Latest Rookie Rankings from Nba.com
. Emeka Okafor, F-C, Charlotte (No. 2)
Stats: 14.8 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 0.9 (26.5 PRA)
Upcoming: vs. Orl. (3/21), vs. Pho. (3/23), at Orl. (3/24), vs. Mia. (3/26)
Breakdown: Okafor has registered double-digit scoring in nine of 11 games in March and is averaging 16.4 points and 10.6 rebounds over the last five. Ranks first among all rookies in scoring, rebounding, minutes and double-doubles.
2. Dwight Howard, F, Orlando (No. 1)
Stats: 10.6 PPG, 9.9 RPG, 0.9 APG (21.4 PRA)
Upcoming: at Cha. (3/21), vs. Cha. (3/24), vs. Pho. (3/26)
Breakdown: Howard, the No. 1 pick in the 2004 NBA Draft, will go head-to-head with Okafor, the second overall pick, in back-to-back games this week. While Okafor is putting up better numbers this season, his team has been eliminated from playoff contention. Howard, on the other hand, is averaging nearly a double-double for the Magic, who are in the running for the eighth playoff spot in the East.
3. Ben Gordon, G, Chicago (No. 3)
Stats: 14.9 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 1.8 APG (19.3 PRA)
Upcoming: vs. Atl. (3/21), at Tor. (3/23), at Bos. (3/25), vs. Ind. (3/26)
Breakdown: The Bulls bench, led by the rookie from UConn, is averaging a league-high 38.4 points per game on the season while the Bulls hold their opponents to the third lowest point total in the NBA at 25.1 points per game. Gordon is a major factor in the 33 victories the team has collected this year, as Gordon averages 16.0 of the team's 36.6 bench points per victory.
4. Andre Iguodala, F, Philadelphia (No. 9)
Stats: 8.7 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 2.9 APG (17.1 PRA)
Upcoming: vs. Det. (3/23), vs. Tor. (3/25), at Lakers (3/27)
Breakdown: Iguodala is the only player on the Sixers team to start every game this season and became only the fourth rookie in franchise history to have 100 or more steals in their rookie season. As for the why you should continue to include Iguodala in your lineup: He ranks among the rookie leaders in scoring (fifth), rebounds (fifth), assists (second) and minutes per game (second).
5. Jameer Nelson, G, Orlando (No. 20)
Stats: 7.5 PPG, 2.1 RPG, 2.6 APG (12.2 PRA)
Upcoming: at Cha. (3/21), vs. Cha. (3/24), vs. Pho. (3/26)
Breakdown: Nelson has started 12 of Orlando's last 13 games and may be in the Magic's starting lineup for the foreseeable future depending on the length of suspension handed down to Steve Francis. In 12 games as a starter, Nelson has tallied 16.0 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.9 assists per contest.
6. Josh Childress, G-F, Atlanta (No. 6)
Stats: 8.6 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 1.6 APG (15.7 PRA)
Upcoming: at Chi. (3/21), vs. Pho. (3/22), at S.A. (3/25), vs. Tor. (3/26)
Breakdown: Childress is expected back in the Hawks' starting lineup after missing Friday night's game against the Knicks because of the flu. The rookie from Stanford is averaging 14.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists over his last five.
7. Josh Smith, F, Atlanta Hawks (No. 17)
Stats: 7.9 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 1.6 APG (15.1 PRA)
Upcoming: at Chi. (3/21), vs. Pho. (3/22), at S.A. (3/25), vs. Tor. (3/26)
Breakdown: Where to find Josh Smith in Atlanta? Look near the rim. Eighty-three of Smith's 175 field goals this season have come on dunks. Smith is responsible for 32.8 percent of the team's 253 slams.
8. Nenad Krstic, F-C, New Jersey (No. 24, 2002)
Stats: 8.7 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 0.9 APG (14.5 PRA)
Upcoming: vs. Ind. (3/22), vs. Mem. (3/24), vs. Min. (3/26)
Breakdown: Krstic scored in double-figures all week as the Nets collected three victories to no losses. Krstic is tied for fifth place among rookies in scoring at 8.7 points per game and ranks seventh in rebounding among rookies at 4.9 per game.
9. Andres Nocioni, F, Chicago (Undrafted)
Stats: 7.7 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 1.3 APG (13.4 PRA)
Upcoming: vs. Atl. (3/21), at Tor. (3/23), at Bos. (3/25), vs. Ind. (3/26)
Breakdown: The end of an 82-game schedule can be grueling, just ask Andres Nocioni. On a team playing through its share of bumps and bruises, Nocioni will play through Sunday's removal of an impacted molar. The rookie from Argentina is also suffering from a deep thigh bruise.
10. Tony Allen, G, Boston (No. 25)
Stats: 6.7 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 0.9 APG (10.6 PRA)
Upcoming: at N.Y. (3/23), vs. Chi. (3/25), at Det. (3/26)
Breakdown: Allen makes his way back to the top 10 this week after averaging 12.3 points and 3.8 rebounds over his last four contests -- all starts for the Celtics who have gone 11-1 since the trade that brought Antoine Walker back to Boston.
. Emeka Okafor, F-C, Charlotte (No. 2)
Stats: 14.8 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 0.9 (26.5 PRA)
Upcoming: vs. Orl. (3/21), vs. Pho. (3/23), at Orl. (3/24), vs. Mia. (3/26)
Breakdown: Okafor has registered double-digit scoring in nine of 11 games in March and is averaging 16.4 points and 10.6 rebounds over the last five. Ranks first among all rookies in scoring, rebounding, minutes and double-doubles.
2. Dwight Howard, F, Orlando (No. 1)
Stats: 10.6 PPG, 9.9 RPG, 0.9 APG (21.4 PRA)
Upcoming: at Cha. (3/21), vs. Cha. (3/24), vs. Pho. (3/26)
Breakdown: Howard, the No. 1 pick in the 2004 NBA Draft, will go head-to-head with Okafor, the second overall pick, in back-to-back games this week. While Okafor is putting up better numbers this season, his team has been eliminated from playoff contention. Howard, on the other hand, is averaging nearly a double-double for the Magic, who are in the running for the eighth playoff spot in the East.
3. Ben Gordon, G, Chicago (No. 3)
Stats: 14.9 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 1.8 APG (19.3 PRA)
Upcoming: vs. Atl. (3/21), at Tor. (3/23), at Bos. (3/25), vs. Ind. (3/26)
Breakdown: The Bulls bench, led by the rookie from UConn, is averaging a league-high 38.4 points per game on the season while the Bulls hold their opponents to the third lowest point total in the NBA at 25.1 points per game. Gordon is a major factor in the 33 victories the team has collected this year, as Gordon averages 16.0 of the team's 36.6 bench points per victory.
4. Andre Iguodala, F, Philadelphia (No. 9)
Stats: 8.7 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 2.9 APG (17.1 PRA)
Upcoming: vs. Det. (3/23), vs. Tor. (3/25), at Lakers (3/27)
Breakdown: Iguodala is the only player on the Sixers team to start every game this season and became only the fourth rookie in franchise history to have 100 or more steals in their rookie season. As for the why you should continue to include Iguodala in your lineup: He ranks among the rookie leaders in scoring (fifth), rebounds (fifth), assists (second) and minutes per game (second).
5. Jameer Nelson, G, Orlando (No. 20)
Stats: 7.5 PPG, 2.1 RPG, 2.6 APG (12.2 PRA)
Upcoming: at Cha. (3/21), vs. Cha. (3/24), vs. Pho. (3/26)
Breakdown: Nelson has started 12 of Orlando's last 13 games and may be in the Magic's starting lineup for the foreseeable future depending on the length of suspension handed down to Steve Francis. In 12 games as a starter, Nelson has tallied 16.0 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.9 assists per contest.
6. Josh Childress, G-F, Atlanta (No. 6)
Stats: 8.6 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 1.6 APG (15.7 PRA)
Upcoming: at Chi. (3/21), vs. Pho. (3/22), at S.A. (3/25), vs. Tor. (3/26)
Breakdown: Childress is expected back in the Hawks' starting lineup after missing Friday night's game against the Knicks because of the flu. The rookie from Stanford is averaging 14.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists over his last five.
7. Josh Smith, F, Atlanta Hawks (No. 17)
Stats: 7.9 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 1.6 APG (15.1 PRA)
Upcoming: at Chi. (3/21), vs. Pho. (3/22), at S.A. (3/25), vs. Tor. (3/26)
Breakdown: Where to find Josh Smith in Atlanta? Look near the rim. Eighty-three of Smith's 175 field goals this season have come on dunks. Smith is responsible for 32.8 percent of the team's 253 slams.
8. Nenad Krstic, F-C, New Jersey (No. 24, 2002)
Stats: 8.7 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 0.9 APG (14.5 PRA)
Upcoming: vs. Ind. (3/22), vs. Mem. (3/24), vs. Min. (3/26)
Breakdown: Krstic scored in double-figures all week as the Nets collected three victories to no losses. Krstic is tied for fifth place among rookies in scoring at 8.7 points per game and ranks seventh in rebounding among rookies at 4.9 per game.
9. Andres Nocioni, F, Chicago (Undrafted)
Stats: 7.7 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 1.3 APG (13.4 PRA)
Upcoming: vs. Atl. (3/21), at Tor. (3/23), at Bos. (3/25), vs. Ind. (3/26)
Breakdown: The end of an 82-game schedule can be grueling, just ask Andres Nocioni. On a team playing through its share of bumps and bruises, Nocioni will play through Sunday's removal of an impacted molar. The rookie from Argentina is also suffering from a deep thigh bruise.
10. Tony Allen, G, Boston (No. 25)
Stats: 6.7 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 0.9 APG (10.6 PRA)
Upcoming: at N.Y. (3/23), vs. Chi. (3/25), at Det. (3/26)
Breakdown: Allen makes his way back to the top 10 this week after averaging 12.3 points and 3.8 rebounds over his last four contests -- all starts for the Celtics who have gone 11-1 since the trade that brought Antoine Walker back to Boston.