| RANK | PLAYER | RUNDOWN | LAST |
| 1 |  |
JRUE HOLIDAY, G, SIXERS: Two NBA players are top 20 in scoring and top 10 in assists: Russell Westbrook and Holiday, who is 17th (18.6 ppg) and third (9.2 apg). Last season, he was 52nd and 26th. Andrew Bynum’s injury should have been a season-wrecker but so far is not because Holiday is simply carrying the Sixers. | 3 |
| 2 |  |
O.J. MAYO, G, DALLAS: He’s sixth in scoring (21.5 ppg), and while his minutes are up from last season, he has gone from a reserve not on the floor at the end of games for Memphis to the top late-game option for Dallas. Missed all five 3-pointers Saturday night in his first clunker this month and still shooting 53 percent from the arc. | 1 |
| 3 |  |
JAMES HARDEN, G, HOUSTON: Yes, he’s playing more. Yes, he’s shooting more, and worse. But his scoring average is up 8.4 ppg into the Kobe-LeBron-Durant stratosphere (25.2) and he appears up to the burden of carrying a team. By the way, when Kevin Love won in 2011 and Danny Granger won in 2009, their scoring jumped 6.2 ppg each. | – |
| 4 |  |
CHANDLER PARSONS, F, HOUSTON: He wasn’t exactly chopped liver as a rookie but has benefited from the presence of playmakers Harden and – yes – Jeremy Lin and emerged as a legitimate, trustworthy starter. His per-36 numbers are up and so is his shooting from everywhere, including the line. More important is the obvious confidence he has shown. | – |
| 5 |  |
ERIC BLEDSOE, G, LA CLIPPERS: He is actually playing less minutes per game than he did as a rookie two years ago and doing so much more. Averages 19.2 points per 36 minutes and shooting across the board has catapulted, making him very dangerous. Also a highly committed defender and often on the floor in crunch time, making big plays. | – |
DROPOUTS: J.R. Smith, G, New York (2); Larry Sanders, F-C, Milwaukee; Omer Asik, C, Houston (5).
FIVE TO WATCH: Omer Asik, C, Houston; Serge Ibaka, F-C, Oklahoma City; J.J. Redick, G, Orlando; Anderson Varejao, C, Cleveland; Greivis Vasquez, G, New Orleans.
PREVIOUS RANKINGS: Most Improved | MVP | Rookie | Power
Pages: 1 2