LeBron James and Marc Gasol are already making some amazing moments on the basketball court together.
The Los Angeles Lakers looked like they were getting into a rhythm towards the end of their game on Christmas Day against the Dallas Mavericks and against a shorthanded opponent playing on the second night of a back-to-back, the Lakers wasted no time and refused to go down as other marquee teams did on Sunday night, including a 51-point loss by the Clippers in the same building earlier in the day. Instead, the Lakers played their best basketball of the young season and started to show they are equipped to be even more dangerous in their title defense than they were when they won their first title a little over two months ago.
In particular, the play of LeBron James and Marc Gasol, which on paper seemed like a perfect fit of two high-level passers, delivered some phenomenal moments, particularly in the 3rd quarter. Gasol looked comfortable working from the high post, racking up eight assists to go with 12 points in three quarters.
Kyle Kuzma, the middle man in the above possession, also delivered in a starting role while Anthony Davis rested with a calf strain. Kuzma had 20 points, three assists, and three blocks after three quarters, with the Lakers posting a 103-67 lead.
Rookie Wire takes a look at the top rookies through the latest week of the 2019-20 NBA season.
While Zion Williamson continues to leave his mark on the NBA, it has been the emergence of Coby White that has been perhaps the next biggest storyline of the rookie class.
White has been on an absolute tear over his last nine games with the Bulls, culminating with his first career start Tuesday night against the Cleveland Cavaliers. After much discussion this season, White finally had an opportunity to start and he showed why he belongs.
As White continues to stay hot, other first-year players have started cooling off as some are beginning to hit the infamous rookie wall. With just over a month remaining, the race to finish out the season should be fun to watch among these rookie players.
Here are the latest Rookie Wire Power Rankings:
All stats are through games played on March 10
Honorable Mention:
R.J. Barrett, New York Knicks: 14.1 points, 5 rebounds, 2.5 assists
Barrett has had an inconsistent year shooting the ball but has scored in double figures in seven consecutive games with the Knicks. Barrett has had some incredible moments this season, like hitting the game-sealing layup against the Houston Rockets, and has laid out a promising future ahead.
With the exception of a recent two-game slide, Nunn has continued to play well this season for the Heat. Nunn has emerged as a key piece for head coach Erik Spoelstra and is well on his way to an NBA All-Rookie First Team selection.
His overall numbers this season don’t jump off the page but Reid has emerged as a key player for the Timberwolves as of late. He is posting 11 points and 6.6 rebounds over his last eight games and recently strung together back-to-back double-doubles for the first time this season.
The undrafted center from LSU helped lead the Timberwolves to a win over the Pelicans on Tuesday night.
Minnesota Timberwolves rookie Naz Reid recorded his first career double-double on Tuesday night during a 139-134 win over the New Orleans Pelicans.
The undrafted center from LSU tallied 13 points and a career-high 14 rebounds in the victory while he also added three assists, three steals and two blocks. Reid shot 5-of-12 from the field in his seventh start of the season for the Timberwolves.
Reid played sparingly over the first two months of the season but eventually earned a larger role. He averaged 9.8 points and 4.3 rebounds in 11 games during the month of February, including a career-high 19 points against the Boston Celtics on Feb. 21.
@NazReid did a little home cookin' last night in The Big Easy.
Reid helped the Timberwolves build a lead in the first half after scoring seven points alone in the second period. He played some key minutes in the fourth quarter to help the Timberwolves overcome a six-point deficit and pull out the win.
Reid was often matched up with Pelicans rookie Zion Williamson throughout the contest. Williamson responded by scoring 25 points for his 12th straight 20-point game but Timberwolves head coach Ryan Saunders praised Reid for his effort down low against him.
“I was really proud of how Naz battled. Naz is going to be a force in this league,” Saunders said. “I’m a huge Naz Reid fan. His approach has been incredible with us. We’re really happy.”
With Karl-Anthony Towns sidelined for at least two weeks, Reid went to work on Friday night in his first start.
Minnesota Timberwolves rookie Naz Reid recorded 19 points and nine rebounds on Friday night against the Boston Celtics during his first career NBA start.
With center Karl-Anthony Towns out for at least two weeks with a fractured wrist, Reid was called upon to take his place in the starting lineup. Reid shot 7-of-15 from the field in a season-high 32 minutes and also added three steals during the 127-117 loss to the Celtics.
Reid played sparingly over the first two months of the season but eventually earned a larger role in late December. Since then, Reid is averaging 8.7 points and 3.3 rebounds in 18 games played.
Reid got off to a quick start on Friday, recording seven points and seven rebounds in the first half. The undrafted center from LSU went to work in the paint and flashed some decent post moves. Reid is still a bit raw on that end of the floor but has the potential to develop into a strong inside scorer.
The Timberwolves believe Reid can be a piece to build around in the future after rewarding him with a multi-year NBA contract over the summer. He gave the team hope with his performance on Friday night.
Rookie Wire takes a look at the top rookies through the latest week of the 2019-20 NBA season.
With the NBA season officially halfway over, some rookies are beginning to separate themselves as the creme of the crop while others are just getting started.
Of course, the rookie class will receive a jolt of energy with No. 1 overall pick Zion Williamson set to make his official NBA debut next week with the New Orleans Pelicans.
While the NBA community awaits the debut of Williamson, second overall pick Ja Morant has started to establish himself as the frontrunner for Rookie of the Year given his outstanding play this season.
While Morant is off and running with the hardware, Rookie Wire will take a look at how some of the other first-year players are performing and where they stack up in the class.
Here are the latest Rookie Wire Power Rankings:
All stats are through games played on Jan. 15
5. Sekou Doumbouya, Detroit Pistons
Stats: 8.1 points, 3.1 rebounds
Last Rank: N/A
Since first earning significant playing time earlier this month, Doumbouya has not disappointed. Doumbouya, the youngest player in the NBA, is averaging 14 points and 5.3 rebounds in eight games during January. Doumbouya recorded a career-high 24 points on Wednesday in a win over the Boston Celtics and has scored in double figures in seven of his last eight games.
Nunn is coming off of a 33-point performance Wednesday night in a win over the San Antonio Spurs. The undrafted guard finished by shooting 13-of-18 from the field, tying a career-high with five 3-pointers in the process. His scoring output has dropped a bit over the past month but Nunn is staying efficient and that has to be encouraging for the Heat. The team has said all season that any player is capable of going off each night and it was Nunn’s turn on Wednesday vs. the Spurs.
Kendrick Nunn euros to the cup and has 31 PTS on the night!
After an inconsistent start to the season, Garland has really emerged for the Cavaliers over the past two months. The fifth overall pick has scored in double figures in 10 consecutive games and is averaging 16.3 points per game since the start of January. Garland recorded his first career double-double on Tuesday against the Los Angeles Clippers with 14 points and 10 assists.
Barrett kicked off his rookie campaign on a bit of a tear but slowed down shortly after that. After some inconsistent play, Barrett is back to his dominating ways as the third overall pick is averaging 16.4 points and 5.4 rebounds over his last eight games with the Knicks. Perhaps most impressive is Barrett looks to be slowly improving from the free-throw line. He is converting on 76.1% of his attempts in January, a significant improvement over his 60.6% on the season. Maybe his strong recent play can be attributed to his new look, or perhaps Barrett is beginning to settle in this season. Whatever it is, Barrett looks to be back where he belongs: Near the top of the power rankings.
The collective NBA media is running out of ways to show how dominant Morant has been this season. Morant has rarely looked like a rookie and his play has put the Grizzlies among the top teams to watch on League Pass. Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady said on ESPN’s “The Jump” on Wednesday that he believes Morant will one day be an MVP and the best player in the league. Based on his incredible start this season, McGrady’s take may not be all that hot.
Honorable Mention:
P.J. Washington, Charlotte Hornets: 12.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2 assists
Since returning from a broken finger, Washington has played well for the Hornets. In 11 games played, Washington is averaging 12.8 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists. He has totaled 34 points over his last two games and recently recorded his first 20-point double-double.
The rookie guard is averaging 13.4 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 38 games this season with the Heat. Herro ranks sixth in rookie scoring, sixth in total field goals (186) and is tied for first in 3-pointers made (80). He did not play on Wednesday due to a bruised left knee but the injury does not appear to be serious.
Culver appears to be turning the corner on offense after scoring in double figures in nine consecutive games for the first time this season. Against the Pacers on Wednesday, Culver seemingly had his whole bag of skills on display: His defense, ability to drive to the basket and get his teammates involved. Though it may have taken a bit longer than expected, Culver looks to be settling in this season with the Timberwolves.
Shout Out:
Naz Reid, Minnesota Timberwolves
After beginning the season in the G League, Reid is seeing his first extended action of the season with the varsity club. Reid is averaging 9.8 points and 3.1 rebounds for the Timberwolves after recently scoring a career-high 20 points.
