Ranking Top 5 NBA Stars at Each Position: Russell Westbrook Shaking Up PG Debate
Some positions in the NBA have clear-cut hierarchies at this stage of the 2014-15 season, especially when injured players aren't included in the equation. But others have no easy answers.
This go-round, point guard is one of the positions that falls into the latter group.
Chris Paul has been the established cream of the crop for years now, but his throne has come under fire from a number of directions. Stephen Curry has provided a challenge all season long, submitting his name among the favorites for MVP as he steers the Golden State Warriors to the top of the Western Conference. But after a historic month, Russell Westbrook is in the mix for the top rung on the positional ladder as well.
Who's going to win that battle? How have the rankings at every position shuffled since the last edition?
We've got all the answers here as we look at the best seasons submitted by the NBA's brightest stars, giving a bit more weight to what's happened in recent weeks.
Injured Players
1 of 26
Before delving into the rankings themselves, it's worth noting that injured players are not considered for any of the featured spots, and they will not be listed as honorable mentions.
If a player is expected to be out of action for a prolonged period or has missed too much time in the last few weeks, he's automatically ineligible for the remainder of this slideshow.
As a result, Paul George, Dwight Howard, Kevin Durant, Chris Bosh, Blake Griffin, Anthony Davis, Derrick Rose, Jimmy Butler, Carmelo Anthony and Kobe Bryant will not appear, although they would make the cut—or at least be considered—if the injury imp didn't dictate otherwise.
Point Guard No. 5: Eric Bledsoe (Previous Rank: Unranked)
2 of 26
Team: Phoenix Suns
Age: 25
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 17.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 1.7 steals, 0.7 blocks, 19.6 PER
As is the case with every decision in the point guard rankings, finding No. 5 is just about impossible. Putting someone here automatically relegates plenty of deserving candidates to the honorable mentions. In this case, those include Kyrie Irving, who has been slowed by a shoulder injury in recent games and lost some momentum, and John Wall, whose shooting slump has doomed him and the Washington Wizards in the last few weeks.
But Eric Bledsoe is worthy of a featured spot, especially now that he's not working in the shadow of a crowded backcourt. He's been the Phoenix Suns' best player throughout the season, but the removal of Goran Dragic and Isaiah Thomas has allowed him to pair up with a better complementary guard (Brandon Knight) for his skills and truly shine.
This athletic phenom has provided multifaceted contributions all season, and over his last 20 games, he's averaging an impressive 18.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.8 steals and 0.7 blocks per contest. Even better, he's doing so while shooting 48.8 percent from the field, 37.9 percent from beyond the arc and 77.3 percent at the charity stripe.
This 25-year-old finally has even more of a chance to sparkle, and the Suns now seem awfully committed to building around him as they move forward.
Honorable Mentions: Kyrie Irving, Jeff Teague, John Wall
Point Guard No. 4: Damian Lillard (Previous Rank: No. 5)
3 of 26
Team: Portland Trail Blazers
Age: 24
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 21.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 1.4 steals, 0.3 blocks, 21.6 PER
Remember when Damian Lillard was slumping in January? That's but a distant memory, as his scoring stroke returned with a vengeance during the second month of 2015.
Including his impressive showing against the Sacramento Kings to open March, Lillard has averaged 21.7 points, 4.4 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game since January ended, and he's done so while connecting on 48.1 percent of his shots from the field. His three-point stroke was still off until his last few games, but that seems to be rounding into form as well.
For the Portland Trail Blazers, it's undeniably important that he keeps firing away on all cylinders and hitting with frequency. Though there are plenty of other high-quality players in the starting lineup (and on the bench, thanks to the arrival of Arron Afflalo at the trade deadline), Rip City scores an additional 11.3 points per 100 possessions when he's on the court, as nearly everything runs through him.
With the exception of Alonzo Gee, who has only played seven minutes since he was traded by the Denver Nuggets, no one in Portland has a higher offensive on/off differential.
Point Guard No. 1C: Russell Westbrook (Previous Rank: No. 4)
4 of 26
Team: Oklahoma City Thunder
Age: 26
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 26.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 8.1 assists, 2.0 steals, 0.1 blocks, 29.3 PER
There's no way to definitively sort through the top three point guards in the league right now, as they're clumped together in remarkably close fashion. As someone who cares more than most about efficiency, it's hard for me to move Russell Westbrook past the 1C spot, even after his historic month, but I'll have zero qualms if you want to reshuffle the order of these next three players as you see fit.
So, what did Westbrook do in February?
Carrying the Oklahoma City Thunder while Kevin Durant nursed his foot injury for parts of the month, he averaged a jaw-dropping 31.2 points, 9.1 rebounds and 10.3 assists per game. Not only did he record four triple-doubles during the month, but he even posted three in a row.
As ESPN Stats & Information illuminated, "He's just the second player in NBA history to average 30 points, 9 rebounds and 10 assists per game for a calendar month with at least 10 games played. He joins Oscar Robertson, who had eight such months in his career."
I'm admittedly picking nits here, but I have to in order to justify the ranks of the top point guards in the league. Westbrook averaged 4.2 turnovers per game during the month, and there were also numerous situations in which he made no pretense that he'd be passing the rock, thus forcing up bad shots in important situations.
Don't get me wrong. He was still incredible.
There's no denying that, and he deserves to be vaulted up into the thick of the MVP conversation. But other months count here as well, and it's not as if he was absolutely perfect in January.
Point Guard No. 1B: Stephen Curry (Previous Rank: No. 1)
5 of 26
Team: Golden State Warriors
Age: 26
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 23.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, 7.8 assists, 2.1 steals, 0.2 blocks, 28.0 PER
Stephen Curry refuses to slow down, though there have been some cracks in his defense lately that have forced the interior of the Golden State Warriors' point-preventing unit to do some extra work. But as an offensive producer, he's just about unstoppable, especially now that his three-point stroke is back to its elite level.
Over the 26-year-old's last 15 outings, he's averaging 27 points and 6.7 assists. On top of that, he's turning the ball over just 2.4 times per game (insane, given how often he's handling the rock) while shooting 46.6 percent from the field, 44.7 percent from beyond the arc (on 9.4 attempts per game!) and 88.6 percent at the stripe.
Yet, somehow, it's not Curry's historic numbers that stand out the most.
Instead, it's his one-of-a-kind play, as he's creating shots and scoring in a way that no one ever has before him. He'd be one of the best three-point shooters in NBA history if he only spotted up, but he's actually receiving assists on only 55.1 percent of his makes from beyond the arc.
Combine that with his dribbling, which routinely dazzles crowds and embarrasses opponents. Now it shouldn't be so hard to see why he even gets cheers in arenas that are supposed to be unfriendly.
Point Guard No. 1A: Chris Paul (Previous Rank: No. 2)
6 of 26
Team: Los Angeles Clippers
Age: 29
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 18.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, 10.0 assists, 1.8 steals, 0.2 blocks, 25.1 PER
With Blake Griffin out to let his surgically repaired elbow heal, Chris Paul has taken it upon himself to carry the Los Angeles Clippers. And he's done one heck of a job, reasserting himself as the league's best point guard in the process, if only by the slimmest of margins.
Over his last 10 games, Paul has averaged 21.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and 12.6 dimes.
But, as always, it's about more than the raw numbers with this player, one who's often more point god than point guard. Everything he does has a purpose, whether it's the constant berating of officials, the hesitation dribbles as he moves through the lane or the subtle head fakes that knock his defenders off balance.
That's why he's been able to post a 59.8 true shooting percentage while turning the ball over just 2.5 times per game, giving him one of the most efficient lines the NBA has played witness to recently. During that stretch, he's been everything for the Clippers, even recording assists on 56.4 percent of the shots his teammates make when he's on the floor and continuing to play great defense.
But through it all, he's refused to let that efficiency slide away, and that's exactly what continues to make him so special.
Shooting Guard No. 5: Giannis Antetokounmpo (Previous Rank: Unranked)
7 of 26
Team: Milwaukee Bucks
Age: 20
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 11.9 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.0 steals, 1.0 blocks, 15.2 PER
Picking a position for Giannis Antetokounmpo is just about impossible. He's spent time at virtually every position for the Milwaukee Bucks this year, though the two spots on the wings seem to be where he focuses most of his attention.
Here, we're being liberal by calling the 2 his official position, if only because finding a fifth shooting guard to feature is rather tough with Jimmy Butler now out of the Chicago Bulls lineup and DeMar DeRozan and Monta Ellis both struggling for their respective teams.
Meanwhile, this 20-year-old rising star has been on an absolute tear during the middle portion of the year.
His last 15 games are pretty much what those excited about his ridiculous potential were hoping for at this stage of his career, as he averaged 13.5 points, 8.1 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.3 blocks per game while shooting 48.6 percent from the field and proving he could be a two-way contributor. The Greek Freak's offensive and defensive ratings over that stretch? A strong 107 and 98, respectively.
Antetokounmpo has struggled since returning from the All-Star break and going to work with new teammates (and without Brandon Knight), but he's aware he has to get back in a rhythm again.
"We've got to figure it out," he told Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel. "It's going to be hard, but we're going to continue trying. Brandon (Knight) was our best player. We've got to find guys to keep up what Brandon did. But that doesn't mean everybody has to change his game."
Well, now this young swingman has to prove himself. After all, he's capable of replacing Knight as the team's best player.
Honorable Mentions: DeMar DeRozan, Monta Ellis, Kyle Korver
Shooting Guard No. 4: Wesley Matthews (Previous Rank: Honorable Mention)
8 of 26
Team: Portland Trail Blazers
Age: 28
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 16.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.2 blocks, 16.3 PER
Wesley Matthews is often overlooked by those seeking out the NBA's biggest positive contributors, but the dearth of healthy and elite shooting guards now lets him get a bit more recognition. And he deserves it, as he's remained one of the best three-and-D wings in the league.
The first part of that descriptor is rather easy to see, as Matthews is shooting 39.3 percent from beyond the arc for the second straight season, doing so while taking a career-high 7.5 per game. Throughout the Association, five qualified players are lofting up at least seven triples per game, and the Splash Brothers are the only ones converting at a more impressive clip.
Defense, however, has always been harder to quantify.
No metric is ever perfect on the less-glamorous end, but it's worth noting that Matthews is holding his opponents to 40.3 percent shooting from the field this season, per NBA.com's statistical databases. Typically, those men knock down 44.3 percent of their looks, and that's a rather substantial difference.
Shooting Guard No. 3: Dwyane Wade (Previous Rank: Injured)
9 of 26
Team: Miami Heat
Age: 33
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 20.6 points, 3.7 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.2 steals, 0.4 blocks, 21.0 PER
Dwyane Wade really hasn't been himself since returning from his latest injury, though that's rather understandable for a 33-year-old shooting guard with plenty of miles on his tires. He's providing the struggling Miami Heat with versatile contributions, but he's also struggling immensely to post high shooting percentages and has been rather inconsistent on the defensive end of the floor.
So, why does he rank No. 3? There are a few reasons.
First, we're looking at more than just recent play here. The entire season matters, and Wade has usually been quite good when all parts of his body are functioning properly. His player efficiency rating on the year is still undeniably impressive, and though he's fought his shot more than normal all season, it's not as though he's been some ineffective offensive contributor.
Additionally, this position is nearly devoid of healthy stars now that Jimmy Butler has been shelved and other big-name players are finding it hard to maintain their performance levels. This isn't a legacy award, but Wade's track record certainly comes into play.
Shooting Guard No. 2: Klay Thompson (Previous Rank: No. 2)
10 of 26
Team: Golden State Warriors
Age: 25
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 21.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.2 steals, 0.9 blocks, 20.6 PER
Klay Thompson isn't just a two-way shooting guard to the Golden State Warriors. He's more than a player who has burst onto the scene, shown substantial improvement and provided the Dubs with plenty of memorable moments.
He's flat-out irreplaceable.
According to my FATS projections (based on historical similarities and explained in full here), there's a rather big difference between Golden State with Thompson and the team when he's on the bench or out nursing an injury.
When the 25-year-old shooting stud isn't playing, the Dubs perform like a 48-win squad. But when he's on the floor, that number jumps all the way to 59, giving him an 11-victory swing. To put that in perspective, the increase is only 13 when analyzing the impact of Stephen Curry, and the point guard is a strong MVP candidate.
I'm not suggesting that Thompson should be thought of in the same light, but there's no doubt he's one of the very best at his position.
Shooting Guard No. 1: James Harden (Previous Rank: No. 1)
11 of 26
Team: Houston Rockets
Age: 25
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 27.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 6.9 assists, 1.9 steals, 0.8 blocks, 27.0 PER
This is about as obvious as it gets.
As Adi Joseph wrote for USA Today after James Harden got the best of LeBron James in a marquee battle between the Houston Rockets and Cleveland Cavaliers, the bearded shooting guard is now the front-runner for MVP:
"James Harden grabbed the NBA MVP on Sunday. Well, he grabbed four-time NBA MVP LeBron James, locking elbows with the Cleveland Cavaliers forward on a drive to the basket and refusing to let go while the referees awkwardly watched.
The play embodied this season for Harden, the Houston Rockets guard who has pushed, prodded and kicked his way to the front of the 2014-15 NBA MVP race.
"
Harden has been absolutely unstoppable this season, and he's on pace to become just the 12th player to score at least 27 points per game with a true shooting percentage on the right side of 60. The others? Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Charles Barkley, Larry Bird, Adrian Dantley, Kevin Durant, LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Karl Malone, Shaquille O'Neal, David Robinson and Kiki Vandeweghe.
That said, Jordan, James and Bird are the only ones who also matched this shooting guard's numbers as a rebounder and distributor.
Soon, it might not just be the Rockets' Twitter feed referring to Harden as "King James."
Small Forward No. 5: Rudy Gay (Previous Rank: Honorable Mention)
12 of 26
Team: Sacramento Kings
Age: 28
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 20.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.5 blocks, 18.9 PER
George Karl may want to play Rudy Gay more at power forward going forward, but he's still going to be classified as a small forward here. And that's a good thing, as it allows him to gain a featured spot at an injury-decimated position rather than be left out entirely among the stacked group of 4's.
Gay may still be struggling with the detrimental reputation he earned when both the Memphis Grizzlies and Toronto Raptors improved significantly after he was no longer on the roster. But that story hasn't rung true with the Sacramento Kings, as this forward has played much smarter basketball and had an undeniably positive impact.
When he's been on the bench, the Kings have scored just 98.1 points per 100 possessions, a mark that would rank No. 29 throughout the entire league if maintained for the whole season, better than only the historically inept Philadelphia 76ers. But when he's playing, that offensive efficiency jumps up to 106.9, which would be the No. 11 rating in the Association.
So long as he's sticking to the blocks and choosing his jumpers wisely, Gay is an asset. A big one, in fact.
Honorable Mentions: Luol Deng, Tobias Harris, Khris Middleton
Small Forward No. 4: Tyreke Evans (Previous Rank: Honorable Mention)
13 of 26
Team: New Orleans Pelicans
Age: 25
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 16.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 1.2 steals, 0.4 blocks, 17.0 PER
Picking a single position is rather hard for Tyreke Evans, especially now that he's been running the point for the New Orleans Pelicans in Jrue Holiday's injury-created absence. But he's still been a primary small forward when everyone is healthy, so that's where he fits in here, just as he has all season when he's deserved a mention.
Dating back to a Jan. 25 contest against the Dallas Mavericks, this 25-year-old has averaged 15.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and 9.2 assists per game. He's struggling to space out the court, but his ability to drive to the rim and keep his eyes up, probing for the weakness in the defense, has made him quite valuable.
This is the player Evans was supposed to be after his historic rookie season. Sure, it would be nice if he'd developed a more threatening stroke from the perimeter, but Evans is finally playing to his strengths and working in a system that he's comfortable in.
Perhaps most impressively, he's kept the Pelicans in the thick of the Western Conference playoff race, even as Anthony Davis sits out with his sprained shoulder.
Small Forward No. 3: Kawhi Leonard (Previous Rank: No. 5)
14 of 26
Team: San Antonio Spurs
Age: 23
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 15.0 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.1 steals, 0.8 blocks, 19.6 PER
Thanks to a serious shooting regression, Kawhi Leonard hasn't been the offensive stalwart the San Antonio Spurs presumably hoped he'd become after winning Finals MVP last season. But his defense has still been ultra-valuable to the struggling defending champions.
After posting a 3.4 defensive box plus/minus (DBPM) last year, Leonard has submitted a mark of 3.2 this season. Basically, that means the Spurs allow 3.2 fewer points per 100 possessions than they would with a league-average defender replacing the big-handed small forward. For perspective, only 10 players who have suited up in at least 40 games this season have posted a more impressive mark.
Any offense is just gravy, and Leonard is still providing his squad with quite a bit of that special sauce, even if it's not as much as the Spurs may originally have desired.
Lest we forget, defense is half the game. It's the less-glamorous half, but it's still important when trying to win one contest after another.
Small Forward No. 2: Gordon Hayward (Previous Rank: No. 4)
15 of 26
Team: Utah Jazz
Age: 24
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 19.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals, 0.4 blocks, 19.9 PER
Now that the Utah Jazz are looking more competitive, the team's superstar may actually start getting the credit he deserves. After all, Gordon Hayward has been fantastic all season long, shining in his second season as a featured option.
It isn't exactly easy to average at least 19 points, four rebounds, four assists and a steal per game. In fact, only six qualified players are doing so this season:
- Stephen Curry
- James Harden
- Gordon Hayward
- LeBron James
- Damian Lillard
- Russell Westbrook
"He's taken that next step. Last year was probably tough, because the first time you're thrown into being the main guy, it's an adjustment," Phoenix Suns head coach Jeff Hornacek said of his former pupil in early February, per Jody Genessy of the Deseret News. "There's added pressure that comes with it. You put a little extra pressure on yourself. Now he's been through that and he seems like the game's really slowed down."
It's hard to believe Hayward has undergone so many career transitions already. He's still only 24 years old.
Now, he's one of many reasons the future seems rather bright in Salt Lake City.
Small Forward No. 1: LeBron James (Previous Rank: No. 1)
16 of 26
Team: Cleveland Cavaliers
Age: 30
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 26.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, 7.2 assists, 1.6 steals, 0.7 blocks, 25.8 PER
With Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant and Paul George all ineligible for the small forward rankings, is there any doubt that it's LeBron James who takes over the top spot?
We won't spend too much time here, as James is lapping the field at his position. He's been largely responsible for the massive turnaround of the Cleveland Cavaliers' season, coming back from his two-week hiatus with a refreshed level of performance on both ends of the floor.
All of a sudden, James is finding himself back in the MVP conversation, though his recent pair of missed free throws—ones that would have knocked off the Houston Rockets and fellow MVP candidate James Harden on national television—certainly won't help his case. Even if he ultimately doesn't win the award, how many other healthy players at this position will even get a single vote?
Power Forward No. 5: Zach Randolph (Previous Rank: Honorable Mention)
17 of 26
Team: Memphis Grizzlies
Age: 33
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 16.5 points, 11.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.2 blocks, 20.0 PER
Zach Randolph simply can't be contained on the boards.
Not only does he trail just DeAndre Jordan, Andre Drummond, Pau Gasol and Tyson Chandler in rebounds per game, but he registers near the top of the leaderboard for every type of percentage. Many masters of the glass are better on one end than the other, but Randolph is No. 9 in offensive rebounding percentage and No. 6 in defensive rebounding percentage.
Plus, Randolph has been uncharacteristically impressive when trying to prevent points for the Memphis Grizzlies. He's posted the second-best DBPM of his career, and the Grizz have allowed 1.1 fewer points per 100 possessions when he's been on the floor.
This 33-year-old big man has always been a physical post presence with a nose for the boards, and throwing in some positive defensive contributions ultimately gets him the nod over a number of high-quality power forwards. In addition to the honorable mentions listed below, we can't just forget about guys like Derrick Favors, Dirk Nowitzki, Draymond Green, Terrence Jones, Markieff Morris and Nerlens Noel.
Honorable Mentions: Serge Ibaka, Kevin Love, Greg Monroe
Power Forward No. 4: Paul Millsap (Previous Rank: No. 5)
18 of 26
Team: Atlanta Hawks
Age: 30
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 17.0 points, 7.9 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.7 steals, 0.9 blocks, 19.7 PER
Talk about a crafty player.
Paul Millsap isn't blessed with size—his seven-foot wingspan notwithstanding—but he's developed into a star player who can contribute in a variety of ways. Whether he's working the baseline, spacing out the court with the range he's improved upon throughout his career or racking up rebounds, he's usually going to be helping, not hurting, the Atlanta Hawks. And as the season has progressed, his pump fake has only gotten increasingly deadly.
Plus, the Hawks seem to go as he goes.
In victories this year, Millsap has shot 49.4 percent from the field and 40.7 percent from beyond the arc. But in Hawks losses, rare as they've been, he's connected on just 41.4 percent of his two-point attempts and 12.9 percent from three-point territory.
That's no fluke.
Power Forward No. 3: Tim Duncan (Previous Rank: Honorable Mention)
19 of 26
Team: San Antonio Spurs
Age: 38
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 14.5 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 0.9 steals, 1.8 blocks, 22.0 PER
By every measure imaginable, Tim Duncan has been a defensive stud this season, even though he's 38 years old and may spend his weekend bowling with Father Time so they stay on friendly terms.
Per NBA.com's statistical databases, he's holding his man to a field-goal percentage of just 45.1, and that's significantly lower than those players' season-long marks of 47.5 percent. Meanwhile, he leads the league in defensive rating, ranks No. 5 in defensive win shares and has a DBPM that trails only Rudy Gobert among all qualified players.
"Show me a player who has been a more consistent defensive force over the last 20 years, and I'll show you a mind-manufactured mutant who exists only in theory," Bleacher Report's Dan Favale recently wrote about the ageless wonder, predicting that he'd finish behind only Draymond Green in the Defensive Player of the Year race.
And it's not as if Duncan is just a defensive specialist. Just as he's always been, he's served as an efficient scorer, rebounder and distributor for the San Antonio Spurs.
Power Forward No. 2: Pau Gasol (Previous Rank: No. 3)
20 of 26
Team: Chicago Bulls
Age: 34
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 18.2 points, 12.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 0.3 steals, 2.1 blocks, 22.7 PER
Pau Gasol just refuses to slow down. Over his last 10 games, the 34-year-old big man has averaged 18.3 points, 12.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game while shooting 52.9 percent from the field.
Remember when he was supposed to be washed up? Instead, he's trucking along when so many veterans might be likely to hit the proverbial wall.
Of course, there are a number of knocks against Gasol's game.
He needs to be force-fed the ball in the post, which can often disrupt the flow of the Chicago offense. But he's scoring efficiently enough that doing so is completely justifiable. Additionally, his solid defensive metrics are a bit misleading, as he picks his spots and doesn't have all that much range. He's essentially been the Derek Jeter of the NBA during most of his outings.
There's always going to be bad with the good, since no player is perfect. That said, Gasol's good has definitely trumped everything else this season, and it's making it possible for him to sneak his way onto an MVP ballot for the first time in his lengthy career.
Power Forward No. 1: LaMarcus Aldridge (Previous Rank: No. 2)
21 of 26
Team: Portland Trail Blazers
Age: 29
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 23.3 points, 10.5 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 0.8 steals, 1.1 blocks, 22.3 PER
Some positions are close. There's a trio of legitimate candidates for the top point guard spot, and the center position is tightly packed as well. But much like small forward and shooting guard, power forward doesn't feature much competition for the No. 1 spot, thanks to the injuries suffered by both Anthony Davis and Blake Griffin.
LaMarcus Aldridge is running away with top honors for the time being.
During his last 13 outings, the 29-year-old big man has averaged 23.6 points, 11.6 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. He's struggled with his shot a bit more than normal, but it's not as though anyone else has had the two-way contributions on a thriving team that are necessary to challenge him.
Until Davis and Griffin return, this is Aldridge's spot to lose.
Center No. 5: Al Horford (Previous Rank: No. 3)
22 of 26
Team: Atlanta Hawks
Age: 28
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 15.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 0.8 steals, 1.3 blocks, 21.9 PER
Al Horford has never been one to put up glamorous numbers, but he doesn't need to in order for the Atlanta Hawks to keep winning games. Just by contributing as a devastating mid-range scorer, crashing the boards and serving as a multifaceted offensive hub who can throw defenses for a loop with his passing ability, he's been quite valuable.
And over his last 15 games (prior to the comeback victory against the Houston Rockets on Tuesday night), the big man was averaging 16 points, 10.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.1 blocks per contest. Those are sensational numbers for a player on a team with a ball-sharing system, especially when coupled with 53.6 percent shooting from the field and an 86.1 percent clip at the stripe.
Simply put, Horford has remained the heart and soul of the Eastern Conference's best team. Jeff Teague and Paul Millsap may be having even better statistical seasons, while Kyle Korver is in a realm of his own as a perimeter sniper.
But it's the big man who makes everything go.
Honorable Mentions: Andre Drummond, Rudy Gobert, Hassan Whiteside
Center No. 4: Nikola Vucevic (Previous Rank: No. 4)
23 of 26
Team: Orlando Magic
Age: 24
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 19.8 points, 11.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.7 blocks, 22.1 PER
I'm not normally one for looking at a single head-to-head contest as justification for order, but we can't overlook what Nikola Vucevic did against Al Horford when their teams met for a surprisingly close outing on Feb. 27.
In Philips Arena, Vucevic was the lone Orlando Magic starter who saw his team outscore the Atlanta Hawks when he was on the floor. Though Horford posted 17 points and 13 rebounds on just nine shots, the 24-year-old center added 21 points, 15 boards and three assists while shooting 10-of-16 from the field.
As R.J. White wrote for CBS Sports, "It was the sixth double-double in 10 February games for Vucevic, who came into Friday's game averaging 22.3 points and 11.1 rebounds this month. He also chipped in three assists, one block and one steal in 37 minutes."
But this isn't an aberration for Vucevic during the James Borrego era. Since the interim head coach took over for Jacque Vaughn, this USC product is averaging a strong 20.8 points and 11.7 rebounds per game. Even more impressively, his defensive rating has been 99.
Under Vaughn, it was 107.
Center No. 3: DeAndre Jordan (Previous Rank: No. 5)
24 of 26
Team: Los Angeles Clippers
Age: 26
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 11.2 points, 14.4 rebounds, 0.6 assists, 1.0 steals, 2.3 blocks, 21.1 PER
DeAndre Jordan is an absolute animal.
He's been one of the primary reasons the Los Angeles Clippers have survived the absence of Blake Griffin, as he's been able to step up as a scorer and rebounder without the power forward getting his hands all over the ball. But Jordan's utter dominance dates back prior to Griffin leaving the lineup after a Feb. 6 contest.
Over the center's last 14 games, he's averaging 14.6 points and 18 rebounds while shooting 67.6 percent from the field. During his last nine, he's at 16.7 points and 20.2 boards per contest with an identical field-goal percentage.
I repeat: 20.2 rebounds per game.
That's inhuman. Those numbers are impossible in the modern-day NBA. That feat is something only a 7-footer with ridiculous hops and great instincts on the glass could hope to accomplish.
Well, that's exactly what Jordan is.
But let's provide even more perspective for the big man who's been an uber-efficient source of offense while playing some remarkable rim-protecting defense. Over that nine-game stretch, his total rebounding percentage has been 27.7 percent. The all-time single-season record belongs to Dennis Rodman during the 1994-95 season (29.73 percent), and he's the only one above Jordan's recent mark.
Center No. 2: DeMarcus Cousins (Previous Rank: No. 1)
25 of 26
Team: Sacramento Kings
Age: 24
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 23.7 points, 12.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.4 steals, 1.7 blocks, 24.2 PER
A left ankle sprain and hip contusion kept DeMarcus Cousins out of the lineup as we transitioned from February to March, but that's not the reason he moves down in the rankings. Nor is his raw production, as he's still putting up massive numbers for the Sacramento Kings when he's healthy and on the court.
The issues are threefold.
First, Cousins hasn't been efficient enough lately when he lofts the ball up toward the basket; he's drawing iron far too often. Dating back to Jan. 16, Cousins has knocked down just 42.5 percent of his looks from the field, and while he's getting to the charity stripe quite often, it hasn't been enough for him to look like he did earlier in the season.
Secondly, turnovers continue to be an issue.
He's averaged 4.9 cough-ups per game during that same stretch, and he's recorded at least five in nine of the 16 appearances. Until he gets a better handle on the ball, it's going to be tough for him to be a consistent asset on each and every possession.
Finally, there's the attitude that has always plagued him when he's not entirely thrilled with his situation. Kicking a chair in frustration isn't what you want to see from your star player, especially as he tries to make a good first impression on his new head coach.
Center No. 1: Marc Gasol (Previous Rank: No. 2)
26 of 26
Team: Memphis Grizzlies
Age: 30
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 18.2 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 0.8 steals, 1.8 blocks, 22.1 PER
Marc Gasol has never been a box-score All-Star, and he still isn't this season. But he's continued to place more of an emphasis on scoring throughout the campaign, and that hasn't changed as the year has progressed. Over his last 10 games, he's poured in 16.3 points per game while shooting 50 percent from the field.
But Gasol is never going to be judged for his scoring.
He's a cerebral player who manages to serve as an offensive hub on many a possession. With his fancy behind-the-back passes that show he intuitively knows where everyone on the court is at any point in time, he can rack up assists while keeping a defense honest with his shot.
Speaking of defense, that's where he's still best.
His 3.4 DBPM is undeniably elite, and he's on pace to earn nearly as many defensive win shares as he did when he won the ultimate award for point-preventing ability. Gasol has rotations down to a science, and he often seems to understand the plays that an offense is running better than the opposing players do.
He remains the most complete center in the game, and some regression from DeMarcus Cousins now allows him to take over the top spot at the league's biggest position.
Note: All stats, unless otherwise indicated, come from Basketball-Reference.com and are current heading into March 3 games.
