2017-18 NBA Rookie of the Year ladder: Week 24 power rankings

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6. Dennis Smith Jr., Dallas Mavericks

Last week: 7th (↓1)

Dallas Mavericks rookie Dennis Smith Jr. missed two games last week while nursing an ankle injury, but his return to the hardwood showed he hadn’t missed a step. Smith has hid his fair share of injuries in his rookie season, but he’s managed to show his durability by playing through them.

In his return to the hardwood last Saturday night, Smith put up 21 points, six assists, five rebounds in a losing effort to the Charlotte Hornets. As the month comes to a conclusion, March is finishing up as Smith’s most productive.

He averaged a season-high 18.5 points per game, 5.4 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.0 steals per contest in March. He also shot 41.3 percent from the floor and 30.6 percent from 3-point range. In February, Smith shot 34.7 percent from the field and 24.6 percent from 3.

The Mavericks are just 22-51 this season but Smith has given the franchise reason for optimism. After all, there’s a reason head coach Rick Carlisle has “handed over the keys” to him to run the team’s final stretch of games.