Michael Jordan, largely considered the GOAT when it comes to basketball, redefined the shooting guard position. While no players at that position are a threat to MJ’s legacy (sorry Kobe), there are some darn good SGs roaming the hardwood. Here are my top 5:
#5: Dwayne Wade, Miami Heat
It somehow feels wrong to rate Dwayne Wade this low on the shooting guard charts. For years, the 6’5” Wade was the gold standard of shooting guards in the NBA. Then came a rash of knee injuries and a guy named LeBron James. By conceding his alpha dog status to James, Wade lost a little bit of his basketball soul.
The 2015-16 season has been a reincarnation of sorts. His minutes and scoring numbers are down, but his number of games played are up. The 34-year-old Wade has only missed six games this season and has seen some of that old-school DWade athleticism return (in spurts, of course). More important than his athleticism though is his craftiness. Outside of James Harden, there’s not a more wily SG on the court than Wade. He can finish with both hands, has an array of pump fakes to draw fouls and a knack for knocking down big shots time and time again.
This season Wade is averaging 19.1 points, 4.7 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game. His 1.1 steals per game is a career low, but he still seems to find a way to cause timely turnovers. The big knock on Wade is that he poses no threat from behind the arc. He’s just 7 for 37 (.189) from downtown this season. Fortunately for the Heat, Wade knows he’s no Steph Curry and generally avoids shooting them altogether.
Wade’s Heat currently sit in 3rd place in the Eastern Conference standings.
#4: DeMar DeRozan, Toronto Raptors
While Wade’s career is headed towards the twilight years, DeMar Derozan is just entering his prime. While he’s nowhere near as awful as Wade, the 6’7” SG is not a great three-point shooter (32%). Like Wade though, he realizes it and chooses to make his living inside the arc. DeRozan attacks the basket with reckless abandon. He currently sits behind only Harden in free throws made (total and percentage). DeRozan’s height and supreme athleticism give defenders major problems as he has the ability to elevate with ease and strong and/or force the foul.
DeRozan’s stat line is impressive. He’s averaging 23.8 points, 4.0 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game. Each of those numbers are either at or near career highs. His team also sits in 2nd place in the Eastern Conference.
The knock on DeRozan this season is his defense. In the past, he’s shown the aptitude to be a solid defender, but this season it seems the offensive focus has taken its toll. When DeRozan is on the court, the Raptors give up nearly 108 points per 100 possessions. When he’s on the bench, they give up less than 99 points per 100 possessions. If the Raptors have any dreams of being a true contender in the East, DeRozan is going to need to become a better two-way player. If he does, he can vault himself higher on this list.
#3: Klay Thompson, Golden State Warriors
Klay Thompson has essentially become the ultimate three-and-D player in the NBA. He’s likely the only contestant in the three-point contest field that didn’t wet his pants at the sight of Curry, his Splash Bro. If it weren’t for Curry, Thompson would probably be considered the premier long-range threat in the NBA. The rangy, 6’7” guard is averaging 22.0 points, 2.1 assists and 3.9 rebounds per contest. The assists and rebounding numbers are underwhelming to say the least. However, Thompson’s true value lies in his ability as an excellent defender.
Thompson is often tasked with protecting Curry on the defensive end by guarding top-flight point guards. Since the Warriors rotation often features Curry and a bunch of 6’7” dudes, Thompson must be able to guard almost anybody on the court on screen switches. What he lacks in raw strength, Thompson makes up for in defensive intelligence. His steal numbers are ho-hum, but he plays good, fundamental defense, cuts off passing lanes, closes out well and has the ability to shut down his opponent.
Thompson stated earlier in the season that he considers himself to be the best shooting guard in the league. It’s nice for him to have that confidence in his game and he’s certainly among the most-dangerous threats, but he’ll need to develop more consistency and versatility to get the #1 spot. He has a tendency to go for 40 points one night and sink to just 15 the next.
#2: Jimmy Butler, Chicago Bulls
Jimmy Butler’s less-than-smooth transition to a new coach and injury woes this season threatened to knock him down lower on this list, but he ended up in this position for one reason. I couldn’t imagine choosing any of the previously-listed players over him if selecting my own team. While Thompson has the ‘ability’ to shut down guys defensively, Butler makes it a habit. Another 6’7” SG, Butler has the length, the strength, intelligence and tenacity to maintain his status as one of the top defenders in the league. He’s one of the few guys in the league that you can put on LeBron James straight up, and not worry about him going bananas (most of the time).
Butler has always been an elite-level defender, but last season finally took the step of becoming an elite player on the offensive end. He finally took the reins of the Bulls and became the team’s unquestioned leader. It’s no surprise, the team is just 6-10 without Butler on the court. When he’s playing, Butler is putting up 21.7 points, 4.5 assists and 5.2 rebounds per game. He’s also the leader in steals-to-turnovers ratio (.88) among shooting guards who average more than 15 ppg (the ones with the ball in their hands most).
Hopefully Jimmy Buckets and coach Fred Hoiberg can get on the same page. Butler thrived under Tom Thibodeau but has seemingly bumped heads a bit with Hoiberg’s new style. That’s nothing new. There’s always a learning curve for new coaches and their star players. The two need to work it out fast, as the Bulls are in danger of missing the playoffs. If the team advances to the postseason, and Butler stays healthy, they are still talented enough to be a problem.
#1: James Harden, Houston Rockets
Like the Bulls, the Houston Rockets have been a disappointment this season and are in real danger of missing the playoffs. Don’t blame it on James Harden. The 6’5” bearded beast will never be confused for a defensive stopper, but on the offensive side, he’s Hairy Potter-Houdini. The crafty left-hander is second in the league in scoring, with 28.5 points per game. He also racks up 7.4 assists and 6.3 rebounds per game. Simply put, he does everything on the offensive side of the ball. He can hit the three-ball and is virtually unstoppable going to the basket with his infinite Euro-step moves. It seems that all teams can do to contain Harden is foul him. When they do, he knocks down free throws at 87%.
Harden is once again leading the league in free-throw attempts and free-throws made. In fact, he’s has more than 140 more free throws made than DeRozan, who sits in second on the list. The Rockets’ poor showing is due to the fact that management panicked and fired Kevin McHale far too early in the season. Diva Dwight Howard (aka ‘Superman Stickem’) has once again resorted to pouting about his role and destroyed the team chemistry on yet another team. Harden though, is the cream of the crop in terms of two-guards and it’s not even close.
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