In averaging 30.7 minutes the first half of the season, logging his best play on offense and playing more as a Philadelphia 76ers rookie than he did in 2014-15 at Duke, Jahlil Okafor is answering one of October’s storylines.
Namely that conditioning will not be an issue for him.
There have been questions about how he fits into the future Philadelphia big-man rotation with Nerlens Noel and (perhaps, maybe, possibly) Joel Embiid, more questions than Philly wins actually, but Okafor at least quickly dismissed concerns among some front offices about whether he was up to the physical challenges of the NBA. That is more than a minor development for the first-year class at the midpoint.
The No. 3 pick leading all rookies in minutes per game is a statement beyond the state of the 76ers’ roster. Okafor has not only carried a full workload, he has averaged 18.1 points and shot 61.1 percent in January, just as he passed his totals as a Duke one-and-done in appearances and minutes.
Not only that, the opposite of wearing down has come with Philadelphia playing the sixth-fastest pace in the league. There have been many chances to come off as someone who just went face first into the invisible wall as a lot of executives and scouts nodded knowingly, but it hasn’t happened. Okafor has supplied the answer, remaining in a solid position near the top of The Ladder.
1. Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves
Last week’s ranking: No. 1
His offense has slowed — 13.1 points and 45.2 percent the first 10 games of January — but what a ferocious run on the boards. Towns has 10, 16, 12, eight and 13 rebounds the last five outings without playing more than 33 minutes, and at least five came on the offensive end in three of the five games. Even if he has not been scoring as much himself, he is creating a lot of second-chance opportunities for all the Timberwolves. That “slow” night inside, the eight boards Sunday against Phoenix? It came in 26 minutes that also included three blocks.
2. Kristaps Porzingis, New York Knicks
Last week’s ranking: No. 2
While the hype came months ago, the last two weeks have been the true moment of his potential in display. In that stretch, Porzingis has been hitting shots again while also making a positive impact inside and on defense. The improved offense is the key development after dropping to 41.8 percent shooting in December. He is at 46 percent and 16.6 points in January after posting 41.8 and 12.6, respectively, in December. He’s also contributing eight rebounds a night the last 10 outings and has at least two blocks in four of the last five.
3. Jahlil Okafor, Philadelphia 76ers
Last week’s ranking: No. 3
This has been the best offense of his three full months, dismissing the sliver of October, and it’s not close. Rookie of the Year voters love the scoring numbers, so Okafor at 18.1 points and 61.1 percent shooting in January is a nice push just in time for midseason assessments. And while the rebounds are down to 5.8 per outing so far this month, as the minutes have also dipped, his man still has a lower shooting percentage when being guarded by Okafor than the rest of the league. The difference is especially impressive within six feet of the basket.
4. Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
Last week’s ranking: No. 4
In the last 10 days alone, Jokic has had outings of 18 points and four steals (vs. Indiana), six rebounds and five assists (vs. Miami), seven rebounds and three steals (vs. Golden State) and seven rebounds and nine assists (vs. Charlotte). He is consistently finding at least one way to contribute, a good sign for a rookie in general and especially important because he is not the kind of center who puts up big scoring numbers. (Although Jokic is second among rookies in shooting with the limited opportunities.) Marc Gasol is the only other center with at least nine assists this season.
5. Justise Winslow, Miami Heat
Last week’s ranking: No. 5
After spending most of the first half of the season at small forward, projected as his natural position, Winslow has been getting more time at power forward in a small-ball lineup. What an affirmation of his athleticism and strength at 6-foot-7 and 225 pounds and just 19 years old. And, what a boost to Heat lineup options if Winslow is able to defend two positions at a high rate. It’s the good news to contrast the 28.0 percent shooting in January.
6. D’Angelo Russell, Los Angeles Lakers
Last week’s ranking: No. 7
He quickly returned to big minutes after recently missing most or all of three games because of illness and injury, logging 24, 30, 25 and 30 minutes the last four appearances. Not only that, Russell shot well in that time, especially behind the arc. While turnovers remain a pressing problem, Russell is third in assists, fourth in scoring, fourth in total minutes and tied for eighth in 3-point shooting.
7. T.J. McConnell, Philadelphia 76ers
Last week’s ranking: No. 8
He remains one of the dependable rookies at any position and certainly among guards. McConnell has 48 assists against just 13 turnovers his last nine games while shooting 51.1 percent. The undrafted point guard has already recorded seven assists in 15 minutes or less three times, while no one else has been as efficient more than once. That is while committing nine turnovers the last 117 minutes to move into a tie for 18th in the league in assist-to-turnover ratio, ahead of several likely or possible All-Stars. McConnell is also seventh in the class and second among guards, behind only Devin Booker, in shooting.
8. Larry Nance Jr., Los Angeles Lakers
Last week’s ranking: No. 7
The sore right knee that cost him all but three minutes Saturday at Utah and all of Sunday against the Rockets put at least a temporary halt to the growing bid for Rookie of the Month in the Western Conference, a campaign that would have been difficult to imagine at the start of January. Nance is defending and shooting 55.4 percent and averaging 7.6 rebounds in 23.4 minutes the last nine games. Coach Byron Scott has been noncommittal, though, whether the 2015 first-round pick will return to the starting lineup at power forward when healthy or whether 2014 first-round pick Julius Randle will keep the job.
9. Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns
Last week’s ranking: No. 9
Booker has not reached the qualifying minimum for 3-point shooting, needing to be on pace for 82 makes, but his 42.9 percent would be tied for 11th. That should come eventually. The next-best rookie is Kelly Oubre of the Wizards at 38.9. Though averaging eight points a game overall, Booker is at 11.5 in 11 starters and 14.7 in January as one of the few success stories in Phoenix, climbing to No. 8 in the class with another couple spots in sight.
10. Frank Kaminsky, Charlotte Hornets
Last week’s ranking: No. 10
Nice recovery. Kaminsky was facing a tumble out of the rankings a week ago, then started hitting shots to pull out of a slump in time to hold off Stanley Johnson, Oubre, Trey Lyles, Richaun Holmes and others. The success behind the arc the last 10 days is particularly noteworthy for a stretch four who has also earned praise for his improving defense. Coach Steve Clifford is being rewarded, at least for now, for continuing to play Kaminsky big minutes as his offense wobbled.
Dropped out: none.
Scott Howard-Cooper has covered the NBA since 1988. You can e-mail him here and follow him on Twitter.
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