NBA Power Rankings: Where Do LeBron James, Derrick Rose Rank Among NBA's Best?

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The 2011-12 NBA season is nearing the halfway mark, which means it’s time to break down the top-15 players who have been on fire up until this point.

It’s been a wild ride thus far, and the year has been full of intrigue and surprises.

There are certainly a few surprises on this list as well.

Of course, there is plenty of room for debate, so keep reading and drop a line in the comments if you feel there has been a major snub or if you have anything to say about the rankings. 

15. Paul Millsap

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Per Game Stats

Points: 16.5

Rebounds: 9.7

Assists: 2.0

Steals: 1.4

Blocks: 0.8

 

Millsap is quietly having an All-Star year and putting up solid numbers for a surprisingly competitive Utah Jazz squad.

For those of you unaware of who he is (understandably), Millsap is an unheralded, undersized PF taken in the second round of the 2006 NBA Draft out of Louisiana Tech.

He has been improving steadily every year and made a big leap after taking over the starting job when Carlos Boozer left town last season.

Now he’s in line to make his first All-Star game and is certainly a top-15 player.

14. Blake Griffin

Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

Per Game Stats

Points: 21.2

Rebounds: 10.9

Assists: 3.1

Steals: 1.0

Blocks: 1.0

 

Blake is helping the LA Clippers live up to the “Lob City” moniker he coined after finding Chris Paul was headed to his team.

This human highlight reel is still raw when the game slows down and gets into a half-court set, but there is no one in the NBA I would rather have in transition than Griffin.

Once he improves his defense and commits some more post moves to memory, Griffin is going to skyrocket up this list.

13. Steve Nash

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Per Game Stats

Points: 15.1

Rebounds: 2.6

Assists: 10.0

Steals: 0.6

 

It’s unfair that Nash is still playing for the rebuilding Phoenix Suns.

The 38-year-old, two-time MVP deserves to spend the twilight of his brilliant career on a contending team.

Of course, the Canadian export has a legendary competitive drive and fierce loyalty, so he refuses to force a trade away from his beloved Suns.

That’s a damn shame too, because he’s still playing at the top of his game and is easily the most creative passer in the league.

Too bad he’s got no one to dish the rock to in the desert. 

12. Andrew Bynum

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Per Game Stats

Points: 17.1

Rebounds: 12.4

Assists: 1.3

Steals: .5

Blocks: 2.0

 

Bynum has made a major leap in coach Mike Brown’s system.

He has been healthy this season and is off to his best start of his career, putting up the numbers expected of him when he came out of high school to be the Lakers’ No. 10 pick in the 2005 draft.

While LA may be struggling at points this year, it’s certainly not the fault of their center. 

11. Dirk Nowitzki

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Per Game Stats

Points: 17.2

Rebounds: 6.0

Assists: 2.3

Steals: 0.8

Blocks: 0.5

 

Dirk is having the worst start to a season since his rookie year, but he’s still a top player due to his intangibles.

He has been playing himself into shape over the first 25 games but has somehow managed to keep the Mavericks relevant at 14-11.

The team was exhausted from their Finals run in June, and they lost defensive leader Tyson Chandler, along with a number of other key contributors.

Nowitzki has not let that shake his confidence that this team can repeat as champions, and his stats will surely go up in the second half of the year.

10. Russell Westbrook

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Per Game Stats

Points: 22.3

Rebounds: 4.8

Assists: 5.9

Steals: 2.0

 

To call Westbrook the Robin to Kevin Durant’s Batman would be insulting.

This guy is a star in his own right and would easily be the marquee player on a plethora of other teams.

To show their faith in him, OKC just rewarded their point guard with superstar money—five years, $80-plus million—and he deserves every penny.

Westbrook is a key cog for the team with the best record in the NBA (20-5) and should certainly help this group of young, talented ballers get back to the Western Conference Finals again this year.

9. LaMarcus Aldridge

Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images

Per Game Stats

Points: 23.7

Rebounds: 8.6

Assists: 2.8

Steals: 1.0

Blocks: 0.8

 

Aldridge is hot on the heels of a 39-point outing on Monday against the Oklahoma City Thunder, but the Trail Blazers still somehow lost the game in OT after he was called for goaltending on Kevin Durant with six seconds left.

It was yet another unfair moment for a player who has been getting robbed his entire career.

He has deserved an All-Star nod in each of the past two seasons but somehow found himself snubbed.

Hopefully the league finally acknowledges him for his accomplishments in 2011-12. 

8. Kevin Love

Rob Carr/Getty Images

Per Game Stats

Points: 25.0

Rebounds: 13.7

Assists: 1.7

Steals: 1.0

Blocks: 0.5

 

Love cracks the top 10 of this list because of his incredible play this season, due in no small part to the debut of Ricky Rubio.

Having a stellar point guard has clearly motivated the young PF, and he’s leading the Timberwolves down the path to an improbable playoff run.

His per-game averages for points and rebounds are absolutely ridiculous, and it’s crazy to think it’s only his fourth season in the league.

He’ll be on this list and probably much higher for years to come. 

7. Chris Paul

Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

Per Game Stats

Points: 18.5

Rebounds: 3.5

Assists: 8.9

Steals: 2.4

 

CP3 has changed the culture around the Los Angeles Clippers.

No longer are they a talented bunch of perennial losers; they have been reborn as “Lob City,” with Paul owed huge credit for the turnaround.

Not everything is sunny in L.A. though, as this high-flying team just lost their veteran leader, Chauncey Billups, for the season.

The 15-7 team is going to need their starting point guard to step up and take them to the promised land, something he is certainly capable of doing.

6. Dwight Howard

Sam Greenwood/Getty Images

Per Game Stats

Points: 20.9

Rebounds: 15.1

Assists: 2.0

Steals: 1.5

Blocks: 2.2

 

In what has to be one of the strangest subplots in the NBA right now, Howard may be having his best statistical season of his career, but he has mentally checked out of Orlando.

The superstar center wants nothing more than to leave the Magic for a city with brighter lights and more people, but he’s absolutely dominating on paper, even though his heart may not truly be in the game.

It’s going to be hard, if not impossible, for GM Otis Smith to pull the trigger on a deal with DH12 performing so well. 

5. Dwyane Wade

Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

Per Game Stats

Points: 21.3

Rebounds: 4.2

Assists: 5.3

Steals: 1.9

Blocks: 1.4

 

Despite his early struggles with injury, there is no doubt that Wade is a top player and the heart and soul of the Miami Heat.

Statistically, he contributes a bit of everything to one of the best teams ever assembled in basketball, and, emotionally, Wade leads the Heat as well.

Last year’s Finals loss has to be eating the star two-guard up inside, which is why I expect him to be fully healthy and ready to unleash his full wrath in the playoffs while LeBron James dominates in the regular season.

4. Derrick Rose

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Per Game Stats

Points: 22.7

Rebounds: 3.4

Assists: 7.9

Steals: 0.9

Blocks: 0.7

 

D-Rose won the MVP last season, but I think he’s even better this year.

He’s actually doing a better job as a point guard and getting his teammates more involved.

The fourth-year man out of Memphis is shooting the ball less per game and getting great looks when he does fire one off. He’s also turning it over less and passing more.

It’s a natural evolution for the born bucket manufacturer.

There’s no doubt he’s going to be taking the final shots in the fourth quarter with the game on the line, but it’s nice to see Rose is willing to trust his teammates more this season and it’s certainly benefiting them. 

3. Kobe Bryant

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Per Game Stats

Points: 29.3

Rebounds: 5.8

Assists: 5.4

Steals: 1.2

Blocks: 0.4

 

Kobe’s having quite the year, even at the age of 33 and with a whole bunch of new faces surrounding him at the Staples Center.

The future Hall of Fame shooting guard hasn’t been afraid to fire at will to keep his team competitive, which is a large reason why he just passed Shaquille O’Neal to reach fifth all-time in NBA history for points scored.

It remains to be seen how this team will do in the long run, as the last time Kobe jacked up this many shots, the Lakers went down in flames against the Suns in the first round of the 2006 playoffs.

Regardless, Kobe’s stellar play is going to get them back to the postseason, and scoring this many points with the odds stacked against him is incredible. 

2. Kevin Durant

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Per Game Stats

Points: 27.3

Rebounds: 8.3

Assists: 3.4

Steals: 1.2

Blocks: 1.4

 

KD35 is a legitimate superstar and easily the second best player in the league right now.

He was simply born to put a basketball through the hoop, no matter where he is on the floor.

Remember, The Durantula is only 23 years old and already has led this team to the Western Conference Finals.

It’s amazing to think about how much talent he has yet to harness and how many potential titles he can win, especially with the supporting cast assembled around him.

It would be a shock not to see the Thunder in the NBA Finals this season and Durant cementing his status as one of the greatest players right now and building a resume to possibly be one of the best ever. 

1. LeBron James

Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

Per Game Stats

Points: 29.0

Rebounds: 8.3

Assists: 6.8

Steals: 1.7

Blocks: 0.7

 

There is no one else who can be considered the best living basketball player on the planet.

King James is having a spectacular campaign and does everything at the highest possible level.

He’s the face of the NBA and, like it or not, his team is the favorite to win the NBA Finals this year.

What else could you ask for from the top player?