Ranking Top 5 NBA Superstars at Every Position: Andrew Wiggins Emerges
Hello, Andrew Wiggins.
This is an historic occasion, as the No. 1 pick in the 2014 NBA draft is making his season debut in our recurring positional rankings. Sure, the small forward crop is rather watered down, due to a never-ending stream of injuries. But it's notable all the same, as the rising Minnesota Timberwolves star has only been getting better and better during his rookie season.
Is Wiggins the only young gun making some noise in these superstar countdowns, though?
Chicago Bulls sharpshooter Nikola Mirotic has been on fire lately, though the class of power forwards is significantly deeper. Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert keeps rolling along as well, and we can't forget about the many other players who haven't yet hit even their 23rd birthdays.
Even if many of the established favorites at each position are remaining near the top, where they also sat in the last edition (published prior to March 18's games), there are still going to be plenty of changes in the hierarchies. After all, we're looking largely at play since that previous update while trying to determine which players have excelled most in all facets of the game.
Wiggins won't be the only new arrival. That much is guaranteed.
Injured Players
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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 relevant period between updates of this series, he's automatically ineligible for the remainder of this slideshow.
As a result, Paul George, Dwight Howard, Kevin Durant, Chris Bosh, Derrick Rose, Serge Ibaka, Carmelo Anthony, Wesley Matthews and Kobe Bryant will not appear, although they would at least be considered if the injury imp didn't dictate otherwise.
Point Guard No. 5: Damian Lillard (Previous Ranking: Honorable Mention)
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Team: Portland Trail Blazers
Age: 24
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 21.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.3 blocks, 20.9 PER
Since March 18: 19.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 0.8 steals, 0.1 blocks
It's amazing that Damian Lillard still has energy to play at this level, given the heavy minutes he spends on the court for the Portland Trail Blazers and his insane level of offensive involvement. Only James Harden, John Wall, Trevor Ariza and Andrew Wiggins have played more minutes this season. Nonetheless, he's kept rolling on the more glamorous end while steadily improving his defense—especially while navigating those tricky pick-and-roll sets the opposition often tortures him with.
Lillard has admittedly struggled with his shot lately, hitting only 41.5 percent of his looks from the field and 31.3 percent of his attempts from beyond the three-point arc since March 18. But he's making up for those woes by converting nicely at the charity stripe and doing a marvelous job limiting his turnovers.
Since March 18, No. 0 has a turnover percentage of just 14.1, while his assist percentage is all the way up to 30.7. To put that in perspective, the only qualified players south of 15 in the former and north of 30 in the latter this season are Stephen Curry, James Harden, Reggie Jackson, Ty Lawson, Kyle Lowry, Chris Paul, Dwyane Wade and Russell Westbrook.
Not bad company.
Honorable Mentions (and a bonus): Eric Bledsoe, Kyrie Irving, Reggie Jackson, Tony Parker
Point Guard No. 4: John Wall (Previous Ranking: No. 5)
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Team: Washington Wizards
Age: 24
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 17.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, 9.8 assists, 1.8 steals, 0.6 blocks, 20.3 PER
Since March 18: 22.0 points, 6.4 rebounds, 7.6 assists, 1.4 steals, 0.3 blocks
What can't John Wall do?
Normally, the answer involves something about him being unable to knock down perimeter jumpers, but even that hasn't been the case lately. Whether he's forcing overtime with pull-up shots from deep mid-range zones or letting fly from downtown, he's clearly added weapons to his offensive arsenal.
Before, Wall was "just" a superior athlete who provided stellar two-way production with his havoc-wreaking defensive efforts, bursts to the rims and a knack for finding open teammates. Note that "just" is used about as sarcastically as possible.
Now, while maintaining all those traits and even improving his work on the glass, Wall is crafting a more reliable jumper. Over his past 10 outings, he's knocked down 40.7 percent of his three-point attempts while taking 2.7 per game.
Point Guard No. 3: Russell Westbrook (Previous Ranking: No. 3)
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Team: Oklahoma City Thunder
Age: 26
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 27.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 8.6 assists, 2.2 steals, 0.2 blocks, 29.3 PER
Since March 18: 28.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, 10.3 assists, 2.4 steals, 0.6 blocks
Russell Westbrook falling in at No. 3 for the second installment in a row shouldn't be considered an insult to him so much as a massive compliment to the two men who remain ahead of him in the point guard countdown. After all, he's a deserving MVP candidate who has done a remarkable job serving as a one-man team and keeping the Oklahoma City Thunder in pole position for a playoff berth.
The biggest issues all revolve around Westbrook trying to do too much, and it's hard to blame him for attempting to shoulder such a large responsibility while seemingly everyone around him falls victim to injuries.
And even those problems aren't as bad as they seem on the surface.
Sure, Westbrook is shooting only 36.3 percent from the field and 28.9 percent from deep since March 18. He's also taking 11.6 free-throw attempts per game and hitting them at an 88.9 percent clip, which helps keep his overall scoring efficiency in a more respectable range. The same goes for his gaudy turnover figures, as 5.3 cough-ups per game are much more palatable when the ball is in his hands so often.
Point Guard No. 2: Chris Paul (Previous Ranking: No. 2)
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Team: Los Angeles Clippers
Age: 29
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 18.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, 10.1 assists, 1.9 steals, 0.2 blocks, 25.3 PER
Since March 18: 23.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 11.3 assists, 2.0 steals, 0.1 blocks
If you're surprised to see Chris Paul ahead of Russell Westbrook, don't be. Start paying more attention to the Los Angeles Clippers and don't allow yourself to be hypnotized by Paul's consistent excellence over the years.
If we assume that every assist is worth exactly two points (a false, but necessary, assumption), Paul has contributed 46.5 points per game since March 18. Westbrook, meanwhile, has been responsible for 48.7 points per contest over the same stretch, giving him a slight edge.
But efficiency matters too:
| Chris Paul | 35.1 | .664 | 13.1 |
| Russell Westbrook | 36.2 | .511 | 16.1 |
Paul is putting up those offensive numbers in less time, and he's also been more efficient. More efficient by a ridiculous amount, in fact.
Throw in some superior defense and a spotless record for the Clippers save for Tuesday's blemish against the Golden State Warriors, and the surprise of seeing Paul over the trendy MVP candidate should evaporate.
Point Guard No. 1: Stephen Curry (Previous Ranking: No. 1)
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Team: Golden State Warriors
Age: 27
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 23.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, 7.8 assists, 2.1 steals, 0.2 blocks, 28.0 PER
Since March 18: 25.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, 7.8 assists, 1.4 steals, 0.1 blocks
There really shouldn't be any doubt about Stephen Curry continuing to hold on to the point guard crown, even if he's been responsible for fewer points per game (factoring in assists) than both Russell Westbrook and Chris Paul since March 18. After all, he'd be right up with those two in that category if the Golden State Warriors weren't blowing teams out of the water, which would in turn allow him to finish games on the court instead of playing cheerleader by Steve Kerr's side.
And why are the Dubs embarrassing their opponents? Well, you're looking at the man largely responsible for the destruction.
Over the time period in question, Curry is knocking down 53.0 percent of his triples while taking 8.3 per game. He has yet to miss a single free throw in his last 49 attempts, which admittedly goes back past March 18. Oh, and he's only turning the ball over three times per contest over that span, too.
For at least one more edition of these rankings, this is Curry's spot to lose.
Shooting Guard No. 5: Jimmy Butler (Previous Rank: Injured)
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Team: Chicago Bulls
Age: 25
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 20.2 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.7 steals, 0.6 blocks, 21.5 PER
Since March 18: 20.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.7 steals, 0.3 blocks
Over the course of the season, there haven't been four shooting guards better than Jimmy Butler. Though J.J. Redick has been far superior since March 18, we're still looking at the overall body of work in addition to recent play.
That's bad news for Butler, who only just returned to the Chicago Bulls lineup, playing in only three games since March 18. He's been fantastic while on the floor, skipping zero beats and picking up right where he left off before his left-elbow injury in early March. He's even knocked down 40 percent of his 1.7 looks per game from downtown.
But you have to play in order to provide positive production, so it's not exactly a good thing that this 25-year-old 2-guard has only suited up in half of his team's last six outings.
Fear not, though. Butler will surely rise back up to his rightful spot in due time.
Honorable Mentions: Monta Ellis, Victor Oladipo, J.J. Redick
Shooting Guard No. 4: Klay Thompson (Previous Rank: Injured)
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Team: Golden State Warriors
Age: 25
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 21.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.1 steals, 0.8 blocks, 20.8 PER
Since March 18: 19.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.2 steals, 0.4 blocks
The injury explanation certainly applies to Klay Thompson as well, since he's rather easily been the league's second-best shooting guard over the course of the 2014-15 campaign. A sprained ankle knocked him out of the lineup for three of the Golden State Warriors' eight games since March 18, and he hasn't been otherworldly enough to make up for lost time.
Granted, he's been very good.
During the five contests in which he's participated while easing his way back into a heavily featured role, Thompson has averaged 19.6 points per game while shooting 45.5 percent from the field, 40.6 percent from beyond the arc and a near-perfect 93.8 percent at the stripe.
And considering he's spending less than 28 minutes on the floor during the average outing in this relevant portion of the season, there shouldn't be any fear that he's going to lose his scoring touch during the stretch run.
Much like Jimmy Butler, he's only going to keep moving back up.
Shooting Guard No. 3: DeMar DeRozan (Previous Rank: No. 3)
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Team: Toronto Raptors
Age: 25
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 19.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.2 steals, 0.2 blocks, 16.6 PER
Since March 18: 23.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.1 blocks
Just when the Toronto Raptors needed it most, DeMar DeRozan started rising back up the ranks, highlighted by his 42-point explosion in a March 30 victory over the Houston Rockets. In March, he averaged 23.9 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.1 assists, proving in no uncertain terms that he can still be a star player, even if the rest of his 2014-15 campaign has been rather rough.
"DeRozan doesn't make the Raps into world-beaters, but he can help them return to respectability," Grant Hughes wrote for Bleacher Report after the outburst. "He proved that on Monday."
Right now, that may be enough for a team enduring so many struggles. And if DeRozan can sustain this level of performance while playing alongside a healthy Kyle Lowry, the ceiling gets even higher still.
After all, the Raptors have still been four points per 100 possessions worse on offense when the 2-guard plays this season. Even if that gap is narrowing during the stretch run, thanks to DeRozan's individual improvements, there's still plenty of room for growth.
Shooting Guard No. 2: Dwyane Wade (Previous Rank: No. 2)
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Team: Miami Heat
Age: 33
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 21.7 points, 3.6 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.3 blocks, 22.3 PER
Since March 18: 22.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.1 steals
As Bleacher Report's Dylan Murphy wrote in a brilliant breakdown of how Dwyane Wade has reinvented his game, a changing style is not exactly indicative of a substantial decline:
"But is Wade truly worse? In some respects, certainly. Multiple deep playoff runs and more than a decade's worth of NBA games will negatively impact any player's athleticism, and Wade is no exception.
His skill level, however, has trended in the opposite direction.
Yet there's still a false correlation being drawn between Wade's athleticism and overall effectiveness. Because his game has always been predicated on explosive leaps and top-notch lateral quickness, the assumption has been that he cannot sustain high levels of play without his bread-and-butter tools.
"
Newsflash: Wade is still rather effective.
Since March 18, he's been nearly unstoppable, looking fresh and as if he can carry the Miami Heat into the playoffs almost single-handedly. Some nights, he basically has.
The Detroit Pistons, victims of his first 40-point game since December, would certainly agree.
Shooting Guard No. 1: James Harden (Previous Rank: No. 1)
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Team: Houston Rockets
Age: 25
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 27.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, 7.0 assists, 1.9 steals, 0.8 blocks, 26.6 PER
Since March 18: 31.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 1.7 steals, 0.9 blocks
Does this even need to be justified?
James Harden scored more than 30 points per game over the past two weeks, and it's not as if he's slipping in other areas. He's pushed the Houston Rockets just a half-game behind the Memphis Grizzlies for the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, continuing to carry this team even though Dwight Howard is now sharing the court with the bearded shooting guard.
Harden remains not just an MVP candidate, but the MVP candidate.
Of course he's going to be No. 1 at his position.
Small Forward No. 5: Rudy Gay (Previous Ranking: Honorable Mentions)
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Team: Sacramento Kings
Age: 28
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 20.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.6 blocks, 19.6 PER
Since March 18: 22.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.7 blocks
Thus continues a fantastic season for Rudy Gay, though it's worth noting that he recently suffered a concussion and is now going to have more difficulty staying in the No. 5 spot when the next edition of these rankings comes around.
"He's covered the point guard," Sacramento Kings head coach George Karl recently said about his forward, per Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee. "In the L.A. (Clippers) game, he covered Chris Paul down the stretch, I think he can play one, two, three, four on both ends of the floor at a fairly competent rate. We've still got a lot of growth together but I like his versatility at both ends of the court."
Notice that I'm not just saying "small forward."
Gay may qualify there, but he's been spending more time at the 4 than he did under either of the Kings' previous coaches. And it's working quite nicely.
Honorable Mentions: Trevor Ariza, Tyreke Evans, Khris Middleton
Small Forward No. 4: Andrew Wiggins (Previous Ranking: Honorable Mentions)
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Team: Minnesota Timberwolves
Age: 20
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 16.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.1 steals, 0.6 blocks, 13.3 PER
Since March 18: 20.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.5 blocks
The rookie has arrived.
Though poor shot selection can still rear its ugly head, Andrew Wiggins has been playing the right kind of basketball. He's now using his athletic ability to attack the basket off the bounce, and the results have been absolutely fantastic.
Since March 18, the Kansas product is actually working his way to the stripe 8.9 times per game, and he's converting 80.3 percent of those looks. For perspective, he's taking 5.2 per contest over the course of the season, and that number has risen to 7.2 in March.
This is a trend, and it's certainly a good one.
Then again, Rudy Gobert might disagree.
Small Forward No. 3: Gordon Hayward (Previous Ranking: No. 3)
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Team: Utah Jazz
Age: 25
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 19.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.5 steals, 0.4 blocks, 20.6 PER
Since March 18: 20.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 2.2 steals, 0.7 blocks
Gordon Hayward's shooting stroke has been off for the last few weeks, though he has enough cushion between himself and the small forwards below him that he can remain in the No. 3 spot for a while longer. Of course, that also assumes he's going to shoot better than 40.2 percent from the field and 18.8 percent from downtown going forward.
But even while he's struggled to find the bottom of the net, Hayward has remained effective in other areas.
He's still pulling down five rebounds per game while dishing out 4.8 dimes in the typical contest. On top of that, he's fitting in with Quin Snyder's defensive philosophies, buckling down on the less glamorous end and doing his best to disrupt the opposition while the bigs patrol the rim behind him.
Kudos to this 25-year-old for figuring out that he can be an impactful player even in the midst of a prolonged shooting slump. That's a development that sometimes takes much longer for NBA stars to fully internalize.
Small Forward No. 2: Kawhi Leonard (Previous Ranking: No. 2)
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Team: San Antonio Spurs
Age: 23
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 16.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 2.3 steals, 0.8 blocks, 21.4 PER
Since March 18: 18.5 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.8 steals, 0.4 blocks
Kawhi Leonard, unlike Gordon Hayward, isn't exactly experiencing any sort of slump.
Instead, he's continuing to showcase his offensive skills for the San Antonio Spurs while maintaining his incredible defensive presence. And as a result, he's become even more indispensable to the defending champions, as my FATS projections (based on historical similarities and explained in full here) can demonstrate.
When Leonard has been on the bench in March, the Spurs have played like a 41-win squad. Their closest historical comparison comes from the 1997-98 Charlotte Hornets, a team that rode Glen Rice into the Eastern Conference playoffs before bowing out in five games against Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls.
But when Leonard plays, things change.
With the small forward on the court, San Antonio morphs into a 62-win juggernaut. This time, the title-winning Miami Heat from 2012-13 (ironically enough) are the top match.
How's a 21-win swing for showing value?
Small Forward No. 1: LeBron James (Previous Ranking: No. 1)
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Team: Cleveland Cavaliers
Age: 30
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 25.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, 7.3 assists, 1.6 steals, 0.7 blocks, 26.0 PER
Since March 18: 22.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 1.8 steals, 0.5 blocks
Without Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony or Paul George eligible for these rankings, there's just no reasonable competitor for LeBron James' small forward crown.
James hasn't done anything truly special over the last few weeks—by his standards, at least. He's taken a step back as a scorer, preferring to get everyone else involved before he calls his own number. But he's still scoring more than 20 points per game while maintaining his impressive levels of efficiency, and he remains impactful in just about every area.
Lest we forget, the Cavaliers are quite substantially better on both ends of the court when he plays:
| On the Court | 115.2 | 104.7 | 10.5 |
| Off the Court | 104.3 | 109.2 | Minus-4.9 |
Case closed.
Power Forward No. 5: Paul Millsap (Previous Ranking: No. 5)
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Team: Atlanta Hawks
Age: 30
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 17.0 points, 7.9 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.8 steals, 0.9 blocks, 20.2 PER
Since March 18: 17.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2.0 steals, 1.1 blocks
Paul Millsap just continues to do just about everything for the Atlanta Hawks. Though there are multiple players on the roster of the Eastern Conference's No. 1 seed who are capable of serving as Swiss army knives, Millsap stands supreme in that regard.
Any guesses how many players have averaged at least 17.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, three assists, two steals and one block over the course of the season, as Millsap has done since March 18?
None. Absolutely none.
So, let's loosen the parameters. Has anyone managed to hit each of those five averages in any season, not just the current campaign?
Charles Barkley, Larry Bird, Caron Butler, Julius Erving, Clyde Drexler and Michael Jordan each did so once during their careers, while George McGinnis qualified twice, Scottie Pippen and Magic Johnson did three times, and Fat Lever managed four times. Obviously, that's a nice list of names to be compared to.
Honorable Mentions: Derrick Favors, Nerlens Noel, Dirk Nowitzki
Power Forward No. 4: Pau Gasol (Previous Ranking: No. 3)
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Team: Chicago Bulls
Age: 34
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 18.6 points, 11.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 0.3 steals, 1.9 blocks, 22.8 PER
Since March 18: 20.2 points, 9.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 0.2 steals, 1.2 blocks
Pau Gasol isn't going anywhere. He's not slowing down. His age isn't suddenly going to render him inexplicably ineffective. He's by no means washed up.
Get the point yet?
The Spanish 7-footer just keeps churning out solid performances, though he's taken a slight step backward on the glass. Still, that's nothing to complain about, given Gasol's continued excellence in the points column. For a Chicago Bulls team that has dealt with plenty of injuries, he's remained a steady scoring force, averaging 20.2 points since March 18 and doing so while shooting 51.7 percent from the field, knocking down three of five shots from downtown and hitting his freebies at an 86.7 percent clip.
But what makes this even more remarkable is that it still feels as if this season has just come out of nowhere.
Prior to this year, he hadn't averaged more than 18.5 points since 2010-11, when he made the All-Star team with the Los Angeles Lakers. His 11.8 boards per game would be a new career high, one set during his age-34 season.
Hell, he hasn't even posted 1.9 blocks per contest since 2006-07, back when he was still with the Memphis Grizzlies.
Power Forward No. 3: Blake Griffin (Previous Ranking: Injured)
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Team: Los Angeles Clippers
Age: 26
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 22.1 points, 7.7 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.5 blocks, 23.0 PER
Since March 18: 21.3 points, 7.6 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 0.7 steals, 1.1 blocks
Blake Griffin's passing chops continue to impress, even if he's failed to make as large an impact in the scoring and rebounding departments since he returned from his midseason elbow surgery.
Not only has he averaged 5.1 assists per game since his post-injury debut on March 15 against the Houston Rockets, but he's also posted an assist percentage of 23.7 percent. That may be slightly lower than his season-long average, but it would still beat his previous career high—19.9 percent in 2012-13.
Among all non-guards in the NBA this year, only LeBron James beats Griffin in this particular category. And if we look at where his March percentage would fall on the leaderboard, he'd fall behind only James as well.
Griffin makes the Los Angeles Clippers better for many reasons. But few are more important than his ability to serve as an offensive hub, setting up on the elbows and waiting to find the open man while probing the defense for a shot of his own.
Power Forward No. 2: LaMarcus Aldridge (Previous Ranking: No. 2)
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Team: Portland Trail Blazers
Age: 30
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 23.5 points, 10.4 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.7 steals, 1.0 blocks, 22.8 PER
Since March 18: 25.1 points, 9.0 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.4 steals, 0.7 blocks
LaMarcus Aldridge didn't have surgery when he tore up a ligament in his thumb. He didn't stay out of the lineup for long when he hurt the other thumb, nor did he miss much action after injuring yet another finger.
This 30-year-old big man has shown nothing but heart throughout the season, refusing to let his Portland Trail Blazers plummet too far down the Western Conference standings, even with one player after another falling prey to that pesky injury imp that has plagued Rip City far too often in the 2000s.
Sure, Aldridge did miss one game. And predictably, the Blazers fell to the Golden State Warriors in that March 24 affair.
But since he's returned to the lineup, Rip City has reeled off four consecutive wins, and the big man has averaged 23.8 points and nine rebounds. He's been just as good as ever, and just as important, too.
Power Forward No. 1: Anthony Davis (Previous Ranking: No. 1)
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Team: New Orleans Pelicans
Age: 22
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 24.7 points, 10.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.5 steals, 2.9 blocks, 31.1 PER
Since March 18: 25.5 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.0 steals, 3.0 blocks
Are we sure that Anthony Davis is human?
He's continued to put up otherworldly numbers for the New Orleans Pelicans while healthy, improving virtually every facet of his offensive game. Not only is Monty Williams relying on the unibrowed big man for more scoring, but he's also finally letting Davis' experience as a point guard shine through. The third-year standout is becoming an even more complete player, scary as that may seem.
At this point, it seems like a matter of when—not if—Davis will record the NBA's first five-by-five since Nicolas Batum in 2012. The same is true when we're talking about quadruple-doubles, a statistical feat that hasn't been achieved since David Robinson in 1994. After all, this big man was only three assists and one block shy in a standout performance on March 15 against the Denver Nuggets.
The 22-year-old big man now has a 31.1 player efficiency rating, via Basketball-Reference.com, which would be one of the 10 best marks in NBA history. Except Davis' number may be even better still, as PER notoriously rewards volume shooting, which isn't exactly a part of this Pelican's game.
It's almost unfair that he's only getting better.
Center No. 5: Rudy Gobert (Previous Ranking: No. 4)
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Team: Utah Jazz
Age: 22
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 7.9 points, 9.2 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.8 steals, 2.3 blocks, 21.7 PER
Since March 18: 11.1 points, 12.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.0 steals, 2.4 blocks
Now, it's time for a "How is Rudy Gobert protecting the rim?" update.
In two words—amazingly well.
According to NBA.com's SportVU data, the French center hasn't taken any steps in the wrong direction since going to work with a more featured role. He's still holding opponents to 39.2 percent shooting at the rim while facing 8.0 attempts per game in that area.
Now, for perspective.
There are 116 players who have suited up in at least 10 contests while going up against an average of at least four shots at the hoop. Not a single one is more stingy, with Andrew Bogut (40.6 percent) coming in at the No. 2 spot.
Gobert is just that good, even though he's spending far more time on the floor now.
Throw in some improved offense—the center is averaging 10.7 points since the All-Star break and 14.4 over his last five games—and it's easy to see how he's becoming a bona fide star in this league.
Honorable Mentions: Al Horford, Joakim Noah, Nikola Vucevic
Center No. 4: Andre Drummond (Previous Ranking: Honorable Mentions)
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Team: Detroit Pistons
Age: 21
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 13.6 points, 13.3 rebounds, 0.6 assists, 0.9 steals, 1.8 blocks, 21.6 PER
Since March 18: 18.9 points, 14.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.1 steals, 1.7 blocks
Andre Drummond is starting to figure out this whole offense thing, and that's a terrifying prospect for the rest of the league.
Even before he went for 22 points on 8-of-11 shooting in a Tuesday night clash with the Atlanta Hawks, the 21-year-old big man was averaging 18.3 points since March 18. Pushing the time frame back even further, he was posting 15.6 points during his typical March contest, and that's now up to 16.1 after his latest outing.
This is particularly notable, and not just because it comes while Drummond is thriving on the glass and continuing to improve on the defensive end. It's simply the best he's ever fared in the scoring column.
Prior to March, his best scoring month of the 2014-15 season came in February, when he averaged 15.7 points. In 2013-14, he topped out in April at 18.4 points per game, but that came with an eight-contest sample, so it's a bit misleading. And including both his rookie season and his lone campaign at Connecticut, he's never broken past the 16-point barrier in any other month.
It's safe to say he's on the rise, and there may not be any turning back from this offensive trend.
Center No. 3: Marc Gasol (Previous Ranking: No. 1)
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Team: Memphis Grizzlies
Age: 30
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 17.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 0.9 steals, 1.6 blocks, 21.5 PER
Since March 18: 14.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.9 blocks
So much of what Marc Gasol does involves being willing to pass up traditional box-score numbers and make the little plays that lead to wins. But what happens when his efforts aren't actually leading to victories?
Since March 18, the 30-year-old center has suited up in seven contests and has come out on the losing end in three of them, even allowing the Houston Rockets to briefly supplant the Memphis Grizzlies as the No. 2 squad in the Western Conference.
Granted, the losses came against the Golden State Warriors, Cleveland Cavaliers and San Antonio Spurs (who had the added benefit of playing the Grizz away from the FedEx Forum). But it's still a bit disconcerting that Memphis was outscored by 56 points when Gasol was on the floor in those three consecutive losses.
Worse still, he's had a negative plus/minus in six of Memphis' last 10 games.
Gasol is obviously still an elite center, or else he wouldn't be falling in at No. 3 in these positional rankings. But it's time for a quick turnaround, or the Spanish big man runs the risk of continuing his fall down the ladder.
Center No. 2: DeAndre Jordan (Previous Ranking: No. 3)
25 of 26
Team: Los Angeles Clippers
Age: 26
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 11.3 points, 14.8 rebounds, 0.7 assists, 1.0 steals, 2.2 blocks, 20.6 PER
Since March 18: 11.3 points, 16.1 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 0.9 steals, 2.9 blocks
It's not easy to figure out what's been most impressive about DeAndre Jordan since Blake Griffin rejoined him in the Los Angeles Clippers frontcourt on March 15.
The first option is his incredible rebounding prowess. Even with another glass-crasher inserted back into the lineup, Jordan is hauling in a ridiculous 16.3 boards per game. His total rebounding percentage, which has been remarkably high all season long, stands at an impressive 26.5 during that stretch.
Actually, "impressive" is selling that short, seeing as Dennis Rodman and Reggie Evans are the only men in NBA history to post a higher total rebounding percentage during a qualified season (29.73 with the San Antonio Spurs in 1994-95 and 26.67 with the Brooklyn Nets in 2012-13, respectively). Even if Jordan's work on the glass trends in the wrong direction for the rest of the year and he finishes with his season average of 24.3, he'd have the No. 8 single-season mark in the many years of the Association.
But how about his scoring? It doesn't resonate on an historic level, but it's nonetheless notable because Jordan has continued to showcase his scoring chops, even with another dominant scorer thrust back into the rotation.
Since Griffin's return, he's averaging 10.7 points on 63.3 percent shooting from the field and an admittedly cringe-worthy 29.4 percent at the "charity" stripe. Just imagine what would happen if he could knock down even half of those free looks.
Center No. 1: DeMarcus Cousins (Previous Ranking: No. 2)
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Team: Sacramento Kings
Age: 24
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 24.1 points, 12.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.5 steals, 1.7 blocks, 25.4 PER
Since March 18: 29.0 points, 13.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.5 steals, 2.0 blocks
Sure, thanks to some balky calves, DeMarcus Cousins has missed three of his team's seven games during the stretch of the season most relevant to these rankings. But he's been so impressive while on the court that he's able to trump the absences—and then some.
Not only is this 24-year-old center averaging a jaw-dropping 29.0 points and 13.8 rebounds since March 18, but he's doing so while shooting 48.2 percent from the field and getting to the free-throw line with ease. Turnovers have been an issue, but much as is the case with Russell Westbrook, that's more understandable because he's so heavily involved.
But the most impressive part of Cousins' game lately has been his sheer effort level.
He's trying to make a significant impact on defense, whether he's swatting away shots, stepping into passing lanes, contesting looks that would otherwise be open or even taking some charges. He's fully engaged, and we're seeing just how deadly he can be when that's the case.
For a while now, Cousins has been capable of functioning as the No. 1 center in the NBA. Now, he's leaving no doubt that he's there.
Note: All stats, unless otherwise indicated, come from Basketball-Reference.com and are current heading into April 1's games.
