With a long wingspan, Prince is known for his clutch blocks and rebounds, but he is a fairly productive scorer as well, averaging a career high 14.8 PPG this season. Prince is not the kind of player that can carry a team, but he has been a great second or third option for Detroit and helps make them a Championship contender every season.
6. Danny Granger (IND)
2008-2009 is quickly becoming Granger's breakout season, as he is scoring 24.4 PPG while making nearly three three-pointers per game. He settles for the jump shot too often, but luckily for the Pacers it is clearly his greatest asset, and should only improve.
Granger is not yet the defensive player or rebounder that many of the other players on this list are, but he is quickly becoming the go-to guy in Indiana and one of the elite scorers in the NBA. As long as he stays healthy, Granger should become a more complete player and lead the Pacers to the playoffs, potentially as early as this season.
5. Ron Artest (HOU)
Hate him or love him, it's hard to deny everything that Artest can bring to the basketball court. Possibly the best on ball defender in the league, he has one of the most complete skill-sets of any small forward.
If you look past some of his character issues and at his game, you'll find a player who can shoot extremely well, will shut down the opponent's best player, and brings it almost every night.
The Rockets made a great move in acquiring him, and as long as he stays out of trouble he has a good chance of leading them far into the playoffs, finally bringing some toughness to Houston.
4. Caron Butler (WAS)
It's hard to notice how good Butler has been on a 3-13 Wizards team, but he is clearly one of the better players in the East and deserving of an All-Star spot. Butler has averages this year of 21.3 PPG, 6.6 RPG, and 4.2 APG, and is capable of going for a triple-double any night despite playing on such a depleted and struggling team.
Caron is a terrific blend of size and speed, and is one of the best in the NBA at taking his man off the dribble but also able to post him up on the block.
Perhaps it is because he plays for Washington, perhaps it is his personality in comparison to teammate Gilbert Arenas, but Butler has become one of the most underrated players in the league today.
3. Carmelo Anthony (DEN)
It is easy to compare Anthony to the other members of his draft class, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, and say that he has been somewhat of a disappointment. This would be an unfair assessment, however, as "Melo" has exceeded expectations as a scorer and play-maker.
It was obvious that Anthony, who led Syracuse to the 2003 NCAA Championship, would be a good NBA player, but he has lifted his game to another level, going for as high as 28.9 PPG three seasons ago.
Carmelo is a deadly mid-range shooter and finisher, and is one of best pure scorers in the game. With Chauncey Billups on board, Anthony should assume even more of a scoring role, and should lead Denver to another strong season this year.
2. Paul Pierce (BOS)
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