NBA Week 5 Rewind: Warriors, Kobe Bryant rewrite history
By Tom West
Who’s Heating Up?
Besides the obvious superstars like Stephen Curry, here’s a look at some players who are really stepping up.
Paul George
PG continues to make his comeback from injury a memorable one. Now that he has the opportunity to start a new season afresh, fully recovered from his gruesome leg break, George is making everyone around the NBA remember just how good he was. He can play with such explosiveness and finesse on offense, and that’s continued despite his new position as a combo forward. He’s now scored at least 26 points in 11 of his last 12 games, while averaging 37.3 last week after a 40 point explosion against the Washington Wizards and 39 point outing Sunday night against the Lakers. As per usual, his creative scoring has been efficient, with a field goal percentage of 45.8 and a three point stroke of 45.1. Plus, with a career-high 4.6 assists per game, his offense looks better than ever.
Plus, unlike many players in the league, he’s just as good at preventing buckets as he is making them. Players are shooting 6.1 percent lower than normal against George this season, and he’s using his quickness and length to defend multiple positions and achieve that major impact. Also, while he can’t stop powerful post scorers down low, he’s still getting aggressive in the paint with a career-best 8.1 rebounds per game.
The NBA is a star richer, and the Pacers have their two-way leader again.
The Indiana Pacers
Indiana had better be mentioned as well while we’re at it. It’s not just George who’s playing well, his team are rising up the East, too. They’ve won five straight and have reached the 2nd seed in the conference, and sit just two wins behind the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Rajon Rondo
Rondo has exceeded all expectations with the Sacramento Kings so far. They look like less of a mess after managing to win a few games recently, though most of this early season has been contentious on the court and in the locker room. With DeMarcus Cousins’ rants to George Karl and all kinds of chemistry issues early on, things look slightly better now. And it’s partly due to Rondo.
He’s recorded four triple doubles already this season, and in two games last week he came within two rebounds of recording two more. With 12.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.8 steals and a league-best 11 assists per game, it looks like the old Rondo is back. He’s dishing the ball around like crazy and he’s snatching rebounds all over the place. It didn’t take him long to hit 20 assists this season either, as he recorded exactly that amount against the Hornets on November 23.
Is he playing to just stuff the stat sheet? Maybe he is at times, but it’s working and he’s making the Kings better offensively with his all around play. The problem is on defense, where Rondo has been terrible at guarding anyone — especially near the basket. Allowing players to shoot a ridiculous 18.6 percent higher than normal within 10 feet of the basket is pathetic (per NBA.com Player Tracking). So, while the triple doubles are highly impressive, the defense must improve.
Draymond Green
Draymond Green has been absolutely vital to the Warriors’ perfect start, and the amount he’s improved his game so far isn’t receiving nearly enough credit. Since becoming runner-up to win Defensive Player of the Year last season, Green has been on the map for a while as one of the NBA’s best defenders. He’s only 6’7″, but he plays above his size when bodying up against opponents in the post and he has enough speed to stick with players towards the perimeter. Yet again this season, he’s the man that does a bit of everything for the Warriors’ defense.
However, the real way he’s shining this season is by doing a few things differently. His three point shooting has improved to 42.6 percent and his assists per game have sky-rocketed from 3.7 last season to 7.1. With that improved play making, his role with the Warriors as a facilitator has grown while Stephen Curry continues to take more shots and move a little more off-ball.
That’s resulted in three triple doubles for Green (he had just one all last season), including two over his last two games. He’s been running the fast break with great vision, passing accurately when starting the offense or when he’s received the ball down low, and his overall awareness of how his offense is positioned has allowed him to find teammates with ease.
Brandon Knight
Knight is one of the most unexpected stars of the young season so far. He’s been aggressive as always and looks to create offense, but he’s doing so at far more efficient levels than the rest of his career. His 21.5 points per game are a career-high, and his 44 percent shooting and 39.6 percent three point shooting are also the best marks he’s ever recorded. With new highs in rebounding (4.4), assists (5.5) and steals (1.6) too, his game has looked more well rounded all together. Plus, now that he’s hit a PER of 20 for the first time, it’s clear he’s taken a major leap forward so far this season.
The Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder are a good team to finish this segment for week 5. They went 3-3 during Kevin Durant’s six game absence, and bounced back last week at full force by winning all four of their games (three by at least a 10 point margin). Durant has averaged 30.3 points per game since returning, Russell Westbrook is dominating by nearly averaging a triple double, and the Thunder trail only the Warriors in offensive efficiency. Now, at 3rd place in the West with a 11-6 record, they look like one of the NBA’s top contenders again.
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