Honorable Mention: Kyle Lowry, Toronto Raptors
Position: Point Guard
Age: 31 (3/25/1986)
Experience: 11th Season
2016-17 Slash Line: .465/.416/.829
2016-17 Season Averages: 37.8 MPG, 22.8 PPG, 6.9 APG, 4.7 RPG, 1.5 SPG, 3.3 3PM
Toronto Raptors star Kyle Lowry was kept out of the Player Power Rankings due to his injury, but he’s right back in following his unbelievable return. Despite having not played a single game since All-Star Weekend, Lowry was dominant against the Detroit Pistons.
Considering Lowry is easily one of the Top 20 players in the NBA, as well as one of the Top 20 players this season, one performance is enough to reintroduce him.
In his first game back from a 21-game absence, Lowry played 42 minutes in a 105-102 victory over a game Pistons team. During those 42 minutes, he recorded 27 points, 10 assists, five rebounds, and two steals on 9-of-16 shooting from the field.
Lowry also shot 2-of-5 from 3-point range and 7-of-7 from the free throw line in a performance that seemed to answer the question of whether or not he’d be rusty upon returning.
Though Lowry’s injury may prevent him from making an All-NBA team, he’s one of the league’s elite point guards. He ranks in the Top 10 overall in Real Plus-Minus, and trails just Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, and Stephen Curry at his position.
A true two-way player and a leader in every sense of the word, the three-time All-Star deserves to be back in the Player Power Rankings.