CBS SportsLine.com | Positional Rankings: Point Guards

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Positional Rankings: Point Guards

By Tony Mejia
CBS SportsLine.com Staff Writer
Tell Tony your opinion!

Steve Nash earning last season's MVP was a subject of great debate throughout the basketball community, with some going as far as to imply that the choice was racially motivated. If you followed CBS SportsLine's opinions last year, you know where we stood, tabbing Nash as our midseason MVP and re-establishing him as our choice at the end of the regular season.

There were a host of viable candidates, but what Nash did in his return to Phoenix changed the game. Since John Stockton retired, Nash has been the league's premier pass-first point guard, but he took it to another level last year -- commanding an offense that thrived on his ability to see the floor and do so quickly -- and the result was a more aesthetically pleasing brand of basketball than we've grown accustomed to in this defense-first era.

Coaches covet, so as a result, we're seeing some demanding their point guards to run the offense first. It's no coincidence Stephon Marbury, Steve Francis and Andre Miller are all expected to be switching positions this year, moving off the ball in an effort to both maximize their scoring abilities and help their team's offenses run smoother.

Look for that trio to be lumped in with the shooting guards, whose rankings will be released next week. Meanwhile, Nash, now the standard by which all others are judged, gets the nod at the top spot, and although the top 10 or so are clearly the best at their position, the bottom of this grouping gets murky. For instance, what do you do with the new breed: Shawn Livingston, Chris Paul, Deron Williams and Raymond Felton? Are they better than veteran thoroughbreds like Gary Payton and Sam Cassell? What about all the combinations that reign throughout the league, such as Minnesota's Troy Hudson and Marko Jaric, Cleveland's Damon Jones and Eric Snow and now Boston's Delonte West, Marcus Banks and Dan Dickau? T.J. Ford is back, but how careful will the Bucks be with him, especially since promising Maurice Williams is also at their disposal?

Are we talking sheer skill or projected production? Hmmm ...

Luckily, having total autonomy over these babies allows for a more specific definition for our readership. What you find below are the Top 20 point guards based on their effectiveness for this year, because after all, this is a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately league considering the lack of coaches with the job security to wait for a project to develop. Rookies can get in, but they'd better have a defined role. That's bad news for Felton and second-year stud Livingston, players whose talent level would certainly merit a Top 20 ranking.

1. Steve Nash, Phoenix: We've already delved into his status as top dog, and expect him to score more than he did last season after the departures of Joe Johnson and Quentin Richardson. He has at least three more seasons left in him as a dominant playmaker, consistently leaving everything he has out on the floor. You can't teach heart, and his is immense.

2. Allen Iverson, Philadelphia: Speaking of tickers and expending every ounce of energy, Iverson's collective body of work makes him a cinch for the Hall of Fame. Choke on that, haters. While he indeed monopolizes the basketball, he has averaged over five assists per game in six of his nine seasons, and after setting a new career high in that department while leading the league in scoring, appears to be aging gracefully now that he has reached 30.

Last year's rankings
2005 2004 Stock
1. S. Nash 10
2. A. Iverson 2 SAME
3. J. Kidd 1
4. B. Davis 3
5. G. Arenas --
6. M. Bibby 8
7. K. Hinrich --
8. C. Billups 4
9. T. Parker 9 SAME
10. J. Johnson --
Complete 2004 Rankings

3. Jason Kidd, New Jersey: His court vision has been on par with the all-time greats for about a decade now, and he seems to have made it through complicated knee surgery just fine. If Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson help out like they should, he might just regain his status as the league's top assist man. He's still not the greatest of shooters, but his ability to fill a stat sheet and get the most out of those around him overrides that.

4. Baron Davis, Golden State: What he did for the Warriors after leaving New Orleans was phenomenal, whetting appetites all over the Bay Area that perhaps the team's days of losing are over. He has to prove he can stay healthy -- something that has eluded him two years running -- but there's no question the 26-year-old is among the most feared playmakers in the game, especially since he packs the outside shot to balance his game out.

5. Gilbert Arenas, Washington: People forget he's only 23, and you can expect last year's All-Star berth to be the first of many. Although not a natural point guard, he remains Washington's primary ball-handler and should get a significant boost from the presence of vets Antonio Daniels and Chucky Atkins. He's still developing into a superstar -- growing into that role -- but no one can deny how scary his game is. At this point, he's the best second-round draft pick of the past decade.

6. Mike Bibby, Sacramento: Although we're still waiting on him to fully break through as a star, what he's done to date deserves massive props. The Kings, long loaded with stars, are unquestionably his team, and he's upped his scoring and assist averages every year since arriving from Vancouver (now Memphis) in 2001. At 27, he's entering his prime, and with his Kings entering a make-or-break year in terms of contention, he must embrace the challenge of taking his team as far as it can go.

7. Kirk Hinrich, Chicago: Yes, he starts at shooting guard, but considering Ben Gordon's role on the team and the fact Hinrich handles it so much and led the team in assists a year ago, we're taking the liberty of lumping him with the rest of them. He's progressing nicely in taking the reins of an immensely talented young squad, and there's no telling how much better he can get as he approaches his third professional season.

8. Chauncey Billups, Detroit: He's Mr. Clutch, a man GM Joe Dumars lauds as the key to Detroit's recent success despite so many other deserving candidates. All Billups does is takes and makes the big shot, and his bouncing around the league early on, combined with his gregarious personality, makes him one of the NBA's most popular players. The former Finals MVP recently turned 29 and will again be the straw that stirs the drink for the perennial title contender.

9. Tony Parker, San Antonio: Naysayers will call him inconsistent, and there are certainly times when nerves and trying to do too much get the better of him, but considering he's 23 and has two rings, he must be doing something right. He certainly could stand to improve from the perimeter, but considering his cat-like quickness and ever-progressing defensive skills, he merits a Top 10 spot.

10. Joe Johnson, Atlanta: The Hawks undoubtedly made the right move in offering Johnson big money despite his lack of experience as a lead guard. Only that twinge of doubt keeps him from climbing higher on this list, and we have a hunch that will be erased fairly early in his tenure. He had the luxury of Nash making the game simple for him last season, but that only makes it easier to overlook that he does the same for teammates. No one will be sleeping on him after his new team improves significantly.

11. Jamaal Tinsley, Indiana: Last year's breakthrough season was marred by foot trouble that helped cost him over half his team's games, but he still averaged over 15 points and five assists. European import Sarunas Jasikevicius offers great insurance in case the injury bug bites again, but if he's able to stay healthy, the Pacers have to be considered a legitimate threat to overcome Detroit and Miami in the East.

12. Jamal Crawford, New York: Consider this giving Craw the benefit of the doubt. Rail-thin, inconsistent and prone to making questionable decisions, he still averaged nearly 18 points and over four assists in his first season with the Knicks. With Larry Brown moving Marbury over, expect him to help rein Crawford in by handing him the ball-handling duties and asking him to use his head to capitalize on his vast talent. It's certainly worth the gamble, and Brown is exactly the type of guide the 25-year-old needs.

13. Chris Paul, New Orleans/Oklahoma City: Of the three point guards selected with the top five picks of this June's draft, expect him to have the best numbers. He's incredibly talented, confident and possesses that unique quality of doing absolutely everything humanly possible to come out on top. The Hornets are going to hand him the keys and see where he takes them, and although success won't come immediately, his production will.

14. Jason Terry, Dallas: This might be a little low for him considering his reputation took a hit in having to replace Nash, the eventual MVP. But he handled himself extraordinarily well, helping the Mavs to a six-victory improvement and enjoying a strong run in the playoffs. Jet proved he can indeed run a team, deferred to Dirk Nowitzki and helped in the mentoring process of eventual successor Devin Harris. There's no reason to believe he won't again be solid, even though Harris will likely receive more minutes in Year 2.

15. Luke Ridnour, Seattle: Without Daniels there as a safety net, Ridnour will get the bulk of the minutes from former assistant Bob Weiss, and he has displayed the ability to handle himself capably. He's quicker and stronger than he looks, and the confidence to run a team and keep defenses honest with his strong jumper, should develop with his role increasing. Last year's playoff experience should facilitate his growth as well.

16. Deron Williams, Utah: The second and final rook to crack the Top 20, Williams was brought on board for one reason: Get the Jazz back to the playoffs. The supporting cast is there, and Williams will do his part, solidly handling his role on both ends of the floor and finally giving the team a worthy replacement to the legendary John Stockton. He'll please the Utah faithful with his fundamentals alone.

17. Sebastian Telfair, Portland: Only 20, there's no question the concerns about his size and lack of perimeter proficiency are legitimate. But he's indeed special, a gifted playmaker with fearless tenacity and the desire to work on improving. Those traits will win Nate McMillan's admiration and confidence, especially since he's going to grow as a defender, thanks to the new coach's presence. There will be some growing pains, but the Blazers were correct in their assertion that he would develop into a superb floor leader for years to come.

18. Damon Stoudamire, Memphis: After six consecutive mediocre seasons, the 32-year-old veteran enjoyed what was possibly his most productive season in Portland. That occurred despite the presence of Telfair, who ultimately received on-the-job training during the season's final months. At his new address, he'll be teamed with fellow newcomer Bobby Jackson but should be a fundamental part of a Grizzlies squad looking to maintain its status as a playoff team in the loaded Western Conference.

19. Sam Cassell, L.A. Clippers: Yes, he's 25 and lost a step, but last year's nightmare campaign can be attributed in part to the fact he wasn't healthy. It glaringly affected his defense and explosiveness, but when he was finally able to find solid footing, the 'Wolves nearly pushed their way into the playoffs. Expect him to have one more run in him, keeping Livingston from being rushed and allowing a capable Clippers squad to compete for a postseason berth.

20. Rafer Alston, Toronto: He was productive last year, ranking among the Top 20 in the league in assists and steals while averaging over 14 points and three assists per turnover, but his constant bickering with coach Sam Mitchell was definitely a distraction. The temperament of both coach and player is very similar in that both want to win so badly that they clash, but Skip-to-my-Lou is still the best the Raptors have, even with Alvin Williams healthy enough to play again and Spanish import Jose Calderon set to contribute. Hopefully, last year served as a learning process that will aid him this year, as more dark days appear to be in the cards.

Also considered: Antonio Daniels, Washington; Sarunas Jasikevicius, Indiana; Shaun Livingston, L.A. Clippers; Damon Jones, Cleveland; Raymond Felton, Charlotte; Brevin Knight, Charlotte; Marko Jaric, Minnesota; Bobby Jackson, Memphis; Earl Boykins, Denver; Earl Watson, Denver; Dan Dickau, Boston; Nate Robinson, New York; Gary Payton, Miami, T.J. Ford, Milwaukee; Maurice Williams, Milwaukee; Mike James, Houston; Bob Sura, Houston (omitted because of injury status).

Oh no, Parker is #9! BOoo


Sincerely,

Many posters from ST.com

:lol

Did I miss something? Why is Starbury not in the top ten on last season's list?

is sam cassell 25yrs old???
is joe johnson a pointguard???

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Originally Posted by spursupporter

is sam cassell 25yrs old???
is joe johnson a pointguard???

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The typo of 25 years old is pretty funny.

Joe Johnson is a point guard now for the Hawks.

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Originally Posted by slayermin

Did I miss something? Why is Starbury not in the top ten on last season's list?

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He is. He's number six on last season's list.

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13. Chris Paul, New Orleans/Oklahoma City: Of the three point guards selected with the top five picks of this June's draft, expect him to have the best numbers. He's incredibly talented, confident and possesses that unique quality of doing absolutely everything humanly possible to come out on top. The Hornets are going to hand him the keys and see where he takes them, and although success won't come immediately, his production will.

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Chris Paul ranked 13? WTF....Deron Williams will be better than Chris Paul.

Im Happy with Parker at the 9 spot. At this point in his career, and in my PERSONAL opinion, he can easily be argued out of the top 10. The one redeeming fact that gives me a hell of alot of pride and hope is that this little bastard is only 23 (yes, Im freaking jelous) and only improves, even if only a little, every year.

If this young PG of ours can master his jumpshot and, perhaps more importantly, master himself, we will be witnessing the birth of a new NBA Superstar PG.

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Originally Posted by phyzik

Im Happy with Parker at the 9 spot. At this point in his career, and in my PERSONAL opinion, he can easily be argued out of the top 10. The one redeeming fact that gives me a hell of alot of pride and hope is that this little bastard is only 23 (yes, Im freaking jelous) and only improves, even if only a little, every year.

If this young PG of ours can master his jumpshot and, perhaps more importantly, master himself, we will be witnessing the birth of a new NBA Superstar PG.

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Hasn't he been working with Chip during the off-season? I hope he has, so his shot can improve.

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Originally Posted by Horry For 3!

Hasn't he been working with Chip during the off-season? I hope he has, so his shot can improve.

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yes he has, we probably wont see any improvement until close to midseason, in fact his midrange will probably get even worse before it starts to get better, I just hope he sticks with it.

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Originally Posted by phyzik

Im Happy with Parker at the 9 spot. At this point in his career, and in my PERSONAL opinion, he can easily be argued out of the top 10. The one redeeming fact that gives me a hell of alot of pride and hope is that this little bastard is only 23 (yes, Im freaking jelous) and only improves, even if only a little, every year.

If this young PG of ours can master his jumpshot and, perhaps more importantly, master himself, we will be witnessing the birth of a new NBA Superstar PG.

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Yep, I wouldn't trade Parker for anyone else on the list because of his age.

Jamal Crawford has been a shooting guard for at least two seasons. WTF is he doing on this list? Did they figure they have to kiss a little Knick ass to get attention?

Baron Davis and Jason Kidd were nowhere near the #3 and #4 spot last year. They barely played enough games! And no way is Kirk Heinrich and Mike Bibby better then Chauncy Billups...a guy who's Finals MVP, second team ALL defensive unit, and has managed to take his team to the Finals twice and win once.

My List
1. Nash
2. AI
3. Kidd
4. Billups
5. Arenas
6. Bibby
7. Hinrich
8. Parker ( Homer :lol )
9. Joe johnson
10. Deron Williams (Dark Horse)

I don't care what #s B Davis, J Crawford put up. They just don't seem to cut it to 10.

Am I the only guy that thinks Nash is a mess. This guy may look great during the regular season, but come on.

He cannot play D, and Amare, Joe Johnson and Q gave him everything he needed to be an offensive GOD last year. Lets see what this guy does this year with out one of the most underated swingmen in Joe Johnson and with one of the best gun slingers in Q

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Originally Posted by theMUHMEshow

Am I the only guy that thinks Nash is a mess. This guy may look great during the regular season, but come on.

He cannot play D, and Amare, Joe Johnson and Q gave him everything he needed to be an offensive GOD last year. Lets see what this guy does this year with out one of the most underated swingmen in Joe Johnson and with one of the best gun slingers in Q

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huh, Nash is the reason Amare is the most overrated player in the NBA right now. As long as Amare is willing to run w/Nash, they'll both be effective.

The only shortcomming in Nash's game is his defense. Other than that, he has a great mid-range shot and offensive game and his court vision and passing skills are great. I'm not sure he should be #1....but def in the top 3.

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Originally Posted by 1Parker1

Baron Davis and Jason Kidd were nowhere near the #3 and #4 spot last year. They barely played enough games! And no way is Kirk Heinrich and Mike Bibby better then Chauncy Billups...a guy who's Finals MVP, second team ALL defensive unit, and has managed to take his team to the Finals twice and win once.

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Fucking exactly! I had so much respect for Chauncy; I don't know what was smoked to get that list.

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Originally Posted by MannyIsGod

Fucking exactly! I had so much respect for Chauncy; I don't know what was smoked to get that list.

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The lack of recognition for Chauncey Billups is just plain ridiculous. And it's not like we're even Detroit fans.

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Originally Posted by AI-square

The lack of recognition for Chauncey Billups is just plain ridiculous. And it's not like we're even Detroit fans.

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It is great to see that the fans of the NBA can see how valuable Chauncey is. I love him.

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Originally Posted by AI-square

The lack of recognition for Chauncey Billups is just plain ridiculous. And it's not like we're even Detroit fans.

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:lol I know! That's the sad thing. That even we can see that....

My list:

1. Iverson
2. Nash
3. Billups
4. Arenas
5. Kidd (if we count overall)
6. Marbury
7. Davis
8. Parker
9. Bibby--IMO Bibby is way over-rated on most of these lists.

Arenas Gilbert>Manu Ginobili????

5. Gilbert Arenas, Washington: People forget he's only 23, and you can expect last year's All-Star berth to be the first of many. Although not a natural point guard, he remains Washington's primary ball-handler and should get a significant boost from the presence of vets Antonio Daniels and Chucky Atkins. He's still developing into a superstar -- growing into that role -- but no one can deny how scary his game is. At this point, he's the best second-round draft pick of the past decade.

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Originally Posted by zeleni

Arenas Gilbert>Manu Ginobili????

5. Gilbert Arenas, Washington: At this point, he's the best second-round draft pick of the past decade.

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:lol I don't know what this guy was smoking when he wrote this.

My list:

1. AI
2. Nash
3. Billups
4. Kidd - might be ahead of Billups if he could just stay healthy.
5. Davis
6. Bibby
7. Marburry
8. Parker
9. Arenas

I got Arenas in the late rounds in my fantasy draft last year, damn was that nice.

After seeing Hinrich, Crawford, and JJ on that list I was half-expecting for Duncan to get an honorable mention.

I think Jamal Crawford on the list is bullshit. He aint a point guard and he aint proven anything yet as a point guard. I think Brevin Knight is way underrated as a point guard.

I also think that Luke Ridnour should be higher up the list. No way Jamal Crawford, Chris Paul and Jason Terry are above him. Settle's success last season was also in a big part due to him.

And Billups as usual is underrated.

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Baron Davis and Jason Kidd were nowhere near the #3 and #4 spot last year. They barely played enough games! And no way is Kirk Heinrich and Mike Bibby better then Chauncy Billups...a guy who's Finals MVP, second team ALL defensive unit, and has managed to take his team to the Finals twice and win once

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No shit...Chauncey got robbed. Also, IMO, I don't think Kirk Heinrich is top 10. Just my .02

Yeah, over at Pistons.com we had a bit of a hissy fit over Chauncey's rating. But we're used to it. Chauncey's numbers aren't spectacular so I guess he isn't that good :rolleyes:

Parker's ranking seems about right, except for the fact that Hinrich should be at about 12. So here's my top 10:

1. Nash
2. Iverson
3. Billups
4. Kidd
5. Davis
6. Bibby
7. Arenas
8. Parker
9. Tinsley
10. Johnson (PG? Okay, have fun in the ATL :D)

1. Steve Nash - THE MVP. Nuff said daddy o.
2. Allen Iverson - Former MVP, shoot 1st, 2nd, and 3rd but his talent is unedniable.
3. Jason Kidd - Best passing, defending, and rebounding point guard in the league.
4. Stephon Marbury - Most underrated and disrespected player in the league?
5. Baron Davis - Fantastic overall game.
6. Gilbert Arenas - The 2nd best scoring point guard in the league, great steals, just a poro rebounder and passer.
7. Mike Bibby - A bit of a stat padder, his stats only increased when talent left the Kings and the wins plummeted.
8. Chauncey Billups - Mediocre passing, handling, and rebounding. Lives off of his shooting and low t/o's.
9. Jamaal Tinsley - Top-3 in passing, rebounding, and steals. Only knock against him is injuries.
10. Kirk Hinrich - Good overall game, a slightly better defender than Tinsley but Tinsleys better in all other areas.

^^^the hate continues. :rolleyes

Out of the 20 players mentioned, 3 aren't PG's, 3 are rookies or 2nd year players who have proved nothing, 3 were injured for majority of last season and 3 pretty much suck.

Good list.

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Originally Posted by 1Parker1

Baron Davis and Jason Kidd were nowhere near the #3 and #4 spot last year. They barely played enough games! And no way is Kirk Heinrich and Mike Bibby better then Chauncy Billups...a guy who's Finals MVP, second team ALL defensive unit, and has managed to take his team to the Finals twice and win once.

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Once again, you prove why women should stay in the kitchen and off of basketball websites.
People aren't overlooking Chauncey Billups, they just relieze he's not that good. They know it's more the teams system and overall skill that wins, and not Chaunceys ability. Chaunceys probably the best shooting point guard in the league outside of Steve Nash, however no other part of his game is even above average.

Are you saying Billups doesn't play great defense?

Yes I am. He was considered a mediocre defender his entire career up untill this past season. His All-Defensive 2nd team selection was a huge crock of sh*t. It was all Detroits team defense and the Wallace's.

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Originally Posted by The Artest Factor

Once again, you prove why women should stay in the kitchen and off of basketball websites.
People aren't overlooking Chauncey Billups, they just relieze he's not that good. They know it's more the teams system and overall skill that wins, and not Chaunceys ability. Chaunceys probably the best shooting point guard in the league outside of Steve Nash, however no other part of his game is even above average.

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Once again, you prove why dumbass Pacers fans should stay in the Pacers forum and off other winning teams basketball sites since they clearly know SHIT about the game outside of their homeristic views on their own team.

People ARE overlooking Chauncey Billups when a PG who has made all defensive second unit, Finals MVP, and helped carry his team to the NBA Finals 2 years in a row gets bumped down all the way to the #8 spot after guys like Kirk Henrich (who by the way isn't even a PG!) and Baron Davis (who has yet to make it through a full season to warrant his talent, yet alone the postseason). How many of those guys listed above Chancey Billups have an NBA ring or a MVP trophy in their name?

If it really is all about the "team system" and the "overall skills that win games" then Chaucey should be #1 on that list because his team's system and overall skills has gotten him the ultimate win---an NBA Championship. None of the others on that list (aside from Parker) have that.

As for the comment about there being "no other aspect of his game above average," I am not even going to bother getting into that. Stick with watching your dumbass Pacers.

Oh and tell your wife/girlfriend/mom or whoever is in your "kitchen" right now......that I feel sorry for them being stuck with an ass like you.

:princess