Hawks rookie Cam Reddish made Magic guard Evan Fournier look silly on one play after ripping the ball away from him on defense.
Atlanta Hawks guard Cam Reddish finished with only one steal on Monday night against the Orlando Magic but the rookie sure made it count after showing off his strength on one possession in the third quarter.
The play unfolded when Reddish was matched up with Magic guard Evan Fournier in a 1-on-1 situation. As Fournier was waiting on Nikola Vucevic to set a screen, Reddish got his hands on the ball and proceeded to rip it away from Fournier.
The steal by Reddish led to a fastbreak opportunity where the 10th overall pick maneuvered around Fournier to draw contact by Vucevic at the basket. Reddish finished the layup and converted the And-1 attempt by converting the free throw.
Reddish would go on to finish with 11 points and two rebounds in 24 minutes of work in the 135-126 loss to the Magic. He finished by shooting 4-of-8 from the field, including 2-of-4 from 3-point range.
Reddish returned to the lineup on Monday after missing the previous four games for the Hawks due to a concussion. In 47 games played, Reddish is averaging 9.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists and one steal.
Rookie Wire takes a look at the top rookies through the latest week of the 2019-20 NBA season.
Zion Mania has officially arrived in the NBA.
The No. 1 overall pick has now completed one full week of action with the New Orleans Pelicans, playing in four games since debuting against the San Antonio Spurs on Jan. 22.
Williamson has already shown in a small sample size that he figures be a problem for years to come in the NBA. As a result, he makes his first appearance of the season on the Rookie Wire Power Rankings.
Here are the latest Rookie Wire Power Rankings:
All stats are through games played on Jan. 28
5. Michael Porter Jr., Denver Nuggets
Stats: 7.7 points, 4 rebounds
Last Rank: N/A
Porter checks in on the Power Rankings for the first time this season after some stellar play for the Nuggets. Head coach Michael Malone has finally found consistent playing time for the first-round pick and Porter hasn’t disappointed. Over the last two weeks, Porter is averaging 15.3 points and nine rebounds in seven games while he is shooting 51.4% (18-of-35) from 3-point range. The Nuggets are beginning to look like some mad geniuses for taking a chance on Porter and his rise up the ranks has been a welcomed sign for basketball fans alike.
With rookie teammate Kendrick Nunn nursing an Achilles injury, Herro has started the last three consecutive games for the Heat. Herro is averaging 15.8 points over his last four games, which trails only Zion Williamson for the most during that stretch. The Heat have had Herro running the point in place of Nunn with the rookie playing well in that role. He turned in an impressive sequence on Tuesday against the Boston Celtics after blocking Kemba Walker on one end, then finding a cutting Meyers Leonard for an easy dunk attempt.
As the Pelicans worked to ease Williamson into action, the No. 1 overall pick has seen a gradual increase in playing time, capped by a season-high 30 minutes on Tuesday night. Williamson has been highly efficient over his first four games, converting on 63.3% of his field-goal attempts. With much of the hype around Williamson subsiding now, he should be able to step in for the Pelicans, play his brand of basketball and work on his development.
Lonzo Ball lobs to Zion Williamson.
Zo finished with a career-high 15 ASTS Zion had 21 PTS (9-16 FG) & 11 REB in 27 MINSpic.twitter.com/MrJqIFgK8t
Nunn had been playing some of his best basketball of the season before an Achilles injury forced him to sit the past three games for the Heat. Over his last five games, Nunn was averaging 22.4 points on 51.7% shooting (15-of-29) from 3-point range. That stretch includes a 33-point performance on Jan. 15 against the San Antonio Spurs. Details of his injury are limited but it does not appear to be that serious so Nunn could soon find his way back into the lineup.
The runaway Rookie of the Year has sparked the Grizzlies to a 10-3 record during the month of January and has firmly kept the team in the playoff race in the Western Conference. Morant leads all rookies in scoring and assists and is second in field goals made. Although Williamson is back on the court, Morant should still be the frontrunner to be named ROY.
Cam Reddish, Atlanta Hawks: 9.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists
Reddish has scored in double figures in each of his last five games for the first time this season. He is averaging 14.8 points during that stretch and is converting 41.4% of his attempts from beyond the arc. His shooting numbers have improved each month, a sign he is becoming more comfortable.
De’Andre Hunter, Atlanta Hawks: 12.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists
Hunter is up to eighth in scoring among all rookies and is two games removed from scoring 25 points for the Hawks. Hunter is progressing well in his rookie campaign and could find himself among those invited to the Rising Stars game at All-Star Weekend.
Darius Garland, Cleveland Cavaliers: 12.2 points, 3.6 assists, 1.9 rebounds
Garland had scored in double figures in 15 straight games before managing just six points on Monday night against the Detroit Pistons. That streak was easily his best of the season after averaging 14.9 points per game during that time frame.
Rookie Wire takes a look at the top rookies through the seventh week of the 2019-20 NBA season.
Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant recently returned after missing four games due to back soreness after crashing into a courtside camera operator.
With Zion Williamson out following knee surgery, the top of the rookie class took a hit over the past week with Morant out of the lineup and R.J. Barrett struggling to stay consistent.
Of course, Morant returned on Monday night to lead the Grizzlies to a win over the Golden State Warriors. He recorded a team-high 26 points in that game and reasserted himself as the top rookie to this point of the season.
As Morant showed so signs of slowing down following his injury, some other rookies are beginning to pick up steam as the NBA begins the second quarter of the season.
Rookie Wire will compile the rankings of the five best players each week based on how they performed on the court. The rankings are not for Rookie of the Year purposes but, rather, to illustrate the top-performing players.
Here are the Rookie Wire Power Rankings for Week 7:
All stats are through games played on Dec. 10
5. De’Andre Hunter, Hawks
Stats: 12.8 points, 4 rebounds, 1.9 assists
Rank Last Week: Honorable Mention
Speaking of pick up steam, Hawks rookie De’Andre Hunter has burst onto the scene over the past few weeks. Hunter recorded a career-high 28 points on Tuesday night in an overtime loss to the Miami Heat as he shot an efficient 11-of-17 from the field. Hunter recently dealt with a dislocated right index finger but showed no signs of any issues on Tuesday night. Hunter is up to seventh in rookie scoring this season but is averaging 14.5 points per game over his six games, good for sixth-best over that time period.
After struggling with his consistency, Hachimura has quietly strung together quite a few impressive performances. The ninth overall pick has scored in double figures in seven straight games and is averaging 19.6 points over that span, the most among all rookies. Of course, that streak includes a career-high 30 points against the Los Angeles Clippers on Dec. 1 and a 27-point performance two games later against the Philadelphia 76ers. The rookie appears to be finally finding his way with the Wizards and it has led to some improved play as of late.
As the Warriors struggle, Paschall is coming off of his worst outing of the season. The second-round pick recorded a season-low five points on Monday, snapping a streak of 13 consecutive games scoring in double figures. Paschall still leads the rookie class in total points scored, just topping Kendrick Nunn and Ja Morant. Paschall has thrived in isolation situations this season and has used his size and strength to get to the basket. He is having a strong rookie campaign to this point and now has the second-highest odds to win the Rookie of the Year award as a result.
The undrafted rookie reclaims the second spot in our rankings after a monster performance on Tuesday against the Hawks. Nunn recorded a career-high 36 points, finishing 14-of-26 from the field while adding six rebounds and four assists. Nunn is averaging 19 points over the past week as he appears to have broken out of a recent slump that saw him post 10.5 points over a four-game stretch. He is now just one of four rookies to record at least 30 points in a game this season, joining Eric Paschall, Ja Morant and Rui Hachimura.
As previously mentioned, Morant returned on Monday after a four-game absence to lead the Grizzlies with 26 points in the win over the Warriors. Morant showed no signs of any lingering back issues during the game and fooled a number of Warriors players on a nifty pass fake for an easy bucket. The Grizzlies likely held Morant out to fully heal as the injury was not considered to be serious but it was certainly a plus to have Morant back out on the court Monday night.
Herro had back-to-back performances of at least 20 points over the weekend but followed that up by going scoreless Tuesday night in 23 minutes of action. Herro is tied with R.J. Barrett for fifth in scoring among rookies but his zero-point outing against the Hawks shouldn’t be a cause for concern moving forward.
Washington hit a bit of a wall toward the end of November but has come on strong for the Hornets since then. He is averaging 14.9 points and 4.4 rebounds over his last eight games, including a 20-point performance against the Hawks on Sunday. Perhaps most impressive in that outing is Washington got to the free-throw line 13 times, converting on 12 shots.
Reddish is fifth in scoring among all rookies over the last week, averaging 14.7 points while shooting 50% (7-of-14) from 3-point range. Reddish had a career-high 25 points on Dec. 4 as he continues to flash his potential this season.
Hayes is finding consistent playing time now and is producing as a result. He is averaging 11.8 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.6 blocks in five December games and has scored in double figures in three straight games for the first time this season.
Thybulle recorded a career-high 20 points on Sunday and followed that up with 13 points Tuesday night against the Denver Nuggets. He is shooting 52.9% (9-of-17) from 3-point range over his last four games as he appears to be settling in with the Sixers.
Shout Out:
Luguentz Dort, Thunder
After beginning the season in the G League with the OKC Blue, Dort has spent the past three games in the NBA with the Thunder. He recorded his first bucket on Sunday and had nine points on Monday night.
Reddish took the place of De’Andre Hunter in the starting lineup and turned in his first game with at least 20 points on Wednesday.
Atlanta Hawks first-round pick Cam Reddish scored a career-high 25 points and six rebounds on Wednesday night during a 130-118 home loss to the Brooklyn Nets.
Reddish finished by shooting 10-of-16 from the field, including a career-high four 3-pointers, in 37 minutes of work in place of rookie teammate De’Andre Hunter, who missed the game due to a dislocated right index finger.
The performance was his first game scoring at least 20 points this season, topping his previous high of 17 points on Nov. 20 against the Milwaukee Bucks.
The 10th overall pick has had an up-and-down season for the Hawks and has gone back and forth between starting and coming off of the bench. On Wednesday, though, Reddish showed his potential with his ability to drive the floor and finish after converting a number of tough attempts near the basket.
We see you rook! @camreddish finished with a career-high 25 points and 6 rebounds against the Nets
While the Hawks lost, Reddish going off for a career night was certainly a bright spot for the team after struggling with consistency this season. Reddish will be looking to put together more complete performances and will have the chance to do so next on Sunday against the Charlotte Hornets.
After missing the past two games due to an injury, Hawks rookie Cam Reddish is available to play Monday night against the Timberwolves.
After missing the past two games, Atlanta Hawks rookie Cam Reddish is available to play on Monday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the team announced prior to the game.
Reddish suffered a sprained left wrist on Wednesday in a loss to the Milwaukee Bucks and did not play on Friday or on Saturday as the rookie was dealing with some swelling in his hand.
His performance against the Bucks was his best of the season after recording a career-high 17 points, three rebounds, one assist and one steal on 6-of-10 shooting from the field.
The performance marked his third straight game scoring in double figures.
Reddish had struggled to score to begin the season but has since started to turn the corner as of late. He scored in double figures just once over his first 10 games, tallying 55 total points over that span, but has scored 51 over his last four games for the Hawks.
The Hawks will likely monitor his performance throughout the game after dealing with the wrist injury but it appears as though he is ready to go again after being cleared to play.
Hawks rookie Cam Reddish will not play Friday night against the Pistons due to an injury suffered on Wednesday against the Bucks.
Atlanta Hawks first-round pick Cam Reddish will not play Friday night against the Detroit Pistons due to an injury, according to Sarah K. Spencer of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Reddish was listed as questionable to play in the matchup due to a sprained left wrist suffered Wednesday in a loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. Hawks head coach Lloyd Pierce said prior to the game that Reddish was doing better and that some of the swelling was down.
His performance against the Bucks was his best yet this season. Reddish recorded a career-high 17 points and three rebounds for his third straight game scoring in double figures.
The injury for Reddish may have come at an inopportune time for the rookie after he had been playing some of his best basketball of the young season recently. He scored in double figures just once over his first 10 games, tallying 55 total points over that span, but has scored 51 over his last four games for the Hawks.
The injury doesn’t appear to be severe so Reddish likely won’t much too much time for the Hawks.
With some rookies playing particularly well as of late, we have chosen a few players to target on Friday that won’t break your budget.
With a full slate of NBA games set to tip-off Friday night, building your daily fantasy roster can be a bit taxing with so many players to choose from but there are some attractive options available to target.
Of course, players like James Harden, Luka Doncic, LeBron James and others will be hot commodities but the key to building a successful roster is drafting some under-the-radar players that are relatively inexpensive.
Rookie Wire has identified some of those players.
With some rookies playing particularly well as of late, we have chosen a few first-year players to target on Friday night that won’t break your budget and can help you win in your respective tournament.
Fresh off of a career night, Hunter has really started to turn the corner recently. Hunter scored a career-high 27 points and 11 rebounds on Wednesday against the Milwaukee Bucks to finish with a season-high 46.3 fantasy points. After a slow start to the season, Hunter has now scored in double figures in six straight games and could be headed toward a seventh straight double-digit game on Friday against the Detroit Pistons.
PG: Cam Reddish, Hawks – $4,200 DK | $4,300 FD
Like Hunter, Reddish is also coming off of a career game after scoring 17 points and three rebounds for 23.8 fantasy points. Also like Hunter, Reddish appears to be coming around for the Hawks. Reddish scored in double figures just once over his first 10 games, tallying 55 total points over that span, but has scored 51 over his last four games. With such a low price tag, Reddish could be a player to target on Friday but be sure to double-check his status ahead of the game as he is listed as questionable with a left wrist sprain.
G: Tyler Herro, Heat – $4,700 FD | $4,900 DK
Herro has played like one of the top rookies to this point in the season and still has tremendous value across most fantasy formats. Head coach Erik Spoelstra has used Herro extensively and, given his ability to knock down 3-pointers, the first-round pick should be a prime target in your lineup. He is coming off of his second-best scoring output of the season with 22 points on Wednesday and appears to be in a nice groove as of late. Given his lower price tag, Herro could be the rookie on the Heat to target with Kendrick Nunn costing users $5,700 in FanDuel and $6,200 in DraftKings on Friday.
Buyer Beware
SG: Coby White, Bulls – $4,900 DK | $5,100 FD
The Bulls rookie has the boom-or-bust potential that often leaves fantasy users scratching their heads. White has caught fire several times this season but he has also had some sub-par performances sprinkled in, as well. He faces the top team against giving up fantasy points in the Heat so he has a tough matchup ahead but if you’re feeling risky, White has the potential to have a 40-plus fantasy scoring night.
Hawks first-round picks De’Andre Hunter and Cam Reddish each scored career-highs Wednesday night in a road loss to the Bucks.
Atlanta Hawks first-round picks De’Andre Hunter and Cam Reddish each scored career-highs in points Wednesday night in a 135-127 road loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.
Hunter and Reddish each scored 12 points in the first half to help the Hawks take a three-point lead into halftime. Milwaukee outscored Atlanta 38-22 in the third quarter to pull away in the second half as Giannis Antetokounmpo accounted for 17 of his 33 total points in the period.
Hunter finished with his first career double-double after recording a team-high 27 points and 11 rebounds in the victory. He finished 8-of-12 from the field while he drained all three of his 3-pointers for his sixth straight game scoring in double figures.
Meanwhile, Reddish added 17 points and three rebounds in 28 minutes of work, finishing 6-of-10 from the field while he also hit all three of his shots from beyond the arc. Reddish has now scored at least 12 points in three consecutive games for the first time this season.
Lloyd Pierce called Cam Reddish's number after that last timeout and Cam did not disappoint. pic.twitter.com/9iISPEaUfG
The two rookies were each inconsistent to begin the season but appear to be turning the corner as of late.
Hunter averaged just 8.8 points on 36.9% shooting from the field over his first eight games of the season but is posting 15 points per game over his last six games.
Reddish scored in double figures just once over his first 10 games and tallied 55 total points over that span but has scored 51 over his last four games for the Hawks.
The Hawks certainly have to be happy with how their two lottery picks have progress recently after a slow start to the season. They represent a big part of their future as the organization builds for the future.
Atlanta returns to action Friday against the Detroit Pistons.
#TrueToAtlanta #NBARooks pic.twitter.com/wA5NTbiY0y
Rui Hachimura posted 18 points and a career-high 12 rebounds tonight 
