2017-18 NBA Rookie of the Year ladder: Week 10 power rankings

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6. Dennis Smith Jr., Dallas Mavericks

Last rank: N/A

Dennis Smith Jr. made his return to the Dallas Mavericks‘ lineup Wednesday night, so it’s fitting he makes a return to the Rookie of the Year ladder power rankings. Smith was stellar in his return to the Mavericks rotation, which earned them a 110-93 victory over the Detroit Pistons in the process.

https://twitter.com/NBADraft/status/943676529313243136

He put up 15 points, five assists and five rebounds in his return to the lineup. Smith played just 21 minutes after sitting out for two weeks due to a bad hip. He shot 5-of-10 from the floor, including a buzzer-beater to end the first half which got the approval of rapper J. Cole.

Smith picks up where he left off before his injury, putting up double figures in scoring in his eighth straight appearance. His return should give the Mavericks a boost on both sides of the ball. Now, he’ll just need to focus on staying healthy.