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4. Walter Davis 1978-79 Phoenix Suns
Davis was following up his rookie of the year campaign from the season before, and put up numbers nearly as good. This was almost the exact same pattern established just a few years prior by the Phoenix Suns’ Alvan Adams.
Adams and Davis would both almost be haunted by the productivity of their early careers. Both had long productive careers, but both could never exceed that initial standard they set.
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One noticeable dip came in Davis’ rebounding numbers, a trend that would continue and ultimately become a hole in his game. After his rookie season average of 6.0 rebounds per game, he only averaged over 4 rebounds per game one more time: his sophomore season with the Suns (4.7 per game).
Along with those respectable 4.7 rebounds, Davis also averaged 23.6 points, 4.3 assists, and 1.9 steals per game, while shooting 56.1 percent from the field and 83.1 percent from the free throw line.
This Phoenix Suns team ended up going 50-32, ultimately losing in seven games to the eventual NBA Champions, the Seattle SuperSonics. The Suns would trade Paul Westphal that summer to the Sonics for their guard Dennis Johnson.
Davis averaged 22.1 points, 5.3 assists, and 4.6 rebounds in the playoffs that season.