Cold-Blooded: 10 NBA Players With Ice-Water In Their Veins

With the shot-clock winding down and the sound of the crowd pulsating in your ears, these are the type of players whose hands you want the ball in.

They operate as if the crowd ceases to exist and the only sound they hear is the steady beat of the ball off the hardwood.

Going through their motions with controlled energy, they silently size you up before going in for the kill.

The snap of the net as the ball passes through it is more an expectation than a consequence, and they drift back down the court poised to strike again.

These are the players with ice water running through their veins, and to borrow a phrase, they are cooler than the other side of the pillow.

Nothing frazzles them as they carve you up with the precision of a surgeon. They thrive off of energy, whether it's positive or negative, and if it's the latter, be prepared for their supreme concentration.

There is nothing that pleases them more than to hear the air go out of an arena after they have hit you with a cold-blooded move. They live to silence the crowd.

Let me know if you agree or disagree with my picks and feel free to offer alternative choices. After all, I'm sure there are others with the dagger mentality that I may have missed.

So sit back and relax as I take you on a journey through the land of the cold, calculated killers, or as Reggie Miller would exclaim, "Mama there goes that man!"

10- Danny Granger

Indiana Pacer forward Danny Granger seems to operate the best when the stakes are the highest.

It's no secret that he performs the best against premiere competition. It seems like Granger was born for the spotlight and is never afraid to take the big shot.

Granger is a shining star for an otherwise mediocre Indiana team and managed to lead his Pacers to wins against the best teams in the NBA last season.

If he could apply the same cold-blodded mentality to the other teams in the league he could definitely be higher on this list.

9- Kevin Durant

Oklahoma City young gun Kevin Durant plays like each possession will be his last, and he has the skills and shot to back it up.

He shoots the ball in a state of unconsciousness and trusts his self more than any young player in the game.

No matter if he misses a shot, because he feels that the next one he takes will be money, and he's usually right.

Blessed with other-worldly skills and unlimited range, Durant will be causing opposing coaches nightmare for years to come.

The scary thing is that he is nowhere near to reaching his potential, and when he does he will ascend to the top of NBA royalty.

As a matter of fact he is probably a couple of 30-foot jumpers from that place now.

Opponents better get their licks in now and hope his memory is nowhere as good as his superstar game.

8- Ben Gordon

Detroit Pistons' sharp-shooter Ben Gordon has never seen a shot that he doesn't like, and it doesn't matter if he is having an off night.

He will shoot when he's hot, and he will shoot when he's cold. It really makes no difference to him.

Gordon may have the shortest memory of any player in the league, and that shows shot after ridiculous shot.

The display he put on against the Boston Celtics in the playoffs last year was memorable because of the degree of difficulty of the shots he was taking and hitting.

One guarantee you get with Gordon is that he will shoot the rock, and it doesn't matter if you are guarding him or not.

He seems to live in the moment and has no fear at all of opposing defenses. Gordon seems to relish the chance to shoot the ball in pressure situations even to the detriment of his team.

He doesn't do anything else particularly well, and the one thing he excels in is almost impossible for opposing defenses to stop.

7- Brandon Roy

As good as Brandon Roy is, he hardly ever gets the amount of recognition that he deserves, and believe me he is great, superstar great.

His quiet demeanor hides the assassin's instincts that are lurking deep beneath his skin.

He is the player that makes the young Portland team go, and his game is versatile enough to slay you in the paint or from the perimeter.

He doesn't talk a lot of garbage like some players, but you better believe he hears you, and you can insult him at your own risk, because he will certainly make you pay for it.

He is another player who is yet to reach his full potential, and he is still the third-best shooting guard in the league.

His lack of emotion belies the fact that he is one of the most focused players in the game. Other teams should pray that his focus is not on you.

6- Dirk Nowitzki

Dirk is the type of player that can go most of a game missing shots, then he hits one and the basket becomes as big as the ocean.

Look no further than a game this season, and I forget who the opponent was but I may remember the German's feat forever.

Nowitzki had been having trouble making shots the entire game, and then all of a sudden he erupted for 29 points in the fourth quarter.

29 points in one quarter, and he got them in a variety of ways. His seven-foot frame makes blocking his shot almost impossible, and he can score from anywhere at any angle.

Whether it be a long distance three or a fadeaway from 15 feet, Dirk has various weapons in his arsenal, and he plays the game in a calm collected manner.

He expects every shot to fall and has one of the prettiest, perfect-form jumpers in the NBA.

5- Chris Paul

There is no way that New Orleans point guard Chris Paul can keep up the torrid shooting pace which he has began this season with, right?

Well, if he did it wouldn't surprise me, because Paul is so amazing that I have come to expect those types of things from him.

Already considered by many to be the best point guard in the league, the time he took this off-season to perfect his jumper is materializing in his game.

He is one of the smoothest players in basketball and has been a bright spot in an otherwise disappointing season for the Hornets.

If his goal is to cement his status as the top point guard in the game, then he is well on his way.

4- Paul Pierce

Paul Pierce is one of the best players in the NBA, and you don't have to take my word for it. Just ask him, and he will be glad to tell you.

Pierce has taken the mantra of least-respected superstar in the league and uses it to punish opposing teams.

When his step-back jumper is falling, he is almost impossible to guard, and he will remind you of that fact the duration of the game.

The former Finals MVP is a big talker, and he has the game and the shot to back it up.

Pierce understands the value of momentum shifts, and he is always on the prowl for the chance to demoralize you and take you out of the game.

3- LeBron James

In his brief career, LeBron James never hit a bigger shot than the one that sealed the Cavaliers win over the Orlando Magic in Game Two of last season's Eastern Conference Finals.

He used that moment to certify his status as one of the best finishers in the NBA, and it's no secret whose hands the ball will be in at the end of a tight game.

Everyone in the arena knows exactly what is about to happen, and due to his brute strength and ability to pull up from long distance, they are powerless to stop it.

The thought that he can improve is nearly inconceivable, but true, and if he ever reaches his full potential, the sky is the limit.

2- Dwyane Wade

Dwyane Wade is as fearless as they come and seems to never fail to capitalize on the fear of an opponent.

And believe me, they do fear him because he can beat you a multitude of ways.

Defense, jump-shot, dribble-drive, if you can name it then Wade can take advantage of it. His passion and drive are legendary, and with him the game is never over until the final horn sounds.

Wade welcomes a challenge, and there is only one other player that rises to meet them better than Wade, and fittingly he is the number one player on this list.

1- Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant is the definition of cold-blooded, and it shows up in every aspect of his game.

There is no shortage of players who have been deemed "Kobe stoppers", and one by one he has left them quivering in their shoes.

The worst thing an opponent could do would be to get him angry because he will spend the rest of his evening trying to embarrass you.

Like Wade, Kobe relishes a challenge, and it is not in his anatomy to let anyone off the hook.

For him a perceived slight runs deep, and if you are that unfortunate player, then you can look forward to getting abused by him for the rest of your career.

It is pointless to boo him; the taunts of crowds are what motivates him the most. He lives for the moment to silence an arena, and there are numerous examples of fans left broken and disheartened.