Whether he is blowing by defenders with unparalleled quickness or hitting pull-up jumpers, Monta Ellis can flat out score the basketball. He is averaging a career high in scoring, three-point shooting percentage, and free throws attempted while shooting an efficient 47.1% from the field. He is currently third in the NBA in scoring at 25.7 points per game and has had the most 35-point and 40-point games of any player this season.

But where does Monta Ellis' scoring rank among the other prolific scorers in the league?

Many people discount Monta's gaudy numbers because of the situation that he is in. Inside the NBA's Kenny Smith refers to players like Monta as "bottom-feeders," meaning players that get their numbers on losing teams. People also discount Monta's numbers because of the style of play that the Warriors implement. There is truth to both of these statements.

Although the Warriors are not the offensive juggernaut that they once were, they are still the eighth highest scoring team in the league with the second fastest paced offense, trailing only Minnesota. More possessions equals more opportunities to score.

When it comes to minutes per game, Monta Ellis ranks at the top (40.9). Because he plays more minutes, he has more time to get his points. When his scoring is prorated over 48 minutes, he ranks 10th in the league at 30.2 which is still respectable, but hardly in the elite class. The other side of the coin is that with so many minutes, he might be less efficient than he normally would be due to fatigue. The effect may be difficult to quantify, however.

Monta also leads the NBA in shots per game at 20.4 and only ranks 54th in PPS (Points Per Shot). Although Monta is becoming more efficient, he is still not in the elite class when it comes to getting to the foul line. If you want to blame his lack of attempts at the line on the officials, then that's up to you, but he needs to get to the line at a higher rate and shoot a higher percentage to become a more efficient scorer.

Monta Ellis might not be among the elite scorers in the league just yet, but make no bones about it, he would be able to fill it up in any system and on any team in the league.