Ranking the Top 15 NBA Players in the Eastern Conference

While the Eastern Conference might not have the same amount of overall depth that the Western Conference has, the star power up at the top trumps that of their Western counterparts.

Three of the top five players in the league reside in the Eastern Conference, not including the league's reigning MVP.

Let's take a look at the top 15 players in the Eastern Conference...

Near misses: Al Horford (when healthy), Joakim Noah, Greg Monroe, Kyrie Irving, Ryan Anderson, Jrue Holiday, Andre Iguodala, John Wall, Ray Allen, Tyson Chandler, Andrea Bargnani.

Here is the top 15 in the Western Conference.

15. Atlanta Hawks Forward Josh Smith

The human pogo stick provides the Hawks with a ton of energy on a nightly basis.

Defensively, Smith utilizes his great leaping ability and long arms to terrorize guards attempting to drive the line. He's also very good at blocking shots from the weak side.

Offensively, Smith is able to adequately shoot from the perimeter, but he's much more effective around the rim on put-backs and dunks.

Smith's uncanny ability to be a defensive dynamo truly enhances his value. Couple that skill with his athleticism, and you have one of the most exciting power forward/small forward hybrids in the league today.

It's very peculiar as to why he wasn't included on the 2012 All-Star roster.

14. Milwaukee Bucks Guard Brandon Jennings

The guard "straight outta Compton" has been really good for the mediocre Bucks this season.

Besides his 18.3 points per game,he's also averaging a career-high in field-goal percentage as well. In addition to becoming a more efficient player, he's understanding the point guard position much better than last season.

Jennings is now comprehending the little nuances and intricacies needed in order to perform at a high level from the point.

He's looking for his teammates with regularity and has been making a concerted effort to not forcing things on the court.

At only 22, Jennings has a very bright future.

13. Chicago Bulls Forward Luol Deng

The silky smooth wing has been outstanding for the Bulls thus far in the shortened season.

Deng has been assertive on the offensive end, looking for his shot and often driving the lane with aggression.

He's always been a cerebral player, and that's only been exemplified via his passing ability and awareness on the court. Due to his overall size and length, he's also versatile enough to guard bigger and taller players.

His defensive prowess and aggressiveness on the offensive end are two of the reasons why he's been named to the All-Star team this year.

12. Indiana Pacers Forward Danny Granger

Granger's impressive play currently has Indiana at 20-12, fifth in the Eastern Conference.

As their best player, he's not only providing production, but leadership for the relatively young squad.

Granger has great size for the small forward position, and it enables him to post up smaller players.

If an opposing team wants to body up Granger with a bigger defender, he'll just use his quickness and craftiness to get where he wants to go on the floor.

The New Mexico product is a smooth customer with an impressive assortment of effective scoring moves. His versatility and skill level make him a very good player.

11. Atlanta Hawks Guard Joe Johnson

Johnson is averaging a team high 17.6 points per contest for Atlanta this season.

The six-time All-Star has been a stalwart for the franchise since his arrival in 2007. Johnson has not only been the biggest scoring threat for the Hawks, but he's also a major playmaker that has the ability to involve his teammates effectively.

At times, it doesn't look as if Johnson is competing out on the court due to his nonchalant nature. However, he just makes it look easy at times with his shooting ability from the perimeter.

The Arkansas native has easily been one of the more productive players in the league for the past six seasons.

Unfortunately, Johnson suffered a knee injury which could keep him out of the All-Star Game.

10. New York Knicks Forward Amar'e Stoudemire

"STAT" (Standing Tall and Talented) is an extremely talented athlete. Over the course of his career, Stoudemire has demonstrated a wonderful blend of both athleticism and offensive skill.

In terms of his offensive game, he's on par with any big man. He's effective with long range jumpers and perimeter shots, but he's also equipped with impressive post moves.

Once he became a member of the Knicks, Stoudemire transformed his game and became a more efficient half-court player.

He's not willing to just settle for the outside shot and has shown the propensity to attack the rim with much more frequency. In essence, he's reverting back to the form he showed in Phoenix.

With Carmelo Anthony, Tyson Chandler, and Jeremy Lin in tow, Stoudemire could be part of a potentially dangerous Knicks team by the time the postseason rolls around.

9. Boston Celtics Forward Paul Pierce

The wily and crafty veteran continues to be a productive player in the league, even at 34.

Averaging 17.4 points per contest, Pierce can still get to his spots and create. He'll never be regarded as an athletic phenom, but he knows how to play the game and get his points where and when he wants.

At this point in his career, Pierce is not the same player he once was. He's lost some quickness and has a relatively difficult time defending.

Despite that, he's still a threat offensively and will continue to be one of the more clutch players in the game.

8. Miami Heat Forward Chris Bosh

Bosh is the third member of the noted Heat trifecta, but his play is nonetheless paramount for the Heat's shot at a title this season.

A favorable comparison to Bosh would be LaMarcus Aldridge (although Bosh is left-handed). Bosh has good touch from 15-18 feet, but is also skilled in the paint with his myriad of post moves.

Bosh's impact on the Heat is huge. As the best post player, he's a  target that LeBron James and Dwyane Wade will look to for easy baskets.

If Bosh can maintain his current scoring output (18.2 points per game), it will take immense pressure off of Wade and James.  

7. Boston Celtics Guard Rajon Rondo

The guard from Kentucky has taken the mantle from "The Big 3" and has established himself as the best player on the aged Celtics squad.

Rondo's dynamic play has kept Boston from truly suffering a monumental collapse into the oblivion of irrelevance.

Not only does he pass the ball in a scintillating fashion, but he's also looking for his shot more. That's resulted in a career-high in points per contest (14.8).

Defensively, Rondo is a demon. His freakishly long arms and quickness poses problems to any point guard. In addition, he has active hands that enable him to accrue a good amount of steals.

As a point guard, he does everything extremely well, other than shooting from the perimeter. 

He's a consistent jump shot away from being in the conversation as one of the best players in the league.

6. New Jersey Nets Guard Deron Williams

Williams might be the strongest lead-guard currently in the league. He's a handful to guard off of the dribble, especially with his willingness to muscle his way to the rim.

In addition, he scores really well from the perimeter and has range stretching far past the three-point line.

Unfortunately for Williams, he plays on a horrific New Jersey team. With his ability to become a free agent when the year ends, it will be quite intriguing to see where he ends up.

There's definitely teams in both Los Angeles and Dallas that would love to have Williams.

5. New York Knicks Forward Carmelo Anthony

Along with Kevin Durant, "Melo" is one of the best scorers in the NBA.

There's nothing Anthony can't do on the offensive end. He's lethal from mid-range, can stroke it from three-point land and can bully his way to the rim with his physical nature on the box.

In addition, he's a true competitor. Defensively—when he wants to—he can become a lock-down defender and has the ability to shut any opposing player down.

With the new-found success of Lin, it will be fascinating to see how the two can coexist with one another, especially with Stoudemire demanding his touches as well. There might have to be major concessions made out on the floor in regards to shots per game.

One thing is for sure, and that's the overall greatness of Anthony as a player.

4. Chicago Bulls Guard Derrick Rose

Rose's game is comparable to a Cadillac: smooth and sleek, yet powerful and incredibly pleasing to the eye.

The reigning MVP hasn't skipped a beat this season and, aside from a spell of back spasms, Rose has still been his brilliant self out on the floor.

He combines a sublime first step with a knack of finding the driving lane and finishing with ease. He's also become more comfortable out on the three-point line with his shot.

Simply, Rose is near impossible to lock-up defensively. Aside from his abilities on the floor, he's becoming more of a leader at only 23. He's taken over control and has made the Bulls "his" team.

Currently, Chicago is battling the Heat for the top spot in the Eastern Conference. Rose hopes to atone for their bowing out against Miami in last year's Conference Finals.

3. Orlando Magic Center Dwight Howard

If there ever was a prototype for building a statue of a Greek God, Howard would be it.

His muscular physique and overall leaping ability makes him the best center in all of basketball.

With his ability to block shots, he can absolutely change the complexions of games. Howard owns the paint and is easily the most imposing interior defender in the game today.

On the offensive end, Howard has been considered to be a bit raw. However, he's worked ardently at improving the post moves in his arsenal and is now very comfortable with a series of moves.

Those include the drop step, hooks over both shoulders, and his favorite: the dunk.

With the constant trade rumors revolving around the superstar, Howard could very well be playing in the Western Conference by the time the trade deadline comes.

2. Miami Heat Guard Dwyane Wade

"Flash" is consequently the prototypical shooting guard in this day and age.

Not only can Wade pull up and stroke it from the perimeter, but he can slash to the hoop and finish over defenders explosively.

Defensively, Wade is outstanding. He has great lateral quickness and flashes the constant ability to pester any offensive player he's guarding.

While his scoring totals are down a bit this year, Wade is still every bit of the same player that's regarded as a top-three athlete in the game today.

1. Miami Heat Forward LeBron James

LeBron James is the most physically-talented basketball player on the planet.

With his combination of physical gifts and skill, he might end up as the most physically-gifted basketball player ever.

There's no denying his greatness. At 6'8", James has unbelievable speed and quickness. When he gets going in the open floor, he's absolutely "locomotive-like" in nature and is thus impossible to stop.

His passing ability is beyond superlative, and he can get anywhere he wants on the court.

The big question with James is whether he can win a ring this year. If he can, he'll be able to start his "championship legacy."

If he can't, the stigma of him being a "choker" will continue to be perpetuated.