NBA Rookie Power Rankings: Chet Holmgren falls, new name enters top five

The NBA has had a lot of scoring to begin this season, and it was no different for the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night. They would go on to beat the Utah Jazz by 50 points, 147-97.

From tip-off, it was clear that the Mavericks were out to prove a point. They got off to a hot start shooting the ball from behind the arc, and jumped out to a double-digit lead early.

Luka Doncic led all scorers with 40 points and made history in the process. He became the first player in NBA history to have a 25-point triple-double by halftime. Doncic even unveiled a new look that fans could see more of going forward as he sported a headband.

NBA Rookie Power Rankings: Chet Holmgren falls, new name enters top five

Despite Doncic's historic night, other Mavs got involved in this blowout win. Kyrie Irving benefited alongside Doncic and dropped 26 points on the offensive end. On defense, Irving had three steals to help the Mavericks score easy points in transition.

Off the bench, Tim Hardaway Jr. played for the first time in over a week. He missed time due to a lower back injury, but it didn't affect him on Wednesday. Hardaway Jr. picked up right where he left off and cashed in 17 points.

Derrick Jones Jr. had a huge game on the defensive end. He would tally two blocks and a steal, and all night long, he pestered the Jazz's best offensive players. Offensively, Jones Jr. continued to showcase his hot shooting and nailed 12 points on efficient shooting.

Rookie Dereck Lively II even had a nice night with 10 points and two blocks. He once again showcased why he has become a valuable piece for the Mavericks moving forward. He and Doncic connected on multiple lob attempts throughout the first half.

Despite Lively II's hot week, is it enough to get him back in the top five of this week's Rookie Power Rankings?

10. Brandin Podziemski

Last week's rank: N/A

Podziemski is finally getting some respect. The Warriors may be having a disastrous start to the season, but Podziemski has become one of the Warriors' few bright spots.

9. Cason Wallace

Last week's rank: N/A

Wallace joins Chet Holmgren as the only other Thunder player on this list. His elite defense and insane shooting from deep grant him the number nine spot in this week's list.

8. Keyonte George

Last week's rank: 8

George remains at the eighth spot on this week's list. He could very well jump up if he gives another strong week of basketball.

7. Jordan Hawkins

Last week's rank: 3

Hawkins will have the largest drop-off in this week's list. After some DNPs and poor play by both the Pelicans and Hakwins, he will fall drastically. This could be just the usual rookie slump, but for now, he will sit at the seventh spot.

6. Dereck Lively II

Last week's rank: 7

Lively II will jump one spot in this week's Rookie Power Rankings. After a masterclass performance against fellow rookie Chet Holmgren, Lively II has reentered top-five discussions. Lively II's defense continues to take leaps and bounds in the right direction. Expect him to rise if he continues to play this well.

5. Ausar Thompson

Last week's rank: 4

Ausar Thompson will unfortunately drop once again in this week's Rookie Power Ranking list.

Detroit has had an extremely disappointing season. They are currently on an active 18-game losing streak and don't look to have any easy wins in the near future. Despite this historically bad start, Ausar Thompson has looked amazing to begin his rookie season.

The former No. 5 overall pick has become a defensive monster. Thompson has all the intangibles to become one of the league's most lethal defenders, and he has done exactly this. Using his insane wingspan and athleticism, Thompson can stay foot-to-foot with the fastest players in the NBA.

However, Thompson hasn't looked like himself over the last few games. The defensive anchor fans have all become accustomed to has disappeared. Thompson has found himself in early foul trouble in almost every competition over the last week. This could be the rookie effect when it comes to foul calls, but it's clear things need to change for Thompson.

Thompson has not only looked static on the defensive end recently but also on offense. Thompson has always struggled shooting the ball throughout his young career, but his one bright spot was facilitating the ball. Recently, Thompson has struggled to even get the ball when he is on offense.

There is still plenty of time for Thompson to get out of this slump, but his name could quickly fall lower if he continues to play this badly.

4. Brandon Miller

Last week's rank: 6

Brandon Miller becomes the highest riser in this week's list.

Miller has finally looked like the number two pick we all expected he would. Unfortunately, it took an injury to give Miller more usage on the offensive end. Hornets guard Lamelo Ball will miss multiple weeks due to an ankle sprain.

Despite an unfortunate injury to Ball, Miller has picked up the slack. Over Miller's last five games, he has shot uber efficiently from behind the arc. He hasn't had a game under 50 percent from behind the arc in almost two weeks. If Miller continues to shoot this well, he could rise into the Rookie of the Year conversation.

Miller's production has skyrocketed over the last two weeks. He has now become a nearly 40 percent 3-point shooter on the year and has become an intricate piece for the Hornets' rotation moving forward.

Defensively, Miller still has a lot of work to do, but the blueprint is there. Miller has always done a great job using his 6-foot-7 frame to contain players around the perimeter. If Miller can consistently become an above-average perimeter defender, he could become one of the NBA's best wings.

Miller still needs to show consistency week-to-week, which is why he is at four on this week's list.

3. Jaime Jaquez Jr.

Last week's rank: 5

Jaime Jaquez Jr. has absolutely taken the NBA world by storm, which is why he's at three this week.

Jaquez Jr. has become one of the few rookies to make a big impact on the team he is currently on. Jaquez Jr. has become the perfect Miami Heat player and continues to rise within the rotation.

To begin the season, Jaquez Jr. struggled to even see the floor on a regular basis. He has not only become a valuable piece off the bench but also one of the Heats' most valuable players in general.

In the last 10 games that Jaquez Jr. has played in, he has shot almost 50 percent from deep. Jaquez Jr. isn't generally known as an elite 3-point shooter, but with this new profound skill, he has unlocked many different looks for the Heat offense.

He and Jimmy Butler have become a dynamic 1-2 punch when on the floor together. Butler has always done a nice job of finding open teammates, and Jaquez Jr. has learned the art of off-ball cutting early for a rookie.

The bulk of Jaquez Jr's. offense comes by off-ball cuts, which makes him a prime target for back-door lobs.

Defensively, Jaquez Jr. isn't a stat padder. He does all the little things right, like diving for loose balls and cutting off passing lanes.

Jaquez Jr. still has a lot to learn, but for a rookie to be this good is very rare. He has skyrocketed his name into the top three in just three weeks.

2. Chet Holmgren

Last week's rank: 1

Chet Holmgren drops one spot after some disappointing performances.

Holmgren continues to look amazing to begin his rookie campaign. The second-year rookie has looked every bit of the prospect fans saw two years ago. He has become a wizard on both ends of the floor and hasn't looked back.

Despite Holmgren's historic start to his season, he has struggled over his last two games, which is why he drops one spot in this week's power rankings.

Against Dallas, Holmgren struggled on both ends, only having 11 points. He struggled to get a real grip on the game and allowed multiple easy baskets at the rim. Despite the Thunder pulling out the dub in Dallas, Holmgren looked like a shell of himself throughout large periods of that game.

The Thunder recently played the Houston Rockets, and once again Holmgren struggled to get a real grip on offense. He only scored four points on really bad shooting from the field. However, his real production was on the defensive end against the Rockets. He finished the game with six total blocks and was a defensive anchor all night long.

Despite Holmgren's recent offensive struggles, he always finds a way to impact the game. Against the Rockets, it was his shot-blocking ability, and in Dallas, it was his rebounding.

Holmgren is capable of getting the No. 1 spot back, but it may take some monster performances against good opponents.

1. Victor Wembanyama

Last week's rank: 2

Victor Wembanyama regains the No. 1 spot in this week's list after being in the No. 2 spot last week.

The San Antonio Spurs have struggled through the first 20 games of the NBA season, but Wembanyama has become the team's definitive No. 1 star. Wembanyama has averaged 19 points and 10 rebounds per game this season and has become the clear best rookie in his class.

Offensively, Wembanyama uses his freakish height and athleticism to score over defenders, and that has been no different through the last five games for the Spurs. Wembayama has scored 22 points in his last four out of five games and has truly unlocked his scoring capabilities.

He has also found ways to score inside. Early in the season, Wembanyama relied too much on his 3-point shooting and never really honed in on his rolling abilities. The last two weeks have given Wembanyama the ability to work on his inside scoring and rolling abilities with guards.

Defensively, Wembanyama is still a show-stopper, as he leads all rookies in blocked shots by a mile. He has used his freakish wingspan to cover half of the court from cross-court passes or back-door cuts. Wembanyama is one of the few rookies to average over two blocks and steal per game.

Wembanyama still has a lot to unlock on both sides of the floor but his creation has only increased as the season has gone on. Very few seven-footers have the dribble package of a point guard, but Wembanyama is one of those few seven-footers. He often uses his self-creation ability to get easy turnaround jumpers or open looks around the perimeter.

Victor Wembanyama has earned the number one spot in this week's Rookie Power Rankings, but Holmgren is still right behind him. For more updates on the Dallas Mavericks, stay plugged in.