NBA Small Sample Size Awards

SHANGHAI, CHINA - OCTOBER 08: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors celebrates with Andre Iguodala #9 of the Golden State Warriors during the game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Golden State Warriors as part of 2017 NBA Global Games China at Mercedes-Benz Arena on October 8, 2017 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Zhong Zhi/Getty Images) /

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TORONTO, ON – OCTOBER 26: Kyle Lowry #7 of the Toronto Raptors smiles during their NBA game against the Dallas Mavericks at Scotiabank Arena on October 26, 2018 in Toronto, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images) /

Assists

Kyle Lowry (89), Draymond Green (73), De’Aaron Fox (70)

Lowry is averaging over 11 assists per game, and it’s a similar situation to Walker, where a good player has elevated his game due to the presence of a new head coach. Nick Nurse took over for Dwane Casey, and has tried to put lineups on the floor that take more advantage of the myriad offensive talents his players have. Lowry is a smart player and limits his turnovers while recording a high usage. It helps when the Raptors have more shooters and athletes on the court, which has resulted in Lowry’s assists leading to 26.4 points for the team.

Green has always been a great source of assists for his team, with his passing ability helping elevate the Warriors offense by allowing the Splash Brothers to run off screens. He’s had double-digit assists in three of his last five games, feeding three of the best shooters to ever play the game for easy buckets. There’s another Warrior that will be mentioned later that is benefitting from Green’s playmaking too, but we’ll save that for later.

Fox had one of the best games of the season on Thursday, November 1 against the Hawks, dishing out 15 assists in a blowout win. Fox has had a nice start to the season, and his emergence in his second season has driven the Kings surprising start. He’s always been quick, and he’s using that gift to break down the defense and create shot opportunities for his teammates.

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