NBA 2K15: LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Top-Rated Players at Each Position

The complete list of player ratings in NBA 2K15 has been released, and there aren't many major surprises. The Cleveland Cavaliers' LeBron James is the highest-rated small forward and player overall with a 98 rating. Just behind him is cover athlete and league MVP Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Durant has a 95 overall rating. 

Obviously, those two are the top-rated small forwards, but here's a look at the other members of the top five at the position in NBA 2K15.

Small Forwards

Rating	Player Name	Team
98	LeBron James	Cleveland Cavaliers
95	Kevin Durant	Oklahoma City Thunder
89	Carmelo Anthony	New York Knicks
89	Paul George	Indiana Pacers
85	Kawhi Leonard	San Antonio Spurs

image from NBA 2K15, provided by 2K Sports

If he were healthy, you could make the argument that Paul George could be rated ahead of Carmelo Anthony. George is a more complete all-around player, but Anthony is a more dynamic scorer (27.4 points to George's 21.7 in 2013-14) and better rebounder (8.1 rebounds to George's 6.8).

Both men receiving an 89 rating shouldn't cause too many gripes on either side of the argument. If you're using official online rosters, George won't be playable in the game. However, if you play MyLeague or MyGM, you could turn off pre-existing injuries and have access to PG-13.

I expect that activity to be prevalent in the Hoosier State.

What about the other positions?

Point Guards
Rating	Player Name	Team
91	Chris Paul	Los Angeles Clippers
89	Stephen Curry	Golden State Warriors
88	Tony Parker	San Antonio Spurs
88	Derrick Rose	Chicago Bulls
88	Russell Westbrook	Oklahoma City Thunder

image from NBA 2K15, provided by 2K Sports

In case you hadn't recognized, Chris Paul is the best point guard in the league. If there was any doubt, his incredible all-around performance last season should have quieted his critics.

Paul averaged 19.1 points, 10.7 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game.

It was the third time he had averaged at least 19 points, 10 assists, four rebounds and two steals per game in a season. Detroit Pistons legend Isiah Thomas is the only other point guard to equal those marks in a season.

Tony Parker is behind Stephen Curry, which is partially understandable. Curry is a magnificent shooter and underrated ball-handler. However, if I had my choice of lead guards to have on the floor with the game on the line, Paul is the only one I'd take over Parker.

Shooting Guards
Rating	Player Name	Team
89	Kobe Bryant	Los Angeles Lakers
88	James Harden	Houston Rockets
86	Dwyane Wade	Miami Heat
85	DeMar DeRozan	Toronto Raptors
84	Lance Stephenson	Charlotte Hornets

The fact that Kobe Bryant is still the highest-rated shooting guard says two things: The Black Mamba is still highly respected and the current crop of 2-guards is pretty weak.

This is no disrespect to Bryant. He's obviously one of the greatest to ever lace up sneakers, but he's 36 years old and coming off two serious injuries. That would normally cause decline in these types of rankings.

At any rate, the defenseless James Harden is second on the strength of his overall scoring prowess. Harden has scored 3,851 points over the last two seasons. Only Durant, James and Melo have poured in more in that time.

Power Forwards
Rating	Player Name	Team
90	Tim Duncan	San Antonio Spurs
89	Blake Griffin	Los Angeles Clippers
89	Kevin Love	Cleveland Cavaliers
88	LaMarcus Aldridge	Portland Trail Blazers
88	Dirk Nowitzki	Dallas Mavericks
88	Anthony Davis	New Orleans Pelicans

It doesn't seem like Tim Duncan should still be the game's best power forward, but his play in the postseason suggests he's still the top dog.

Duncan averaged 16 points and nine rebounds in the playoffs and tallied nine double-doubles in 23 games. 

He might just be keeping the spot warm for the Pelicans' Anthony Davis. There isn't a player in the NBA improving at a more rapid pace. After the season he had last year and his play for Team USA, I'm already convinced Davis is the game's best power forward.

He just has to guide his team into playoff contention to prove it.

Centers
Rating	Player Name	Team
88	Dwight Howard	Houston Rockets
87	Joakim Noah	Chicago Bulls
87	Al Jefferson	Charlotte Hornets
86	DeMarcus Cousins	Sacramento Kings
85	Marc Gasol	Memphis Grizzlies

Joakim Noah deserved the Defensive Player of the Year award, and he even earned the share of MVP votes he received, but Dwight Howard is still the game's best center.

He proved that in the Rockets' series against Portland in the playoffs. 

Though Houston fell, Howard stepped his game up and had a huge series. He averaged 26 points, 13.7 rebounds and 2.8 blocked shots per game—Howard even made 62 percent of his free throws. 

As good as Noah is, it's hard to imagine him having a series like that on both ends of the floor. 

All ratings done by Mike Stauffer of 2K Sports. The complete list can be seen here.

Stats per Basketball-Reference.