NBA Barometer: Harrell, Harris leading the way for Clippers

NBA Barometer: Harrell, Harris leading the way for Clippers

This article is part of our NBA Barometer series.

POINT GUARDS

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Shelvin Mack, MEM: Mack has been steadily producing off the Grizzlies' bench behind Mike Conley for an extended stretch. The veteran has double-digit point totals in seven of his last 11 contests, and he's been similarly steady in rebounds, assists and steals as well. He's averaging an impressive 10.9 points on 50.4 percent a career-best 50.4 percent shooting, including a blistering 47.8 percent from three-point range.

Jeremy Lin, ATL: Lin is another experienced point guard who's making increasingly valuable offensive contributions on the second unit. The nine-year veteran has double-digit scoring tallies in three of his last four contests, and in five of his last eight overall dating back to Nov. 6. He's doing a solid job facilitating as well, dishing out four or five assists in five contests during that span.

ALSO TRENDING UP: Trey Burke, NYK; Spencer Dinwiddie, BRO; Tomas Satoransky, WAS

SHOOTING GUARDS

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Jrue Holiday, NOP: Holiday has taken his game up a notch recently. The 10-year-veteran has been maximizing his assist opportunities while sharing the floor with an array of talented scorers, as he's averaging a career-high 9.2 assists per game -- good for second in the league. Holiday has at least eight assist in each of his last 12 games, but he's also been effective as a scorer, putting up a career-best 19.5 points per game. With the Pelicans playing at a top-five clip (107.9 possessions per game), Holiday should continue to enjoy ample opportunity.

Tyler Johnson, MIA: Johnson sat out Tuesday night's game against the Nets with a hamstring injury, but he's been one of the few bright spots for the Heat in what has been a largely disappointing season thus far. The fifth-year guard has rattled off six straight double-digit scoring efforts while also putting in strong work on both the boards and as a facilitator. Johnson has filled in at both guard spots of late, with both Dwyane Wade and Goran Dragic missing time due to injury.

ALSO TRENDING UP: J.J. Redick, LAC; Allonzo Trier, NYK; Jeremy Lamb; CHA; Mikal Bridges, CHA; Hamidou Diallo, OKC

SMALL FORWARDS

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T.J. Warren, PHO: Warren has actually been playing power forward in recent games after Ryan Anderson proved ineffective in that role, and he's been thriving with the opportunity. The fifth-year pro has eclipsed the 20-point mark in six straight and is currently shooting an impressive 51.0 percent, including a career-high 46.6 percent from distance. His improvement as a three-point shooter has been especially impressive, considering Warren had shot under 30.0 percent from behind the arc in each of his last two seasons.

Bojan Bogdanovic, IND: Bogdanovic started the season off a bit slower than usual, generating a trio of single-digit scoring tallies in his first eight games. He's taken matters to another level since that point, posting eight consecutive double-digit scoring efforts and shooting better than 50.0 percent in his last five contests. That's helped bring both his overall shooting percentage (53.5) and three-point percentage (53.5) to career-high levels. Additionally, Bogdanovic's stat lines are a little less scoring-dependent than in past seasons, as he's averaging a career-high 3.8 rebounds as well.
ALSO TRENDING UP: Robert Covington, MIN; Kevin Knox, NYK

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Wilson Chandler, PHI: The trade of Dario Saric to the Timberwolves should have resulted in plenty of opportunity for Chandler, and accordingly, he's logging plenty of minutes as the starting power forward. However, those minutes haven't amounted to much, as the veteran has three straight two-point tallies and single-digit point totals in four of the last five. Chandler is actually turning in solid work on the rebounding front and is shooting a career-high 48.3 percent, but he's taking just 3.6 shot attempts per game. With so many other high-usage options around him on the first unit, his involvement may not have much room to expand.

POWER FORWARDS

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Montrezl Harrell, LAC: Harrell has always maximized every minute on the court with a high-energy style that's made him a terror on the boards. He's continued that trend this season, and it's been accompanied by a welcome uptick in scoring. Harrell is averaging a career-high 15.3 points and 6.9 rebounds, but it doesn't stop there. He's also established new career-bests in assists (1.5), steals (1.1) and blocks (1.8), over 24.3 minutes a game. That allotment of playing time -- six minutes more per contest than his previous career high -- isn't going anywhere but up. Entering Wednesday, Harrell holds a 27.3 PER -- fourth in the league among qualified players.

Tobias Harris, LAC: As solid a player as Harris has proven to be over the course of his career, he's playing at a borderline-All-Star level thus far. The veteran forward currently sports multiple career bests, including 20.9 points, 8.7 rebounds, 51.4 percent overall shooting and 42.7 percent three-point shooting. With precious few alternative reliable offensive options on the Clippers' first unit, Harris should continue building on the career-high 15.6 shot attempts per game he's already taking. Given his superior shooting skills, those tries should continue adding up to plenty of production.

John Collins, ATL: Collins finally made his season debut two games ago and has already brought some scoring punch to the Hawks. The second-year big man has scored 12 and 18 points in his first pair of contests, and he was already up to 20 minutes in playing time against the Clippers on Monday. It's just a matter of time before he assumes a full allotment of minutes, which should afford him the platform to exponentially build on last season's solid rookie averages of 10.5 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.1 blocks.

ALSO TRENDING UP: Jonas Jerebko, GSW

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Marvin Williams CHA: The veteran's 7.3 points per contest are his fewest since the 2014-15 season and the second lowest of his career, overall. The downturn has largely come about as a result of a career-low 39.8 percent shooting percentage. Williams is still seeing 23.8 minutes per game, but he's now failed to hit double digits in the scoring column in nine of his last 11 contests. With an average of just 7.1 attempts per game and 2018 12th overall pick Miles Bridges in the wings and already logging 20.8 minutes in his own right, Williams' days with the first unit might be numbered.

CENTERS

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Nikola Vucevic, ORL: Vucevic naturally has an impressive career resume, but like several other veterans around the league, he's upped his numbers across the board this season. Most recently, he's scored between 21 and 36 points in five of his last six games, and he's already generated 11 double-doubles on the campaign. Moreover, he's averaging over 20 points (20.4) for the first time in his career, and he also boasts a career-best 3.6 assists. Additionally, his 10.8 rebounds per game represent his highest figure since the 2014-15 season.

Julius Randle, NOP: Randle has already proven to be one of the best free-agent signings of this past offseason.He's often brought instant offense to the second unit and has also filled in as a starter when either Anthony Davis or Nikola Mirotic has been sidelined. Randle's most recent accomplishment was a 21-point, 14-rebound, 10-assist triple-double against the Spurs on Monday, his fifth game over the last six with at least a double-double. Randle is posting a career-high 17.5 points on a career-best 57.2 percent shooting, and he's another talented offensive piece that will continue benefiting from an extremely fast-paced attack.

ALSO TRENDING UP: Jarrett Allen, BRO; Karl-Anthony Towns, MIN

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Juan Carlos Blanco
Winner of the FSWA 2016 Newcomer of the Year Award, Juan Carlos Blanco has been playing fantasy sports for over 20 years and covers NBA, MLB, NFL, CFL and Arena Football for Rotowire.com, including serving as the beat writer for teams in multiple sports. He has previously written for KFFL.com and remains an avid season-long and daily fantasy player in multiple sports as well.
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