We’ve all been waiting for Ty Lawson to step up and go to the next level. In my opinion he has done that.
Right now – at this very moment – I believe that Ty is one of the top five point guards in the NBA.
Here is my top-five list – as of March 2013:
Chris Paul, Tony Parker, Russell Westbrook, Stephen Curry and Ty Lawson.
Forget about Rajon Rondo, Derrick Rose, Deron Williams, Jason Kidd and Steve Nash. They are either out of commission or on the other side of midnight.
Let’s take a closer look at the Denver Nuggets point man.
After a slow start in November and December, Ty has been on a tear. In January, He averaged 17.9 points and 6.5 assists. Very good.
In February, Ty scored 23.5 points per game and handed out 8.5 assists, shot 50 percent from the field and 82 percent from the line. Outstanding!
Finally, after three games in March, Ty is averaging 17.5 points, 7.5 assists and had a huge game winner against OKC. Consistency is key.
Currently, Ty has scored 20 or more in 9 of his last 11 games.
Can you say big time?
Watching Ty recently has been a joy. He has been aggressive – driving the lane with reckless abandon. His mid-range game has come to life. His 3-point shooting is up to 35.5 percent, and climbing. And of course, as you may know, that when Ty hits jumpers no one can guard him!
His passing has also improved. Did you see the no-look bounce pass to Kosta Koufos in the win over Atlanta? Or the way Ty is throwing lob passes these days? His lob to Kenneth Faried for a one-hand jam in Sacramento Tuesday night was a beauty.
To sum is up, Ty Lawson is now one of the best point guards in the Association. Can he lead the Denver Nuggets to the NBA Championship one day? Stay tuned.
Chris Marlowe is in his ninth year as the play-by-play voice for the Nuggets on Altitude. He is a longtime broadcaster who also served as the captain of the gold media-winning U.S. Olympic volleyball team in 1984.