NBA: Players Quietly Having Fantastic Seasons and Why
By Tej Kamaraju
Nov 15, 2013; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Eric Bledsoe (2) looks up the court in the first half of the game against the Brooklyn Nets at US Airways Center. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports
This season is filled with fantastic players. It’s just how the NBA progresses. There are young studs blossoming into superstars, and there are old players who are entering the final stretch of their lengthy careers. Right now, there are many players having breakout seasons, but which players are going under the radar, and still doing fantastically?
We all knew that he was going to be on this list. Since getting traded to the Orlando Magic from the Denver Nuggets, Afflalo has had himself quite a great couple of seasons. Right now, he is averaging 21.6 points to go along with four assists and 4.6 rebounds per game. Those are some pretty solid numbers for him. His name has been mentioned here and there when talking about players who have had breakout seasons, but other than that, he’s getting very little recognition.
Why is he flourishing? Well, upon entering the scene, he had very little threats offensively to play alongside. With that being said, he then became the primary offensive weapon. With young players such as Maurice Harkless, Tobias Harris, and Victor Oladipo, Afflalo, the veteran, is going to work and torching teams every night. Rookies may be scorers, but Oladipo isn’t exactly there yet. Afflalo is the most disciplined player and is shooting 43 percent from 3-point land and 46 percent from the field. He is set for a long and prosperous future with Orlando.
This guy is a future superstar. In the pre-season, many analysts expected Bledsoe to have a breakout season, to look great as a member of the Phoenix Suns. Now that he’s doing this, no one is really talking about him. If you’re talking about skill, he can drive to the basket, shoot, and he’s not too shabby when it comes to defense either. He knows his way around a screen. He can also take a couple of elbows to the face and still want to play. This season, he’s averaging 18.6 points per contest to go along with a respectable 6.2 assists.
His name is just menacing as well!
Why is he having this kind of success? Well, with the Los Angeles Clippers, Bledsoe had been living in the shadow of Chris Paul, the best point guard in the league. Now, however, he’s really coming into his own and defining himself and the type of player he wants to be with the Suns. He’s led them to a 12-9 record thus far, and a lot of the success can be credited to him.
The other Splash Brother has been overlooked this season. Thompson complements Stephen Curry very nicely in the backcourt. So far, he’s averaging right around 20.5 points per game. Most of his points come from 3-pointers, but at times, he gets to the rim. Other than the torrid shooting month from Curry, the Warriors also have to be quite pleased with the way Thompson has delivered himself thus far.
Why is he having this much success? Well, when Jarrett Jack and Carl Landry departed via free agency, Andre Iguodala couldn’t make up for all the losses, so Thompson stepped up. Last season, he was consistently inconsistent. Now, he finds himself in a great position to do some damage. Curry may be drawing all the focus, but Thompson may also garner some all-star consideration.
For the last pick in the draft, 5-foot-9 Isaiah Thomas sure has proved himself. The Sacramento Kings made an excellent choice, and it’s like they got a lottery pick with this guy. From hot shooting, to clever inside scoring, Thomas has it all. He can also play defense, and he “gets up” for his height. He may not consistently be able to dunk, but a nice reverse layup is just as good, isn’t it?
Why he’s having so much success. Well, as he spent more time in the league, his skill-set kept increasing and increasing. He’s now up to over 18 points per game and having the best season of his career. What originally lead him to such a hot start was coming off the bench as sixth man, but he’s going to be starting now. Having a volume shooter like Rudy Gay is only going to help him develop as a true point guard.