Without a player named Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant or LeBron James on the roster, winning NBA championships are nearly impossible without a star point guard. It was once thought to be impossible, but the trio of super heros showed pedestrian point guards can win titles on the back of the league’s best player. Of course, there’s only one ‘best player in the league’ at a time and in order for the other 29 teams to have a shot at the title, they must get stellar play from the point guard position. Just ask the Dallas Mavericks, Boston Celtics and San Antonio Spurs.
With that said, here are the five best point guards in the NBA and the only ones with a chance to upset the Miami Heat to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy. (Please note: Rajon Rondo and Derrick Rose have been omitted from this list because one is out for the season and the other has yet to suit up for a single game)
1. Tony Parker, San Antonio Spurs. Playing in small town San Antonio alongside one of the best big men in history, Parker often flies under the ratings radar. He doesn’t have a flashy nickname like some others on the list. Since his divorce from Eva Longoria, he’s not in the spotlight very often. Yet Parker is the best player on one of the league’s best and most consistent teams.
The Frenchman is averaging 21 points, 7.6 assists and 3.1 rebounds per game and led the Spurs to a 46-14 record before he went down with an ankle injury. Despite Duncan’s advanced age and coach-limited minutes, Parker has kept the Spurs in the title hunt in recent years. Oh and he has three rings already, which nudges him to the top of the list.
Parker is out for at least four weeks, but will be back in time to lead the Spurs in another playoff run. With the Heat and the Thunder getting all the attention, San Antonio is in a prime position to strike, but only if Parker is at full strength.
2. Chris Paul, Los Angeles Clippers. After wowing for the fairly small-market Hornets in Charlotte and New Orleans, Paul finds himself front and center in Los Angeles. After NBA Commissioner David Stern nixed a deal to the Lakers, Paul found his way to Hollywood via a trade to the Los Angeles Clippers. Now CP3 finds himself in endorsement heaven.
On the court, Paul makes an impressive case to be atop this list. This season, he’s averaging 16.4 points, 9.5 assists and 3.1 rebounds per game. He’s also a lockdown defender who has earned multiple berths on the All-NBA Defensive Team. His most impressive accomplishment though has been helping change the losing culture of the Clippers and helping them become the best team in L.A. – something that no one saw coming.
3. Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder. Westbrook is a polarizing name in the circles of basketball, but he just doesn’t care, and he shouldn’t. Westbrook can flat out ball. No he’s not a “traditional” point guard. Yes, he makes some head-scratching, forehead wrinkle-inducing plays that make you wonder what he was thinking at times. He also makes jaw-dropping, gravity-defying, ankle-breaking moves on the regular.
Westbrook is hands-down the most athletic point guard in the NBA. His season averages of 23.4 points, 7.9 assists and 5.2 rebounds per game are astounding consider he’s playing alongside the man who has led the NBA in scoring for the past three seasons in Kevin Durant. On a different team, he would challenge Durant for his scoring title. His clutch decision-making is his only Achilles heel. Still, his ability is dynamic and he’s the only guy on the list that I’m certain will win multiple NBA titles in the future.
4. Kyrie Irving, Cleveland Cavaliers. When King James abandoned his Cleveland kingdom, the team immediately went into shambles. The silver lining of course was the No. 1 pick of the 2011 draft, which the team used to select Irving from Duke University. Unlike some of Coach K’s solid but unspectacular pros, Irving is the goods. In just his second season, “Uncle Drew” earned his first All-Star berth this season.
His averages of 23.3 points, 5.7 assists and 3.7 rebounds are astonishing for just a second-year player. Outside the numbers, the electricity Irving brings to the game almost makes fans forget about James’ ugly departure.
5. Deron Williams, Brooklyn Nets. Last year, many would have claimed Williams deserved consideration for the top spot on this list. In his team’s first season in Brooklyn, Williams has seemingly taken a step back and could have easily been left out the Top 5. D-Will’s numbers are impressive at 17.3 points, 7.5 assists and 3.1 rebounds, but his shooting percentages have declined since he left Utah and his numbers are down across the boards.
In addition to the declining numbers, Williams is beginning to get the reputation of a coach killer after running legend Jerry Sloan out the biz and being rumored to have cost Avery Johnson his gig for the Nets.
