Ranking the Top 5 NBA Players at Every Position Unveils New Top Dogs
We're officially entering the stretch run of the 2014-15 NBA season, which means playoff brackets, awards positioning and contender credentials are all perfectly solidified with little chance of changing.
Kidding.
We are, of course, immersed in a period of complete (and completely invigorating) basketball chaos. Just about everything remains unsettled with only a few weeks left in the regular season, and the position-by-position player rankings are no different.
In this edition, we'll see lines drawn in the loaded point guard section, a new supreme being among power forwards and an injury-ravaged shooting guard spot populated by newcomers.
Ultimately, this is an all-encompassing look at which NBA stars are having the best overall seasons at their respective positions. Basic and advanced stats, nods to defense, volume of production and small advantages for recent performance are all factors here.
Let's rank.
Injured Players
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A note on the fallen before we get into the actual rankings: Guys who are hurt can't qualify for top-five status, and there's no honorable mention here to give them the dap they might otherwise deserve. Although, I guess that's kind of what this brief aside represents.
Tons of missed games or being sidelined recently removes players from consideration.
The list of the dismissed therefore includes Kevin Durant, Paul George, Chris Bosh, Derrick Rose, Blake Griffin, Carmelo Anthony, Kobe Bryant, Jimmy Butler and Dwight Howard.
Good news for Anthony Davis, though: He's back!
Let us proceed with the comforting knowledge that a Brow celebration is imminent.
Point Guard No. 5: Kyrie Irving (Previous Rank: Unranked)
2 of 26
Team: Cleveland Cavaliers
Age: 22
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 21.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 1.5 steals, 0.3 blocks, 20.9 PER
It's easy to take digs at Kyrie Irving's defense and point out the predictable way he's thrived as a team's second-best player instead of its lead dog.
Those are fair criticisms, but you have to take them in conjunction with the fact that, objectively, Irving is in the midst of his most productive season. Not only is he on pace to play in more games than he ever has (he's at 61 through March 11, which means he can get to 77 if he stays healthy down the stretch; his career high is just 71), but he's matching efficiency with volume.
His true-shooting percentage is 57.7 percent, significantly better than last year's 53.3 percent. Though playing with LeBron James has cut into his usage and assist rates, Irving is also turning the ball over less frequently than ever.
"In order to make up for the smaller role, Irving would then need to up his offensive efficiency and improve his defense in order to maintain or build upon his established levels of value," wrote Bradford Doolittle of ESPN.com. "Check and check."
Point Guard No. 4: Damian Lillard (Previous Rank: 4)
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Team: Portland Trail Blazers
Age: 24
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 21.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 1.4 steals, 0.3 blocks, 21.0 PER
The difference in value between Damian Lillard and Irving is almost indistinguishable. Their player efficiency ratings are practically identical, both score more than they defend, and both are serious crunch-time threats.
Lillard earns the edge for a couple of reasons. First, he's asked to shoulder a larger load for the Blazers than Irving is with the Cavs. When big plays have to be made, James is the one handling them in Cleveland, which shields Irving from bad shots and tough decisions that might deflate his numbers.
Lillard is the guy with the ball when Portland needs to make something happen. Even if his directive is to get the rock to LaMarcus Aldridge, Lillard still sees more defensive scrutiny.
In addition, his competition out West is just tougher than Irving's, which means he has to be a little more resourceful—like when he grabbed 18 rebounds in a win over the Los Angeles Clippers on March 4.
If Irving is not scoring, he's not helping Cleveland. Lillard is a little different in that regard.
Point Guard No. 3: Russell Westbrook (Previous Rank: 1C)
4 of 26
4Team: Oklahoma City Thunder
Age: 26
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 27.3 points, 7.1 rebounds, 8.3 assists, 2.1 steals, 0.2 blocks, 29.8 PER
The counting numbers are insane, and the daily assaults on triple-double territory are absurdly fun. But if you're looking at an entire season, it has to matter that Russell Westbrook has played 16 fewer games than Chris Paul and 13 fewer than Stephen Curry.
It also has to matter that his true shooting percentage of 53.9 percent lags significantly behind Paul's (58.2) and Curry's (62.7).
Nobody has been more fun to watch this season than Westbrook, and nobody has produced more objectively astounding counting stats—like his 49 points (and triple-double) in a 123-118 win against the Philadelphia 76ers on March 4, or his 17 assists (in another triple-double) during a 108-104 win against the Toronto Raptors on March 8.
But because he trails his two prime point guard competitors in both court time and scoring efficiency, it's just too much of a stretch to rank him higher than No. 3.
Also of note: The Thunder have slipped to the No. 9 spot in the West, despite Westbrook's heroics and a cast that improved dramatically at the trade deadline. It's time to start asking whether OKC should keep letting Westbrook operate like such a one-man gang.
Point Guard No. 2: Chris Paul (Previous Rank: 1A)
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Team: Los Angeles Clippers
Age: 29
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 18.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, 10.1 assists, 1.8 steals, 0.2 blocks, 24.9 PER
Paul isn't ranked ahead of Westbrook solely because he outdueled OKC's superstar guard in a head-to-head matchup that the Clippers won on March 11.
But you'd better believe that result was a factor.
Paul doesn't strangle the life out of basketball games like Westbrook does. He merely bends them to his will with subtle tricks, supreme on-court intelligence and two-way play. That last thing, the defense part, was on full display as CP3 forced Westbrook into seven of his 10 turnovers when the two met, per ESPN Stats & Info.
Paul has led the Clippers to a 9-5 record without Blake Griffin, and he may well be the best defensive guard in the league.
Put another way, it's possible that as we get some distance from this season and come to better understand how impactful Paul's defense is, we'll wonder how he wasn't an MVP front-runner from the get-go.
Point Guard No. 1: Stephen Curry (Previous Rank: 1B)
6 of 26
Team: Golden State Warriors
Age: 26
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 23.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, 7.8 assists, 2.1 steals, 0.2 blocks, 27.5 PER
So, how good is Stephen Curry, exactly?
Well, he's the best player on the best team the NBA has seen since Michael Jordan was leading the Chicago Bulls to 72 wins.
We know he has the edge on Paul in player efficiency rating, true shooting percentage and total win shares. And we also know that as good as Paul is defensively, the Clippers still felt compelled to send a second defender at Curry on every possession in Golden State's easy 106-98 win over the Clips on March 8.
More broadly (and this is the point you always have to make when it comes to him), Curry simply forces defenses to do things nobody else does. He's lethal from everywhere—spotting up, coming off screens and especially off the dribble.
Paul is perhaps the best version of a player type we've seen before: the ball-dominant, game-controlling point guard.
Curry is an evolutionary first.
Shooting Guard No. 5: Monta Ellis (Previous Rank: Unranked)
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Team: Dallas Mavericks
Age: 29
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 19.2 points, 2.4 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 2.0 steals, 0.3 blocks, 17.6 PER
A nasty slump ended when Monta Ellis erupted for 26 of his 31 points in the second half of a 100-93 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on March 8.
"I'm a believer that you stay the course, you keep doing things you normally do, you stay aggressive and then things fall back in line," coach Rick Carlisle told reporters, via Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com. "That's what he did. He never wavered from what he normally does, and that is a fact."
Truth be told, Ellis probably wouldn't crack the top five if not for injuries to Jimmy Butler and Wesley Matthews. But he's been durable enough to play more games than any shooting guard in the league this year, and his PER is the highest it's been since his last year in Golden State. So it's not like he's undeserving of consideration on his own merits.
With Dirk Nowitzki looking older by the second, it's up to Ellis to keep the Dallas Mavericks from slipping too far down the playoff ladder. We'll see if he's up for it.
Shooting Guard No. 4: Kyle Korver (Previous Rank: Unranked)
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Team: Atlanta Hawks
Age: 33
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 12.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.5 blocks, 15.0 PER
Shooting the ball is still part of the game, right?
OK, great. In that case, consider the following fact as proof of Kyle Korver's worthiness for this No. 4 spot: He leads all NBA players in true shooting percentage with a breathtaking mark of 71.2 percent. That figure is propped up by 50.1 percent accuracy from long range, which easily leads the NBA as well.
Because he's so automatic from deep, defenses have to alter their game plans to ensure he's never left alone. He still gets open, obviously, but even if Korver can't get shots off, he frees up oceans of space for his teammates.
The Atlanta Hawks' ball movement is, perhaps, a product of Korver's gravity as much as anything else. When at least one defender has to essentially face guard his man 25 feet from the hoop, it tends to make passing and cutting lanes a little broader elsewhere.
By the way, he's 13-of-17 from three-point range in his last two games (against the Sacramento Kings on March 9 and Denver Nuggets on March 11).
Shooting guards need to shoot, and Korver does that better than anybody.
Shooting Guard No. 3: Dwyane Wade (Previous Rank: 3)
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Team: Miami Heat
Age: 33
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 21.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.2 steals, 0.3 blocks, 21.9 PER
Dwyane Wade has missed 18 games so far this season, which is good news for the shooting guards ahead of him. If not for taking so much time off, he'd be hot on their heels.
When Wade has been healthy enough to take the floor, he's been terrific. And he doesn't seem to be wearing down in the spring like he has in the past. In his last four games, he's averaged 28.8 points, four rebounds and 5.3 assists on 48.2 percent shooting.
In a statement that displayed both a firm understanding of calendars and an appreciation for the urgency of his team's situation, Wade told reporters, via Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel: ""Without March and April, we don't get to April, May."
It doesn't look like D-Wade has the option to coast into the postseason like he has in years past. Miami is currently clinging to the eighth spot in the East by a mere half-game.
Still a superstar when he's right, Wade doesn't appear likely to let his Heat slip.
Shooting Guard No. 2: Klay Thompson (Previous Rank: 2)
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Team: Golden State Warriors
Age: 25
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 21.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.2 steals, 0.9 blocks, 20.5 PER
Klay Thompson has cooled a bit since his blistering start through the month of January, shooting a shade over 41 percent from the floor since Feb. 1.
Despite cooling down, Thompson still ranks fourth in the NBA in total points scored, second in three-point makes and fourth in three-point percentage. And he's done all that while playing excellent wing defense and improving his total offensive game.
With 19 games left to play in the season, he's already handed out more assists than he had in any previous year. Not only that, but Thompson has also made more free throws this season than he'd ever attempted in any of his previous three campaigns.
Harden, who we'll get to in a moment, is the best offensive player at this position by a landslide. But Thompson's all-around contributions mean his value is closer to the Beard's than you might think.
Shooting Guard No. 1: James Harden (Previous Rank: 1)
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Team: Houston Rockets
Age: 25
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 27.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, 7.1 assists, 1.9 steals, 0.8 blocks, 26.7 PER
Any guesses as to what's changed since Bleacher Report's Adam Fromal wrote this in the last edition of these rankings:
"Harden has been absolutely unstoppable this season, and he's on pace to become just the 12th player to score at least 27 points per game with a true shooting percentage on the right side of 60. The others? Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Charles Barkley, Larry Bird, Adrian Dantley, Kevin Durant, LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Karl Malone, Shaquille O'Neal, David Robinson and Kiki Vandeweghe.
"
Not a thing.
Harden is still on a historic pace, and in terms of his present peers, no shooting guard has been nearly as productive.
According to ESPN.com's Hollinger Stats, Harden has provided 18.8 estimated wins added, which measures how many wins a player provides over a replacement-level player at his position. The injured Jimmy Butler ranks second among shooting guards in that stat with a total EWA of 11.5.
Harden is on a plane all his own.
Small Forward No. 5: Tyreke Evans (Previous Rank: 4)
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Team: New Orleans Pelicans
Age: 25
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 16.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 1.2 steals, 0.4 blocks, 17.2 PER
We're getting a little liberal with positional designations here, as Tyreke Evans spends most of his time doing the ball-handling for the Pelicans. By definition, he's probably closer to being a point guard than a small forward.
But he's listed as a 3 just about everywhere, and even 82games.com notes he's used up 31 percent of New Orleans' minutes at small forward. So let's just go with it.
Evans is an imperfect player. He's a poor outside shooter, particularly from three-point range, and he's not a ball-mover. If he's passing, it's generally not to keep the offense flowing; it's because he's looking for the assist. He averaged 9.5 dimes per game in February, by far his most productive month in that regard.
But he's great at using his strength to get to into the paint, and he's been a key part of the Pellies' late-game offense this season—especially in games Davis has missed due to injury.
Final note: Evans sprained his left ankle on March 10 against the Milwaukee Bucks. He narrowly missed being disqualified because head coach Monty Williams expects him back as soon as March 15, according to Jim Eichenhofer of Pelicans.com.
Small Forward No. 4: Rudy Gay (Previous Rank: 5)
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Team: Sacramento Kings
Age: 28
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 20.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.6 blocks, 19.4 PER
You could make the case that Rudy Gay's 2014-15 campaign has been the best of his career. He's on pace for personal bests in scoring average and PER.
But most of his numbers have fallen off since a hot start. Head coach Mike Malone's firing sent many players into a production tailspin, and Gay was no different. The new man in charge, George Karl, aims to reverse the downward trajectory—both Gay's and the Kings'.
"I want him to be more involved in playmaking, more involved in being a versatile player from being a point forward to a four man, a stretch four, a scoring wing," Karl told Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee. "He has a lot of personalities. I don’t think he’s expanded them very much in his career, even though he’s been in the league eight years."
Small Forward No. 3: Gordon Hayward (Previous Rank: 2)
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Team: Utah Jazz
Age: 24
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 19.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals, 0.4 blocks, 20.2 PER
If points were awarded for cool hair, this would be a different story.
Nonetheless, finely coifed Gordon Hayward has taken the step forward everyone hoped for this season, and he's been a huge (and hugely versatile) part of the Utah Jazz's late-season surge. Though not principally known for his defense, he's been a key cog in Utah's league-best 95.5 defensive rating since Jan. 1, per NBA.com.
Not only that, but his last four games have featured averages of 20.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists on 45.9 percent shooting. A sore back sidelined him on March 10 against the New York Knicks, but that was Hayward's first missed game of the season.
Despite playing far fewer games, the guy immediately ahead of him has used a hot streak to take over the No. 2 spot at small forward.
Small Forward No. 2: Kawhi Leonard (Previous Rank: 3)
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Team: San Antonio Spurs
Age: 23
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 15.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 2.2 steals, 0.8 blocks, 20.5 PER
The shooting numbers haven't been there for Kawhi Leonard this year (he's averaging career lows from the field and from long range), but a significant hand injury early in the season is likely the culprit for those disappointing figures.
Everything else about Leonard's game has been fantastic, though. And he's been particularly monstrous lately.
His last five contests have featured 22.4 points and 8.4 rebounds per game on 55.3 percent shooting, and his defense is a huge reason the San Antonio Spurs are in the midst of their annual late-season resurrection. They won six straight games between Feb. 27 and March 10, and Leonard was an integral part of all of those successes.
In the understatement of the second half, Grantland's Zach Lowe noted. "Dribbling anywhere within a 15-foot radius of Kawhi Leonard seems dangerous and scary," and later termed his terrifyingly handsy perimeter defense as a symptom of the "freaking beast mode" Leonard has been in during March.
Seventeen fewer games than Hayward is a big deal, but Leonard is simply a bigger difference-maker when healthy.
Small Forward No. 1: LeBron James (Previous Rank: 1)
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Team: Cleveland Cavaliers
Age: 30
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 26.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, 7.3 assists, 1.5 steals, 0.7 blocks, 26.1 PER
Competition at small forward is admittedly slim. But even if George, Durant and Anthony were healthy, LeBron James would probably still be holding down the No. 1 spot.
The Cavaliers have gradually pulled together, turning themselves into title contenders over the last two months. And you can't acknowledge that without pointing out how James has remained the center of that coalescing basketball solar system.
He's the guy around whom the Cavs have rallied.
His numbers aren't where they were with the Heat, and they're certainly a tick below his last MVP season in 2012-13. But just because he's not performing at the highest level we've ever seen anyone reach, that doesn't mean he's no longer a superstar.
Expect James to edge his way into the MVP conversation as the season winds down. And don't expect any competition for his position here.
Power Forward No. 5: Tim Duncan (Previous Rank: 3)
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Team: San Antonio Spurs
Age: 38
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 14.1 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 0.8 steals, 1.8 blocks, 21.5 PER
Tim Duncan is kind of a microcosm of the Spurs: You passively accept he's in mild decline, and then you look up and realize he's still getting the job done as well as ever.
Now, Duncan is not the 20-10 superstar he was a decade ago. But he's among the league's best big-man defenders, and his per-36-minute numbers (17.2 points, 11.7 rebounds and 3.5 assists) are still those of an elite player.
He ranks fifth in the NBA in defensive real plus-minus, according to ESPN.com, and that stopping power was key in helping his Spurs to a 116-105 win over the Chicago Bulls on March 8—a game in which Duncan failed to register a field goal for the first time in his Hall of Fame career.
Power Forward No. 4: Pau Gasol (Previous Rank: 2)
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Team: Chicago Bulls
Age: 34
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 18.4 points, 12.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 0.3 steals, 2.0 blocks, 22.6 PER
With Derrick Rose, Butler, Taj Gibson and Joakim Noah all ailing, Pau Gasol has been "the man" by default. Which makes it convenient that he picked his 14th season to enjoy a career renaissance.
Gasol is posting his highest scoring average since 2010-11, and he's never had a better rebounding season. Just as importantly, he has already surpassed his games-played totals in each of the last two years. If he holds up until the end of the regular season, he'll crack the 75-game mark for the first time since 2010-11 as well.
"Gotta do whatever it takes, man," Gasol told reporters after a March 11 win against the Sixers in which he tallied 27 points and 16 rebounds in a grueling 43 minutes. He continued:
"Sometimes consequences come along, and there’s nothing you can do about it. You’ve got to face the circumstances and that’s what I’m facing right now. Hopefully it won’t affect me negatively down the road, and when we do have a full squad I’m not going to need to do so much probably. Just try and do what I can to help the team.
"
Already boasting a personal record with 44 double-doubles on the year, Gasol has been Chicago's most consistent, reliable player. He's also been the league's fourth-best power forward in 2014-15.
Power Forward No. 3: Draymond Green (Previous Rank: Unranked)
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Team: Golden State Warriors
Age: 25
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 11.6 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.6 steals, 1.4 blocks, 16.2 PER
You don't have to delve into the deeper stats that show Draymond Green is a remarkably impactful player. If you simply search Basketball Reference for players who are averaging at least 11 points, eight rebounds and three assists this year, you get two names: Green and DeMarcus Cousins.
If you toss in Green's defensive versatility (without looking at his advanced metrics), it's clear he's hugely valuable.
But if you do pull up some other numbers, like individual defensive rating or defensive win shares, both of which Green leads the NBA in, the picture gets clearer: He's the best defensive player in the league.
"The Warriors strangle opponents with frequent switching, and Green is the player who switches the most," wrote ESPN.com's Ethan Sherwood Strauss. "He both symbolizes and fuels the swarm of wing-sized blitzers."
Because he can also pass the ball well for a forward and has hit a respectable 34.1 percent of his 270 three-point tries this year, Green has significant offensive value as well.
Imagine how a player with a reversed profile would be received. A guy who graded out as the best offensive talent in the league while providing real production on defense would be an easy MVP candidate. That's basically the description of Kevin Durant last year.
Nobody is arguing Green should be league MVP, but he's certainly done enough to rank a modest third among power forwards this season.
Power Forward No. 2: LaMarcus Aldridge (Previous Rank: 1)
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Team: Portland Trail Blazers
Age: 29
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 23.3 points, 10.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0.7 steals, 1.0 blocks, 22.0 PER
There's no shame in relinquishing a No. 1 spot at the power forward position in this particular instance. Think of it this way: LaMarcus Aldridge still holds the distinction if we limit the candidates to mortals.
Davis' ascent aside, Aldridge's job just got harder. Matthews' devastating Achilles injury created a leadership void on Portland's roster, according to Aldridge, via Ian Thomsen of NBA.com: "(Matthews is) the heart and soul of the team. He sets the tone for us in every way, talking to guys and keeping everybody in it. So he does everything for this team."
Aldridge already tops the Blazers in scoring and rebounding. This just means he'll need to add emotional tone-setter to his leadership profile.
Based on his 26 points and 14 rebounds in a critical 105-100 win over the Houston Rockets—Matthews' first missed game—he's ready.
Power Forward No. 1: Anthony Davis (Previous Rank: Injured)
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Team: New Orleans Pelicans
Age: 22
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 24.5 points, 10.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.4 steals, 2.8 blocks, 31.4 PER
Davis' return to the floor after missing a week with a shoulder injury could have been more impressive...if he'd simultaneously solved six Rubik's cubes and convinced North Korea to abandon its nuclear program in the process of piling up inhuman statistics.
With 39 points, 13 rebounds and eight blocks in his first game back, Davis proved that the only expectations he can't meet are the truly ridiculous ones we make up for fun. He, of course, followed up his debut with a 43-point effort five days later.
The NBA's leader in PER, blocks and "holy smokes, I didn't know people could do that" moments, Davis would be a front-running MVP candidate if not for a dozen missed games. With the Pelicans now sitting in the No. 8 spot out West, he may still find his way into the awards conversation.
He should. He's awesome.
Center No. 5: Nikola Vucevic (Previous Rank: 4)
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Team: Orlando Magic
Age: 24
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 19.6 points, 11.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.8 blocks, 0.7 steals, 22.0 PER
In terms of statistical production, Nikola Vucevic outshines many of the centers ranked ahead of him. But because he has never proved to be as successful on defense (Orlando has defended better with him on the bench this year), we have to dock him a little.
Vucevic is a load in the post and has good touch away from the basket as well. Without question, he can be the focal point of a good NBA offense.
He's been a little banged up in March, resulting in his first month (so far) of sub-50 percent shooting from the field. Of course, when your worst month to date includes averages of 15 points and 8.3 rebounds, you're doing something right.
Center No. 4: Al Horford (Previous Rank: 5)
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Team: Atlanta Hawks
Age: 28
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 15.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 0.8 steals, 1.3 blocks, 21.7 PER
Al Horford wasn't the only reason the Atlanta Hawks beat the Miami Heat on March 6, but he was a big one. Because of his offensive versatility, Cleveland had to either sell out to stop his pick-and-pop jumpers or surrender driving lanes to the rim.
Horford took advantage of both strategies en route to 19 points, nine rebounds and six assists on 7-of-12 shooting.
He's not only the perfect symbol of how underrated the Hawks' "stars" are, but he's also the key to their playoff chances, as Matt Moore of CBSSports.com explains:
"The idea is that the Hawks aren't real, because they don't have a star. They have several (four All-Stars, to be precise), but Horford's the one guy who can dominate a matchup given the opportunity. He has skill to knock down range jumpers, speed to get past slow defenders, power, and the ability to find open looks for teammates.
"
Horford has quietly put together a great season for a legitimate contender.
Center No. 3: DeAndre Jordan (Previous Rank: 3)
24 of 26
Team: Los Angeles Clippers
Age: 26
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 11.3 points, 14.6 rebounds, 0.6 assists, 1.0 steals, 2.2 blocks, 20.8 PER
DeAndre Jordan lands ahead of Horford and Vucevic on the strength of his rebounding explosion and overall consistency.
He's been hauling in boards more often than anyone in the league this year, going more than a month now without pulling down single-digit rebounds in a game. After snatching 17.2 per contest in February, he's up to 18.5 in March.
These are silly numbers.
Don't hold head coach Doc Rivers' similarly silly belief that DJ is the defensive player of the year against him. Jordan makes a difference on D with his athleticism and, of course, rebounding. But the Clippers have a lower defensive rating when he sits, and sending blocks into the third row isn't really the same things as actual rim protection.
Still, even if Jordan's value doesn't measure up to the hype being spewed, he's an excellent center. In fact, only two have been better than him this year.
Center No. 2: DeMarcus Cousins (Previous Rank: 2)
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Team: Sacramento Kings
Age: 24
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 23.3 points, 12.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.4 steals, 1.6 blocks, 24.4 PER
You don't have to enjoy Cousins' nonstop histrionics, overreactions to every whistle and horrible body language. But you do have to admit he's been phenomenally productive for the Kings this season.
A foul magnet because individual defenders lack the combined size and speed necessary to match him, Cousins gives the Kings a reliable offensive option all game long—and especially down the stretch.
Despite missing time earlier in the season, he still ranks first among centers with 430 free-throw attempts, and he's converting them at an 80 percent clip. That's dominance you can depend on.
Those missed games hurt him, though. The guy ahead of him, for example, has suited up 15 more times. All things being equal, we might have a 1A and 1B situation on our hands. But all things are not equal, and the No. 1 center earns the distinction in nearly indisputable fashion.
Center No. 1: Marc Gasol (Previous Rank: 1)
26 of 26
Team: Memphis Grizzlies
Age: 30
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 18.0 points, 7.9 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 0.8 steals, 1.7 blocks, 22.0 PER
Marc Gasol is a center without a weakness.
He scores efficiently, hitting 49.7 percent of his attempts and 80.9 percent of his foul shots.
He dishes better than any big, averaging 3.8 assists and functioning frequently as the hub of the Memphis Grizzlies offense.
He defends with expert precision, making up for some lateral slowness with perfect rotations and practically clairvoyant anticipation.
He is the key player on both ends for the second-best team in a comically competitive Western Conference.
He's a better defender than Vucevic, a better offensive player than Jordan, doesn't suffer from a lack of size like Horford and leads in ways Cousins still cannot.
What else is there to say?
*All stats accurate through games played March 11 and sourced from Basketball-Reference.com unless otherwise indicated.
