All this depth makes any debate about who is the best a tough one. When evaluating point guards it is important to include things that do not show up in the stats column. Things like getting the other team in foul trouble and keeping your man out of the paint are just as important as a players scoring average. Chasing down loose balls and always sprinting back on defense won’t get you a spot on Sportscenter’s Top 10, but it will help get your team get into the playoffs. Also the position requires vocal leadership more than any other, since the point guard is often an on-court extension of the coach. The switch from Allen Iverson to Chauncey Billups wasn’t an upgrade in terms of raw basketball talent, but it was an overall upgrade. This was because Billups commanded respect in the locker room and turned the Nuggets into a team of one on one offensive players that made defense an afterthought, into a team that valued ball movement and tenacious defense. The team with Iverson never resembled a championship caliber club, the team with Billups almost knocked out the NBA champion Lakers last year.
That is not to say that these attributes that do not show up in the box score are more important then the ones that do. Chances are, if you aren’t scoring the basketball or directly setting up your teammates to score, you aren’t helping your team very much on offense. When looking at scoring numbers it is important to remember field goal percentage is very important, simply looking at points per game can often give you an inaccurate picture of who is truly a great scorer.
Here is my list of the 10 best point guards in the league today. What players have done in the past is irrelevant, only what they did this season to help their team win counts, with the exception of players who missed time due to injury.
10. Brandon Jennings-
Who needs college? After not receiving the necessary SAT score to attend the University of Arizona, Jennings decided he wanted to play for Lottomatica Roma of the Italian League. Jennings received a 1.65 million dollar contract from Roma, along with a two million dollar endorsement contract from Under Armour. After averaging 32.7 points 7.4 assists and 5.1 rebounds his senior year at basketball powerhouse Oak Hill Academy, and leading them to a 41-1 record, Jennings struggled mightily in Europe. In 27 Italian League games he played a paltry 17 minutes per game, scoring 5.5 points a game. In 16 Euroleague games Jennings played 20 minutes a game, averaging 7.6 points per game. Despite these meager statistics, The Milwaukee Bucks took a gamble on him with the 10th pick in the draft. Something tells me Knicks fans wish their team had taken that same gamble four spots earlier in the draft. Jennings introduced himself to the league about two weeks into the season, when he scored 55 points against the Golden State Warriors. It was the second highest point total in Bucks history, behind Michael Redd’s 57. For the season Jennings averaged 15.5 points and 5.5 assists, and led the Bucks to the number five seed in the East. The Bucks were predicted to be one of the worst teams in basketball before the year started. The reason I can’t have Jennings higher on this list, he shot 37 percent from the field, and 5.5 assists is the lowest of any player to crack my top 10.
9-
Russell Westbrook- Despite the fact that the Lakers were able to (barely) defeat the Thunder in the playoffs, Derrick Fisher probably sees Russell Westbrook in his nightmares. Westbrook made Fisher look like he was moving in slow motion, and no Laker defender was able to keep him out of the paint. Westbrook averaged 16 ppg and eight assists this season, and is one of the most effective defenders in basketball. His eight assists are especially impressive when you think about how lacking the Thunder were this season in terms of big men with offensive skills. Westbrook averaged 20 points six assists and six rebounds against the Lakers, showing he raises his game under pressure. The reason he is only 9th on this list, Westbrook can simply be ignored beyond the three point line, making only 23 threes in an 82 game season, shooting a horrible 22 percent.
8.
8.
Jason Kidd- When people talk about Jason Kidd now days, it’s often about how his quickness has diminished from his days as a New Jersey Net, when he made First Team All-NBA three times and led the Nets to back to back Finals appearances. While he no longer is capable of taking over games by fast breaking other teams into submission, Kidd did play 36 minutes per game this season for the Mavericks. 36 minutes per game is about what he averaged with the Nets. The Mavericks were the number two seed in the brutal Western conference, due in large part to Kidd’s 9.1 assists. While Kidd’s 10.3 points per game will seem underwhelming compared to the other players on this list, it is important to remember that the Dallas offense revolved around Dirk Nowitzki, the best shooting big man in history. Teammates Jason Terry and Caron Butler also have proved to be quality shooters, so Kidd had no reason to look for his own scoring chances very often. Kidd did shoot 42 percent on 414 threes this year, making teams pay for doubling up on Dirk. Steve Nash, considered one of the best shooting point guards in history, also shot 42 percent on threes this year. Kidd finished fifth this season in assists and fifth in steals, so he is at the very least the leagues 8h best point guard. The reason he isn’t higher, Kidd had trouble staying on front of the leagues quicker guards. This came back to haunt them in the playoffs, with Tony Parker and George Hill getting to any spot on the court they wanted.
7. Chauncey Billups-
Chauncey Billups is a very good shooter, passer, and defender. As mentioned earlier, he also has terrific leadership skills. Billups averaged 19.5 points and 5.6 assists for a team that was among the West’s elite for most of the season. Billups shot 38 percent on threes and 91 percent from the line this season. The reason Billups is only 6th on this list, his overall shooting percentage was 42 percent, good for 108th in the league. He also played poorly in several of Denver’s losses against Utah in this years playoffs.
7. Chauncey Billups-
Chauncey Billups is a very good shooter, passer, and defender. As mentioned earlier, he also has terrific leadership skills. Billups averaged 19.5 points and 5.6 assists for a team that was among the West’s elite for most of the season. Billups shot 38 percent on threes and 91 percent from the line this season. The reason Billups is only 6th on this list, his overall shooting percentage was 42 percent, good for 108th in the league. He also played poorly in several of Denver’s losses against Utah in this years playoffs.
6-
Tony Parker- Tony Parker has been the best guard on three NBA championship teams. Lightning quick with a terrific mid range jump shot, Parker is one of the hardest players to guard in the NBA. Despite being very short for an NBA player, he’s generously listed at 6-2, Parker is excellent as finishing in the paint. The thing that makes Parker so great is not how many points he scores, but how efficiently he scores them. He averaged 16.5 points on 49 percent shooting this year, with 5.7 assists. Only a handful of players that are not power forwards or centers shot a higher percentage then Parker. Parker simply has a history of coming up big in the playoffs.
Despite how great he is, there is a realistic chance Parker will be traded in the near future. George Hill did an amazing job replacing Parker, and the Spurs need to get younger. Antonio McDyess is 35, so a talented young prospect at the power forward or center position could land a team Tony Parker.
5-
Despite how great he is, there is a realistic chance Parker will be traded in the near future. George Hill did an amazing job replacing Parker, and the Spurs need to get younger. Antonio McDyess is 35, so a talented young prospect at the power forward or center position could land a team Tony Parker.
5-
Derrick Rose
No need to accuse me of bias here, Derrick Rose isn’t on my list because of anything he did in his college days. He’s on my list because he is the second most athletic player in the NBA, behind only Lebron James. Derrick Rose is one of the tallest point guards in the NBA at 6 foot 4. He is the strongest point guard in the NBA and the fastest point guard in the NBA. He can finish around the rim with contact, and his jump shot is average but getting better year by year. He has every intangible you could want in a player. He has won on every level, leading the University of Memphis to the National Championship game in his one college season. He has led The Bulls to the playoffs in both of his pro seasons. He is also tough, having grown up on the south side of Chicago. He is humble and very easy to coach. Rose averaged 21 points per game on 49 percent shooting, an extremely high percentage for a point guard. This despite the fact teams center their defensive game plan on stopping him because the Bulls have never surrounded him with much talent. His most talented teammate in his first season, Ben Gordon, left for the Detroit Pistons before his second season as a free agent. As soon as the Bulls can get a power forward that is a big time scorer to go along with defensive specialist Joakim Noah, the Bulls will shoot up the standings in the Eastern Conference. The only reason Rose is “only” fifth on this list is he is a complete non-factor from three point range, making only 16 this entire season. Rose is only 21 years old, and should be an MVP candidate in the future.
4. Deron Williams-
At 6 foot 3, Deron Williams has a similar build to Derrick Rose, but is not quite as strong or fast. What makes him better then Derrick Rose is Williams is a deadly outside shooter and much better at getting his teammates easy shots. His 10.5 assists per game was the second highest total in the league, and he scored 19 points per game. He scored these points in an extremely efficient way, shooting 47 percent from the field, 37 percent from three, and 80 percent from the line. Deron has won at consistently at the NBA level, leading the Jazz to 53 victories this season, good for the number five seed in the West. The reason I have Williams at number four is that he is less likely to completely dominate a game then the three players ahead of him, and his Jazz were just swept by the Lakers.
3.
No need to accuse me of bias here, Derrick Rose isn’t on my list because of anything he did in his college days. He’s on my list because he is the second most athletic player in the NBA, behind only Lebron James. Derrick Rose is one of the tallest point guards in the NBA at 6 foot 4. He is the strongest point guard in the NBA and the fastest point guard in the NBA. He can finish around the rim with contact, and his jump shot is average but getting better year by year. He has every intangible you could want in a player. He has won on every level, leading the University of Memphis to the National Championship game in his one college season. He has led The Bulls to the playoffs in both of his pro seasons. He is also tough, having grown up on the south side of Chicago. He is humble and very easy to coach. Rose averaged 21 points per game on 49 percent shooting, an extremely high percentage for a point guard. This despite the fact teams center their defensive game plan on stopping him because the Bulls have never surrounded him with much talent. His most talented teammate in his first season, Ben Gordon, left for the Detroit Pistons before his second season as a free agent. As soon as the Bulls can get a power forward that is a big time scorer to go along with defensive specialist Joakim Noah, the Bulls will shoot up the standings in the Eastern Conference. The only reason Rose is “only” fifth on this list is he is a complete non-factor from three point range, making only 16 this entire season. Rose is only 21 years old, and should be an MVP candidate in the future.
4. Deron Williams-
At 6 foot 3, Deron Williams has a similar build to Derrick Rose, but is not quite as strong or fast. What makes him better then Derrick Rose is Williams is a deadly outside shooter and much better at getting his teammates easy shots. His 10.5 assists per game was the second highest total in the league, and he scored 19 points per game. He scored these points in an extremely efficient way, shooting 47 percent from the field, 37 percent from three, and 80 percent from the line. Deron has won at consistently at the NBA level, leading the Jazz to 53 victories this season, good for the number five seed in the West. The reason I have Williams at number four is that he is less likely to completely dominate a game then the three players ahead of him, and his Jazz were just swept by the Lakers.
3.
Steve Nash- A point guards primary responsibility to his team is to set up his teammates for easy scoring opportunities. No one on this list does that as consistently as Steve Nash. Nash led the league in assists this year with 11 a game, and this was only Nash’s fourth-best season in that category. Nash scored 16.5 points per game, and did it with terrific percentages in every category. 50 percent from the field, 42 percent from three, and a league leading 94 percent from the free throw line. Nash has kept the Suns at or near the top of the NBA almost every year he has been with the Suns, with this year as the team’s most successful, having just clinched a spot in the Western Conference Finals. Nash has won two MVP’s, and his game is just as good now as it was then. His only flaw is his defense, with quick point guards giving him the most problems. Tony Parker has had many monster games in the playoffs with Nash as his primary defender.
2.
2.
Chris Paul- Bet the Atlanta Hawks wish they had that pick back. Despite a need at point guard, Atlanta drafted Marvin Williams with the number two pick. Deron Williams went next, Chris Paul after him. Since that day Paul has played like this generations Isiah Thomas. Paul was first team All-NBA in 2008 and second team in 2009. Paul battled knee problems this season, but last season Paul averaged 23 points per game on 50 percent shooting. Paul led the league that year with 11 assists and 2.8 steals per game. Paul’s 5.6 rebounds that season are impressive when you consider Paul is often the smallest player on the court. Paul’s knee surgery went well, and he is expected to make a full recovery by next season. Paul made all-defensive first team last year, and is considered to be one of a handful of players truly capable of disrupting an offenses game plan.
The Hornets have an extremely talented backup point guard in Darren Collison, who put up big numbers while Paul was recovering from surgery. The team has a huge need at the small forward spot, so moving Paul is a possibility if the team starts to struggle. Playing Paul and Collison together could work offensively, but both stand just six feet tall, so defensively they would be extremely vulnerable.
1. Rajon Rondo
29 points, 13 assists, 18 rebounds. That is how Rondo responds when his team is in a must-win situation. Down two games to one and facing Cleveland, one of the best defensive teams in basketball, Rondo had one of the dominant games in playoff history. In game two, Rondo dished 19 assists. He simply has a monster performance every time his team needs him the most. Rondo was the starting point guard on Boston’s Championship team two years ago, collecting six steals in the clinching game against the Lakers. Rondo can not be kept out of the paint by any one defender and has a wide variety of moves to use once he gets there. He is excellent at finding open teammates in the half court and in transition. He is the best defensive guard in basketball, excellent at not giving up any clean looks at the hoop, while also playing the passing lanes. Rondo lead the league in steals with 2.33 per game. Rondo was forth in assists with 9.8 per game, even though Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce both battled injuries all year. Rondo averaged 13.8 points per game, shooting over 50 percent from the field. If Rondo ever becomes a good three point shooter, he could go down as one of the best players in league history.
The Hornets have an extremely talented backup point guard in Darren Collison, who put up big numbers while Paul was recovering from surgery. The team has a huge need at the small forward spot, so moving Paul is a possibility if the team starts to struggle. Playing Paul and Collison together could work offensively, but both stand just six feet tall, so defensively they would be extremely vulnerable.
1. Rajon Rondo
29 points, 13 assists, 18 rebounds. That is how Rondo responds when his team is in a must-win situation. Down two games to one and facing Cleveland, one of the best defensive teams in basketball, Rondo had one of the dominant games in playoff history. In game two, Rondo dished 19 assists. He simply has a monster performance every time his team needs him the most. Rondo was the starting point guard on Boston’s Championship team two years ago, collecting six steals in the clinching game against the Lakers. Rondo can not be kept out of the paint by any one defender and has a wide variety of moves to use once he gets there. He is excellent at finding open teammates in the half court and in transition. He is the best defensive guard in basketball, excellent at not giving up any clean looks at the hoop, while also playing the passing lanes. Rondo lead the league in steals with 2.33 per game. Rondo was forth in assists with 9.8 per game, even though Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce both battled injuries all year. Rondo averaged 13.8 points per game, shooting over 50 percent from the field. If Rondo ever becomes a good three point shooter, he could go down as one of the best players in league history.
GOOD ARTICLE
ReplyDelete