen him do it. With more minutes he’s just produced more. Instead of playing 20, he’s playing 32, he’s gonna produce more, play the same way. Doesn’t matter if he’s going against a starting point guard [or] a backup point guard. So we knew that his production was going to be like that. He’s been really consistent, and we need him to continue to be like that even when Ky and Caris [LeVert] get back.

Dinwiddie’s minutes may go down when Irving and LeVert return, but they shouldn’t decrease too much — and the point guard is proving why every time he takes the floor.