The regular season ended for the NBA on Sunday night, and for Duke rookies, it marked the end of a remarkable season.
Phoenix Sun Khaman Maluach finished on a high note, with 18 points, 14 rebounds, and two blocks.
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Cleveland Cavalier Tyrese Proctor was close to a triple-double, with 22 points, 11 rebounds, and 8 assists.
In New York, Sion James wrapped up the regular season with 8 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists, while Kon Knueppel finished with 14 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists. He also finished the season with 273 three-pointers, the first time a rookie has ever led the NBA, but just barely: Charlotte teammate LaMelo Ball finished with 272.
Meanwhile, for Dallas, Cooper Flagg’s spectacular first season came to a premature end. He played just 10 minutes before he sprained an ankle. However, he left the game with 10 points, 4 rebounds, and an assist.
Which brings us back to perhaps the most interesting story of the NBA season: the riveting battle for Rookie of the Year between Flagg and Knueppel.
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It’s really too close to call, isn’t it? In this video, Doc Rivers argues that if you go by the numbers, Flagg should get it, but if you go by the impact on his team, Knueppel should.
Rivers says something amazing about Knueppel: “He’s changed the culture of an organization which has had cultural problems.”
We’ve suggested this too. His impact on the Hornets has been amazing.
So how do you resolve this? We don’t know, but we do know this: Flagg would give Knueppel the trophy in a heartbeat if the Mavericks were still playing like the Hornets will be.
There’s only one way for this to end: Co-Rookies of the Year. Nothing else would be fair.
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