Just in case the hype machine wasn’t already cranked to full blast around Kristaps Porzingis, one of the greats, Kevin Durant, compared the New York Knicks rookie shooting 42.6 percent to a mythical figure. Not that New York will foam at the mouth in excitement over that one or anything.
Porzingis is a unicorn. Got it.
Meanwhile, back among the humans, the 7-foot-3 Porzingis is making shots lately — especially 3-pointers. It’s that kind of uniqueness Durant was reaching for in his glowing analogy of Porzingis that is moving closer to his limitless reality.
Porzingis has made at least 40 percent of his 3-pointers in six of the last 10 games as his prolonged shooting slump in December fades farther from view. His offense is catching up to his defense, when it was supposed to be the opposite — him struggling with physical play while dazzling with scoring.
“Me and everybody else, we’re finding our rhythm, we’re finding out our roles and how many shots are you going to take in every game,” Porzingis said of the Knicks. “Everybody is feeling more comfortable now with their role. We know the situations we’re going to get the ball in, and that’s why my shots, I think, have a higher percentage lately. I think from playing together we’re understanding each other better and knowing the situations we’re in to score.”
To The Ladder:
1. Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves
Last week’s ranking: No. 1
He is up to 12th in the league in rebounding at 9.7 — along with ninth in blocks — after a surge to 10.5 boards in January and 12.0 the last eight games, the latter in just 30.9 minutes. Oh, and while also averaging 17 points and shooting 53.4 percent in the eight. Just when a relatively slow start to 2016 seemed to dim Towns’ chances at a Kia Rookie of the Month threepeat in the West, he took one giant step back into the conversation.
2. Kristaps Porzingis, New York Knicks
Last week’s ranking: No. 2
With better shooting comes more time — Porzingis is on pace to break 30 minutes a game for a month for the first time, and may have stayed on the court longer still if not for recent foul trouble. His rebounding is also inching back up, at 7.3 per outing in January after 6.4 in December. (Though not close to the great opening statement of 9.9 in November.) The next new experience will be the swirl of All-Star weekend as a participant in the Rising Stars game.
3. Jahlil Okafor, Philadelphia 76ers
Last week’s ranking: No. 3
The man he is guarding now has a worse shooting percentage against Okafor than against the rest of the league, not only a major boost to his candidacy but a startling stat based on preseason expectations from front offices around the league. The important progress report comes as he asserts himself in a big way on offense, at 59.7 percent shooting and 18.1 points in his last 11 appearances. Now to halt the rebounding slide that has dipped all the way to 5.9 boards per game in the same 11.
4. Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
Last week’s ranking: No. 4
Though never to be confused with a primary offensive weapon on a team with Danilo Gallinari, Will Barton and improving shooter Gary Harris, Jokic is starting to make a regular contribution in that department. His best work on that side of the ball is on the offensive boards. Plus, Jokic is almost always efficient with his shot even when he doesn’t get enough opportunities to put up big scoring numbers, at 58 percent from the field in the 12 games of January and 61.4 percent the last nine.
5. Justise Winslow, Miami Heat
Last week’s ranking: No. 5
Solid ground on offense, at last. He was in danger of falling out of the top five as his shooting woes dragged on, so long that it was offsetting the positives on defense and as a reliable fourth-quarter presence on a winning team. But Winslow made 41.7 percent of his 3-pointers over his last six games while taking a couple shots behind the arc per night. It’s not a lot, but it’s something after more than a month of descent with the ball. The minutes have been rolling in, with 35 or more four games in a row.
6. D’Angelo Russell, Los Angeles Lakers
Last week’s ranking: No. 6
The 51.0 percent from the field and solid 37.5 percent from 3-point range the last four games is part of the larger positive tracking Russell has enjoyed as a shooter overall in January (45.6 and 34.6 percent, respectively). Turnovers are still a big problem and Winslow has a big edge on defense in the race for fifth place, but Russell at least getting to a good place with his shot is an important development for the Lakers. He is up to 41.7 percent overall and 32.7 percent on 3-pointers.
7. Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns
Last week’s ranking: No. 9
Not only a climb of two spots, but an ascension that shows no sign of slowing. The only thing holding him back from a better ranking is the inconsistent, and sometimes nonexistent, role early in the season. Booker by now has become a strong candidate for Rookie of the Month in the West, if not the leading candidate, all while posting 16.9 points, 44.6 percent from the field and 34.5 percent on 3-pointers with a few days remaining in January. He is up to sixth in the class in scoring, seventh in shooting, first in shooting among non-center/power forwards, and first in three-point shooting.
8. T.J. McConnell, Philadelphia 76ers
Last week’s ranking: No. 7
He continues to squeeze out dependable production without getting big minutes. McConnell recently had seven assists in consecutive games (against one turnover total) in 15 and 14 minutes, becoming the first player to record seven twice in a row without breaking 15 minutes in nearly 20 years, since Muggsy Bugues in February 1996. McConnell has 58 assists and 19 turnovers in January and is 17th in the league and first in the class in assist-to-turnover ratio while shooting 46.6 percent, first among rookie guards and seventh among first-year players regardless of position.
9. Larry Nance Jr., Los Angeles Lakers
Last week’s ranking: No. 8
He returned Tuesday after missing most or all of four games with a sore right knee. The Booker hot streak cost Nance one spot in the ranking more than the inactivity hurt Nance — a short time on the sideline generally doesn’t result in a drop — but it’s up to the No. 27 pick to regain his rhythm and conditioning to reclaim the former level of play. There are suddenly several candidates pushing for the final Ladder spots.
10. Willie Cauley-Stein, Sacramento Kings (not ranked)
Last week’s ranking: Not ranked
Cauley-Stein over Myles Turner is a close call between big men returning strong from injury. Their stats are mostly similar, both are defending well, both have key roles for teams in the playoff conversation at midseason. WCS gets the edge because his role is slightly larger and he is doing especially good work on the boards (6.8 rebounds in 10 games this month) but it’s easy to see Turner on the list at some point as well with the Kings and Pacers pleased by the smooth transitions back into the lineup.
Dropped out: Frank Kaminsky (10)
Scott Howard-Cooper has covered the NBA since 1988. You can e-mail him here and follow him on Twitter.
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