NBA Sixth Man of the Year Power Rankings: Major shakeup rocks this week's rankings
By Austin McGee
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The Dallas Mavericks lost both their games this weekend, against the Memphis Grizzlies and Oklahoma City Thunder, respectively.
Against Memphis, Dallas was without Luka Doncic. And to make matters worse, Kyrie Irving was slowed by a foot injury he suffered in the first quarter. Saturday night, Doncic came back, but Irving was sidelined in the affair.
After the birth of his daughter, Doncic performed magnificently against the Thunder. The superstar guard nearly led in an incredible comeback to defeat Oklahoma City. He dropped 36 points, 15 rebounds, and 18 assists.
NBA Sixth Man of the Year Power Rankings: Major shakeup rocks this week's rankings
Alongside Doncic, rookie center Dereck Lively II made history. He became the first player in NBA history to record 20 points, 15 rebounds, and seven blocks and shoot 100 percent from the floor.
The Mavericks Sixth Man of the Year candidate, Tim Hardaway Jr., was noticeably absent this weekend as he dealt with back spasms. The Dallas gunslinger was sorely missed, as another shotmaker present may have led to at least one Dallas victory.
Despite Hardaway Jr. only appearing in one game this past week, his ranking stayed relatively the same.
The rest of the power rankings received a considerable shakeup this time around. Two unranked players are now in the race and a previously lower-ranked player has risen to the top as his team has outperformed expectations.
10. Russell Westbrook
Last week's rank: 7
The 16-year veteran continues to affect all aspects of the game. However, his poor shooting and below-average on/off splits drop him the rankings.
9. Caris LeVert
Last week's rank: 3
A rough week for Caris LeVert constitutes a steep drop. Over the last week, the Cavs guard averaged only 7.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game.
8. Jaime Jaquez Jr.
Last week's rank: N/A
The Miami Heat rookie is on the rise with a lot of ground to make up. After beginning the season as a limited contributor, he's now zeroing in on two separate awards. He averaged 16.3 points per game over the past week, coming off the bench in each affair.
7. Moritz Wagner
Last week's rank: N/A
A second straight new addition to these rankings, Magic big Moritz Wagner has scored in double-digits in nine straight games. He's doing so on 63.3 percent shooting, by far and away a career-high.
6. Bogdan Bogdanovic
Last week's rank: 8
Atlanta Hawks guard Bogdan Bogdanovic has epitomized consistency as of late. He's good for about 15 points, three rebounds, two steals, and two 3-pointers per game off the bench for Atlanta.