Breaking Down How Andrew Wiggins Will Impact Kansas Jayhawks
Andrew Wiggins made shockwaves on Tuesday, when the superstar recruit finally announced that he would be attending Kansas University and playing ball for coach Bill Self’s Jayhawks.
It ended a months-long, drawn-out saga of recruiting drama, but opened the door for speculation on whether or not the top-tier prospect will live up to the immense hype and how he will fit in with the Jayhawks roster.
Fortunately for fans around Lawrence, it looks to be a perfect match.
Wiggins should be able to fill the giant void left by Ben McLemore, the team’s top scorer during the 2012-13 campaign.
The freshman shooting guard entered the NBA draft and will likely become a first-round pick along with teammate Jeff Withey—the senior center who served as the second-option on the offensive end last year.
Perry Ellis, Jamari Traylor and Naadir Thorpe are the only notable players that will be returning for another season with KU, meaning Self will have plenty of minutes to spare.
Wiggins should be in line to play as much as possible and will likely be the centerpiece of the Kansas offense next season. He’s a major upgrade in the points department, as he is a reliable bucket generator that shouldn’t slack off.
While McLemore was prone to long stretches of inefficient and head-scratching play, the stud recruit should be much more consistent for the duration of the game.
Some fresh faces on Kansas’ campus should also be of assistance to Wiggins and the rest of the team. Top-tier recruits Joel Embiid, Wayne Selden, Conner Frankamp and Brannen Greene all will get a chance to play and make an impact this coming season.
It’s not the elite crop of highly touted talent that coach John Calipari assembled at Kentucky, but these young men are hard workers that will provide a perfect supporting cast around Wiggins.
Add in Self’s genius and you can be certain that the Jayhawks find a way to utilize their latest weapon in the most effective fashion.
This should put the team on a collision course with the rival Wildcats come the national championship game, a repeat of 2012’s epic showdown.
Kentucky may have the deeper roster, but this time Kansas has the best player and should be able to one-up the competition due to the sheer skill and dominance of Wiggins.
Of course, this all hinges on the Canadian native panning out, but from everything we’ve seen from this kid during his time at Huntington Prep and in exhibition showcases, he’s the real deal.
Don’t be shocked when Wiggins is hoisting the national championship trophy and bringing KU its first title since 2008.
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Andrew Wiggins Decision: How Great Can His One-Year Impact Be at Kansas?
There’s a reason to doubt that Andrew Wiggins in one year of college can win a national title with a team full of freshmen at Kansas, and there’s a reason to believe it can happen.
But first, let me share a story about Bill Self.
It was late February in 2012, and Kansas was playing Missouri for what was potentially the final meeting between the two rivals ever. Several weeks before that, Kansas had blown a late lead at Missouri and Self was as pissed as I’ve ever seen him.
That night I followed him out of his press conference in Columbia and he was replaying the game out loud. His star player Thomas Robinson had been called for a charge late in the game. “How was that a charge?” Self asked reporters on his way back to the locker room.
Self had said publicly that he would not play Missouri again. The Tigers were leaving the Big 12. That was their fault. And he tried to play off the final game as any other game, but he knew it meant a lot more than that to the school and it meant a lot to him too. He couldn’t end the series with a bad taste in his mouth.
Kansas had played poorly three days before in a win at Texas A&M, and particularly, KU’s star, Robinson, had lost his head. Robinson pushed an Aggie late in that game and got a technical.
The next day, Self said he called Robinson into his office.
“You’ve got to think for the team’s benefit, you can’t push anybody,” Self told him.
Then Self flipped his message, building Robinson back up.
“He’s got all of his family counting on him to do things,” Self said. “He’s got everybody in his ear. He really doesn’t have anybody in his family that can tell him, ‘I’m proud of you no matter what happens.’”
Robinson had lost his mom and both grandparents a year before, and by the time of the Missouri game, it was obvious Robinson was in his last season at KU and would be a lottery pick.
From that moment forward, Robinson no longer seemed to feel as much pressure. He helped lead an amazing comeback in that final game against Mizzou—KU rallied from 19 points down—and he helped lead a team with few preseason expectations (at least for KU’s standards) to the national title game.
Andrew Wiggins is coming to Kansas with expectations that few (if any) college players have ever faced. Michael Jordan had two other stars, Sam Perkins and James Worthy, to help him as a freshman. Jordan was the third-leading scorer on the team in his freshman season when UNC won the title, and that was before Jordan was what we know today. LeBron James never went to college.
This is the club, fair or not, that Wiggins will be compared to for the next few years unless he looks like a total bust.
What Wiggins is about to experience is almost unprecedented. The reaction (and vile) on Twitter after his announcement was pretty much unprecedented.
But if any coach can figure out a way to help guide Wiggins through this process, to deal with the pressure, to challenge him when he needs to be challenged and love him when he needs to be loved, it’s Self.
Why to Bet Against Wiggins and Kansas in 2014
This is the best class Self has had at Kansas since he signed Brandon Rush, Mario Chalmers, Julian Wright and Micah Downs in 2005. That class lost in the first round of the tournament as freshmen. What it took for that group to eventually win the title in 2008 was one player’s misfortune turning into fortune for Kansas.
After that group’s sophomore year, Wright left for the NBA and Rush was also going to leave; however, Rush ended up tearing his ACL in a hush-hush workout with the Knicks. That convinced him to stay in school and it’s tough to imagine KU would have won the title without him.
So that group took three years to become a championship team; Self does not have that kind of time this go-around, as no one expects Wiggins will make it to his sophomore season.
The best comparison for what KU will put on the court next season is what Texas had in 2007 in Kevin Durant‘s freshman season.
Kansas could potentially start up to four freshmen: Wiggins, guard Wayne Selden, guard Conner Frankamp and center Joel Embiid. Sophomore forward Perry Ellis would be the fifth starter with that group. It’s more likely that KU at least starts the season with junior Naadir Tharpe at point guard, but those four freshmen will be in the rotation, along with fellow freshman Brannen Greene and sophomore Jamari Traylor.
Texas also started four freshmen in Durant’s one year in college along with a sophomore guard. One of those other freshmen, D.J. Augustin, was a lottery pick after his sophomore season. Another, Damion James, ended up making it to the league as well. It wasn’t just Durant and a bunch of nobodies.
Durant was even better than advertised—averaging 25.8 points and 11.1 rebounds—and that team lost in the round of 32.
Why Kansas Could Win Big in Wiggins’ One Year
Bill Self was on the radio in Kansas City on Tuesday talking Wiggins, and he had one quote in particular that stood out to me.
“He has a very mature, assassin-type mentality on the court,” Self said of Wiggins. “He likes the competition. He likes the fight. He likes the struggle. He lives for that stuff.”
This should have Kansas fans giddy, because they just watched another talented freshman, Ben McLemore, have an incredible freshman season; however, he was hardly noticeable in the NCAA tournament. He often disappeared away from Allen Fieldhouse. “Assassin” would not have been a good description for McLemore.
Self had already put together a talented roster for next year, but he needed an alpha dog.
That’s what Wiggins gives KU and the pieces fit nicely around him. Both Wiggins and Selden are explosive athletes who can attack the rim. KU can surround them with shooters—Frankamp and Greene—who can space the floor.
Self’s best teams always have a scorer in the post, and Ellis fits that role. After struggling to finish most of his freshman season, he averaged 13.8 points and shot 82 percent during a four-game stretch in March.
Kansas is always one of the best defensive teams in the country. Last year’s team led the nation in two-point defense and effective field-goal percentage, according to KenPom.com. Self’s teams at Kansas have finished in the top 10 in effective field-goal percentage in nine of his 10 seasons at Kansas. Both Selden and Wiggins have the athleticism to be elite defenders and Embiid is a rim-protector.
Two one-and-done star prospects have won the national championship: Syracuse’s Carmelo Anthony and Kentucky’s Anthony Davis.
Syracuse had another freshman (Gerry McNamara) and two sophomores in its starting lineup that year. Kentucky started three freshmen in 2012. The Wildcats had the perfect pieces to surround Davis and the scorers to make up for his unrefined offensive game. Syracuse had enough scorers to give Anthony room to operate.
Both, like Kansas, had Hall of Fame (or eventual Hall of Fame-worthy) coaches.
Kansas fans will be able to talk themselves into how Kansas could win the title.
“Potential is something you have on paper,” Self said on the radio Tuesday. “That doesn’t mean you’ll live up to it.”
Self has a way of bringing out the potential. His staff turned McLemore from a relatively unknown talent to a top pick in the draft. After Kansas lost all five starters from the 2008 championship team, the next year the Jayhawks won 27 games, won the Big 12 and made the Sweet 16. Two years ago Self took a team that returned one starter to the national championship game.
He’s won more games in his 10 years at Kansas than any other program in the country. In the last seven years, Kansas has won more games (228) than any program in the history of college basketball over a seven-year span. Self has won nine straight Big 12 titles. All of that was without having a talent like Wiggins.
It might be a little too early to anoint Kansas a title contender just because of Wiggins, but college basketball season begins in October, ends in April and Kansas wins the Big 12 title and has a high seed in the NCAA tournament in March.
In other words, don’t discount Bill Self’s ability to do Bill Self things with Andrew Wiggins.
Author’s Note: All quotes used in this story were obtained firsthand.
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How Andrew Wiggins Would Impact Each Potential College Choice
Andrew Wiggins has the college basketball world abuzz with his decision as to where he’ll be playing next year, which is likely to made at 12:15 p.m. on Tuesday, according to Huntington Prep coach Rob Fulford.
Wiggins—widely considered the best high school player since this guy called LeBron James—has a mountain of hype surrounding him—making the decision as to where he’s playing basketball next year a big one. It’s the type of decision that could completely change the college basketball landscape, with the team that lands his services potentially becoming title favorites in 2013.
That might seem like an overreaction, but it’s not. The kid is that good.
So where’s Wiggins going to be playing next year?
Well, for that, you’ll have to tune in to his announcement around lunch time on Tuesday, but there’s four key programs thought to be in the mix for the star
Read on to see who they are, and how Wiggins’ arrival could impact them in 2013.
Florida State University Seminoles
Wiggins is going to be a star wherever he ends up next season, but at Florida State, he would be the undisputed go-to option from the opening tip.
FSU has the allure of having good friends in the program, and for the Seminoles, it would be the biggest commit in a long time. After all, they are the only program out of the four mentioned that haven’t won a National Championship, and it would definitely get them back in the media spotlight.
Statistically, Florida State ranked outside the top 100 in terms of offensively efficiency in 2012—something that having Wiggins would definitely change.
Be that in terms of scoring or in terms of rebounding, Wiggins would be able to transform the Seminoles from being another middle-of-the-road team in 2012 to a team with some serious underdog status. What’s more, they would be more than capable knocking off the top programs around the country with his arrival, and could well make a surprise run once they get going later in the year.
Kansas Jayhawks
Having lost star Ben McLemore to the NBA draft this year, signing Wiggins would be a huge recruit for Kansas, and one that could allow them to continue to compete at the highest level in 2013.
Allen Fieldhouse would be buzzing again, for the Jayhawks would be national title contenders again—despite losing several of their starters. And with their sound defense and good recruiting so far, Wiggins’ offensive skills would definitely be welcomed.
Eric Bossi of Rivals.com writes (via USA Today):
Kansas, maybe even more than Florida State, is a place he could make an immediate impact. They don’t really have that true high flyer. He could also, theoretically, play power forward for them because he’s so quick and athletic.
Kansas would again be competitive for a Big 12 title and, depending on the cohesion it develops early on, could well enter March Madness as a No. 1 seed.
The presence of Wiggins would rejuvenate this young team into an explosive offense powerhouse that is more than capable of getting the job done.
North Carolina Tar Heels
With James Michael McAdoo opting to stay on for another year, North Carolina finds itself in a particularly strong position if they can secure Wiggins.
Not only would have they have an explosive frontcourt in Roy Williams’ push-the-pace offense, they’d have arguably the most explosive offensive player in the league—capable of dominating inside and in transition, as well as racking up plenty of boards at either end of the court.
Marcus Paige is a pass-first guy in the backcourt who could establish a great connection with Wiggins—turning the Tar Heels into the team to beat next season. Moreover, it would give UNC a huge advantage over their rivals Duke, who have picked up top prospect Jabari Parker for the year ahead, and could establish a thrilling rivalry between Wiggins and Parker at an individual level also.
It’s perhaps a stretch to say that they’re title contenders, but they’re definitely capable of making a strong run in the NCAA Tournament, given the experience that many of their players will have and the fact they’ve got a guy like Wiggins on their roster.
Kentucky Wildcats
However, the strongest impact that Wiggins could have next year would be at Kentucky—and it’s not even close. In the eyes of many, the Wildcats are already the team to beat for the National Championship thanks to their strong recruiting class. Adding in Wiggins would simply confirm that fact even more, and create one of the most most star-studded lineups seen since the Fab Five.
Yes, the Wildcats would be that good next season.
John Calipari‘s team would have at least six first-round draft prospects on hand, and that could only mean big things for the Huntington Prep star.
For at Kentucky, opposing teams can’t afford to double-team him every time he gets the ball in good positions—like they could do if he was at FSU, for example.
Wiggins would thrive in a dribble-drive offense like Kentucky’s, and most likely playing at small-forward, could have an impact both as a scorer and a creator.
He’s unlikely to do that anywhere else, for they would likely need his scoring skills more than anything; yet at Kentucky, they’ve already got plenty of go-to options.
If he wants to win a title, Kentucky is the place to go, for with Wiggins in their roster, the Wildcats would be tremendously difficult to shut down in 2013.
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How Each Newcomer to UNC Basketball Can Make an Immediate Impact
The North Carolina Tar Heels will be welcoming three new players to their basketball roster next season. After losing team MVP Reggie Bullock and starting guard Dexter Strickland to the NBA draft, the five-time national champions have to replace two of their biggest leaders on the court.
Roy Williams has done a masterful job at recruiting this offseason. He has brought in two recruits that can stabilize the inside and can give help to James Michael McAdoo down low. The addition of another guard also gives Williams a nice backup to sophomore Marcus Paige.
While the new guys won’t see a whole lot of playing time this season because of all the returning players, it doesn’t mean they can’t impact the team’s season in a positive way.
Here is how each incoming freshman can help the North Carolina Tar Heels in 2013-14.
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David Lee Makes Instant Impact in Surprise Second-Round Debut
Perhaps it’s too soon to compare David Lee to Willis Reed just yet.
That type of talk is reserved for Game 7 of the NBA Finals.
But the Golden State Warriors‘ All-Star forward is doing his best impression of the New York Knicks legend, as Lee reappeared again in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals against the San Antonio Spurs on Friday.
Lee, who suffered what was supposed to be a season-ending hip flexor tear in Game 1 of the opening round against the Denver Nuggets, has now appeared in two games since. Lee played in just a minute-and-a-half in Game 6 of the Warriors’ series-clinching victory on May 2.
On Friday, Lee appeared again for three minutes in the second quarter, scoring five points and grabbing two rebounds.
On his first offensive possession of the game, he grabbed an offensive rebound and scored an and-1 putback. He then knocked down a mid-range jumper from atop the key.
Warriors coach Mark Jackson said before the game that he may use Lee in spurts of minutes, but nothing nearly as extensive as the 25-minute mark. Lee will likely need offseason surgery to for the injury.
Before the game, Lee discussed his status this postseason:
Willis Reed, the captain of the 1970 Knicks, returned for Game 7 of a Finals championship after tearing his thigh muscle in Game 5. It’s thought of as the greatest surprising comeback, or moment of playing hurt, in NBA history.
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Derrick Rose’s Failure to Return in Game 3 Shouldn’t Impact Expectations
Those who expect Derrick Rose to start Game 3 and carry the Chicago Bulls to a series victory forgot to set their alarm.
The point guard hasn’t hit the hardwood in athletic shorts all season long. He’s coming off ACL surgery which, contrary to popular belief, is still difficult to return from. The best team in the NBA, the Miami Heat, will also be his competition.
While Chicago Head Coach Tom Thibodeau, according to ESPN, ruled Rose out for Game 3, the former MVP’s failure to defy those odds shouldn’t impact his big-picture expectations of—eventually— leading the Bulls back to prominence.
Alex Kennedy of Hoopsworld reported after Game 2 that Rose could make his long-awaited return as the Eastern Conference semifinals shifted to the United Center. News that it won’t happen (at least on Friday) has put the floor general under fire.
Rose should blame the Minnesota Vikings Adrian Peterson and other recent ACL success stories for heightened expectations of a quick recovery. In much of the public’s eyes, the abnormally fast recovery of one freak athlete gives Rose no excuse to still be suited up in a suit.
Even professional athletes like Arizona Cardinals kicker Jay Feely can’t comprehend that measuring an athlete’s recovery time to another’s—even with a similar injury—is like comparing apples and oranges.
Hey @drose ever heard of @adrianpeterson ?He came back 9mo after ACL surgery in a sport they try to hit your knees; only rushed for 2000+
—Jay Feely (@jayfeely) May 5, 2013
“Quickly stop moving and change direction while running, landing from a jump, or turning,” is what the U.S. National Library of Medicine lists as a cause of an ACL injury. That should sound familiar.
I saw running, landing from a jump and turning.
If Rose returns before he’s physically ready, he’d risk suffering another torn ACL. If he returns before he’s mentally ready, he’d be no use to the Bulls.
In the 2011 Eastern Conference Finals, Rose averaged 5.4 fewer points and 3.2 fewer assists than he had the previous series. LeBron James, who said he’s probably having his best defensive campaign this year (via ESPN), played a major role in that statistical plummet as he guarded that season’s MVP. Rose wasn’t mentally scarred from a torn ACL then either.
King James won MVP again this year and Rose hasn’t played since April 28, 2012. James aside, Kevin Pelton of ESPN noted on Friday that the 10 players who have returned from an ACL tear midseason since 2000 played limited minutes and struggled to perform in their first five games back.
Rose’s inability to impact this series should be irrelevant in regards to his future expectations in Chicago.
David Daniels is a breaking news writer at Bleacher Report and news editor at Wade-O Radio.
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5 Factors That Could Impact Miami Heat-Chicago Bulls Series
Already, the series between the Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls is more interesting than many expected.
The Heat, after rolling the Milwaukee Bucks in four straight, arrived in the second round healthy, resting and confident.
The Bulls, after surviving the Brooklyn Nets in the full seven, arrived in tatters.
Yet Chicago’s Game 1 win put the Heat on their heels, and they responded with a rout, winning by the largest margin in their postseason history, while handing the Bulls their worst-ever playoff loss, 115-78.
That Game 2 also featured nine technicals, two ejections and several confrontations.
“We flat out sucked,” Bulls guard Nate Robinson said.
Still, as LeBron James noted, “It’s just one game.”
In fact, as Heat coach Erik Spoelstra elaborated:
“For Chicago, it’s almost a perfect loss. You get beat by a number like that and have guys ejected, you can come back with a clean slate the next game with a chip on your shoulder.”
The Bulls also come back home, where the United Center will surely rock, with more than 20,000 urging on the decided underdogs.
So what can alter the state of the series?
(All quotes for this piece were collected through the course of the author’s coverage of the Miami Heat for the Palm Beach Post.)
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NBA Playoffs 2013: Non-Stars Having Major Impact Thus Far
When it comes to the NBA playoffs, we often glue our eyes to the stars and place them on a pedestal above the rest. As seems to be the case with every passing postseason, however, some of the less notable players have stepped up in a significant manner.
The question is, which non-stars are having the most powerful impact thus far?
Certain players have made their leap to elite during the 2012-13 NBA playoffs, thus disqualifying names such as Stephen Curry from being included. Other players have been stars since day one, but injuries have forced us to forget, such as Andrew Bogut and David West.
With that being said, there are countless players exceeding expectations and shaping their respective series.
Harrison Barnes, Golden State Warriors
Rookie Harrison Barnes is the only lottery pick remaining in the 2013 NBA playoffs. While there, he’s certainly put on the look of a star, averaging 15.4 points and 6.4 rebounds on a slash line of .476/.421/.857.
Stephen Curry has been the leader, but without Barnes, we’re not even looking at the Warriors in the second round.
Barnes began his postseason with a 24-point performance in the Warriors’ stunning Game 2 upset of the Denver Nuggets. The following game, he stepped up with 19 points and seven rebounds in a 110-108 victory.
Despite losing 129-127 during Game 1 of their series against the San Antonio Spurs, the Warriors were thrilled to see Barnes step up with 19 points and 12 rebounds while playing 53 minutes.
If you doubted Barnes before, you shouldn’t anymore.
Mike Conley, Memphis Grizzlies
Mike Conley is commonly viewed as an average NBA point guard that plays well enough to help his team. The truth of the matter is, Conley’s quality of play is parallel to or exceeding that of the more notable point guards.
It’s all about defense and clutch scoring for Conley.
For the second consecutive postseason, Conley has gone toe-to-toe with Chris Paul and not looked overmatched. While CP3 won the individual battle, Conley is averaging 17.9 points and 7.8 assists thus far and won the series.
He scored 23 points in the series-clinching win.
Against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Conley led the Memphis Grizzlies to a Game 2 victory with 26 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists. This is yet another huge postseason performance by one of the NBA’s best kept secrets.
With the 2013 Grizzlies looking a lot like the 2004 Detroit Pistons, could Conley be their Mr. Big Shot?
Nate Robinson, Chicago Bulls
Nate Robinson has made it very difficult to avoid using the star label for him. Not only was he a hero early on, but he’s embraced that role throughout the postseason and maintained that level of play.
Robinson is averaging 18.3 points and 4.3 assists on a slash line of .504/.366/.810—sounds pretty star-like, doesn’t it?
Robinson’s first claim to fame came during Game 4 of Chicago’s first-round series against the Brooklyn Nets. He finished with 34 points on 14-of-23 shooting, dropping 23 of those points during a miraculous fourth-quarter comeback.
Robinson fell one point short of Michael Jordan’s Bulls record for fourth-quarter scoring—that’s what we call legendary.
Including that game, Robinson is averaging 22.2 points in his past five contests. That includes Game 1 of the Bulls’ series against the Miami Heat, when he dropped 27 points and nine assists in an upset win.
Stephen Curry has been sensational, but Robinson may just be the postseason MVP as Chicago continues to win without Derrick Rose, Luol Deng and Kirk Hinrich.
Lance Stephenson, Indiana Pacers
Lance Stephenson isn’t the flashiest player, nor is he the most well-known name on this list. In fact, the Indiana Pacers’ starting shooting guard is one of the least-known players in the 2013 NBA playoffs.
Even still, Stephenson has been a key to the Pacers’ postseason success.
Thus far, the former Cincinnati Bearcat is averaging 8.4 points, 8.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.5 steals per game. Stephenson, who stands at a generous 6’5″, topped double-digit rebounding in three consecutive games.
In the game prior, he went for 10 points, nine rebounds and eight assists.
The key to Stephenson’s impact, however, is on the defensive end, where he has helped to limit two dominant three-point attacks. Against the Atlanta Hawks, he controlled Kyle Korver and forced him to shoot a combined 5-of-23 during Indiana wins.
It’s been more of the same against J.R. Smith and the New York Knicks.
Stephenson won’t blow you away with his scoring numbers, but he’s one of the most well-rounded young players in the league. His presence on the glass is invaluable and the fact that he’s, more or less, replacing Danny Granger is quite the burden.
Stephenson has carried it with pride and produced at quite the impressive level.
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NBA Playoffs 2013: Unheralded Players Making a Huge Impact in Postseason
As the first round of the NBA playoffs starts wrapping up, it is time to give credit to some lesser-known players.
The postseason is a time where superstars shine their brightest. So far in the postseason, Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James and even Stephen Curry have lived up to or exceeded expectations. Even guys like Nate Robinson have received plenty of buzz for big performances.
However, the teams that are succeeding are not doing it because of only one person. These players have also been fantastic in the opening round and are a big reason their teams have either already won or in good position to advance.
Jarrett Jack, PG, Golden State Warriors
While Stephen Curry continues to show why he is one of the most exciting players to watch in basketball, it is important to note what Jarrett Jack has done in this series against the Denver Nuggets.
After starting only four games during the regular season, he got increased minutes in Game 1 and almost totaled a triple double with 10 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds. Amazingly, this was his worst game of the series.
In the last three wins, Jack has averaged 23.3 points and 7.7 assists per game to help the Warriors take control of the series. He has also made an incredible 73.7 percent of his shots from the floor in this stretch.
The point guard had a solid regular season, finishing fourth on the team with 12.9 points per game. However, Golden State needed someone to step up when David Lee went down, and Jack has done that in a big way.
Kenyon Martin, PF, New York Knicks
Carmelo Anthony has continued his hot streak from the end of the regular season, and J.R. Smith is a great secondary scorer when he is in the lineup. However, Kenyon Martin has been a big help in dominating the Boston Celtics so far in the series.
The veteran played significant minutes in the early few games with Amar’e Stoudemire out and Tyson Chandler limited. In Games 1 and 2 combined, Martin totaled an impressive 20 rebounds and six blocks.
As a result, Boston was held to less than 80 points in each game. The same thing happened in the third game as Martin was once again solid inside.
Defense is the reason that the Knicks are up 3-1 on their rivals, and the power forward has been a huge part of the success.
Mike Conley Jr., PG, Memphis Grizzlies
Few players have improved their production from the regular season to the playoffs as much as Mike Conley Jr. The point guard had been solid all year, but the squad struggled to score points on a consistent basis.
In the playoffs, however, Conley has made sure that his team gets on the board by distributing the ball better than he has all year.
After averaging 6.1 assists per game during the season, the young player has 23 combined in the last two games. This has helped the Grizzlies tie up the series after falling behind 2-0 to the Los Angeles Clippers.
Memphis now has to keep that momentum heading back onto the road, although Conley totaled 28 points and nine assists in the Game 2 loss. If he can produce anywhere near these numbers in Game 5, his squad will have the upper hand in the series and should be able to advance to the second round.
Kawhi Leonard, SF, San Antonio Spurs
Being underrated has been something Kawhi Leonard has had to deal with throughout his career with the Spurs. However, he is just as important to the team’s success as the “Big Three” of Tony Parker, Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili.
The wing is incredibly efficient on both ends of the court and was able to fill up the box score in multiple categories as a scorer, rebounder and defender.
At 21 years old, he is also able to stay on the court and led the team in minutes for the series. This allows the aging roster to get more rest while Leonard continues to play at a high level.
After sweeping the Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio will get plenty of time to get ready for the second-round series against either the Denver Nuggets or Golden State Warriors. Regardless of opponent, it is clear that Leonard will be huge part of his team’s success.
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Under-the-Radar 2013 NBA Draft Sleepers Guaranteed to Make an Impact
There are some guys out there you just know are going to make an impact.
Many of them have produced better results than some of the most sought-after prospects in the nation, but aren’t considered must-watch prospects because they lack NBA upside.
These are the guys who are going to make a rotation, whether it’s as a 12th man or a sixth man. Most are projected as late-first- or second-rounders, but all are safe selections regardless of where they go.
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