Sudden Impact

--HELPING HAND
Through last Saturday, Pacers point guard Jamaal Tinsley led NBA
rookies with 9.1 assists per game. At that rate Tinsley would
accumulate 746 assists this season, second most by a first-year
player in league history. Who holds the NBA rookie record for
most assists in a season?

a. Tim Hardaway b. Mark Jackson
c. Magic Johnson d. Oscar Robertson

--FINE IMPORTS
Contrary to expectations, Spanish import Pau Gasol, and not last
year's U.S. college player of the year, Shane Battier, has been
the Grizzlies' top newcomer this season. At week's end Gasol, a
forward, led Memphis--and all rookies--in scoring with 16.3
points per game, and he was also tops among NBA newcomers with
6.9 rebounds, making him a strong early candidate for Rookie of
the Year. Who was the last player born outside the U.S. or its
territories to win this award?

--THIS WEEK'S MATCHUP
Pair the NBA rookie with his college.

1. Brandon Armstrong a. Austin Peay
2. Carlos Arroyo b. DePaul
3. Trenton Hassell c. Florida International
4. Steven Hunter d. Pepperdine

--CALL TO ORDER
Place these players in order of their rookie scoring averages,
from highest to lowest.

a. Michael Finley b. Juwan Howard
c. Kerry Kittles d. Paul Pierce

ANSWERS

HELPING HAND: b. In 1987-88 Jackson had 868 assists for the
Knicks to beat Cincinnati Royal Oscar Robertson's rookie record
of 690 set in 1960-61.

FINE IMPORTS: The 1986 NBA Rookie of the Year, Patrick Ewing,
was born in Kingston, Jamaica. The 1998 winner, Tim Duncan, was
born in the U.S. territory of St. Croix, Virgin Islands.

THIS WEEK'S MATCHUP: 1. d; 2. c; 3. a; 4. b

CALL TO ORDER: 1. Howard (17.0 points per game); 2. Pierce
(16.5); 3. Kittles (16.4); 4. Finley (15.0)