Stephen Curry (Golden State PG)- Dropped 25 points and 11 assists in a 110-99 win over the San Antonio Spurs. Curry picked up his first double-double in over a month, shooting 8 of 17 from the field in the win. The Warriors continue to play great basketball, and are in cruise control for the top seed in the Western Conference.
Louis Williams (Toronto SG)- Hit seven 3-pointers and tallied 26 points in a 105-80 win over the Atlanta Hawks. Williams hit 9 of 14 field goal attempts and scored over 20 points for the second consecutive game. His hot shooting provides a huge spark off the bench for the Raptors, as they chase the Hawks for the number one seed in the East.
DeMarcus Cousins (Sacramento PF/C)- Recorded 31 points and 15 rebounds in a 109-101 victory versus the Boston Celtics. In George Karl's first game as head coach of the Kings, Cousins put on a show, hitting 12 of 18 shot attempts. He should prove to be Karl's best asset going forward as the Kings look to make a playoff push.
Nerlens Noel (Philadelphia C)- Almost posted a triple-double, scoring 12 points, grabbing nine rebounds and blocking nine shots in a 106-95 loss to the Indiana Pacers. Noel shot 5 of 9 from the field, and also nabbed four steals. He continues to put up solid defensive numbers, and his offense is progressing for the 76ers.
Plays of the Night
DeMarcus Cousins threw down a monster dunk in transition against the Boston Celtics on Friday night.
Wiggins Soars for the Dunk
Andrew Wiggins flew and slammed home a monster dunk in a 111-109 win over the Phoenix Suns. Wiggins finished the game with 20 points on 9-15 shooting.
Who Was Hot Nerlens Noel (Philadelphia C)- Scored 19 points, grabbed eight rebounds and dished out four assists in a loss to the Boston Celtics. Noel hit 9 of his 12 shot attempts, and played one of is best games of the season. His talent and overall growth is hard to judge, as he is playing with generally subpar players on a nightly basis, but Noel has a high upside in rebounding and defense that the 76ers will look to build upon as the season progresses.
LeBron James/Kevin Love (Cleveland SF/C)- The Cleveland duo combined for 49 points (18-33 FG), 25 rebounds and 18 assists in a 97-88 win over the Charlotte Hornets. James went off for 27 points and 13 rebounds, while Love tallied 22 points and 18 rebounds as the Cavs raced out to a 19-0 lead and never looked back. Cleveland is starting to hit their stride, and are climbing up in the standings rapidly. James and Love are settling into nice seasons statistically.
Al Horford (Atlanta PF/C)- Recorded 21 points, 10 rebounds and six assists in a 93-86 win over the Chicago Bulls. Horford's scoring and rebounding numbers have been low this season (13.7 ppg, 6.7 rpg), so this game was a welcome sight for Hawks' fans. Horford remains one of the better big men that you never hear about in the NBA, but his play has helped Atlanta jump out to a 17-7 record (good for 3rd in the East) in the 2014-15 season.
Kelly Olynyk (Boston C)- Had one of his best games of the season, scoring 30 points and grabbing nine rebounds in a 105-87 win over the Philadelphia 76ers. Even though it was a blowout win against one of the worst teams in the league, Olynyk's numbers are worthy of mentioning, as he hit 12 of 17 field goals, and also added in three steals. His play has been erratic thus far, but maybe this game will spark something in the former Gonzaga Bulldog.
Play of the Night
Kyle Lowry showcased his outstanding ball handling abilities Monday night by putting Orlando Magic guard Victor Oladipo on skates during Toronto's 95-82 win. Lowry finished with 17 points and eight assists, as the Raptors keep rolling along in 2014.
Nerlens Noel showcased his athleticism and defensive prowess Monday night by blocking Celtics' forward Jared Sullinger midway through the 4th quarter. Even though the game was out of hand by this point, Noel's block got the fans excited and buzzing about one of their core rebuilding pieces.
With the NBA's first week of the regular season over, let's take a look back and see which rookies performed the best for their teams.
Nerlens Noel- The sixth overall selection in the 2013 NBA draft, Noel missed the entire 2013-14 season with a knee injury, but has looked impressive in his first few NBA games for the Philadelphia 76ers. He has averaged a modest 7.3 ppg, as well as 8.3 rpg, but his biggest contribution has come at the defensive end, where Noel has recorded seven blocks in three games (2.3 bpg). The 20-year-old big man will make a living off of his rebounding and shot blocking, and his offensive game should continue to improve as he competes for the Rookie of the Year award.
Jabari Parker- The Duke Blue Devil product has shown solid rebounding abilities in his first three career games, aerating 8.3 boards per game. His scoring has been slightly lower than predicted (10.7 ppg), but Parker's two double-doubles should give fantasy owners and Milwaukee Buck fans a reason to be excited about their team.
Elfrid Payton- The 10th round selection in the first round of the draft, Payton has showcased strong passing abilities during the Orlando Magic's first three games. Even with them taking the loss in all three games, the 20-year-old has shown he has what it takes to compete in the NBA, positing a stat line of 7.3 ppg, 7.7 apg and 3.7 rpg. Payton's field goal percentage (36%), and turnovers (3.0 per game) will have to improve, but his raw athleticism and natural talent should give the Magic reason to be optimistic about their future. He should compliment second-year guard Victor Oladipo well in the backcourt when he returns from injury.
