15. Ty Lawson
The former North Carolina Tar Heel’s speed gives him an edge
over every single one of his opponents. He puts
up good numbers in just about every statistical category. The only thing that is really holding him
back is the fact that he's shorter than so many others on this list.
14. Kyle Lowry
Once in a while, Kyle Lowry goes off for a series of games
that makes me think he’s going to reach the top 5 of this list. Typically, it’s followed up with a series of
games that makes him look more like number 25.
That streakiness lands him somewhere in the middle. I just wish he were playing for a more likable team
than Toronto.
13. Mo Williams
Even though he may not be scoring the most he ever has, Mo Williams is having the best season of his career. He looks more confident in his game than he
ever has before, and he looks very comfortable being back on the Utah Jazz, the
team that drafted him back in 2003.
12. Raymond Felton
At the start of the season, Deron Williams caused a bit of a stir when he said the Knicks
upgraded by picking up Raymond Felton to replace Jeremy Lin at point. Felton has ended that debate with ease this
year. He’s helping the Knicks in big
ways during the best season they’ve had since Patrick Ewing left. With Carmelo having his first MVP-contending season, Felton will be a key component of what is probably the only team
that has a chance of keeping the Heat out of the finals.
11. Michael Conley
Michael Conley makes up one-half of the best defensive
frontcourt in the NBA, along with Tony Allen.
He’s putting up career highs in several statistical categories this
year, not to mention his team is very successful. It’s funny to think that 5 years ago it would be laughable to say that this guy would turn out to be a better
draft pick than fellow Ohio State Buckeye Greg Oden.
10. Kyrie Irving
The only reason Kyrie places this low on the list is because
of how little he's seen the court this year. If it weren’t for that
barrier, I would probably have him at about number six. I must admit, I did not expect him to live up to the hype that he was receiving over the summer.
Even though I still don’t think he’s the superstar that everybody else
seems to think he is, Kyrie’s certainly playing much better than I thought he
would in his second year.
To those who think he should be higher, just know that I almost didn't put him on here at all due to his high amount of DNPs this year. Surely he'll get higher once he stays healthy consistently. For now though, at least he's still top 10.
9. Jrue Holiday
Jrue Holiday already stood in the upper-half of starting
point guards in the NBA last season, and he’s stepped up immensely since
then. He’s third in the league in
assists, averaging 8.9 per game. Not a
bad match for his 18.4 points a night.
8. Damian Lillard
Yes, this rookie does deserve a spot in the top 10. I expected big things out of him from the
start, but he’s even taking it a step further than I thought he’d be able
to. Already, he’s shown that he’s a guy
you want to keep on the floor in tough situations.
He still has quite a bit of maturing to do in this league
though. Whenever that happens, we can
expect top 5, no question.
7. Brandon Jennings
This is another one that I hate to admit since I’ve never
been a fan of his. He’s always had a
certain level of arrogance that rubs me the wrong way.
Regardless, Jennings is playing a better all-around game
than many guys at his position do today.
If he wasn’t playing a position that was so crowded with talent, he may
have been looking at his first all-star game this year.
6. Stephen Curry
Many spectators, including myself, never thought Curry would end up playing as well in the NBA as he is right now. He was
already a great shooter, but with Klay Thompson fitting in better as his
sidekick than Monta Ellis ever did, ‘Spicy’ Curry is proving that he’s still the
same leader that we saw at Davidson back in 2009. Who knows, maybe he’ll revive that Cinderella-story for the NBA playoffs.
5. Tony Parker
It hurts me to admit this, but Tony Parker really is still
this good. As much as I want the success of the Spurs
to go away they still sit atop all teams in the league right now. Aside from having the experience advantage over many
point guards today, Parker can also keep up with them just as well as ever. It doesn’t look like the
Spurs are going to fade out this season.
Get your “old man,” jokes ready for the playoffs!
4. Deron Williams
D-Will is lasting longer in this league than I expected
him to. He’s averaging just under 17
points and 9 assists per contest to lead a solid Brooklyn team. At 6’3” and 209 lbs., Williams has size over many guards that he knows how to use to his advantage. After missing out on the playoffs for the 2
years since he left Utah, it will be exciting to see him returning to the post
season with a strong supporting cast.
3. Russell Westbrook
Definitely the most athletic on this list, Westbrook can
take the top spot if he can learn to play smarter. It’s not that he’s a complete hazard on the
court, but at times he can let frustration cause him to take bad shots, give up
turnovers and ignore open teammates.
Regardless, the former UCLA Bruin is one of the most explosive
players in the NBA. He and Kevin Durant
sure do make an exciting duo, and I’m glad Ibaka is playing well in the third wheel spot after James Harden's departure.
2. Chris Paul
Many would give CP3 the top spot on this list. He does have quickness on his side, as well
as good hands on defense and just pure skill for the game. Chris Paul certainly is one of the best in
the league, and he's done a great job of leading Lob City. Overall though, I just feel
that the top spot goes to someone else.
1. Rajon Rondo
I really have a tough time figuring out how an argument is
made against Rondo being the best point in the league. Nobody else who runs the point can take over a
game the way Rondo can. He’s one of the
toughest, scrappiest players I’ve seen in many years. Just to prove his spot at number 1, let’s
look at his numbers compared to other point guards:
#1 in
assists
#1 in field
goal percentage (among those with over 100 attempts)
#1 in
double-doubles
#1 in
efficiency rating
#2 in rebounds
#6 in
steals
On top of that he’s also improved his jumper since last
year, making him an even bigger threat on the court. No other point guard is more important to
their team’s success, and no other point guard would be more of a pain to have
to compete against. That’s why he gets my
#1 spot.
Before I close out this list, here is (in no particular order) the best of the point guards who have been kept off the court due to injuries. I didn't include any of them since this list is based on play this season. Regardless, these guys deserve a shout out since every one of them has the potential to be in the top 10 when healthy.
Steve Nash
I'm still not happy with the fact that he joined those awful Lakers this year, but he's had quite the career. His smarts on the court and quality passing have helped him continue a high level of play throughout his aging. He may be getting scared to return to the court now though. He's been given the burden of completely turning around that horrible group of egotistic superstars.
Ricky Rubio
This injury brought me more disappointment than any other within the past year. His ball handling skills are phenomenal and I really can't think of many players who are more fun to watch. Unfortunately for Minnesota, they've been riddled with long-term injuries this year, including Rubio, Kevin Love, Brandon Roy and Chase Budinger. I cannot wait to see this team at full strength.
John Wall
He was expected to be the future of the Washington Wizards. The Wiz may have put a little too much hope in him as they are clearly crumbling without him. Although, many players on the team could be much better with John Wall around. Nene, Jordan Crawford and Bradley Beal could really work well around Wall.
Derrick Rose
Boy, was it a shame when he went down in the very first game of the playoffs last year. Rose is easily the best scorer for his position. When he was around, the Bulls stood as the Heat's only Eastern Conference threat. The league is going to get quite the shake-up when he comes back.
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