Right Down Euclid Ranks: Point Guards
Nov 11, 2012; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving (2) attempts a shot against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) during the first half at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
With the NBA in its yearly offseason lull, it’s as good a time as ever to rank the best players at each position. RDE co-editor Chris Manning and site blogger will be taking a look at the Top 10 players (plus three honorable mentions) at each position for the next five weeks. The first of this series looks at the point guard spot, arguably the deepest in the NBA.
Chris Manning’s Top 10
1. Chris Paul, Los Angeles Clippers
2. Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls
3. Tony Parker, San Antonio Spurs
4. Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder
5. Kyrie Irving, Cleveland Cavaliers
6. Rajon Rondo, Boston Celtics
7. Stephan Curry, Golden State Warriors
8. Deron Williams, PG, Brooklyn Nets
9. Jrue Holiday, New Orleans Pelicans
10. Mike Conley, Memphis Grizzlies
Chris’s Thoughts
At this point, Paul has the top spot on lockdown. He can do it all, making him the lone player on this list with a legitimate ability to play at a high level on both ends of the floor. From there, it gets a bit more muddled. Rose could slide down the list if he isn’t fully recovered/is a different player. Parker, despite his many accolades, has long been over looked, while Westbrook and Irving are great now and only are going to get better, especially in Irving’s case. Curry and Rondo are neck, and Williams is still solid despite being slowed by injuries. Holiday and Conley, who round out the top 10, both bring solid all-around skillsets to teams that are in the mix for the playoffs team. And don’t forget guards outside the top 10, namely John Wall and Jeff Teague. This is, by far, the league’s deepest position.
Chris’s Honorable Mentions
John Wall: The Wizards point guard is undoubtedly talented and highly athletic, but I still have issues with his game. He’s a streaky shooter – at best – and a horrid shooter from behind the arc. Still, is a solid player and his size, athleticism and ability to get the rim make him a talent to watch.
Ty Lawson: The Denver guard is arguably the league’s quickest guard and his speed makes him a perfect fit for the Nuggets up-tempo style. His speed makes him a game changer and makes up for him shooting ability.
Kemba Walker: The Bobcats best player is never going to be a traditional star point guard, but he can score at a high level and should only get better as the Bobcats add weapons.
Trevor’ Magnotti’s Top 10
1. Chris Paul, Los Angeles Clippers
2. Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls
3. Tony Parker, San Antonio Spurs
4. Kyrie Irving, Cleveland Cavaliers
5. Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder
6. Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
7. Rajon Rondo, Boston Celtics
8. John Wall, Washington Wizards
9. Mike Conley, Memphis Grizzlies
10. Jeff Teague, Atlanta Hawks
Trevor’s Thoughts:
The top three here are fairly easy to me. Parker’s been a top-flight PG for three years now, but no one seems to notice. I honestly feel that he can flip with Rose as well if the Bulls star isn’t healthy. I put Irving over Westbrook, mainly because he’s a more efficient scorer and has more potential than Russ. Curry and Rondo are nice foils for each other; they offer totally different skill sets and their ranking largely depends on health. I included Wall this highly because his performance towards the end of last season indicated a lot of growth and potential to be a great caretaker of what should be a potent Wizards team. He also has more potential than the rest of the list. Finally, I include Jeff Teague over Jrue Holiday, only because he’s better at attacking the rim and defensively than Holiday, and we know exactly how he fits with the Hawks, while Holiday’s role with New Orleans is yet to be defined.
Trevor’s Honorable Mentions
Deron Williams: Still incredibly talented, but injuries are sapping
his quickness and ability to get into the lane.
Jrue Holiday: A great talent who’s still young, but we don’t know how
he’ll fit with the Pelicans this year.
Kemba Walker: Quietly has become the most underrated point guard in
the league, who should explode with more weapons at his disposal this
year.