Reggie Jackson won the Player of the Week honors for the second time this season on Monday, and his overall performance has quietly put him on the map as one of the better point guards in the league, particularly in the Eastern Conference.
The Detroit Pistons point guard averaged an impressive 29.3 points on 46 percent shooting from the field to go with 6.3 rebounds and 7.7 assists in three games to win the award. He is just one of seven players in the league to average at least 20 points, four rebounds and six assists on the season.
According to his teammate Brandon Jennings, that makes him good enough to be the best point guard in the East right now:
Aye I gotta real. Well I’m always real on here. But Reggie Jackson is the best PG in the East right now. Look at the numbers and Ws
— Brandon Jennings (@thinkiminthe90s) December 21, 2015
We most def have two All stars this year on the Pistons Team. — Brandon Jennings (@thinkiminthe90s) December 21, 2015
As of “Right Now” yes Reggie Jackson is the best PG in the East! 2 time player of the week. Team is over 500. #AllStar
— Brandon Jennings (@thinkiminthe90s) December 21, 2015
Other point guards who deserve consideration as the best point guard in the East include Kyle Lowry, Isaiah Thomas and John Wall. If we’re going purely by Jennings’ criteria to be the best (winning and numbers), Lowry does have the slightest edge in both wins and PER over Jackson. It’s great to see Jennings supporting his teammate – particularly one who took his starting job – in this manner. It’s also rather ironic: Jennings is expected to make his return to the court soon from the Achilles injury he suffered last season and will surely carve into Jackson’s minutes. That means Jennings’ return will be the most likely reason behind why Jackson likely will not be looked upon as the best point guard in the East by the end of the season or even by the All-Star break.
The opinionated guard did not stop there, though. Putting the emphasis on the importance of winning, Jennings also said the following about a couple of Golden State Warriors players:
I think Klay & Draymond should start for the West in the all star. Hey it what it is. They winning
— Brandon Jennings (@thinkiminthe90s) December 21, 2015
Draymond Green has a legitimate case to be a starter, although it’s highly doubtful that fans would vote him in given his lack of scoring. Klay Thompson, however, plays the same position as James Harden – the likely starting shooting guard – and Kobe Bryant, who just might win the popularity contest to start in this year’s All-Star game in his final season in the NBA. Jennings’ ideas are certainly intriguing, but not ones that are likely to come to fruition.
Jim Park is a blogger and Tweet of the Night author of Sheridan Hoops. Follow him on twitter @SheridanBlog.