Do Injuries to Curry and Evans Revive Brandon Jennings in ROY Chase?

To be honest, Brandon Jennings never should have fallen out of the NBA Rookie of the Year award discussion, but due to consistent performances by Sacramento's Tyreke Evans, and a strong second half of the season from Golden State's Stephen Curry, that's exactly what happened.

After Jennings' 55-point explosion earlier in the season most observers were ready to hand him the award then, and people couldn't stop gushing about how his play hardly resembled that of a rookie.

Jennings did eventually hit the "rookie wall," and his numbers coincided with his slump as his shooting percentage fell below 40 percent, and Evans and Curry drew nearly even in overall statistics.

In fact, both Curry and Evans average more points per game than Jennings and shoot for a higher percentage from the field, but Jennings has the advantage of playing for a team which is competing for a spot in the postseason.

Milwaukee is currently a solid fifth in the Eastern Conference standings, and although much credit is due to Andrew Bogut, and the acquisitions of John Salmons and Jerry Stackhouse, Jennings still runs the show.

He still has a tendency to shoot the ball to much at times, but he has proved to be the perfect floor general for a team which is an example of a true mix between youth and experience.

the Rookie of the Year award is not usually based on how a player impacts his team as far as the postseason goes, but rather on the individual statistics of a player regardless of his team's performance.

But due to recent injuries sustained by Curry and Evans, there is a chance Jennings could muscle his way back into the conversation, and based on how the Bucks are performing, he may not be such a stretch after all.

Curry's ankle sprain is more of a day to day situation, and although he has missed some game time, he is expected to resume playing in the near future. Evans' future though, is a lot less settled.

Evans was injured in a game against the Bucks, and the damage he sustained was extensive. He lost some teeth, but he may have fractured his jaw also, and there is a strong chance he may be done for the season.

In that game Jennings played superbly, scoring 35 points and hitting eight three point shots, while dishing out eight assists in a Milwaukee win.

So with Evans facing a possible end to his season, did he do enough through the course of the year to stave off Curry and Jennings in the hunt for the rookie award? Or does his injury potentially open the door for Curry and Jennings?

With only 14 or so games left on the schedule Evans is probably safe from any advances from Jennings, but if Curry is able to return healthy, there is a chance he could catch Evans.

Although Jennings is the lead guard for a playoff team his 37 percent average from the field, and the perception that Bogut is the main reason for the Bucks' resurgence will likely do him in.

There are merits in that line of thought because Bogut is finally beginning to live up to his status as a number one pick in the draft, and has quickly risen among the ranks of elite NBA centers, which there are few of.

The highly underrated play of Salmons has been critical too, because he does a little bit of everything such as ball-handling, scoring, defense, and other things which make his teammates look better.

Stackhouse brings veteran leadership to the Bucks, and acts as a calming influence to the younger players such as Jennings, by helping him keep his emotions under control in tense situations.

But it all begins and ends with Jennings, and as the primary ball-handler, the majority of responsibility lies with him when directing the team, and he plays one of the hardest positions in the sport.

Curry and Evans have been more spectacular but Jennings has been steady, and his performances mean much more considering he is actually playing for a team which has the potential to go deep into the postseason.

Curry or Evans can make no such claim and although their brilliant games have been good for numerous ESPN highlights, they both play for poor teams whose immediate futures lie in the NBA lottery.

Unfortunately, in a team game which stresses the performances of individuals, there is likely little room for Jennings, whose numbers may not be as good as Curry or Evans, but his impact has been just as important to his team, and likely more.