Can Tre Mann Keep OKC’s Rookie of the Month Streak Alive?

Oklahoma City Thunder coach Mark Daigneault announced Saturday that rookie Josh Giddey would miss a “couple of weeks” with his ongoing hip soreness that has seen him miss the Thunder’s last four games.

The announcement all but guaranteeing Giddey’s reign as the four-time Western Conference Rookie of the Month will come to an end in March. The good news for OKC is that doesn’t mean its run as the award holder has to end necessarily.

Among the finalists for the February award were the Houston Rockets’ Jalen Green, the Golden State Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga and Giddey's Thunder teammate Tre Mann.

Mann averaged 14.6 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists for the month, shooting 35.5% from behind the arc.

With Giddey sidelined for the next two weeks Mann will have his best chance yet to secure an individual award as he will likely slot in beside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as the Thunder’s starting backcourt in Giddey's absence. In the six games Mann has played without Giddey this year he is averaging 14 points — scoring in double figures in all six.

Mann will have stiff competition for the award from Green and Kuminga — both of whom posted their best scoring months yet with 16.5 and 14.8 points per game respectively. Other contenders such as Herb Jones (9.5 PPG) and Bones Hyland (8.8 PPG) will also have their say as March goes along.

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