After four rounds of the Sal's NBL season there is one player sitting inside the top 10 for points per game, rebounds per game and assists per game. Just one.
His name is Sam Timmins.
The Go Media Otago Nuggets centre has so far this season built per game averages of 22 points (equal 9th), 14.4 rebounds (1st) and 5.8 assists (3rd) - an impressive rise for the man who finished the 2020 Showdown with averages of 10.9 points, 7 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game when playing for the EnviroNZ Franklin Bulls.
No matter how you want to skin it, the rise of Timmins is undeniable. He is back playing ball at home in Dunedin and he's loving it.
Just how big has the improvement been? Let's take a look. Here's a rundown of his per game hauls this season.
vs Wellington Saints - 18pts, 9rbs, 2ast
vs Steelformers Taranaki Airs - 22pts, 12rbs, 5ast
vs Property Brokers Manawatu Jets - 23pts, 10rbs, 8ast
vs Property Brokers Manawatu Jets - 29pts, 27rbs, 6ast
vs Mike Pero Nelson Giants - 18pts, 14rbs, 8ast
By comparison, Timmins' biggets points haul at the Showdown was 24 points, which ironically came against the Nuggets, but he scored just 7 points or less in 7 of his team's 15 games.
He was held to single-digit rebounding 11 times, and in four of those games he didn't surpass 3 rebounds.
When you look at assists in 2020 his biggest total in a game was 4, while he didn't register a dime in four games, and only managed 1 assist in each of a further three games.
Is anyone starting to think Timmins is on track to be the competition's most improved player?
The numbers suggest that Slammin' Sam is on the rise!
