You always hear judges on those network singing competitions say that what they're looking for goes well beyond simply hitting the right notes -- they're looking for a singer to have "a moment."

Well, judges, Kyle Kuzma had himself a moment on Tuesday night.

In a prime time game on national TV against the Lakers' bitter rival, Kuzma showed the confidence of a 10-year vet and got into a zone that would make Billy Hoyle jealous. He single-handedly led a bad team to a signature win over the Celtics, one of the best teams in the NBA, and that alone makes him worthy of the top spot this week.

Just behind him was Rookie Rankings stalwart Ben Simmons, who had a jaw-dropping stat line of 19 points, 17 rebounds and 14 assists against the Bulls. According to Basketball Reference, Simmons is the only rookie since 1983-84 besides Steve Francis to have at least 19-17-14 in a game.

Not bad at all.

This week's NBA Rookie Rankings
1
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Kyle Kuzma Los Angeles Lakers PF

Last week: 8
Stats this week: 18.7 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists

Kuzma had the signature moment of his young career when he absolutely took over the game in Tuesday's national TV win over the Celtics. He scored 17 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter and made five of his seven 3-point attempts to lead the Lonzo-less Lakers. Kuzma's shot appears to have come back to him -- he knocked down 10 of 20 3s for the week -- but it was his brilliant behind-the-back assists to Larry Nance Jr. that brought Showtime back to Staples Center.
It's one thing for Kuzma to get hot from the 3-point line every once in a while, but if he can continue to impact games down the stretch with his playmaking as well as his scoring, he could truly become a special player.
2
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Ben Simmons Philadelphia 76ers PG

Last week: 3
Stats this week: 13.7 points, 10.0 assists, 9.3 rebounds

Just when you think Simmons is starting to slip, he busts out a good ol' 19-17-14 game to remind you just how incredible he can be. Still the Rookie of the Year front-runner (for now), Simmons nearly averaged a triple-double for the week and had a net rating of plus-22. His field-goal percentage has dropped and he still commits a lot of turnovers, but he's still playing great defense and shouldering the playmaking load for the Sixers. Simmons is going to have the occasional offensive dud (six points in Monday's loss to the Grizzlies), but he impacts the game in so many other ways that are impossible to ignore.
3
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Dennis Smith Jr. Dallas Mavericks PG

Last week: 2
Stats this week: 16.3 points, 6.0 assists, 3.7 rebounds

Smith continued his strong play this week despite slightly lower efficiency, but what's really been impressive is his ability to get his teammates involved. Smith had six assists in each of the Mavs' three games this week, and has now totaled five or more assists in 10 of his last 12 games. We all know Smith has the ability to be a dynamic scorer, but his improved decision-making is showing us that he can be a true point guard in this league.
4
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Donovan Mitchell Utah Jazz SG

Last week: 1
Stats this week: 17.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists

Mitchell falls from the top spot after a rough week, and while his counting stats don't look too bad, his true shooting percentage dropped to 45 percent from 63 percent last week. One of the consistently impressive things about Mitchell this season has been his ability to limit turnovers despite a sky-high usage rate, but things seemed to catch up to him this week as he averaged as many turnovers (4.8) as assists. He had some uncharacteristically sloppy snafus, which could be an indication that the burden of being the team's only perimeter scorer is starting to wear on him.
5
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Lauri Markkanen Chicago Bulls PF

Last week: 4
Stats this week: 15.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 1.7 assists

The bad news: Markkanen shot a dismal 1-of-13 on 3-pointers this week. The good news: He still managed to average 15 points on 44 percent shooting and pull down eight rebounds per game for the Bulls. This is a great sign for a player who's already established himself as so much more than a prototypical stretch-four. Learning how to affect the game when his shot's not going down is what could take Markkanen from a solid rotation big to a potential All-Star.
6
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Jayson Tatum Boston Celtics SF

Last week: 5
Stats this week: 10.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists

The Celtics struggled this week, and Tatum wasn't free from blame. It sounds like a broken record, but Tatum once again had problems with a lack of aggressiveness on the offensive end. While Kyle Kuzma was setting the world on fire against the Celtics on Tuesday, Tatum scored just four points on six -- yes, SIX -- field-goal attempts. He clearly doesn't want to force shots up to the detriment of his team, and you can't fault him for that with the veterans he has around him, but Tatum will need to establish himself as an aggressive scorer if the Celtics are going to make any hay in the postseason. That being said, Tatum's 19 years old and will almost certainly learn when and where to step on the gas as his career continues to unfold.
7
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De'Aaron Fox Sacramento Kings PG

Last week: Unranked
Stats this week: 13.3 points, 4.3 assists, 2.3 rebounds

The Kings are in full tank mode, resting at least two veterans every game, so that means more opportunity for Fox. He made the most of it this week, scoring in double figures in three of the Kings' four games. He threw down a game-winning follow-up dunk against the Heat on Thursday, allowing the Kings to enjoy some much-needed excitement.
8
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Bogdan Bogdanovic Sacramento Kings SG

Last week: 6
Stats this week: 11.0 points, 4.3 assists, 3.3 rebounds

Bogdanovic didn't have his best week on the court, but it was something he did off of it that could have been his finest moment as a pro so far. After one of the worst performances of his NBA career (eight points on 4-of-12 shooting and five turnovers in a win against Orlando), Bogdanovic owned up to his sub-par play on Twitter and big-upped his teammates in the process.
Things like this are going to endear Bogie to both his teammates and the Sacramento fans as they try to establish some semblance of culture and continuity.
9
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Dillon Brooks Memphis Grizzlies SF

Last week: 9
Stats this week: 12.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.5 steals

Brooks continued to be more assertive on the offensive end for the Grizzlies, who need all the scoring they can get. The rookie shot 50 percent from the field and 43 percent from 3, while keeping up his strong effort on the defensive side of the ball. He helped Memphis go 2-2 this week, which is an accomplishment for a team that's in seriously dire straights.
10
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Alex Caruso Los Angeles Lakers SG

Last week: Unranked
Stats this week: 4.7 points, 4.3 assists, 2.0 rebounds

This might be the only chance to get Caruso into the rookie rankings, so we had to pounce. His counting stats look pretty weak, but consider this before you get all hot and bothered: Caruso's net rating was a plus-31.8 (!) this week in nearly 26 minutes per game, and he dished out 13 assists compared to just one turnover in a 3-0 week for the Lakers. You've got to give props where props are due, and Caruso deserves to be in the rankings.

Dropped out

Milos Teodosic
PG
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Tyrone Wallace
NO • SG • #6
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On the bubble

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Josh Jackson
TOR • SF • #12
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Luke Kennard
MEM • SG • #10
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Sterling Brown
LAL • SG • #9
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