Kori Ellis
11-17-2004, 04:05 PM
Having a Breakout Season
By Rob Peterson
Nov. 17 -- Every year, a group of NBA players will raise their level of play and become the guys their teams can count on, night in and night out. Sometimes it's a guy like Lamar Odom, who finally reached his potential last season. Sometimes players like Michael Redd and Carlos Boozer, second round picks both, finally come into their own.
This year, the group of players having breakout seasons includes both the incredibly hyped and those left unprotected in the expansion draft. NBA.com takes a look at the players who, this season, are taking that next big step.
Primoz Brezec, Charlotte Bobcats
Career averages before 2004-05 season: 1.7 ppg., 1.1 rpg., 0.2 apg.
2004-05 averages: 14.3 ppg., 7.2 rpg., 1.2 apg.
For some players, all they need is a chance. Brezec, the third overall pick in Charlotte's expansion draft, has made the most of his chance as the Bobcats' starting center. After playing in just 62 games in his first three seasons in Indiana, Brezec has started each of the Bobcats' six games this season and has been a force, leading the better-than-people-predicted Bobcats in scoring. He is also ninth in the NBA in field goal percentage (.548).
Manu Ginobili, San Antonio Spurs
Career averages before 2004-05 season: 10.4 ppg., 3.5 rpg., 2.9 apg.
2004-05 averages: 18.9 ppg., 5.7 rpg., 5.0 apg.
Ginobili is a champion, both with the Spurs and in the Olympics. In his third NBA season, he has become the Spurs' second consistent and viable option that teams must plan to stop. Last season, Ginobili averaged 29.4 minutes per game. This season, in roughly the same amount of playing time (30.1 mpg.), Ginobili has increased his scoring average by six points and his rebounding and assists average by one. And that does not even including the stellar play on defense, where he's second in the NBA in steals at 2.71 steals per game.
LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
Career averages before 2004-05 season: 20.9 ppg., 5.7 rpg., 5.9 apg.
2004-05 averages: 28.6 ppg., 8.6 rpg., 5.7 apg.
LeBron? Wasn't he the got milk? Rookie of the Year for 2004? What's he doing here? Excuse me, but have you seen the numbers? LeBron has surpassed the hype (consider this as more hype) and become a legitimate Most Valuable Player candidate. It's been more than 30 years since a second-year player has ended up leading the league in scoring (Bob McAdoo in 1973-74), but LeBron has shot to the top of the scoring list this season at 28.6 points per game. And LeBron is getting it done on both ends of the floor, as he is third in the league in steals with 2.43 per game.
Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat
Career averages before 2004-05 season: 16.2 ppg., 4.0 rpg., 4.5 apg.
2004-05 averages: 25.5 ppg., 5.5 rpg., 7.2 apg.
While all of South Florida may have been happy to Shaquille O'Neal arrived in the offseason, no one could have been happier than Dwyane Wade. While one NBA scout said that he thought Wade played like an All-Star in the last three months of the 2003-04 season, Wade is now playing like an All-NBA first team selection. Wade is seventh in the league in scoring and ninth in assists. He, not a Shaq with a strained hamstring, has carried the Heat so far this season.
Chris Wilcox, L.A. Clippers
Career averages before 2004-05 season: 7.9 ppg., 4.7 rpg., 1.0 apg.
2004-05 averages: 17.1 ppg., 7.6 rpg., 1.8 apg.
Wilcox, who won a national title with Maryland in 2002, is in his third season with the Clippers, and he's flourishing. With center Chris Kaman sidelined by an injury, Wilcox has filled the Clippers' void in the middle. And with Elton Brand at power forward, the Clippers now have one of the more formidable front lines in the league. Wilcox has started all eight games and is playing 16 minutes per game more than his career average of 17.6. Strong and fluid in the post, Wilcox is fifth in the NBA in field goal percentage (.581) and has helped the Clippers to a 5-3 start.
http://www.nba.com/features/breakout_041117.html
By Rob Peterson
Nov. 17 -- Every year, a group of NBA players will raise their level of play and become the guys their teams can count on, night in and night out. Sometimes it's a guy like Lamar Odom, who finally reached his potential last season. Sometimes players like Michael Redd and Carlos Boozer, second round picks both, finally come into their own.
This year, the group of players having breakout seasons includes both the incredibly hyped and those left unprotected in the expansion draft. NBA.com takes a look at the players who, this season, are taking that next big step.
Primoz Brezec, Charlotte Bobcats
Career averages before 2004-05 season: 1.7 ppg., 1.1 rpg., 0.2 apg.
2004-05 averages: 14.3 ppg., 7.2 rpg., 1.2 apg.
For some players, all they need is a chance. Brezec, the third overall pick in Charlotte's expansion draft, has made the most of his chance as the Bobcats' starting center. After playing in just 62 games in his first three seasons in Indiana, Brezec has started each of the Bobcats' six games this season and has been a force, leading the better-than-people-predicted Bobcats in scoring. He is also ninth in the NBA in field goal percentage (.548).
Manu Ginobili, San Antonio Spurs
Career averages before 2004-05 season: 10.4 ppg., 3.5 rpg., 2.9 apg.
2004-05 averages: 18.9 ppg., 5.7 rpg., 5.0 apg.
Ginobili is a champion, both with the Spurs and in the Olympics. In his third NBA season, he has become the Spurs' second consistent and viable option that teams must plan to stop. Last season, Ginobili averaged 29.4 minutes per game. This season, in roughly the same amount of playing time (30.1 mpg.), Ginobili has increased his scoring average by six points and his rebounding and assists average by one. And that does not even including the stellar play on defense, where he's second in the NBA in steals at 2.71 steals per game.
LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
Career averages before 2004-05 season: 20.9 ppg., 5.7 rpg., 5.9 apg.
2004-05 averages: 28.6 ppg., 8.6 rpg., 5.7 apg.
LeBron? Wasn't he the got milk? Rookie of the Year for 2004? What's he doing here? Excuse me, but have you seen the numbers? LeBron has surpassed the hype (consider this as more hype) and become a legitimate Most Valuable Player candidate. It's been more than 30 years since a second-year player has ended up leading the league in scoring (Bob McAdoo in 1973-74), but LeBron has shot to the top of the scoring list this season at 28.6 points per game. And LeBron is getting it done on both ends of the floor, as he is third in the league in steals with 2.43 per game.
Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat
Career averages before 2004-05 season: 16.2 ppg., 4.0 rpg., 4.5 apg.
2004-05 averages: 25.5 ppg., 5.5 rpg., 7.2 apg.
While all of South Florida may have been happy to Shaquille O'Neal arrived in the offseason, no one could have been happier than Dwyane Wade. While one NBA scout said that he thought Wade played like an All-Star in the last three months of the 2003-04 season, Wade is now playing like an All-NBA first team selection. Wade is seventh in the league in scoring and ninth in assists. He, not a Shaq with a strained hamstring, has carried the Heat so far this season.
Chris Wilcox, L.A. Clippers
Career averages before 2004-05 season: 7.9 ppg., 4.7 rpg., 1.0 apg.
2004-05 averages: 17.1 ppg., 7.6 rpg., 1.8 apg.
Wilcox, who won a national title with Maryland in 2002, is in his third season with the Clippers, and he's flourishing. With center Chris Kaman sidelined by an injury, Wilcox has filled the Clippers' void in the middle. And with Elton Brand at power forward, the Clippers now have one of the more formidable front lines in the league. Wilcox has started all eight games and is playing 16 minutes per game more than his career average of 17.6. Strong and fluid in the post, Wilcox is fifth in the NBA in field goal percentage (.581) and has helped the Clippers to a 5-3 start.
http://www.nba.com/features/breakout_041117.html