Inspired by a great read from Bleacher Report about the best candidates for Rookie of the Year NOT named Anthony Davis, I started reminiscing about the draft class of a decade ago.

The Draft Class of 2002 was seen as one full of promise. It boasted of one of the best talents to ever come out of the US NCAA ranks – Duke’s Jay Williams. It also held the promise of one of the most intriguing international prospects ever – China’s 7’6 giant, Yao Ming. Aside from these guys, several other names were hyped to be potential stars – Duke’s Mike Dunleavy, Jr., Kansas’s Drew Gooden, Maryland’s Chris Wilcox, Memphis’s Dajuan Wagner, UConn’s Caron Butler, and Indiana’s Jared Jeffries. Prep-to-pro prospect Amar’e Stoudemire turned a lot of heads along with early foreign entrants Nikoloz Tsikitishvili, Nene Hilario, and Nenad Krstic. Unbeknownst to everyone, however, perhaps the most enduring and consistent player of this particular rookie set wouldn’t even be picked in the first round.

Ten years later, how has this rookie class fared? Who remains, and who’s out? Who blossomed into stars, and who turned out to be busts?

Let’s find out.

The Notables:

Yao Ming (1st overall pick by the Houston Rockets; career averages of 19.0ppg, 9.2rpg, 1.9bpg, and 52.4 FG%)
Yao Ming was a phenomenon in his own right. His numbers were good, but his effect on the global game was even more astounding. We’re talking about a guy who practically opened the doors of the Far East, China in particular, to the NBA in a time when the league’s reach in that region really only deeply affected the basketball-mad nation of the Philippines. All of a sudden, NBA preseason games were being held in China, and Asia got its first ever NBA All-Star. It also helped that Yao wasn’t exactly a pushover. His numbers speak of the impact he really did put on any game in which he played. He lasted only eight seasons in the NBA, and right now there’s really no Asian player of note seeing much action, but the way he opened up the game of basketball to a whole new generation can never go unnoticed.

Amar’e Stoudemire (9th overall pick by the Phoenix Suns; career averages of 21.6ppg, 8.8rpg, 1.4bpg, 53.3 FG%)
In terms of stats and accomplishments, perhaps nobody in this draft class eclipses Amar’e. He was declared ROY in 2003, has been named an All-Star six times, and has been on five different All-NBA Teams. He’s been receiving criticism for his seemingly one-sided play in New York, but that just goes to show that he attracts a lot of attention because his talent and production demand it. Ten years later, it’s still mind-boggling to look back and see that nine other guys were chosen ahead of Amar’e.

Caron Butler (10th overall pick by the Miami Heat; career averages of 16.1ppg, 5.7rpg, 1.6spg, 32.7 3pt%)
From 2005 until around 2010, Butler was considered a borderline superstar. He played in both the 2007 and 2008 East All-Stars team, but he never really made the leap into the superstar stratosphere that Amar’e was able to do. Still, Butler is considered a reliable player. He’s a versatile swingman who can run, shoot, and defend better than most younger guys. On a Clipper team brimming with firepower, the pressure won’t be on him to carry the squad, but he’s a vital cog that LA can’t do without.

Tayshaun Prince (23rd overall pick by the Detroit Pistons; career averages of 12.7ppg, 4.7rpg, 2.7apg)
Prince is past his prime, and so, it seems, is Detroit, but he can still conjure up his beastly self when needed. As good as the three aforementioned guys have been, they’ve never won an NBA title. Prince has one with Detroit, and he was an important piece of that inspiring 2004 championship run. Perhaps one of the most enduring images of the former Kentucky Wildcat is his rundown block of Reggie Miller in a playoff game. That typified the kind of player Prince was and still is – someone who never gives up on a play, someone who goes out there and leaves everything on the floor.

Carlos Boozer (35th overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers; career averages of 17.0ppg, 9.9rpg, 53.7 FG%)
A lot of people thought Boozer wouldn’t do well in college simply because he was too small to be a center and too slow to be a power forward. He didn’t have the touch to be anything else either. Those are the big reasons he fell all the way down to the 35th pick. The former US NCAA champion, however, proved people wrong. He made the Rookie Second Team of 2003, he became a two-time All-Star, and was named to the All-NBA Third Team in 2008. Not bad for a 35th pick, eh? And, yes, he’s still taking names for the Chicago Bulls to this day.


The Forgettables:

Jay Williams (2nd overall pick by Chicago; career averages of 9.5ppg, 4.7apg, 2.6rpg, 32.2 3pt%)
Jay Williams was supposed to be THE BIG CATCH of the 2002 class. People laughed at Houston for grabbing Yao, but, a year after, people were shaking their heads at what happened to Jay. The former Duke superstar didn’t exactly play stellar ball for the Bulls in his rookie year (he was inconsistent, and he split time with Jamal Crawford in the backcourt), but the incident that really sunk him was his motorcycle accident in June of ’03. That injured him beyond repair and incurred for him a contract violation. Both were hits from which he would never recover. He might have been one of the greats, but now he’s, sadly, one of the sob stories of the NBA.

Nikoloz Tsikitishvili (5th overall pick by the Denver Nuggets; career averages of 2.9ppg, 1.8rpg, 30.4 FG%)
Google “NBA Draft Busts” and Nikoloz “Skita” Tsikitishvili’s name is bound to come up 99.99% of the time. Perhaps the only time it won’t come up is if you specify your search to before the Y2K virus scared the bejeezus out of everybody. In 2002, everyone was drunk with the idea of landing the “next Dirk Nowitzki.” NBA managers and owners wanted the next big European white guy who could shoot. In the 2002 class, Georgian native Tsikitishvili was a hyped-up character alongside the likes of Slovenia’s Bostjan Nachbar, Serbia’s Nenad Krstic, Croatia’s Mario Kasun, and, gulp, Dutch/Slavic Dan Gadzuric. Needless to say, the Nuggets chose Skita because some scout somewhere told them he could dunk after spinning to the baseline while also having the capability to shoot from 20 feet out. As it turned out, Skita could hardly even collar a rebound. Where is he right now? Who even cares?

Dajuan Wagner (6th overall pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers; career averages of 9.4ppg, 1.9apg, 1.4rpg, 32.1 3pt%)
Before the 2002 Draft, Wagner was being compared to Allen Iverson. That comparison has now been hidden deep in the annals of “No, that NEVER happened.” One cannot really blame Cleveland for tabbing the 2001 Naismith Prep Player of the Year with the 6th overall pick, and one most certainly cannot blame Wagner for his own debilitating struggles with his colon, but, still, one cannot help but cringe at what happened to this kid. He had flashes of Iverson all right, but flashes weren’t enough to carry him past just 47 games in his rookie season. He played a total of only 103 games in four NBA seasons.

Right now, there are a host of promising rookies helping their teams out. Davis, of course, is at the top of the list with Portland’s Damian Lillard close behind. The likes of Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Bradley Beal have also been contributing. The question, of course, is who will contribute the most and who will last the longest?

Game Recaps (courtesy of the Sports Network):
Atlanta 104, LA Clippers 93
Jeff Teague and Zaza Pachulia each recorded double-doubles as the surging Atlanta Hawks posted their fifth consecutive win with a 104-93 triumph over the slumping Los Angeles Clippers at Philips Arena. Both players finished with 19 points, with Pachulia adding 12 rebounds and Teague notching 11 assists to help the Hawks earn their longest win streak since a 5-gamer from Jan. 2-12, 2011. Three others scored in double figures for the Hawks, who shot a solid 50.7 percent and never trailed since the initial stages of the second quarter. Lou Williams netted 18 points off the bench, while Josh Smith had 17 and Al Horford contributed 10 to go along with eight rebounds. The Clippers were dealt a third straight defeat following a stretch of six straight wins that included an 89-76 home decision over the Hawks on Nov. 11, despite a 22-point, 11-rebound, 7-assist effort from Blake Griffin and 19 points out of Chris Paul.

Oklahoma City 116, Philadelphia 109 (OT)
Kevin Durant poured in a season-best 37 points and Russell Westbrook added 30, and the Oklahoma City Thunder used sharp long-range shooting in overtime to beat the Philadelphia 76ers, 116-109, at Wells Fargo Center. Durant, Westbrook, Thabo Sefolosha, and Kevin Martin each connected from beyond the arc in the extra session, as the Thunder bounced back from a 108-100 loss at Boston the previous night. Serge Ibaka registered 18 points and nine rebounds, and Nick Collison contributed 14 for Oklahoma City, which missed its final seven shots of regulation but managed to win for the ninth time in 11 games. The Thunder beat the Sixers for a seventh straight time. Thaddeus Young had 29 points and a career-high 15 rebounds for the Sixers, who lost their second in a row. Evan Turner ended with 26 points and Jrue Holiday dished out 13 assists.

Charlotte 108, Washington 106 (2-OT)
Byron Mullens scored a season-high 27 and Reggie Williams hit the go-ahead 3-pointer to lead the Charlotte Bobcats to a 108-106 double-overtime victory over the winless Washington Wizards on Saturday. Ramon Sessions added 21 points and Ben Gordon had 19 for the Bobcats (7-5), who ...

In the spirit of Dwight Howard’s anemic performance against the Memphis Grizzlies, I got started thinking about some of the NBA players who have not quite met lofty expectations this season. These players aren’t necessarily in a slump, perhaps just a slow start, but they have definitely not (yet) proven their weight in terms of playing time, cash, or that hefty contract extension.

In contrast to the Top Ten Resurgent Players (so far) who were mentioned two posts ago, here are the Top Ten Disappointments (so far) of 2012-2013.

10. Isaiah Thomas (SAC) – (9.3ppg, 2.1apg, 1.3rpg)
After an unexpectedly strong showing last season, the guard out of the University of Washington was expected to breakout somewhat and close in on the numbers put up by his more illustrious namesake, but he has so far been a classic case of the “sophomore slump.” All his numbers are down from last season, with the dubious exception of turnovers. Yikes.

9. Klay Thompson (GSW) – 14.3ppg, 3.7rpg, 2.3apg, 34.1 3pt%, 36.3 FG%
His scoring, rebounding, and assists have actually gone up so far, but that’s easily explained by his minutes jumping from 24 per game last season to his current 34 minutes per outing. His per minute production, however, has dipped significantly, and so has his shooting. He shot better than 44% from the field and 41% from three last season, but, as is shown above, he’s currently converting at a much lower rate.

8. Roy Hibbert (IND) – 9.6ppg, 8.7rpg, 1.5bpg, 37.9 FG%, 54.5 FT%
Hibbert has scored in double-figures in Indiana’s last three games (including a triple-double to boot!), but I’m still not convinced he’s put his slow start behind him. He’s still shooting terribly from the floor and the line. He’s still NOT rebounding as well as someone his size should. The plain and simple fact is he’s just not fulfilling his potential. Far from it.

7. Carlos Boozer (CHI) – 13.3ppg, 8.9rpg, 43.9 FG%
I’ll give props to the former Blue Devil big man for rebounding a bit better than Hibbert, who’s 5 inches taller, but I’m sure Tom Thibodeau isn’t happy about Boozer’s field goal shooting. Considering Derrick Rose still isn’t around to take his 18 shots per game, Boozer should really be a bit more involved in the offense.

6. Manu Ginobili (SAS) – 9.9ppg, 4.0rpg, 2.4apg, 38.8 FG%, 29.7 3pt%
Manu’s scoring has steadily dipped after scoring 17.4ppg in the 2010-2011 season. Now that might be attributed to the fact that he’s nearing 36 years of age, but nobody can also discount the growth of Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green. Both Leonard and Green are playing significantly more minutes that Manu, which means the Argentinian sensation is entering the twilight of his storied career.

5. Ersan Ilyasova (MIL) – 6.3ppg, 4.7rpg, 31.3 FG%, 25.0 3pt%
It’s very strange that Ilyasova has been putting up some of his worst numbers after signing a pretty hefty extension with the Bucks. This after recording career-high stats last season, too! He’s norming about 6 points and 4 rebounds less than last year, not to mention shooting at career-low rates. And, worst of all, I have him in most of my Fantasy NBA teams! Boo that!!!

4. Gerald Wallace (BRK) – 7.3ppg, 4.0rpg, 3.0apg, 2.5 tpg
Wallace has never put up stats this awful since leaving Sacramento in 2004. The perennial triple-double threat and pinnacle of two-way basketball is now just a 30-year old shadow of his old self. Those numbers, of course, will continue to stay at really mediocre levels with the relatively efficient play of Andray Blatche and Joe Johnson.

3. Ty Lawson (DEN) – 12.8ppg, 7.5apg, 2.0spg, 38.9 FG%, 28.1 3pt%
I remember seeing Lawson’s name being floated around for All-Star considerations early in 2012, but I doubt he’ll continue to be involved in that conversation with his current numbers. His assists and steals are career-highs, but his scoring, rebounding, field goal shooting, and three-point accuracy are all significantly down from last season.

2. Dwight Howard (LAL) – 18.2ppg, 10.9rpg, 2.8bpg, 3.4 tpg, 49.3 FT%
99.9% of big men around the world would be considered AWESOME if they put up 18 points and 11 rebounds per game, but Howard is not part of that 99.9%. He’s the ultimate big man exception. He’s the guy who normed 21 points and 14 rebounds for the Magic last season. Yes, now he’s not the only All-Star level big guy on the team, but he’s still the best center in the planet. The thing is, he’s just not playing like he is. And those 3.4 turnovers per game coupled with his trademark barf-worthy free throw shooting? Please.

1. Josh Smith (ATL) – 15.0ppg, 7.6rpg, 3.6apg, 3.5 tpg, 42.0 FG%, 20.0 3pt%
With Joe Johnson no longer around, it should have been easy to see Smith’s numbers climb sky high, but, strangely enough, that has yet to happen. With Kyle Korver and Lou Williams hogging the shots JJ used to have, Smith’s numbers should have at least stayed the same, right? Wrong. The numbers are down, and not just his scoring, too. Weirdly enough, his rebounding and assists are down and his turnovers are up. What gives, Josh Smith?


Game Recaps (courtesy of the Sports Network):
Atlanta 101, Charlotte 91
Al Horford poured in a game-high 26 points and ripped down 13 rebounds as the Atlanta Hawks knocked off the Charlotte Bobcats, 101-91, on Friday at Time Warner Cable Arena. Horford added three blocks on the defensive end, while Kyle Korver dropped four 3-pointers en route to 16 points and six boards for the Hawks, who have won four in a row. Jeff Teague contributed 13 points and Josh Smith added 10 in the victory. Ramon Sessions scored a team-high 22 points, while Kemba Walker and Jeff Taylor added 16 points apiece for the Bobcats, who had won five of six coming in.

Orlando 108, Cleveland 104
J.J. Redick went 8-of-8 from the foul line down the stretch to lift the Orlando Magic over the Cleveland Cavaliers, 108-104. Redick ended with 18 points and six assists off the bench for the Magic, who have won 10 in a row against Cleveland. Jameer Nelson and Arron Afflalo each made four 3-pointers for 22 and 19 points, respectively. Glen Davis added 16 points and eight rebounds for Orlando, which has won two straight games for the second time this season. Dion Waiters made four 3-pointers en route to 25 points for the Cavaliers, who have lost six straight on the road. Anderson Varejao tallied 19 points and 17 boards.

Boston 108, Oklahoma City 100
Paul Pierce scored 27 points and Jeff Green added 17 against his former team, as the Boston Celtics downed the Oklahoma City Thunder, 108-100, at TD Garden. Kevin Garnett chipped in 18 points and nine boards, while Jason Terry netted 16 points, including a game-clinching 3- pointer down the stretch. Rajon Rondo kept his double-digit assist streak going with 16 helpers to go with eight boards and six points in the victory. Kevin Durant led Oklahoma City with 29 points, but missed a potential tying 3- pointer with 1:14 remaining. Russell Westbrook filled the stat sheet with 26 points, eight assists and seven boards in the loss.

Brooklyn 86, LA Clippers 76
Brook Lopez scored 26 points and sparked a strong late run that lifted the Brooklyn Nets to an 86-76 win over the Los Angeles Clippers at the Barclays Center. Lopez made two key baskets as part of a 12-2 spurt over the game's final four minutes as the Nets ended a two-game slide that followed a string of five consecutive victories. Joe Johnson knocked down a back-breaking 3-pointer during the deciding stretch and finished with 19 points on 8-of-12 shooting. The Clippers shot just 35.7 percent during a 13-point fourth quarter and turned the ball over 20 times overall in suffering a second consecutive defeat after winning six in a row. Blake Griffin and Chris Paul each had 14 points in the setback. Paul added nine assists, while DeAndre Jordan posted 12 points and 13 rebounds for Los Angeles.

Detroit 91, Toronto 90
Brandon Knight penetrated the lane to score the game-winning layup, lifting the Detroit Pistons to a 91-90 victory over the Toronto Raptors at the Palace of Auburn Hills. Knight, who finished with 16 points, scored his final basket with the Pistons trailing by one. He used a Greg Monroe pick to split the defense and score the go-ahead layup with just over seven seconds remaining. For the second game in a row, the Raptors lost a one-point contest in devastating fashion. Kyle Lowry scored 19 points, but miss-fired on the Raptors' final two possessions, the second bouncing off the back-rim and over the backboard to seal the win for the Pistons. Andrea Bargnani poured in a game-high 34 points on 13-of-20 shooting for Toronto, which has dropped eight of its last 10 games.

Houston 131, New York 103
Jeremy Lin dominated the headlines coming into Friday's game between Houston and New York, but Chandler Parsons stole the spotlight with a career-high 31 points on 13-of-17 shooting. Parsons added five rebounds, four assists, four steals and a block in the Rockets' 131-103 victory over the Knicks. Lin ended with 13 points, seven rebounds and one steal against his former team. James Harden added 33 points and went 16-of-16 from the foul line for the Rockets, who have won six in a row against the Knicks. Carmelo Anthony made seven 3-pointers en route to 37 points for New York, which has lost two straight for the first time this season. Raymond Felton donated 17 points and eight assists.

San Antonio 104, Indiana 97
Tony Parker put home a season-high 33 points and handed out 10 assists as the San Antonio Spurs continued their recent dominance over the Indiana Pacers with a 104-97 victory on Friday at Bankers ...

If you type “Jack Taylor” in Wikipedia’s search bar, you’ll find any of thirteen persons: two baseball pitchers, two footballers, a referee, a journalist, an entrepreneur, two actors, a musician, a swimmer, a weightlifter, and a cricketer.

None of those guys made the sports headlines yesterday. None of those guys helped his basketball team to a 179-104 victory in Division III of the US NCAA. None of those guys converted 52 of his 108 field goal attempts.

None of those guys scores ONE HUNDRED THIRTY EIGHT points in a 40-minute game – that’s almost four points per minute!

Good enough to impress no less than the player who holds the single-game scoring record among all currently active NBA players – Kobe Bryant.

"Really? Wow. That's impressive. That's crazy," Bryant said after receiving word of Taylor’s milestone. "I don't care what level you're at. Scoring 138 points is pretty insane."

Of course, not everyone is as impressed. Some have criticized him as much as they’ve praised him, including this bit from David Steele of AOL.SportingNews.com:

“You and your coach have made a mockery of sportsmanship, Jack; you might have picked up on that by now. Not how you wanted to introduce yourself to the world. Then again, Kobe, Melo and the Durantula love you. Didn’t see that coming when you pulled on your jersey Tuesday night, I’ll bet.

Now, you get to weigh those conflicting reactions for the rest of today, the weekend, and probably your life. Enjoy the holidays, travel safe.

…

It’s horrifying, it’s dangerous, it’s not what the sport is all about, it appeals to our lowest, most basic, most primitive emotions. But holy … just show one more replay, just to see exactly how out of control it got.”

Mr. Steele does shift to more level-headed expression later in his article, but that particular excerpt reflects how supremely ironic this whole incident is.

A guy named Jack Taylor, who shares that exact same name with THIRTEEN other Wikipedia entries, distinguishes himself by scoring 138 points (and, yes, making ZERO assists). His individual feat overshadows the 75-point winning margin of his Grinnell College Pioneers over Faith Baptist Bible, 179-104. It overshadows the marathon 14-game NBA schedule that included FOUR overtime games yesterday. It overshadowed Roy Hibbert’s first ever triple-double performance (he still sucks by the way).

A guy so anonymous, with a name so ubiquitous, achieves something so momentous. A guy named Jack did something Kobe will perhaps never ever be able to do anymore (unless he decides to play Division III ball, too).

It’s not a big surprise, then, that Kobe had some final words of wisdom to offer Jack:

"Would people be celebrating me if I scored 138 points? You know how it is, some people would, some people wouldn't. They can all kiss my ass, and I'm sure [Taylor] feels the same way. If you score 138 points, you kind of have a license to tell people to eff off."

Someday soon, there will be a fourteenth Jack Taylor in Wikipedia –the same guy who now has the license to tell people to eff off.

Jack Taylor’s 138-point performance:


Game Recaps (courtesy of the Sports Network):
Charlotte 98, Toronto 97
Ramon Sessions put home the game-winning bucket with 28.3 seconds to play and the Charlotte Bobcats hung on for a 98-97 win over the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday at Time Warner Cable Arena. Sessions finished with 14 points and six assists. Kemba Walker scored a team-high 19 points to go with seven assists for the Bobcats, who have won five of six and are one victory shy of matching their total from all of last season. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist netted 14 points, while Ben Gordon contributed 13 points in the victory. Andrea Bargnani scored a game-high 25 points and Kyle Lowry put home 21 points for the Raptors, who have lost three of their last four. Jonas Valanciunas contributed 16 points and 10 boards in the setback.

Cleveland 92, Philadelphia 83
Jeremy Pargo scored a career-high 28 points and the Kyrie Irving-less Cleveland Cavaliers snapped a six-game skid with a 92-83 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday. Dion Waiters and Alonzo Gee added 16 and 14 points, respectively, for the Cavaliers, who avenged an 86-79 loss to the Sixers in Philadelphia on Sunday. C.J. Miles donated 13 points for Cleveland, which had lost six straight against the 76ers. Anderson Varejao tallied 10 points and 19 rebounds. Jason Richardson and Jrue Holiday had 16 points apiece for the Sixers, who had a three-game winning streak stopped. Evan Turner and Thaddeus Young each recorded a double-double.

Indiana 115, New Orleans 107 (OT)
Behind Paul George's nine 3-pointers and Roy Hibbert's first career triple-double, the Indiana Pacers outlasted the New Orleans Hornets in overtime, 115-107, on Wednesday. George was instrumental in the Pacers' fourth quarter comeback, connecting on three 3-pointers in the final minutes of regulation. He poured in 33 of his career-high 37 points in the second half and overtime. Hibbert, who finished with a career-high and franchise record 11 blocks, hauled in 11 rebounds and scored 10 points in registering his first triple-double before fouling out in OT for the Pacers, who have won three of their last four. George Hill and David West each chipped in 16 points in the victory. The Hornets, who led most of the first half and the fourth quarter, seemed to run out of gas by overtime in losing their fifth straight contest. Anthony Davis sat for a second straight game with an ankle injury, but in his absence, Robin Lopez finished with a double-double, scoring a season-high 21 points and pulling down 13 boards. Jason Smith added 18 points off the bench and Ryan Anderson contributed 17 for the Hornets.

Orlando 90, Detroit 74
Andrew Nicholson scored a career-high 15 points and the Orlando Magic used a dominant third quarter to deliver a 90-74 victory over a poor-shooting Detroit Pistons team at the Amway Center. The Magic put together a 21-0 tear to begin the second half, turning a 3-point deficit into a comfortable lead before cruising towards only their second win in their last nine tries. That other triumph also came at the expense of the Pistons, a 110-106 decision over Detroit last Friday. Nicholson made good on 7-of-9 field goal attempts and Arron Afflalo added 12 points for Orlando, which also received a double-double from Glen Davis in the form of 11 points and a season-best 14 rebounds. Detroit shot a woeful 9.5 percent (2-for-21) in the fateful third quarter and 32.9 percent for the game en route to its 10th defeat in 12 games this season. Greg Monroe led all players with 19 points, but netted just four after halftime.

Atlanta 101, Washington 100 (OT)
The Washington Wizards were fingertips away from notching their first win of the season. But the Wizards' worst start in franchise history remains intact after the Atlanta Hawks prevailed in overtime, 101-100, at Philips Arena. Kyle Korver drained the last of his five 3-pointers to put Atlanta ahead with 1.9 seconds left in the extra session. Coming out of a timeout, Washington's Kevin Seraphin fired up a hook shot from the elbow that was short. Martell Webster secured the ball in mid-air and appeared to stun the Hawks with his putback. However, replays showed Webster still had possession when the backboard became illuminated. The Wizards became the 13th team in NBA history to lose their first 10 games. Josh Smith had a double-double of 25 points and 12 rebounds for the Hawks. Al Horford fell a rebound shy of a triple-double, finishing with 15 points and a career-high 10 assists, but he missed four critical free throws in overtime. Washington, though, bailed him out by its inability to rebound. Seraphin compiled 21 points and 10 boards for the Wizards, who have dropped nine in a row at Atlanta.

San Antonio 112, Boston 100
Tim Duncan posted 20 points and 15 rebounds to guide the San Antonio Spurs to a 112-100 win over the Boston Celtics. Tony Parker totaled 26 points on 12-of-17 shooting from the field, and added six assists. Tiago Splitter was also efficient, going 9-of-11 for 23 points off the bench, as the Spurs ended 58.4 percent from the floor. Rajon Rondo totaled 22 points and 15 assists for the Celtics, who also received 19 points from Paul Pierce and 16 from Brandon Bass.

Miami 113, Milwaukee 106 (OT)
LeBron James finished with 28 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists on Wednesday, as the Miami Heat held off the Milwaukee Bucks, 113-106, in overtime. Dwyane Wade returned from a two-game absence and matched James with 28 points, while Chris Bosh recorded a double-double with 24 points and 18 boards to help the Heat improve to 5-0 at home for the first time in club history. Brandon Jennings paced Milwaukee with 19 points, seven boards, six assists and five steals, while rookie John Henson donated a double-double with 17 points and 18 rebounds for the Bucks, who have lost two straight.

Oklahoma City 117, LA Clippers 111 (OT)
Kevin Durant struggled with his shot, but continued to attack and used the charity stripe to his advantage. Durant nailed 19-of-21 free-throw attempts and netted 35 points in the Oklahoma City Thunder's 117-111 overtime win over the Los Angeles Clippers. Durant was just 7-of-19 from the floor and turned the ball over six times, but snatched six rebounds, dished out five assists and tallied five steals for Oklahoma City, which has prevailed in eight of its last nine contests. Russell Westbrook registered 23 points and nine assists, while Serge Ibaka added ...

While most of the attention this season has been directed (surprise!) at fabricated super teams (e.g. the Heat, the Lakers, the Heat, and the Lakers) and high-flying superstars (e.g. LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, and Kevin Durant) there have been several other figures doing the dirty work in the shadows. These are the guys surprising their foes and their fans alike with play reminiscent of their most glorious days in the past. These are the guys coming back from injuries or carving a new niche in a new team. These are the guys out to prove that, despite their failings or underperformance last season, they are back to reclaim their berths in the spotlight.

These are the Top Ten Resurgent Players of the 2012-2013 NBA season (so far):

10. David West (IND) - 16.2ppg, 8.1rpg, 1.3bpg
- The Indiana Pacers should not have won five of their first twelve games, not with the protracted absence of Danny Granger and the anemic play of Roy Hibbert, but they’ve been able to stay relatively competitive in no small part because of David West. He won’t reclaim the stats he once put up in New Orleans, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be dangerous for the Pacers.

9. Steph Curry (GSW) - 18.7ppg, 4.4rpg, 5.8apg, 1.7spg, 2.2 threes per
- Curry missed 40 games for GSW last season and was just a shell of his real self in the other 26. He normed under 15 points in less than 30 minutes of play last year, but his current production, now that he’s relatively healthy, has seen a rise along with his playing time. His Warriors aren’t doing shabbily, too, as they’re presently carrying a winning record.

8. Jamal Crawford (LAC) - 19.7ppg, 1.2spg, 2.3 threes per, 50% FG
- Crawford is the dream sixth man for any NBA coach. After bombing in Portland last season (just 14 points per game and under 40% FG shooting), the journeyman shooting guard is killing it for the Clips. He’s scored in double digits in every game so far and is a big reason THIS LA team is pacing the West.

7. Andrei Kirilenko (MIN) - 14.1ppg, 8.3rpg, 3.1apg, 2.2bpg, 60% FG
- His comeback couldn’t have come at a better time for the injury-plagued Timberwolves. Surprisingly, Minnesota (minus Kevin Love and Ricky Rubio among others) is currently fifth in the West, but, not surprisingly, it’s because of Kirilenko rediscovering his all-around effectiveness. He’s had four double-doubles in nine games and has blocked two or more shots in all but three of those contests. Welcome back, AK47!

6. OJ Mayo (DAL) - 21.8ppg, 3.5rpg, 3.0apg, 49% FG, 3.3 threes per
- Mayo has seemed to find a place where he can grow. Of course, it helps that Dirk Nowitzki isn’t around to hog most of the shots. At 6-6, the Mavericks aren’t exactly dominating the competition, but they’re pretty excited about the pairing of Dirk and OJ in the near future. Mayo has scored 18 or more points in every November game so far (that’s 10 of Dallas’s 12 games). His offense is at an all-time high, and it should be fun to see him help the Mavs make a run at the Playoffs after the New Year.

5. Joakim Noah (CHI) - 14.8ppg, 10.0rpg, 4.0apg, 2.0bpg, 50% FG
- Noah suffered a nasty ankle injury in the Playoffs this past summer, and some quarters felt it would probably slow him down to start the season. The former Florida Gator, instead, has put up career-highs in points, assists, steals, and blocks ten games into the season. He’s making a lot of Fantasy NBA owners happy, but he’s also softening the blow of Derrick Rose’s continued absence.

4. Anderson Varejao (CLE) - 14.3ppg, 13.1rpg, 3.3apg, 54% FG
- Talk about Fantasy NBA gold. The Brazilian big man’s on-court recovery from the broken wrist that sidelined him after 25 games last season seems to be going really well. His 14-13 stat-line is more impressive than anything anyone ever imagined. It seems Varejao is ready to go beyond being known as just Mr. Energy.

3. JR Smith (NYK) - 16.3ppg, 5.4rpg, 2.9apg, 1.6spg, 1.9 threes per
- Smith went to China and then back to the States in a strange journey last season. He normed 12.5 points while shooting 41% from the field and 35% from three-land for NYK in 35 games. As you can see, he’s doing MUCH better this year. Talk about the old, explosive JR Smith we all know and love. The former Warrior is shooting 48% from the floor and a blistering FIFTY SEVEN PERCENT from beyond the arc. Kaboom!

2. Chris Bosh (MIA) - 19.6ppg, 7.3rpg, 1.4bpg, 55% FG
- Bosh will never produce the numbers he did when he was still playing north of the border, but the lanky big man is having his best season as a member of Miami. He’s putting up nearly 20 points, grabbing about 7 rebounds, and, perhaps the best thing right now, blocking 1.4 shots per outing. At least a couple of times already, he’s been the critical piece in the Heat’s winning ways.

1. Tim Duncan (SAS) - 18.0ppg, 10.0rpg, 2.7bpg, 51% FG
- Father Time continues to favor one of the games oldest soldiers. Duncan is only a few years away from the big FOUR-OH, but don’t tell him that. He’ll just dunk on your face. His all-around production is reminiscent of how he played in 2009, and, by all indications, he has no plans of slowing down. The Spurs, of course, have benefitted mightily, as they are just half a game behind the top spot in the West.

Game Recaps (courtesy of the Sports Network):
Philadelphia 106, Toronto 98
Nick Young and Jason Richardson scored 23 and 21 points, respectively, as the Philadelphia 76ers used a late surge to take down the Toronto Raptors, 106-98. Jrue Holiday added 19 points, 12 assists, eight rebounds and three steals for the Sixers, who have won three in a row. Thaddeus Young ended with 18 points and seven boards. DeMar DeRozan and Andrea Bargnani had 24 and 22 points, respectively, for the Raptors, who fell to 1-5 on the road this season. Jose Calderon donated 13 points and 12 assists.

New York 102, New Orleans 80
The New York Knicks have rebounded from their lone loss in emphatic fashion. Carmelo Anthony tallied 23 of his game- high 29 points in the first half and the Knicks commenced a three-game road trip with a 102-80 rout of the New Orleans Hornets. Raymond Felton recorded 15 points and six assists, J.R. Smith netted 15 and Tyson Chandler pulled down 12 rebounds for New York, which righted itself with an 88-76 home win against the Indiana Pacers Sunday following its defeat to the Memphis Grizzlies two days prior. The Knicks' road trip continues Wednesday in Dallas and concludes Friday in Houston. Ryan Anderson had 15 points for the Hornets, who were without rookie Anthony Davis after he injured his ankle during Friday's practice. New Orleans has dropped four straight contests.

LA Lakers 95, Brooklyn 90
The delay is finally over. The crutchless Mike D'Antoni made his debut on the sidelines as the Lakers head coach Tuesday and Kobe Bryant netted 25 points in Los Angeles' 95-90 victory over the Brooklyn Nets. Dwight Howard tallied 23 points and 15 rebounds, but was just 7-of-19 from the foul line for the Lakers, who began the year 1-4, which resulted in the departure of Mike Brown. The Lakers then passed on the opportunity to bring back 10-time NBA champion Phil Jackson after they hired D'Antoni last Monday. Deron Williams registered 22 points and 10 assists for Brooklyn, which had its five-game winning streak snapped.


Top 10 Plays of the Night:


Game Highlights:


Source: HoopNut.blogspot.com ...