Here is a link to David Thorpe's latest Rookie Watch ... (ESPN Insider only)
For those of you without insider: (I've added Harden's breakdown because Thorpe basically blasts him and praises Lawson, but inexplicably ranks Harden ahead of Lawson.)
1. Brandon Jennings, Bucks - basic summary according to Thorpe: Needs better shot selection. Has been taking too many contested long shots.
2. Tyreke Evans, Kings - Needs to work on his balance on his jump shots. Likes to drive with his right hand and will pull up for jumpers when attacking with his left ... a lot of young players do this.
3. James Harden, Thunder | Rookie card
There's an axiom in basketball that shooters think about when they miss their first few shots: Just keep shooting because they will start dropping soon. Well, that just isn't true. Confidence is a big part of shooting, and when a player misses multiple shots in a row, the rim tends to look much smaller. Harden learned this the hard way last week against the Lakers when he missed all 10 of his 3-point attempts (2-for-13 overall).
Sure, Harden is a good shooter and if he keeps shooting the ball then at least a few shots will fall eventually. But 0-for-10 or 2-for-13 isn't helping your team. Harden is capable of doing a whole lot more than just shooting. The next time he misses a few deep shots, he'd be better off looking to create an easier scoring opportunity closer to the basket or getting to the free throw line.
4. Ty Lawson, Nuggets | Rookie card
I've studied the tapes, box scores and advanced stats, and the most glaring flaw Lawson has is ... well, I have no idea. In the role he's playing on the Nuggets, he's performing about as well as anyone could. That's not to say he can't get better -- of course he can -- but I wouldn't suggest he change a thing right now.
However, he could start to get more vocal with his teammates. It's easy for a rookie to defer to the veterans on the team -- especially a team that has leaders like Billups and Melo -- but anyone who has seen the Nuggets play knows they often play way too casually. And Lawson has earned enough respect from his teammates and coaches to speak up when he sees this happening. He cannot just rely on his physical energy to impact games when more is needed. Emotional energy can help, too.
5. Darren Collison, Hornets - Doesn't have comfort shots and is taking too many different angle shots.
6. Marcus Thornton, Hornets - He's a shooter and is making a good amount of his threes (36%), but needs a little better form from deep. (Nate's note: This guy sounds like a J.R. Smith clone...need to see him play.)
7. DeJuan Blair, Spurs - Poor free throw shooting may get Blair to draw away from contact so he can avoid the foul line and that is not good for a guy who thrives on contact. Needs to practice better F.T. form. Also he needs more minutes.
8. Jonny Flynn, T-Wolves - Too much dribbling at times as the T-Wolves are trying to implement the triangle offense.
9. Omri Casspi, Kings - Big surprise and very confident player ... shoots a bit too many contested jumpers early in the shot clock.
10. Stephen Curry, Warriors - Playing a bit too fast and it's resulting in some turnovers. Warriors style is fast-paced, but needs to find a better pace.
