All across the globe, people at barbershops, water coolers, gyms, break rooms, classrooms, Internet forums and beyond, love to debate about the top basketball players in the game. Impassioned fans dish out hyperbole, statistics, awards, antidotes and key moments to make their points. I’m choosing to share my comprehensive list of positional rankings with the readers of In the Clutch. This week, we kick it all off with the NBA’s top five floor generals.
#5: John Wall, Washington Wizards
For years, former #1 pick John Wall was considered overrated. After failing to reach the playoff in his first three seasons, the murmurings came that Wall would never live up to the expectations of being the top pick in 2010. Back-to-back trips to the Eastern Conference semifinals shut up the naysayers. Though the Wizards are in a bit of a slide this season, Wall is still doing the heavy lifting for the team. He’s averaging 20 points, 9.9 assists and 4.8 rebounds for possibly the most versatile stat line, outside of Russell Westbrook.
Only been nine players in NBA history have averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds per game. It says a lot that Wall is on the brink. The explosive point guard has always been able to blow past defenders easily, but he’s finally developed into a respectable long range shooter as well. He now knocks downs treys at 34%. Unfortunately, he also turns the ball over four times per game, which almost got him booted from the list. However, if STL’s own Bradley Beal can get, and stay, healthy for the remainder of the season, look for Wall and the Wizards to make a late push for the playoffs once again.
#4: Chris Paul, Los Angeles Clippers
Some will complain that Paul is rated too low. He is definitely one of the top floor generals per game. He is not only one of the nine players who averaged 20/10, Paul has done it twice. He’s on the verge of doing it again with averages of 19.9 points, 9.8 assists and 4 rebounds per game.
Paul has caught flack in the past for failing to win. He’s currently in his 11th NBA season and has failed to advance beyond the conference semifinals in the playoffs. With the so-so talent of the then-Hornets (not Pelicans), it was excusable. However, he’s been a part of some extremely talented teams in Los Angeles. Before his injuries, Blake Griffin seemed to be the man in Clippertown. However, Paul has shown with Griffin out of the lineup that he’s still more than capable of holding it down and can be both the number one option on offense and the key distributor. He also leads the league in steals. As we see more shoot-first point guards taking over the league, CP3 could be one of the last of a dying breed. He’ll go down as one of the Top PGs of his generation.
#3: Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers
Despite his All-Star snub, Lillard is a bona fide monster. Like the others, he has a well-rounded stat line of 25.7 points, 6.9 assists and 4.2 rebounds per game. However, the biggest affirmation for Lillard is his team’s record. The Trail Blazers currently sit at 35-33, good for 6th in the uber-competitive Western Conference. That is after losing four out of five starters in free agency, most notably All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge. Everybody in the world assumed the Blazers would be in contention for the worst record in the league, yet they are poised to make the playoffs on Lillard’s back.
Lillard has dropped 50 points twice this season, both times against All-Stars. He seems to bring his best game against other top-tier point guards. Even though his overmatched squad just took a 128-94 walloping to the Oklahoma City Thunder, Portland is likely playoff-bound solely due to Lillard’s outstanding play. Put Paul on the Blazers and I doubt they would be in the same position. What’s scary is that Lillard is only in his fourth season. Once they get some more talent around him in Portland, he will be a serious problem for all other teams. When the game is on the line, Lillard has that “Kobe” look. He’s a stone cold killer with his entire career ahead of him.
#2: Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder
Westbrook is the most versatile and most-beastly player on this list. Westbrook is like a prime Mike Tyson on the basketball court. He simply beats down defenders with brute strength and blazing speed. While Paul and Wall and flirting with 20/10, Westbrook is a lock to become the 10th player on that list with averages of 24 points, 10.4 assists and 7.4 rebounds. He also leads the league in triple doubles this season with 12.
While Westbrook was long-considered as Kevin Durant’s sidekick, it’s now possible that he’s the better player. If nothing else, they’re on even terms. That says a lot considering before Durant’s injury woes last season, he was universally considered the second-best player in the world. Westbrook is a fearless warrior who sucks the souls out of opposing players and then dunks on them. It’s like Tesla took him into their factory and installed one of those “Insanity” buttons that makes him go from zero to 60 mph in less than a second. He’s tied also for second in the league in steals at 2.1 per game. If it weren’t for the Jordan-esque, game-changing run of the #1 man on the list, he’d have a serious argument as the top guy in the league.
#1: Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
I’ll be brief with Curry, because he has let his game do the talking on the court. There are critics out there who point to his lack of assists (6.5) or criticize his defense in effort to diminish his greatness, but I’m deaf to the hate. Curry is the best basketball player alive. He leads the league is scoring (30.4 pts), has shattered his own record in 3-pointers made (322) while shooting at 46% from downtown. And if you hadn’t noticed, Curry’s downtown, is much different than other shooter’s. Curry’s player efficiency rating (PER) leads the league at 32.40. Westbrook is second with 28.1
Aside of the individual stats, Curry and his Warriors are challenging the 1995-96 Bulls all-time best record of 72-10. Sub any of the other top PGs for Curry and I don’t believe they’d be the same. Curry is what makes the Warriors go. Because of his incredible shooting ability, and his ability shake defenders with his sick handles, Curry is essentially unguardable. Whether wide open or fading away with a seven-footer in his face, Curry’s shots are money. The defensive game plan against the Warriors is basically to pray Curry has an off night. The only thing that can derail the Warriors championship hopes is a serious injury to Chef Curry. If you’re one of those individuals who like to be cute and make a contrarian pick against Curry, ask yourself how many signature plays your selection has this season and then compare them to Curry. While many other players are carrying their respective teams on their backs, Curry is carrying the entire league.
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