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The 2022-2023 NBA ROTY race continues to get more and more crowded with six players playing well enough to deserve spots in the top five. However, only five can make the cut, which leaves sharpshooting Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray on the outside looking in this week.
On that note, here’s this week’s ROTY ladder.
#5 Jalen Williams | OKC Thunder
Previous week’s ROTY ranking: N/A
Last Week: Games played - 3, Games won - 1, Games lost - 2
Overall: Games played - 46, Games won - 22, Games lost - 24
Last Week: PPG - 20.0, RPG - 4.0, APG - 1.3, SPG - 1.7, BPG - 0.3
Overall: PPG - 12.1, RPG - 3.9, APG - 2.8, SPG - 1.1, BPG - 0.5
Last Week: FG% - 61.9%, 3PT% - 71.4%, FT% - 60.0%
Overall: FG% - 51.4%, 3PT% - 31.1%, FT% - 74.7%
OKC Thunder wing Jalen Williams had a very strong week, scoring 17-plus points on 57.0%-plus shooting in all three games. Williams also racked up five total steals. His week was highlighted by his 24-point, four steal performance on 68.8% shooting against the Atlanta Hawks.
Overall, Williams has been a big factor in OKC’s turnaround this season as the team holds a 17-16 records in games he has started. The Thunder are 24-26 overall and 11th in the Western Conference, but are just 4.5 games behind the third-placed Sacramento Kings.
#4 Jaden Ivey | Detroit Pistons
Previous week’s ROTY ranking: 3rd (↓1)
Last Week: Games played - 3, Games won - 1, Games lost - 2
Overall: Games played - 48, Games won - 13, Games lost - 35
Last Week: PPG - 15.3, RPG - 4.0, APG - 5.3, SPG - 1.0, BPG - 0.7
Overall: PPG - 15.1, RPG - 4.1, APG - 4.5, SPG - 0.9, BPG - 0.3
Last Week: FG% - 48.3%, 3PT% - 30.0%, FT% - 75.0%
Overall: FG% - 41.5%, 3PT% - 31.8%, FT% - 72.5%
Detroit Pistons point guard Jaden Ivey continues to be a high-usage player on a tanking team (13-39, 15th in the Eastern Conference). However, his production has remained solid all-around.
Ivey scored 14-plus points in all three games last week. He also recorded five-plus assists in two games and improved upon his efficiency, shooting 48.3% for the week.
Ivey’s week was highlighted by his 16-point, eight-assist, two steal performance in Detroit’s upset win over the Brooklyn Nets.
#3 Walker Kessler | Utah Jazz
Previous week’s ROTY ranking: 5th (↑2)
Last Week: Games played - 2, Games won - 1, Games lost - 1
Overall: Games played - 49, Games won - 24, Games lost - 25
Last Week: PPG - 10.0, RPG - 8.0, APG - 2.0, SPG - 0.0, BPG - 3.0
Overall: PPG - 7.7, RPG - 7.3, APG - 0.8, SPG - 0.3, BPG - 2.0
Last Week: FG% - 81.8%, 3PT% - N/A, FT% - 33.3%
Overall: FG% - 71.5%, 3PT% - N/A, FT% - 53.7%
Utah Jazz big man Walker Kessler only played in two games last week. However, he once again made his defensive presence felt, racking up six total blocks over those two games. His week was highlighted by his 14-point, 11-rebound double-double with five blocks in a win over the Dallas Mavericks.
The Jazz are now 9-6 when Walker Kessler starts, moving them to 26-26 and ninth in the Western Conference this season. Meanwhile, Kessler still ranks fourth in the entire NBA in blocks per game (2.0 BPG) among qualifiers.
If he continues to start and put up big defensive numbers, he should be a lock to finish in the top three in the ROTY voting.
#2 Bennedict Mathurin | Indiana Pacers
Previous week’s ROTY ranking: 2nd (-)
Last Week: Games played - 3, Games won - 0, Games lost - 3
Overall: Games played - 52, Games won - 24, Games lost - 28
Last Week: PPG - 24.7, RPG - 6.3, APG - 2.3, SPG - 1.0, BPG - 0.3
Overall: PPG - 17.9, RPG - 4.2, APG - 1.4, SPG - 0.6, BPG - 0.1
Last Week: FG% - 44.0%, 3PT% - 31.3%, FT% - 86.2%
Overall: FG% - 42.6%, 3PT% - 32.3%, FT% - 82.3%
Indiana Pacers shooting guard Bennedict Mathurin has been on a scoring tear as of late, having now scored 20-plus points in five straight games. This includes all three games last week.
Mathurin also recorded eight-plus rebounds in two of three games and a steal in each game. His week was highlighted by his 27-point, eight-rebound performance against the Memphis Grizzlies.
Unfortunately for Mathurin, Indiana has still been struggling and lost all three games last week to fall to 1-10 over its last 11 games. Overall, the Pacers now hold just a 24-28 record and are 10th in the Eastern Conference after their hot start to the season.
#1 Paolo Banchero | Orlando Magic
Previous week’s ROTY ranking: 1st (-)
Last Week: Games played - 4, Games won - 2, Games lost - 2
Overall: Games played - 44, Games won - 17, Games lost - 27
Last Week: PPG - 20.0, RPG - 6.0, APG - 2.8, SPG - 1.3, BPG - 0.5
Overall: PPG - 20.7, RPG - 6.4, APG - 3.7, SPG - 1.0, BPG - 0.5
Last Week: FG% - 37.5%, 3PT% - 28.6%, FT% - 81.3%
Overall: FG% - 43.3%, 3PT% - 31.6%, FT% - 76.3%
Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero struggled with inefficiency last week, shooting just 37.5% through four games. However, he still put up some big numbers, including three games with 19-plus points.
Banchero also recorded five-plus rebounds in three games and three-plus assists in three games while recording a total of five steals and two blocks.
His week was highlighted by his 29-point, nine-rebound performance in the Magic’s upset win over the Philadelphia 76ers. Despite his shooting struggles, Banchero remains the best all-round rookie and the odds-on favorite to win ROTY.
For last week’s ROTY ladder, click here.
