Best PG of the decade:Parker at 6

[SinBAD]

0. Sam Cassell(notes)
Any list that would have ended after the 2005-06 season would see Cassell closer to the top, but he didn't play last season, wasn't much of a factor the season before that, and struggled through injury-plagued campaigns in 2004-05 and 2006-07.
When the man was on, though, he was on. His stats from this particular season won't blow you out of the water (though 19.8 points on 49 percent shooting, 7.3 assists and a 22.8 PER is nothing to sneeze at), but Cassell's turn as Minnesota Timberwolves point man in 2003-04 was about as good as I've ever seen a point guard play. Ever, ever, ever.
9. Baron Davis(notes)
Baron could have been an all-timer, but he's battled injuries, weight problems and an unhealthy obsession with the 3-point line. He's averaged 5.3 per game, on his career, in fact. In spite of shooting just 32.3 percent over the course of 10 seasons. The worst came in 2003-04, when Baron chucked a nonsensical 8.7 3-pointers a game, making just 32.1 percent of them. That kills a team.
When Davis has it going, however, and the weight is under control? When his attitude is in the right place? When he's ignoring the 3-point line? Um, these are a lot of qualifiers.
He's still great, when things are going great, by his own design. He averaged 17 points, 7.3 assists, four rebounds and about two steals per game on his career (one that started the year this list did) in 35 minutes a contest.

8. Deron Williams(notes)
As it stands now, Williams is the second-best point guard we have in this league. But because of an injury-plagued 2008-09 (even as he posted career highs of 19.4 points and 10.7 assists), and the weight issues that dogged his rookie season in 2005-06, he just doesn't have the resume to stand on at this point.
Here's what he does have to step up and be proud of: 16.2 points, career 47 percent shooting, 8.7 assists in 35 minutes a night. He's 25 years old. Give this cat a clean bill of health and a pick, and look out.

7. Andre Miller(notes)
Miller does have a resume to stand on. We don't care much about total stats in basketball, but Dre has dished 6,020 assists in his career, good for 28th all time.
There's also something about him. I don't want to call the man indifferent, but he often seems it, usually in a cool way. Sometimes, if we're honest, in a way that tells you that he doesn't want to be there. There's a definite confidence to his game, as if he doesn't have time for your nonsense, and I can't help but dig that.

6. Tony Parker(notes)
In May of 2001, the Spurs were coming off a 58-win season, a tough playoff loss to a steamrolling Lakers team and looking forward to next year with Avery Johnson as starting point man. He'd have to re-sign with the Spurs, of course, but there was no reason to believe Avery, David Robinson and Derek Anderson(notes) wouldn't want to come back to play around Tim Duncan(notes).
By October of 2001, Johnson was in Denver. Anderson was in Portland, Robinson had returned to San Antonio after a contentious (for David) negotiation period, Spurs fans were ticked and a 19-year-old rookie out of France that nobody had heard of back in May was the starter at point guard. The Spurs didn't even sign a replacement. Things worked out.
Three rings later, Parker is a three-time All-Star who is coming off career-high averages of 22 points per game and 6.9 assists per contest.

5. Chris Paul(notes)
Rings aside, Chris Paul has had the best first 300 games of any point guard in NBA history. He's that good, that soon.
The slow pace the Hornets have always played at makes it so his stats won't knock you out, but 47 percent shooting, 19.4 points, 9.9 assists, 2.4 steals (high) and 2.6 turnovers (real, real low), with four rebounds a contest are killer. Absolutely killer.

4. Gilbert Arenas(notes)
Listen, the Wizards start Arenas at point guard. I don't know if he is a point guard, but he dominates the ball and acts the part of a point guard, even if he isn't passing much. And he plays damn, damn well when healthy, as the Wizards' point guard. This isn't a case of something like Tim Duncan masquerading at power forward.
I'm not here to argue as to whether or not this is a good thing for the Wizards to have Arenas handling the rock as much as he's done, for as long as he's done it. But for as long as he's done it, he's done it. He's averaged 22.8 points and 5.8 assists on his career, and despite the injuries, he's only 27.

3. Chauncey Billups(notes)
Here's a resume. Six teams, one of them twice, one he never played for. So ... six teams?
One ring, four All-Star teams, and the man didn't even start more than 60 games for the second time until his sixth season. This is a long way of telling you that, six years ago, any thought of any impending inclusion of Chauncey Billups on a list of the decade's best point men would be met with confusion and/or derision. And yet, here he is. And some will argue for his presence at the top spot, and I'd have a tough time shouting them down.
Sturdy D, standout offensive efficiency on slow-down teams, lots and lots of wins. He leads, he executes, and sorry for resorting to a cliché, but Chauncey Billups is proof that persistence often pays off.

2. Steve Nash(notes)
Ask me, ask anyone else you know who read this list, ask yourself who, exactly, you'd like to play alongside the most on this list, and the answer will invariably be "Steve Nash."
We'd be wrong in that regard, of course. We'd be destroyed on defense, and we may have a little issue with turnovers. But we'd still want to play with him, in spite of a nagging suspicion that the second pick in this particular draft might be a bit better.
We play to win, I guess, but we're also playing because it's fun. Nobody says, "I'm going to go down to the Y later this afternoon to try and contribute to a winning cause." We say, "I'm going to go play basketball," a game, a game that's fun. You've seen this dance before.
So, he'll get burned on D. And at the end of the day, other players will have more points, rebounds, steals and assists, even. But man, isn't his game something to behold?

1. Jason Kidd(notes)
Put it all together - the stifling defense, the pinpoint passing, the burgeoning shooting acumen, the scoring touch in transition, in the paint, or his staunch rebounding abilities - and you nearly have the perfect point guard.
And the best point man of our era.
The off-court stuff, you might not like. The trade demands, the contract issues or the way he was probably pretty overrated during his last few years in New Jersey. Overall, it doesn't matter much. Kidd averaged 13.8 points, 9.2 assists, 6.7 rebounds, two steals, three turnovers and absolutely killer defense for the better part of this decade.

[timtonymanu]

no way Arenas should even be that high. He only had 3 years of good seasons.

[Macca76]

no way Arenas should even be that high. He only had 3 years of good seasons.
+1 No other remarks about the rest of the list though which is good about the decade

[TDMVPDPOY]

arenas shouldnt even be top10

wheres baron?

[crc21209]

Arenas? Really? WOW. :lol

[crc21209]

Out of all of those on the list, only 2 have rings: TP and Billups, and both of them also have a Finals MVP. Nash is the only regular season MVP winner from that list. So TP should be a lil higher...

[will_spurs]

If you check the comments section there are lots of people saying TP should be at least #3 and some of them even say #1 based on achievements. Having him at #6 is clearly a joke.

[howbouthemspurs]

PArker at # 6? Are you freakin kidding me?!?! ... And what the hell has Arenas done to make him ahead of parker or even Chris Paul!?!?

[PM5K]

I like Chris Paul as much as the next guy (I'm wearing his shoes right now) but if we are talking about the past ten years I don't see how Chris Paul comes out ahead of Tony Parker when Tony has played 612 games and CP3 has only played 300.

Chris Paul would have to be considerably better to make up for the fact that Tony was blowing by people and getting fitted for rings before CP3 even played a single NBA game.

Add to that the discrepancy in the number of playoff games won, rings, and Finals MVP's and I just can't fathom how he can be ahead of Tony, at least not in a PG of the decade list.

[024]

if arenas is included as point guard shouldn't iverson be as well? iverson would definitely had made the list.

[crc21209]

I like Chris Paul as much as the next guy (I'm wearing his shoes right now) but if we are talking about the past ten years I don't see how Chris Paul comes out ahead of Tony Parker when Tony has played 612 games and CP3 has only played 300.

Chris Paul would have to be considerably better to make up for the fact that Tony was blowing by people and getting fitted for rings before CP3 even played a single NBA game.

Add to that the discrepancy in the number of playoff games won, rings, and Finals MVP's and I just can't fathom how he can be ahead of Tony, at least not in a PG of the decade list.

+10000. Paul hasnt proven himself in minutes played, games played, or playoff wins just yet..

[Rummpd]

Kidd 0 championships and poor shooting.

Top six in order = Billups, Parker, Kidd, Nash, Paul, Williams and after that who cares?

[hsxvvd]

Iverson? He played a lot of PG throughout the decade. As many as Arenas.

[Brazil]

If PG of the decade is about accomplishments, TP is surely a top 3.

[JamStone]

Don't have much of a problem with the list except for having Arenas that high. Slide him down to like 8-9, and the list is fine. Lists and rankings like this are going to be subjective and arbitrary. Not everyone shares the same idea and definition of what makes a great player, or in this specific case a point guard. Team success isn't always a major factor. I think Kidd belongs at the top. He had been the best point guard in the league for a long time, probably the entire first half of the decade and Nash is pretty overrated because of those MVPs. But those two deserve the top 2 spots. The next three guys, Billups, CP3, and Tony, could all make an argument for #3. It really could legitimately go any of those three ahead of the other two. CP3 might only have 4 years in this decade, but as noted, he's statistically had the best 4 year start of a career for any point guard in NBA history. I don't fault the logic in having him that high despite not playing nearly as many years as the others on the list.

Aside from Arenas, the list looks fine to me.

[ducks]

I guess playing with duncan hurts tp value to some people
but tp did get a finals mvp
and was in the race for it against the nets in the finals
then nets adjusted but that was the very old parker

[alchemist]

I don't have a problem with Tony being at the bottom of the Top 6, but having Arenas anywhere near the Top 6 is garbage ass hell.

[lotr1trekkie]

These rating things are totally retarded. Parker has three rings. It's not like he was just a role player on a dominant team like Horry. Without his ability to penetrate the Spurs would never have won championships. Ditto Bowens! A team is more than the sum of its parts. Timmy, Manu and Tony are a three headed monster. Together they win championships. I love Nash's game but he has never been at the right spot at the right time. Tony should be the #1 guard in the league since he arrived. Health willing, he will have a fourth ring in June.

[JamStone]

"Ditto Bowens!"

So Bruce Bowen ranks high on the list of this past decade's small forwards?

[Spursfan092120]

List is gay. How is Paul ahead of Parker when he hasn't even played half the games Tony has..and how is Arenas even on this list? Retarded.

[MannyIsGod]

Paul and Arenas above Parker is pretty LOL. In fact Kidd up that high is fairly suspect as well.

[MannyIsGod]

Oh and remember when Nash outplayed Parker head to head in the playoffs? Yeah, neither do I.

[HarlemHeat37]

1. Jason Kidd..
2. Steve Nash..
3. Tony Parker..
4. Chris Paul..
5. Chauncey Billups..

The rest of the list is kind of irrelevant at this point..

[Strike]

I'd definitely put Parker in the top three. Paul has more talent and Billups is a better floor leader. Still, I think Tony has proven his abilities as a starting point guard. Not to mention he has the hardware. Part of that is due to playing with Tim and Manu, sure. But it's not like Nash and kid didn't have good teams, too.

I'd put Billups at 1, Paul at 2, Parker at 3. But that's me.

[iManu]

In flickers of greatness the last 10 years: Paul, Nash, Billups, Arenas, TP, Williams.

[iManu]

:hat Then Kidd.

[Pero]

Are you kidding? Maybe people forget how good Kidd was because he's old now. It's not like he was called Mr. Triple Double for no reason.

[coyotes_geek]

Are you kidding? Maybe people forget how good Kidd was because he's old now. It's not like he was called Mr. Triple Double for no reason.

+1

Kidd is far and away the best point guard over the last 10 years. It's not even close.

And yes, Tony should be higher than #6.

[TIMMYD!]

Paul doesn't deserve to be that high when he hasn't accomplished anything yet. He hasn't even played half the decade.

[Kori Ellis]

The writer was obviously just impressed with Arenas' ppg, and forgot about the factor of shooting percentage. Arenas shoots 42 percent or so. A far cry from guys like Tony/CP/Nash. Almost any guard in the league can chuck and get Arenas' points if you don't mind them shooting 40-43%.

[Pero]

Speaking about the author, who is it? Kelly Dwyer again? :lol

[Kori Ellis]

Speaking about the author, who is it? Kelly Dwyer again? :lol

:lol Yes.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/The-10-best-point-guards-of-the-last-decade?urn=nba,191685

[superbigtime]

This list is all kinds of bullshit.

[portnoy1]

Top 10 pg's should be the guys known for Passing the rock and making their teammates better. Parker/Arenas are known for scoring the rock not passing. Cassell i'm on the fence about. The rest are fine considering the effect they've had on their teammates. Arenas with his ability should shoot a higher percentage from the field. Parker doesn't make his teammates better and Has Tim Duncan with him. Cassell is kind of a combo guard that looks for his shot and is always hurt, although he is talented. Nash/CP3/D-Will/Jason Kidd/Billups all deserve to be there.

[HarlemHeat37]

The style of play is irrelevant..these guys are clearly point guards..

Arenas shoots a relatively low FG%, but his 3-pointers and FT% make his efficiency look a lot better..FG% is too basic of a stat, TS% is better IMO..

[evi11emons]

Arenas is way too high on the list

[elbamba]

Nash is a fun basketball player to watch but he has never been able to get his team to the finals. He has had solid teams both in the Suns and the Mavs and he always choked. I put Tony in front of him for this.

Billups and Kidd are the only two I would put up there. Kidd is the best and then Tony and Billups are about even. They are equal passers, tony has better offense and Chauncy has better defense. Gilbert should be at the back of the list.

[MaNu4Tres]

1. Kidd
2. Nash
3. TP
4. Chauncey
5. CP3
6. Gilbert Arenas
7. Deron Williams
8. Mike Bibby
9. Baron Davis
10. Andre Miller

IMO

[spursfan09]

Top 10 pg's should be the guys known for Passing the rock and making their teammates better. Parker/Arenas are known for scoring the rock not passing. Cassell i'm on the fence about. The rest are fine considering the effect they've had on their teammates. Arenas with his ability should shoot a higher percentage from the field. Parker doesn't make his teammates better and Has Tim Duncan with him. Cassell is kind of a combo guard that looks for his shot and is always hurt, although he is talented. Nash/CP3/D-Will/Jason Kidd/Billups all deserve to be there.

You are all kinds of dummy mixed with pure Parker haterade.

[portnoy1]

You are all kinds of dummy mixed with pure Parker haterade.
There is nothing wrong with any of the players I mentioned ( TP/Agent 0 / Cassell ) Its just that i dont think they belong on the list as top 10 of the Decade. Tp is the best scoring PG in the league, Agent 0 has unlimited range and Cassell had a balanced game all together offensively speaking. But there are a couple of reasons I wouldn't have them on the list. Tp by himself doesn't make his teammates better. He can get points and a decent amount of assist but if you stop him offensively it hurts the rest of his game, assist included. Arenas scores, but takes ill-advised shots ( ala TMac ) and passes when he feels like it. Sam Cassell is ok, but not top 10 material.

[portnoy1]

1. Kidd
2. Nash
3. TP
4. Chauncey
5. CP3
6. Gilbert Arenas
7. Deron Williams
8. Mike Bibby
9. Baron Davis
10. Andre Miller

IMOI like Davis / Miller but I still dont know if there top 10 material. The good point guards dont go 1 on 5. They utilize the other 4 guys on the team, essentially making them better by forcing them to create in an area they are comfortable in, instead of having them stand around. Thats why I like Cp3/D-Will/Jason Kidd

[Chieflion]

The style of play is irrelevant..these guys are clearly point guards..

Arenas shoots a relatively low FG%, but his 3-pointers and FT% make his efficiency look a lot better..FG% is too basic of a stat, TS% is better IMO..
Arenas does not deserve to be that high up after missing 2-3 seasons of play, plus early decade, he was not really that good.

[hater]

List is pretty good.

Kidd at #1 and Nash at #2 is not arguable.

#3 Billups is also spot on. I would put Parker at #4 if achievments are counted. Then Paul.

1. Kidd
2. Nash
3. Billups
4. Parker
5. Paul
6. Williams
7. Davis
8. Arenas
9. Cassel
10. Miller

[TDMVPDPOY]

i prefer nash at 1

come back to me when kidd actually wins games every time he posts a triple double...and if your going to use the argument kidds made it to the finals 2x, while nash didnt win shit while winning b2b mvps...thats because nash played in the almighty west not in some pathetic leastern conference.

and if you look at accumulation stats till now, whether its win shares etc...nash has basically caught up to kidd...

hence i think parker should be 1, he exposed all those tools on the pg list

[Pero]

Who would take Nash over Kidd on his team? I sure wouldn't. Though maybe it would depend who the other players were. Maybe.

[HarlemHeat37]

"come back to me when Kidd actually wins games"..he clearly won games when he made it to the Finals twice..playing in the East doesn't change that, wins are wins..

you also said that Nash should be at #1, and then ended your argument with Tony Parker at #1..

also, Nash has absolutely no chance at winning MVP awards against a prime Tim Duncan on an elite team, so I can't really hold that against Kidd..if you're gonna hold the weaker competition against Kidd, then you should hold the weaker competition against Nash when it comes to MVP voting..

[SenorSpur]

no way Arenas should even be that high. He only had 3 years of good seasons.

Agree. Besides, he's not even a PG. He doesn't bring the ball up against pressure. He's a ball-hoggin', volume-shooting, 2-guard.

[redzero]

Paul would be higher if he piggy-backed Timmy D., too.

[DieMrBond]

What about Gary Payton?

Year Team G RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
1999-00 Seattle 82 6.5 8.9 1.9 0.2 24.2
2000-01 Seattle 79 4.6 8.1 1.6 0.3 23.1
2001-02 Seattle 82 4.8 9.0 1.6 0.3 22.1
2002-03 Seattle 52 4.8 8.8 1.8 0.2 20.8
2002-03 Milwaukee 28 3.1 7.4 1.4 0.3 19.6
2002-03 - 80 4.2 8.3 1.7 0.2 20.4
2003-04 L.A. Lakers 82 4.2 5.5 1.2 0.2 14.6
2004-05 Boston 77 3.1 6.1 1.1 0.2 11.3
2004-05 - 77 3.1 6.1 1.1 0.2 11.3
2005-06 Miami 81 2.9 3.2 0.9 0.1 7.7
2006-07 Miami 68 1.9 3.0 0.6 0.0 5.3

[will_spurs]

If the list is about who is the best "pure point guard" (according to the widely used theoretical definition that includes some "makes his teammates better" kind of fuzzy bs) over the last decade I'd say Nash then Kidd then Billups then Paul then Parker (#5).

If the list is about achievements then it's a three-way tie between Parker, Billups and Nash, depending if you rate rings (hard bling) higher than MVP (soft bling because it's a vote). I'd rank them in the order above but it can be argued in any order.

If you're portnoy1 then Parker is the best Parker of his generation and belongs in no list (let's make it simple for the basketball challenged).

[sabar]

All this unwarranted Nash love is what led to MVPs that can never be taken back.

Never forget.

[coyotes_geek]

What about Gary Payton?

Year Team G RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
1999-00 Seattle 82 6.5 8.9 1.9 0.2 24.2
2000-01 Seattle 79 4.6 8.1 1.6 0.3 23.1
2001-02 Seattle 82 4.8 9.0 1.6 0.3 22.1
2002-03 Seattle 52 4.8 8.8 1.8 0.2 20.8
2002-03 Milwaukee 28 3.1 7.4 1.4 0.3 19.6
2002-03 - 80 4.2 8.3 1.7 0.2 20.4
2003-04 L.A. Lakers 82 4.2 5.5 1.2 0.2 14.6
2004-05 Boston 77 3.1 6.1 1.1 0.2 11.3
2004-05 - 77 3.1 6.1 1.1 0.2 11.3
2005-06 Miami 81 2.9 3.2 0.9 0.1 7.7
2006-07 Miami 68 1.9 3.0 0.6 0.0 5.3

Excellent point. If Chris Paul can make the list based solely on his work over the last 4 years of the decade certainly Gary Payton deserves consideration for his work over the first 4 years.

[bigdog]

Why on Earth are Paul and Arenas so high? Paul hasn't done anything yet, and Arenas hasn't been that great most of this decade.I think the top 3 should be Kidd, Parker, and Billups.

[nkdlunch]

Kidd has been consistent at being the best(not anymore) and I would put him at #1

Billups has had the complete package offense/defense/leadership/etc for a long time, I would put him at #2

Nash was great eventhough I dont think he deserved 2 MVPs he was incredible for about 4 years, so I would put him at #3

Parker at #4, yet he is still so young :toast

[da_suns_fan]

Jesus, you guys are some crazy homers.

Tony Parker is the third best player on his team and you want to talk about all of HIS accomplishments. Freaking morons.

When you think/talk about point guards from this decade, obviously its all about Kidd, Nash and everyone else.

[eisfeld]

Jesus, you guys are some crazy homers.

Tony Parker is the third best player on his team and you want to talk about all of HIS accomplishments. Freaking morons.

When you think/talk about point guards from this decade, obviously its all about Kidd, Nash and everyone else.

It's Kidd, Nash and Billups. And nobody put Parker at #1 or #2 so do us a favor and read through the entire thread before posting will ya?

[Agloco]

Jesus, you guys are some crazy homers.

Tony Parker is the third best player on his team and you want to talk about all of HIS accomplishments. Freaking morons.

When you think/talk about point guards from this decade, obviously its all about Kidd, Nash and everyone else.

That doesn't preclude the fact that Tony is a top 5 PG. Yeah, that's how good Timmy and Manu are. Go ahead, make a similar list for wings and bigs and you'll see.

I'd also have to put in a plug for Gary Payton before Baron Davis, Andre Miller or Gilbert Arenas.

[anakha]

Jesus, you guys are some crazy homers.

Tony Parker is the third best player on his team and you want to talk about all of HIS accomplishments. Freaking morons.

When you think/talk about point guards from this decade, obviously its all about Kidd, Nash and everyone else.

Sympathy pains from Nash's ankles being broken so much by Parker?

[Macca76]

Jesus, you guys are some crazy homers.

Tony Parker is the third best player on his team and you want to talk about all of HIS accomplishments. Freaking morons.

When you think/talk about point guards from this decade, obviously its all about Kidd, Nash and everyone else.

Aside from the main topic, I honestly think Steve nash would dream to have the same carreer as TP and have 3 rings, a finals MVP trophy and be a 3 times all star at age 27.

As much as I like Steve Nash, when he was 27, he was still putting 15.6 pts and 7.3 assists compared to the 22 and 6.9 TP had last year.
We all know Steve Nash' numbers exploded under D'antoni's run and gun system.

And you would dream to support a winning team like the spurs :hat

[mathbzh]

I agree Nash numbers were inflated by the run and gun. But Nash was also the perfect player for this system and he changed the face of that team.
Despite all his defensive shortcomings there is no doubt Nash is with Kidd a top 2 PG of the last decade.
IMO billups is 3rd and TP is 4th

[TDMVPDPOY]

It's Kidd, Nash and Billups. And nobody put Parker at #1 or #2 so do us a favor and read through the entire thread before posting will ya?

Its true that with or without parker the spurs could still win games etc...

but with parker vs top10pg list, he actually outplays them h2h on most nights...

even though parker aint the franchise player or used to take on the responsibility of leading this team, but his also an important cog to the team..whether its 2nd or 3rd option.

[Brazil]

I agree Nash numbers were inflated by the run and gun. But Nash was also the perfect player for this system and he changed the face of that team.
Despite all his defensive shortcomings there is no doubt Nash is with Kidd a top 2 PG of the last decade.
IMO billups is 3rd and TP is 4th

sounds reasonable to me

[raspsa]

Looking forward to this season and my hopes and predictions for TP:
- continue to mature and make smart decisions running the team
- more offensive options in RJ, healthy Manu, Mason at 2 guard, McDyess with his steady mid-range jumper..so maybe he might average 8 APGs
- maintain current scoring average.
- focus more on defense.. should have more energy sharing PG with Hill
- improve his 3-point accuracy
- keep improving that FT%.. PGs should be the best FT shooters on the team as the ball is in their hands most of the time and they will get fouled

[VivaPopovich]

Sounds good. TP and CP have the brightest futures in that list.

[HarlemHeat37]

I don't think we'll ever see somebody average 8 assists in our system..if it happens, it means we're relying on somebody too much(see: Tony post-Duncan/Manu injuries)..too many playmakers on the perimeter + great ball movement..(Avery got close a few times, but the only 2 stars on the team were both post players/finishers inside, so a lot of pounding it in for dimes)..