NBA Week 11 Rewind: The Spurs are the class of the NBA
By Tom West
Weekly NBA Rookie Watch
Kristaps Porzingis has quickly become one of the most beloved young players in the NBA. From the fact that he’s a 7’3″ white dude from Latvia, to the way he dunks with such authority when you least expect it, he’s having a far better rookie campaign than many would have expected. Besides those put-backs and three-pointers, though, it’s his attitude that has to be respected. Unfortunately for Porzingis, he did get dunked on a couple of times last week, so hopefully he’ll be the blocker rather than the posterized victim on more highlights next week.
A few moments aside, though, Kristaps had a couple of strong performances. 17 points and 11 rebounds in a 111-97 win over the Hawks was a solid start, before he upped his game further with 28 points (just a point off his current career-high) and 11 rebounds with three threes in a surprisingly close 99-100 loss against the Spurs on January 8.
Karl-Anthony Towns keeps churning out 20-point games, swatting shots and earning double-doubles, yet it hasn’t exactly led to many wins. In fairness, though, you can’t expect much more from this young Timberwolves team right now. At least with Towns at center, they know they have someone who can be their defensive anchor and option down low on offense for the future.
Last week was similar to what we’ve seen all season, and Towns turned in a couple of solid outings. Most notably, a 14 point, 14 rebound game against the Nuggets and 22 points on 11-of-14 shooting against the Cavs.
As will be reiterated throughout this season, rest easy, T-Wolves fans. Your time isn’t now, but when it comes with a more complete team, you’ve got some seriously talented stars in the making.
D’Angelo Russell is dealing with an ankle sprain right now, and had one inactive game and one game with just seven minutes playing time last week. He did have one lone performance that is a highlight of his rookie season so far, though. On January 7 in Sacramento, he looked far more assertive and effective on offense. He wasn’t hesitating with shots and was actually making them (11-of-16 from the floor). He read his opponents well, pushed the pace and looked for lanes to drive. Which, considering his fairly limited explosiveness, will all be key to his future.
Russell had a new career-high of 27 points that night (only his third game above 20 points so far), and showed flashes of the high IQ point guard that the Lakers are hoping he’ll be.
Jahlil Okafor continues to score as the 76ers continue to lose. Another week, and there was nothing new for the NBA’s ever-tanking franchise. A 109-99 win against the Timberwolves on Monday night wasn’t expected, but Okafor averaging 20.3 points on 58.7 percent shooting is what everyone has grown accustomed to now. He’s immensely skilled and diverse in the post for someone who’s just 20 years old, and he’s only going to get better as the focal point offensively — even if he’s playing for such a dismal team.
Next: Under-the-radar Players to Watch Next Week