NBA Power Rankings: 2010-2011Starting Point Guards, Who Is Number One?
The NBA is experiencing a unprecedented time for play at the point guard position. Never has the league had this many players dominate the position at one time.
Throughout the history of the NBA, fans have had the pleasure of enjoying five to seven special talents for five year periods. Currently the NBA has at least 18 players that are capable of All-Star seasons.
And it seems as if the league is getting one or two of these types of talents every year now. At this rate, teams are going to be facing a situation like the one that played out in New Orleans this past season.
Never the less, fans should be excited about the many quality battles they will be treated to from the point guard position.
With that said, enjoy these rankings of the 30 starters for this upcoming season.
30. D.J. Augustin: Charlotte Bobcats
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D.J. Augustin is a two year pro. He’ll be entering the season as a first time starter, something his franchise is none too trilled about.
Augustin will be on a mission to prove that the team is in good hands with him running the show.
He’s a capable ball handler and floor general but needs to prove that he can be a contributor in the Bobcats defensive oriented system.
29. Derek Fisher: Los Angeles Lakers
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Derek Fisher is entering his 15th NBA season. He is coming off a season in which he helped the Lakers win their fifth NBA championship in his 11th season with the team.
Fisher posted the worst PER of any other starter at his position in the NBA (9.3). So yes it might seem like he’s always making a big shot or coming up with a big play. But the truth is he isn't always doing those things.
He shot 38 percent on the season and has shot below 40 percent in seven of his 14 seasons. He’s never averaged five or more assist for a season and only has four seasons of averaging better than four.
Derek is in the one system where he can be an effective and productive player. Luckily for him he’s had 11 seasons of basking in the Sun light of the Lakers success.
28. Jose Calderon: Toronto Raptors
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Jose Calderon is a veteran of five seasons. After running T.J. Ford out of Toronto three years ago, Calderon once again played way below his talent level.
The Raptors have about had it with Calderon’s mediocre play. This will be his last season in Toronto if he doesn’t exceed his production rate from years prior.
It’ll be interesting to see how long Calderon can keep Jarrett Jack out of the starting line up.
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27. Mario Chalmers: Miami Heat
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Mario Chalmers is a two year pro. He is set to embark on an epic journey courtesy of “The Three Kings.”
Chalmers is coming off a season that he began playing at an extremely high level but ended as a less efficient season than his rookie campaign.
Never lacking in confidence, Chalmers will look to utilize his complete skill set to prove that he’s capable of being a key component on a team looking to capture a NBA Championship.
26. Mike Bibby: Atlanta Hawks
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Mike Bibby is a veteran of 12 seasons. Apparently he has been on cruise control the past three seasons. At 32-years-old, there is no reason for his lack of production.
Bibby will be fighting to stave off second year man Jeff Teague. If he falters early, Bibby might find himself planted firmly on the Hawks bench.
Early word out of Hawks camp are not flattering, the team is concerned that Bibby isn’t up to the task of leading this club. He was awarded a $18 million dollar contract last offseason, it’s time he started living up to it.
25. Beno Udrih: Sacramento Kings
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Beno Udrih is entering his seventh season as a pro. Last season Udrih solidified his place amongst his Sacramento teammates with his stellar play in the team’s final 30 games.
He’ll look to improve on the most efficient year of his career. His numbers should increase even further due to all the attention that DeMarcus Cousins will command.
The Kings will look for him to knock down open shots and provide another savvy player on the court who can create for himself as well as others.
24. Mike Conley: Memphis Grizzlies
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Mike Conley is entering his fourth season this year. It might very well be his last one as a NBA starter if he doesn’t have a breakout year.
Conley is a really solid player that doesn’t make a lot of mistakes. His problem is the fact he isn’t as spectacular as some other point men who've gone high in the draft in recent years.
This season his numbers won’t be that much different than last season’s unless his MPG raises five or six more per game.
The Grizzlies don’t want huge numbers out of him this year. They just want him to do a better job of creating and controlling the tempo of games.
23. Rodney Stuckey: Detroit Pistons
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Rodney Stuckey is entering his fourth season as a pro. Like his second season, Stuckey improved his overall efficiency as a player.
Last year Stuckey was in charge of making the most out of a depleted roster and his game suffered for it. This season he will look to guide a healthy team to the playoffs.
Stuckey is still evolving into his point guard role. He’s a natural shooting guard that can’t shoot. Stuckey must prove early that he’s capable of playing at a high level consistently because many Pistons’ fans want his back-up Will Bynum to be given a chance at running the club.
22. John Wall: Washington Wizards
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John Wall was the first player selected in this past NBA draft. This season the hopes for him are to just be a productive player.
After Arenas was suspended last season, the Wizards had mediocre play from the point position. Thus far this offseason and preseason Wall has lived up to his lofty billing,
He should finish top four on the Wizards in points and top two in assist. If he can do that, the Wizards should be in pretty good shape.
21. Luke Ridnour: Minnesota Timberwolves
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Luke Ridnour is a veteran of seven NBA season. He will be playing for his third NBA team this season and expected to bring a winning attitude to the organization.
Once again Ridnour will be entrusted with leading a team into a positive direction. He will also be looking to prove that the most efficient year of his career, last season, wasn’t a fluke.
Ridnour’s Per 36 numbers were 17 points and 7 assist. It’s hard to factor that out as a starter because he played against so many second units.
His job this season will be to try and relay those same numbers from last year’s bench role into this year’s starting task.
20. Jrue Holiday: Philadelphia 76ers
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Jrue Holiday will be entering his second season as a pro. Unlike last season, Holiday will open up the season as the unquestioned starter at the point.
Holiday surprised many with his outside shot last season. It was believed that he was years away from being a quality shooter. That coupled with his overall production towards the end of the season had many expecting a big leap in production for him this season.
Holiday will be the opportunity to be the primary ball handler for the 76ers this season, a role that was basically given to Andre Iguodala last season. His success at this task will directly affect that of every other Sixers players this season, thus assuring whether or not the team contends for a playoff birth or not.
Don't be surprised if the young man leads the NBA in steals this season, he has that kind of ability.
19. Raymond Felton: New York Knicks
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Raymond Felton will be playing his sixth NBA season this year. He will be looking to build off his most efficient year as a pro.
After taking his talents to the big apple, Raymond will look to exceed expectations of what many deem his capabilities are. He will also look to validate that he has the skill set to excel in a offence that requires its’ point guard control the games tempo.
He help guide his previous club to the first playoff berth in its franchise’s history last season. Now he will be expected to do the same for this year’s New York Knicks.
18. Aaron Brooks: Houston Rockets
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Aaron Brooks will be entering his fourth season as a pro. World out of Houston is that he isn’t happy with the team not offering him a contract extension on his expiring rookie contract.
Brooks has improved drastically in both of his past two seasons after being basically irrelevant his rookie season. He will be looking to build off his Most Improved Player Award of this past season.
His main goal this season will be to prove to the Rockets front office that he can run a club’s offense and not just get his own. He also needs to prove that he can make quicker decisions as he often was the cause of a lot of shots being taken late in the shot clock.
17. Mo Williams: Cleveland Cavaliers
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Mo Williams will be entering eighth season as a pro. Williams has been the starting point guard on a team that finished with the best record consecutive seasons.
He will look to do whatever he can to see that it’s a third year in a row, as grim as his chances look. He’ll most likely spend a ton of time at the shooting guard position also because he gives the Cavs their best chance at success playing that role.
Williams isn’t happy about what happened in Cleveland this past offseason. The irony in his displeasures is the fact that he spurned the Miami Heat’s offer three offseason ago.
16. Jameer Nelson: Orlando Magic
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Jameer Nelson will be entering his seventh NBA season. He’ll be looking to bounce back after a bit of a down season, especially when one considers he had an All-Star berth the season prior.
Nelson is arguably the most underrated player at his position. The Magic will need him to return to his form of two seasons ago if they’re to exceed their success of last season.
There isn’t much more to his game that Nelson can add to his game other than aggression and experience. Those are things that from maturity, so hopefully that’s something that’s happened this summer.
15. Devin Harris: New Jersey Nets
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Devin Harris will be entering his seventh NBA season. This will be his fourth season with the Nets, though he’d probably like to forget last seasons.
Devin Harris was selected as All-Star two seasons ago and will be looking to bounce back from an injury plagued last season. He will expected to guide a Nets team that has as many as six new faces that will likely be apart of their regular rotation.
At 27-years-old it’s time for Harris to become a more efficient floor general. He needs to focus on creating more for his teammates and shooting less.
For three consecutive seasons he’s witnessed his field goal percentage drop nearly 30 points. He’ll be the key if the Nets make a run to the playoffs.
14. Brandon Jennings: Milwaukee Bucks
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Brandon Jennings will be entering his second season as and NBA player and third as a professional. He guided the Milwaukee Bucks to an improvement of 13 games and a playoff berth that was totally unexpected.
Priority number one for Jennings will be his scoring efficiency, 37 percent shooting is not acceptable for a starting point man, especially when that player shoots 37 percent from deep. He should easily average 17 plus points and 8 plus assist this with Luke Ridnour being in Minnesota now.
Point guards usually do extremely well in their second season under Scott Skiles tutelage. Jennings should be no different. And with the roster that they’ve assembled for him to manage, he very may well end up at this season’s All-Star game.
13. Darren Collison: Indiana Pacers
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Darren Collins will be entering his second season and looking to build off his success in the second half of the season. He now has a team of his own after being dealt by the New Orleans Hornets back on August 11th of this year.
He will be expected to be the set-up man that the Pacers have been chasing since Jamaal Tinsley fail from grace three seasons ago.
He has some solid pieces around him in Indiana. So should he be able to duplicate or exceed his production as a starter for the Hornets, he’ll make the Pacers a team to be reckoned with sooner than later.
12. Andre Miller: Portland Trailblazers
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Andre Miller will be entering his 12th NBA season. He will look to build on a solid first year in Portland where he guided the club to a 50 win season and a playoff berth.
Miller is in the latter stages of a very productive but under the radar career. Hi s minutes and production have fallen in each of the past two seasons.
If the Blazers can remain healthy and exceed expectations, Miller might just receive the credit that’s escaped him for much of his career.
11. Baron Davis: Los Angeles Clippers
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Baron Davis will be entering his 12th season in the NBA and third as a member of the Clippers. After two seasons of cheating the Clippers out of a pay check, Davis will be expected to lead a talented Clippers roster to the playoffs.
Many have written Davis off even though he averaged nearly 16 points and eight assists while playing disinterested basketball. Word out of Clippers’ land is that he’s shed more than 15 pounds and is healthy and in shape.
Davis is only 31-years-old and is extremely prideful. If he can direct that pride into a positive direction, he and his Clippers’ teammates will be primed for a respectable season.
10. Jason Kidd: Dallas Mavericks
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Jason Kid is about to play his 17th season of NBA basketball. Without question, he has been the most dominant player at his position in the past 20 years.
Kidd has been arguably the best player of his generation. And it wouldn’t be a stretch labeling him the greatest floor general of all time.
Here’s something to snack on, Kidd has only missed the playoffs twice in his career. Both of which happened his first two seasons in the NBA. That means since the 1996-1997 season, Kidd has guided a club to the playoffs.
So yes he’s a 37-year-old future Hall of Fame point guard in the twilight of his career. Yet, that doesn’t mean he isn’t among the best in the game today.
9. Steve Nash: Phoenix Suns
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Steve Nash will be entering his 15th season this year. However, unlike in years past, he will be his clubs number one option.
The 36-years-old Nash will be expected to shoulder a heavier load than he’s been expected to in years prior, primarily due to the departure of a certain All-Star power forward (Amar’e Stoudemire).
It’ll be interesting if Nash keeps the same approach he’s had for basically his entire career. Or will he be able to convert his game to better suit the needs of his team.
8. Derrick Rose: Chicago Bulls
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Derrick Rose will be entering his third year as a pro. After guiding his Chicago Bulls to the playoff in each of his first two seasons and climbing the NBA ranks quickly. He will be expected to elevate them to the next level.
This summer Rose was being advertised as the point guard that will start for the USA team in the 2012 Olympics’ while having a less than stellar FIBA showing. Rose has a lot to make good on this season in the mist of all these unwarranted assertions.
He has a newly retooled team that features four new players that have playoff experience on Conference Finals teams. He’ll be under the gun all season and it’ll be interesting to see if he can improve as a player like he did last season.
7. Stephen Curry: Golden State Warriors
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Stephen Curry is entering his sophomore season red hot from his stellar rookie season. And to better serve his quest to being one of the best players in the league, he added 10lbs of muscle this past summer.
Curry was limited by injuries in what he could do this summer during the FIBA games. So it’s safe to say he’ll enter this season with a bit of a chip on his shoulder.
With a revamped roster in Golden State, Curry will look to lead the Warriors somewhere they haven’t been since the days of Baron Davis; the playoffs.
6. Tony Parker: San Antonio Spurs
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Tony Parker will be entering his tenth season this year. After an injury plagued season, many fans apparently have forgotten just how dominant the 28-year-old was the season prior.
Parker is fully recovered from the ailments that sidelined him for 26 games last season and prevented him from playing his style of game in the playoffs. He’s also in a contract year and all signs point to him wanting to remain a Spur for the rest of his career.
Parker will be extra motivated to getting back to his 2008-2009 form. If I was a betting man I’d wager that he does.
5. Rajon Rondo: Boston Celtics
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Rajon Rondo will be entering his fifth season and is only 23 years old. Most detractors of his impact on the game often attribute his success to those around him.
Regardless of what Rondo’s situation is, the numbers and results of his efforts don’t lie. The man is a winner and competitor. He will look to improve as a player for the fourth consecutive season.
Last season he was often referred as the Celtics best player. This season he will try to make that as much a reality as it is popular opinion.
4. Russell Westbrook: Oklahoma City Thunder
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Russell Westbrook will be entering his third season this upcoming season. After averaging 16 points and eight assist last season, many expect him to make the leap into the 20-10 category.
Westbrook will be coming off a summer in which he was a key component in the USA select team winning the Gold-medal at the FIBA World Games. The defensive intensity he employed was truly a sight to behold. Should he successfully translate that aspect to his game this season, he just might find himself on an All-Defensive team.
Many might be inclined to disagree, but Westbrook might just be the best player on the Thunder’s roster. If he isn’t, he’s sure going to make a solid run at attaining that description this season.
3. Chauncey Billups: Denver Nuggets
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Chauncey Billups is a 13 year veteran of six teams. He is supposed to be in the twilight of his career, yet somehow he posted the fifth most efficient season of his career.
Depending on what goes on with the Denver Nuggets roster this season. Billups could find himself in a role similar to the one he had in Denver; playing go to scorer.
One thing is for sure, he is the third most complete player at his position. He’s also one of only two players at the position with a Finals’ MVP award.
2. Deron Williams: Utah Jazz
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Deron Williams is a veteran of five seasons. He’s the second most productive player at his position.
Williams somehow gets credited with the number one billing at the position because he manages to stay healthy more than Paul. Some even give it to him because he’s arguably the biggest player at the position.
Truth is he’s great at doing multiple things, and he’s arguably the most impactful at his position on any given night. However, Paul trumps him in nearly every statistical category.
The Jazz will look for Williams to take the next step in his evolution as a player in order for the team to complete for a title.
1. Chris Paul: New Orleans Hornets
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Chris Paul is a veteran of five seasons. After improving his field goal percentage and points per game for three consecutive seasons, Paul fail to make it four consecutive seasons of doing such. Yet still he managed to produce at a rate that was statistically greater than any other player at his position.
Paul is the most complete player at his position, and it isn’t even close. He will be looking to bounce back from the 45 games he played last season. If he can, the Hornets should be in pretty good shape.
His only weaknesses are his lack of size and somewhat health concerns.
What Will Be
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This season will be laced with all kinds of instant classics head-to-head battles. There will players who will surprise and many that will disappoint. But for the most part, this position will provide the most consistency of any other position.
With that said, here’s my take on the 30 starters and what e will happen.
This season will be laced with all kinds of instant classics head-to-head battles. There will players who will surprise and many that will disappoint. But for the most part, this position will provide the most consistency of any other position.
With that said, here’s my take on the 30 starters and what e will happen.
Must See Battles:
1. C. Paul vs D. Williams
2. J. Holiday vs D. Collison
3. J.Wall vs D.Rose
4. S. Curry vs B. Jennings
Breakout Performers:
1. Darren Collison
2. Jrue Holiday
3. Mario Chalmers
Falling Stars:
1. Chauncey Billups
2. Derek Fisher
3. Mike Bibby
All-Stars:
1. Chris Paul
2. Deron Williams
3. Derrick Rose
4. Russell Westbrook
5. Rajon Rondo
6. Brandon Jennings
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