Tyreke Evans May Win the ROY Battle, but Stephen Curry Will Win the War

The NBA's Rookie of the Year Award chase appears to be turning into a two-man race between Sacramento Kings point guard Tyreke Evans and Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry.

Milwaukee Bucks guard Brandon Jennings deserves consideration, but the spectacular play of Evans, and especially Curry, have overshadowed many of Jennings' recent efforts.

The front-runner seems to be Evans as his numbers are slightly better than Curry's across the board, and he has maintained a consistent level of play, while it took Curry longer to assimilate to the NBA's style of play.

Evans averages 20 points per game to go along with 5.4 assists and four rebounds, while Curry averages 15.7 points per game with five assists and four rebounds, while both have a similar impact on their respective teams.

Their approach to the game is a stark contrast as Evans prefers to use penetration as his primary offensive tool, while Curry's game is perimeter-oriented, although he does have a knack for getting to the rim.

Due to an early season injury to former Kings guard Kevin Martin, Evans was forced to assume more offensive responsibilities, and his response under the circumstances was admirable.

Curry, on the other hand, has had to play a supporting role to backcourt mate Monta Ellis, although his recent performances and his composure have begun to leave a discernible mark of their own.

Both Evans and Curry have bright futures ahead of them, but Curry may end up being the better player because of the intangibles.

For instance, Curry may have the best basketball instincts of any young guard to enter the league in quite some time, and he has the uncanny ability to adjust his play, mid game, to fit circumstances.

His understanding of tempo, and the rhythms of a game are far beyond his years, and although he excels on the offensive end, Curry's true worth is found in his abilities as a playmaker.

He is simply able to see plays before they develop and he keeps his head up in order to deliver passes to teammates in their best positions to score. His selflessness is endearing and his teammates have faith in him.

Evans does not lack in any of the aforementioned categories, but he will forever wear the tag of a scoring point guard, rather than a player who looks to distribute the ball first.

This is not a knock on Evans, but Curry will not be subject to the same limitations, and the depth of his abilities will likely lead to Curry being a more complete point guard than Evans.

There are areas of the game where Evans holds a distinct advantage over Curry, but most of those have to do with Evans' physical presence and his strength attacking the rim.

Evans and Curry only played one year of point guard in college, but Curry is a better ballhandler, and seems to have a better grasp of the game's little nuances than Evans does.

As far as scoring goes, Evans does much of his work in the paint and with his mid-range jumper, while Curry can score from any angle, and on most parts of the court.

Evans shoots 46 percent from the field which is identical to Curry, but he is poor from distance, shooting only 25 percent, while Curry can counter with a 41 percent average from the three point land.

Curry's jump shot is one that will be discussed for years to come, and will ultimately be compared with past players such as Reggie Miller, or his own father, Dell Curry, in its efficiency and beauty.

Defense is another area where Evans would seem to have an advantage because he has the natural tools in size, quickness, and strength which are needed to be a good defender.

Evans does excel in the defensive arena, but Curry is actually pretty good too, and doesn't get over-powered as much by bigger guards as would be expected, and he is a terror in the passing lanes.

Trying to decide who will end up being the better player in the future is a tricky and entirely subjective matter, but based on what I have observed from Curry and Evans, Curry's star will shine brighter as time unfolds.