When Evan Mobley, Cade Cunningham and Scotty Barnes took the top spot, rocket guard found his rhythm.
The second-pick pick has strengthened his play since the All-Star Game
Jaylen Green's game finally caught up with his bragging rights.
The Houston Rockets guard showed confidence before coming to the NBA last fall, placing high hopes on himself after being selected as the second overall pick.
On draft night, his first season on the big stage was filled with his vision. "I feel like I'm a triple scorer," Green said. "At the same time, I have that killer mentality. I want to kill the person in front of me. I think that's what you really need. ...... Let me take a bucket and I promise I will. ”
As the product of the development league's first Ignite development team, Green broke many promises until January, when he shot just 37 percent from the field and 28.7 percent from three-point range. His raw athleticism and explosiveness are evident, especially as Houston side-by-side veteran John Wall opens up backcourt time. But Green is an unpolished gem that needs refinement, guidance and time to adapt to NBA games.
Nor was he the only one who honked his horn. In the site's annual general manager survey, nearly half of the league's basketball stars predicted green would win the 2022 Kia Rookie of the Year award. (By the way, no one voted for Evan Mobley of Cleveland.) ）
Well, now look at Green.
ROY won't happen to him, but his work ethic and commitment to progress elevate his game and his image. This week, for the first time since the first edition of the season in October, he was in the top 5 of the Kia Rookie Ladder.
Jaylen Green rejoined Kia's rookie echelon this week, but Scotty Barnes' status in Third place is rising
Green's shooting percentage has risen sharply since Feb. 1: 48.1 percent overall and 37.7 percent from three-point range. Much of it was the result of long, isolated, repetitive training sessions, lifting ball after ball one by one, honing his state and his release.
With the help of your teammates, it's natural to get better shots, and smarter shots are also important. That's part of the experience, cunning and nuanced Green added, openly doing film research with Houston coach Stephen Silas and others, as well as infiltrating over time.
In overtime win over the Lakers, Jaren Green scored 32 points
"It's a natural process," Silas said recently. "There will always be 2.0. People don't stay where they are. For him, we know he's going to make progress. We knew it was going to be bumpy at first. We knew he would be a good worker.
"We don't necessarily know he's going to be a great listener and focus on everything on the defensive end right away and improve at the rate he's improving."
Green's hamstring injury in November and the Rockets' confidence took a hit after winning seven of their first nine games without him now seems to be ancient history. In last week's game against the Lakers, Green shot 13-of-21 (4-of-7 from three-point range) and scored a season-high 32 points, including 10 points, with Houston beating the Lakers 19-10 in overtime.
After that, Green spoke openly about his team's strategy of attacking veteran Laker Cameron Anthony on the offensive end, which may be a bit frank by the standards of his NBA peers. But there's a difference between arrogance and boasting, and Green's game looks more like the former than much of the latter.
This week's 2021-22 Kia Rookie Ladder Top 5:
(All statistics as of Monday, March 14)
1. Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers
Season stats: 15.1 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 2.6 apg
Since the last rung: 22.0 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 2.3 apg
Step of the last step: 1
Draft picks: 3rd overall
On Monday, Evan Mobley scored a career-high 30 points against Los Angeles.
Reports of Mobley's decline, especially those lobbying for the decline here, turn out to be vastly exaggerated. A pair of single-digit scoring matches resulted in an average of 21.6 points in five games, shooting 56 percent from the field. That includes his season-best 30 points against the Clippers on Monday. Mobley recorded his playing time at the centre in the absence of injured Jarrett Allen and didn't miss a beat. He topped the list with Cleveland's record, consistency, adaptability and defensive ability. Consider this: When Mobley scored more than 18 points, the Cavaliers' record was 10-9. But when he blocks more than 3 times, they are 11-3.
2. Detroit Pistons' Cadcanian
Season stats: 16.5 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 5.2 apg
Since the last rung: 24.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 7.3 apg
Steps of the last step: 2
Draft picks: Ranked First overall
Cade Cunningham nearly had a triple-double in Sunday's game against Los Angeles.
Although he missed Tuesday's game in Detroit in Miami due to non-COVID illness, Cunningham's ROY push in the late season continued. He barely missed a triple-double against the Clippers on Sunday, with 23 points, nine rebounds and 10 assists, and he tied the Pistons' rookie record (Kelly Tripka) with more than 20 points in seven consecutive games. One aspect to watch: Cunningham has played more than 38 minutes in four of his last six games, three of which have exceeded 40 minutes. Development is one thing, injured teammates can't help, but you look at the standings and still have to ask "Why?" ”
3. Scotty Barnes, Toronto Raptors
Season stats: 15.3 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 3.4 apg
Since the last rung: 20.3 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 4.3 apg
Steps of the last step: 3
Draft pick: 4th pick
A few weeks ago, LeBron James went from being passionate about a top rookie — praising Josh Gieddy's game as a tactic to attract Thunder general manager Sam Presti — to putting another rookie in his immediate line of fire. James' header went out of bounds during Monday's Lakers game, so he stabbed the ball with both hands to raptor rookie on the floor beneath his feet. Barnes tried his best to disguise it and stood up quickly, as if it were only because it was LeBron that he restrained his anger. The kid was cool but honest afterwards and could take comfort in Toronto's easy win over Los Angeles, and in the first quarter he had 15 out of 21 points more than James and Russell Westbrook combined during that time.
4. Franz Wagner, Orlando Magic
Season stats: 15.7 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 3.0 apg
Since the last rung: 8.8 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 2.0 apg
Steps of the last step: 4
Draft pick: 8th pick
The Class of 2021's "Mr. Reliable" slipped on the offensive end this week, with an average of more shots (9.0 than points) due to a 37.8% accuracy rate (1 of 3 shots). But the Magic took a 2-2 lead (Wagner was better off against Brooklyn on Monday. The 6-foot-9 forward filled a void for Orlando — no teammates have been seen in his 10 games or 350 minutes — and mobley hasn't won in terms of consistency.
5. Jaylen Green of the Houston Rockets
Season stats: 15.6 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 2.6 apg
Since the last rung: 20.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 4.3 apg
Step of the last step: 6
Draft pick: 2nd pick
Green is matching or exceeding various statistical thresholds for 20 years of age, largely due to chance. But here's a stat that hung like a weighted vest in his first season: His league worst plus-minus was minus 542 points, averaging minus 10.2 points, well below Detroit's second-placed Sadik Bay (minus -6.8). Admittedly, rookies usually go to bad teams, but houston plays better when Green doesn't play (minus 9.3). By contrast, the historical leader (since tracking statistics) is clearly Shareef Abdur-Rahim, who allegedly lost 2,904 in his 12-season NBA career (1996-2007). Abdur-Rahim averaged 18.1 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, but in his 890 games for the Grizzlies, Hawks, Kings and Trail Blazers, his team scored less than 0.500 to have 280.
You all have to see this pic.twitter.com/6SMxoACIyQ
- Houston Rockets (@HOUSTONROCKETS) March 14, 2022
6. Josh Giddey, Oklahoma Thunder
Season stats: 12.5 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 6.4 apg
Since the last step: DNP
Step of the last step: 5
Draft pick: 6th pick
Injury layoffs so far this week have cost West's top rookies a fortune.
7. Herbert Jones of the New Orleans Pelicans
Season stats: 9.5 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 2.2 apg
Since the last rung: 11.0 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 3.8 apg
Step of the last step: 8
Draft pick: 35th overall pick
The second New Orleans rookie made 100 steals, reaching Chris Paul's record.
Herb Jones posterized Mason Plumlee
Zion Williamson loved what he saw PIC.TWITTER.COM/QDBLCFHCE8
- Clutch Point (@ClutchPointsApp) March 12, 2022
8. Ayo Dosunmu, Chicago Bulls
Season stats: 8.5 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 3.2 apg
Since the last rung: 10.7 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 4.0 apg
Step of the last step: 7
Draft pick: 38th pick
Catch the ball projected 3FG (39.2%), waiting for an opportunity on the outside.
9. Jonathan Cumminga, Golden State Warriors
Season stats: 9.1 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 0.8 apg
Since the last rung: 16.3 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 2.5 apg
Step of the last step: 9
Draft pick: 7th pick
Won Jason Tatum's Twitter favorite in the first half of the game against the Bucks.
Kuminga walked for a long time
—@JAYTATUM0, March 13, 2022
10. Chris Duarte, Indiana Pacers
Season stats: 13.2 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 2.1 apg
Since the last rung: 13.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.0 apg
Step of the last step: 10
Draft pick: 13th pick
He spent a week (until Tuesday) due to a toe injury that hampered his season.
11. David Mitchell, Sacramento Kings
Season stats: 10.1 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 3.3 apg
Since the last rung: 12.7 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 2.7 apg
Step of the last step: N/A
Draft picks: 9th overall
D is real, in recent matches to stop jump shots.
12. Bones Hyland, Denver Nuggets
Season stats: 9.1 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 2.3 apg
Since the last rung: 16.0 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 3.7 apg
Draft pick: 26th overall
Locked in his close-up with these four 4Q 3s matches against the 76ers.