by Andrew Hardison
Rajon Rondo (Celtics)-10.9 PTS, 9.0 AST, 2.5 STL
Still among the league leader in assists (4th) and steals (1st), as well as playing at an All-Star level early on, Rondo and the Celtics are winners of their last four games. In those four games, Rondo has four double-doubles all while averaging 9.7 assists/game. He’s had double digit scoring outputs in those contests, something that is a definite bonus to see from Rondo. With guys like Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett able to make up for a majority of the scoring load, Rondo is still able to facilitate to teammates but score as well. He draws double-teams well because of his ability to get to the paint, with defenders having to collapse to contain him. One negative to Rondo’s game is his below-average free throw shooting. He’s averages 38% for the year which is alarmingly low for the lead guard on one of the NBA’s best teams. Rondo’s percentages were never good in college, so the carry over shouldn’t be as surprisingly as some might make out. At (13-4), Boston is clearly one of the best teams in the NBA. Along with the Celtics, the Orlando Magic, Atlanta Hawks, and Cleveland Cavaliers look to be the favorites to come out of the Eastern Conference. The season is still far from over, but Rondo has the Celtics sitting pretty early on. Game of the week: 13 PTS, 11 AST, 2 REB, 1 STL in 92-85 victory over the Heat.
Jodie Meeks (Bucks)-5.0 PTS, 2.3 REB, 0.4 AST
Meeks has played his rookie role for the Bucks in their last four games, who have lost all of them. He hasn’t gotten a lot of minutes but that should be expected with the make-up of the Bucks team this season. Meeks has played eleven minutes in each of the last two games, knocking down a couple of shots in both. Meeks is still learning on the fly, but he still relishes the college life while getting to keep in touch with former teammates. Now that starter Michael Redd is back and healthy, Meeks probably won’t see too many opportunities to get extended minutes. His scoring output will tend to be on the low side, as the Bucks have other offensive threats at this point in the season. Meeks’ defense looks to have improved already during his short time in the NBA. That was a criticism of his game in college, but knowing head coach Scott Skiles M.O., he’s got Meeks focusing his attention on defense first, scoring second. Game of the week: 5 PTS, 2 REB, 1 AST in a 100-98 loss to the Orlando Magic.
Nazr Mohammed (Bobcats)-7.3 PTS, 4.3 REB, 0.9 BLK
Winners of the last four, Mohammed has played extremely well as of late scoring double-digits in all of those matchups. What’s more impressive is Mohammed’s propensity for rebounding, averaging 6.7/game a bonus for someone coming off the bench. What’s more impressive is that Mohammed is doing all of this with starter Tyson Chandler getting the most minutes at the center position. He did play 28 minutes in a win over the Cavs, but that could have something to do with the fact that Shaquille O’Neal was playing on the other team. Either way, he played well scoring 13 points and grabbing 6 rebounds. Mohammed could find himself being used as a trading chip come the trade deadline. The Bobcats are always involved and interested in making deals with other teams around the league. They recently traded for Warriors shooting guard Stephen Jackson, so they aren’t afraid to move some pieces around. If teams are interested, Mohammed could fit the bill. Game of the week: 11 PTS, 9 REB, 3 BLK, 2 AST in 116-81 victory over the Raptors.
Chuck Hayes (Rockets)-5.9 PTS, 6.8 REB, 0.6 BLK
The Rockets are one team that should be thankful for the services of Hayes. He’s been nothing but a positive to the organization and has stepped in perfectly for the team as of late. A positive of Hayes’ game is that he doesn’t turn the ball over much for his position. Usually centers can be prone to high turnover rates, but Hayes has always been a savvy low-post player dating back to his days at Kentucky. His numbers on the season don’t scream star-power, as he averages a shade under 6 points. It’s the intangibles however that have allowed Hayes to have a solid NBA career thus far. He had a solid month of November and his play should continue well on into December. Game of the week: 7 PTS, 8 REB, 2 AST in 110-91 victory over Oklahoma City.
Keith Bogans (Spurs)-4.5 PTS, 0.8 AST
The Spurs have been rolling recently and Bogans has had a helping hand in the cause. Winners of their last five games, Bogans has seen increased playing time and is producing some good numbers in a reserve role with San Antonio. Getting around 21 minutes a game in that span, Bogans has scored 5.2 points and grabbing around 5.0 rebounds as well. Those are pretty good numbers from someone who wasn’t expected to get a ton of minutes. He’s a reliable player for head coach Gregg Popovich as he knows there won’t be much lost when Bogans comes in as a substitution. Look for him to get similar minutes and production throughout the year for the Spurs. Game of the week: 10 PTS, 1 REB, 2 STL in 112-98 victory over the Bucks.
Randolph Morris (Hawks)-1.4 PTS, 0.8 REB, 0.2 BLK
Morris hasn’t played in the past five games for the Hawks, most likely due to the recent struggles Atlanta has been having. In that span the team has gone 2-3, losing to the Hornets, Magic, and Pistons. Morris doesn’t figure to be too involved in the Hawks’ plans as they try to make a strong push to the playoffs, possibly contending for a top-4 seed in post-season play. It’s been a tough start to Morris’ NBA career, but he has been able to stay on with a team thus far, so that’s as good a sign as any that he’s got what it takes to get it done in the big-leagues.
Jamaal Magloire (Heat)-
Much like fellow Kentucky alum Randolph Morris, Magloire hasn’t seen any playing time in the last five games for the Heat. Don’t be surprised though, as this seems to be the downturn of Magloire’s NBA career. He’s had some solids seasons while playing, but he just isn’t as effective as he used to be. Do be surprised that he isn’t producing like former teammate Nazr Mohammed, who has rejuvenated his career with his stint in Charlotte. With that said, Magloire isn’t as mobile as he used to be creating difficulties for him out on the court. Expect this to continue throughout the season as Magloire doesn’t seem to fit in with this year’s Miami Heat team.
Kelenna Azubuike- Azubuike’s injury will keep him out far longer than fellow and former UK alum Tayshaun Prince
. Azubuike has already missed the Warriors last seven games and the diagnosis has him schedule to sit out anywhere from 4-6 months. He certainly won’t be playing again this season.
Tayshaun Prince- Despite being injured, Prince has shown some progress in his rehabilitation efforts. There still isn’t a timetable for his return because of the severity of the injury but the Pistons hope to have back once he proves to be healthy enough to play.
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