got milk? Rookie Power Rankings |
NO. 1 :: DREW GOODEN, PF, MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES |
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Stats: 10 GP, 15.8 ppg, 6.8 rpg, .460 FG%,
30.3 mpg Notes: Should benefit from arrival of new
coach Hubie Brown ... Brown has him starting
regularly, which should help with his consistency
... Shooting just .433 (23-for-53) over last four
games, though ... But a rare talent around the
basket ... Has nose for ball ... Nov. 16 loss to
Bulls broke six-game streak of double-figures
scoring.
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NO. 2 :: JAY WILLIAMS, PG, CHICAGO BULLS |
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Stats: 10 GP, 11.7 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 6.1 apg, 1.40
spg, 31.7 mpg Notes: Assist-to-turnover ratio (2.2:1) is
improving ... Most encouraging trend is that
he's 9-for-11 from free-throw line over last
four games ... Also shooting a respectable .464
(26-for-56) from the field over that stretch ...
When he has seven or more assists, Bulls are
3-0.
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NO. 3 :: AMARE STOUDEMIRE, PF, PHOENIX SUNS |
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Stats: 8 GP, 8.4 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 2.00 bpg, 24.8
mpg Notes: Suns have won four in a row, thanks in
no small part to emergence of this high-flying
rookie forward ... Numbers don't do justice to
impact he's had on Phoenix ... Had monster
outing against Denver on Nov. 13, when he went
for 12 points, eight rebounds and six blocks ...
Ninth pick starting to look like a true steal.
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NO. 4 :: GORDAN GIRICEK, G, MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES |
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Stats: 10 GP, 12.5 ppg, 3.2 rpg, .468 FG%,
.455 3P%, .900 FT%, 24.3 mpg Notes: Another Grizzlies rookie who is
benefitting from Brown's arrival ... Averaging
18.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 3.0 apg and 30.3 mpg over
last three games ... Also shooting .526
(20-for-38) from field over that stretch ...
Hasn't missed a free throw in the month of
November (22-for-22) ... Emerging as the best
rookie shooter, period.
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NO. 5 :: NENE HILARIO, F-C, DENVER NUGGETS |
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Stats: 10 GP, 8.3 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 1.5 spg, 1.10
bpg, 23.1 mpg Notes: Hot on heels of Stoudemire when it
comes to rookie power forwards ... Fierce
offensive rebounder with great hands and
underrated feel for game ... Has struggled
somewhat over Nuggets' first East-coast road
trip of the season, managing just 6.3 ppg and
6.3 rpg over first three games, all losses ... Raw,
but Nuggets' "21 Feet of Fun" frontline (Hilario,
Nikoloz Tskitishvili, and Chris Andersen) give
them hope for future.
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NO. 6 :: CARON BUTLER, F, MIAMI HEAT |
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Stats: 8 GP, 12.3 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 2.3 apg, .400
3P%, 34.9 mpg Notes: Very talented, but also highly erratic
forward... Scored 18 and 5 in back-to-back
games against the Nets and Wizards,
respectively ... Minutes have dipped slightly, but
has still started all eight games this season ...
Nov. 16 loss to Washington was first time this
season he didn't play at least 33 minutes in a
game.
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NO. 7 :: PAT BURKE, C, ORLANDO MAGIC |
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Stats: 11 GP, 8.2 ppg, 3.2 rpg, .547 FG%,
21.9 mpg Notes: Hard to blame Burke for Magic's recent
slide (lost four of last five games) ... Great
shooter for a big man ... Slithery moves around
hoop ... Has yet to collect more than eight
rebounds in a game this season, though ...
Despite decent size (6-11, 250 pounds), not
exactly a defensive enforcer.
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NO. 8 :: DAN GADZURIC, C, MILWAUKEE BUCKS |
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Stats: 9 GP, 5.4 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 1.89 bpg, .556
FG%, 19.6 mpg Notes: Athletic Dutch big man is really fitting
in nicely with Bucks ... Excellent shot-blocker
who has very quick feet ... Also underrated
shooting touch ... Milwaukee is 3-0 when
Gadzuric collects nine-or-more rebounds ... A
definite steal.
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NO. 9 :: YAO MING, C, HOUSTON ROCKETS |
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Stats: 8 GP, 6.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg, .667 FG%, 15.3
mpg Notes: Jury is still out, but the big man is
starting to finally show some promise ...
Starting to feel comfortable in Rockets' offense
... Teammates encouraging him to play
aggressively and dunk more ... Had coming-out
party against Lakers in L.A. when he scored 20
points on 9-for-9 shooting ... Professed a crush
on Julia Roberts while in Tinsel-Town ... Defense
still a question mark; fouls a problem.
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NO. 10 :: JARED JEFFRIES, F, WASHINGTON WIZARDS |
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Preseason Stats: 10 GP, 5.2 ppg, 4.0 rpg,
.486 FG%, 18.3 mpg Notes: A real spark off the bench for
Washington ... Wreaks havoc on the offensive
glass with his long arms and athleticism ... Very
quick off the floor, and has a nose for the ball ...
Got his head bloodied in Nov. 12 loss to Sonics
... Plays hard, which MJ loves ... Also has ability
to hit the three-pointer ... Numbers would go up
greatly with more minutes.
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