NEW YORK, NY, April 2, 2008 -- With the regular season coming to an end in just two short weeks, the themes for the remaining Rookie Rankings sort of write themselves.
Next week will be the time to do a total run down of the class from surprises to disappointments, successes to failures, drafted too highs to drafted too lows ... you know, a comprehensive Just Set Off The Metal Detector Five Times And Here Comes The Guy Wearing Rubber Gloves type of inspection.
The week after that, the final rankings of the season, will be devoted to whoever ends up No. 1.
So what does that leave for today? The playoffs!
The playoffs are the reason that every player on every team finds the 82-game grind worth it. When you do it up big in the regular season, your hometown fans talk about you. When you dominate in the playoffs, the whole country - no, the whole world - has your name on their lips.
If you score 30 points in a regular season game as a rookie, you helped out somebody's fantasy squad. If you score 30 points in a playoff game as a rookie, you helped out your legacy in the history of the game. Just ask Daniel Gibson.
The Top 10 Rookies Most Crucial To Their Teams' Playoff Success
10. Julian Wright - New Orleans - If the Hornets end up with the No. 1 spot and play either Denver or Golden State in the first round, the series will surely feature a run-and-gun pace which Wright thrives in.
9. Arron Afflalo - Detroit - If the Pistons can make a deep playoff run, you think a fresh pair of legs attached to a mind for defense could help during the course of a seven-game series? Yup.
8. Carl Landry - Houston - If the postseason started today, the Rockets would draw the Lakers in the 3-6 matchup and if that showdown should occur with a healthy Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol in the mix, Houston will need all the size it can get.
7. Glen Davis - Boston - If Boston ends up fulfilling its Finals goal, there is going to be a game somewhere along the line that KG and or Kendrick Perkins is going to get in foul trouble and when that happens, Big Baby will be asked to grow up on the big stage.
6. Rodney Stuckey - Detroit - Stuckey showed his game-changing ability with a 27-point outburst against Minnesota last week, he could be a secret weapon for Motown come late April.
5. Jamario Moon - Toronto - The great part about Moon's game is his athleticism and who better to hound Rashard Lewis or Richard Hamilton in the first round than Moon and his terrific length?
4. Thaddeus Young - Philadelphia - Philadelphia has been one of the hottest teams in the league since the All-Star break and during that same time, Young has been one of the hottest rookies. He's a rare example of a player who doesn't know how good he can be and is consequently pushing his ceiling higher and higher every night.
3. Nick Young - Washington - If Gilbert Arenas isn't back for the playoffs, Young might be the Wizards best scoring guard.
2. Al Horford - Atlanta - Atlanta is set to make it's first playoff appearance since 1999, and if the Hawks want it to last more than four games, they'll need Horford to help neutralize either Kevin Garnett or Rasheed Wallace in the first round.
1. Luis Scola - Houston - If the Rockets are going to show to the league that their 22-game win streak wasn't a fluke, they'll need to get out of the first round. It's that simple. Scola figures to be a big part of that challenge.
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