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NBA Rookie of the Year power rankings, Week 10: Kevin Knox cracks the Top 5

By Jerran Anderson

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 17: Kevin Knox #20 of the New York Knicks dribbles the ball during the third quarter of the game against the Phoenix Suns at Madison Square Garden on December 17, 2018 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 17: Kevin Knox #20 of the New York Knicks dribbles the ball during the third quarter of the game against the Phoenix Suns at Madison Square Garden on December 17, 2018 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) /
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Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images
Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images /

1. Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks

Last rank: 1st (↔)

Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic is filling up the stat sheet for his team. He’s putting up 19.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, 7.2 assists and 1.3 steals per game through the past two weeks, though he’s shooting just 27 percent from 3-point range.

The Mavericks are 3-3 across their last six games and have fallen on rough times in the last few games. They’ve lost four games in a row and three have come on the road. Dallas is 13-3 at home and 2-12 on the road this season, a trend that needs some adjusting if it hopes to improve things with Doncic in the rotation.

In the Mavs’ loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday, Doncic put up a season-high 32 points, but the team couldn’t get any stops on defense. Lou Williams and Montrez Harrell went off for a combined 44 points off the bench.

One thing that hasn’t helped has been the absence of Dennis Smith Jr.. The former ninth overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft has missed the past three games while nursing a wrist injury and has missed nine of their 30 total games in 2018-19.

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The Mavericks are a young team learning to play with a lot of moving pieces, but Doncic has shown he’ll be a key piece moving forward. He’ll need to show he can share the floor with Smith when he returns, as his absence has shown in recent results.