Reply With Quote
Nice article. I disagree on One through four though. But it was great following the article through all the Ty Lawson Pictures.
I would have went with
1. D-Will
2. Cp3
3. Nash
4. Rondo
But it's a good list either way.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/bal...urn=nba-263267
10. Baron Davis(notes), Los Angeles Clippers (last year: 21st)
A jump from 21st to 10th shouldn't really give anyone room for pause. It has less to do with how improved Baron was in 2009-10 (though he was) than how ruddy awful he was in 2008-09. Last season, the man's defense came and went, his shot selection from behind the arc (3.9 attempts per game while shooting just 27.7 percent) was terrible, and he still seemed to coast when the Clippers needed him most. Still, 15.3 points and eight assists and why did I rank him this high, again? Blake Griffin's(notes) in town, Baron, let's get this together.
9. Tony Parker(notes), San Antonio Spurs (last year: third)
This ranking is purely on the hopes that Parker will have a bounce-back year after a terrible 2009-10. Because if he plays the same this season as he did the last? Then there's no real difference between him and Aaron Brooks(notes), save for the part about Aaron Brooks being slightly better. Tony turned 28 last May and dealt with injuries last season, but man was 2009-10 a bad turn for him. Parker has top-five potential on this list, but he has quite a bit of work to do.
8. Devin Harris(notes), New Jersey Nets (last year: sixth)
The hits keep coming with the guys we think (or hope?) will find a way to stop the bleeding. Harris was alternately injured and unenthused last season, playing for a team that threatened to earn the worst record in the history of the NBA. He didn't cut or drive hard, his defense was poor and it was obvious he was just playing out the string. This season, with improved depth and more hands to pass to, Harris has the chance to get it right if he changes his at ude.
7. Russell Westbrook(notes), Oklahoma City Thunder (last year: 17th)
I hesitated putting him this high for a good reason -- Russell is still figuring this game out, and he shot the Thunder out of some games last season. But his defense keeps him in the mix, consistently. Westbrook can defend and contribute in other areas (rebounding, even screen setting) that a litany of other point man just cannot. He averaged 16 points, eight assists and five rebounds last season, and the guy doesn't even turn 22 until mid-November.
6. Chauncey Billups(notes), Denver Nuggets (last year: fourth)
There's a real chance that Chauncey could fall off the face of the earth this season; he turns 34 next month and is on a team that could be in flux. Billups actually posted a career high in points per game last season (19.5), and it's not as if he uses his athleticism to get where he's going. But 34 (for point guards, especially) is 34. This is an optimistic placement, but I believe it also to be an appropriate one.
5. Derrick Rose(notes), Chicago Bulls (last year: 11th)
I take in quite a bit of noise for Bulls fans for pointing out Rose's bad defense, his inability to consistently get to the line and his so-so passing. But I also saw him hit a 3-pointer a few days ago -- it had arc, rotation, follow-through; the whole schmear -- and I can't help but bump the guy up. Especially with a screening-and-finishing partner in Carlos Boozer(notes) waltzing into town.
4. Steve Nash(notes), Phoenix Suns (last year: fifth)
Without Amar'e Stoudemire(notes) in town, Nash could fall, hard. Sure, he won a pretty dodgy (to put it nicely) MVP in 2005-06 with Stoudemire out for almost the entire season, but that was a half-decade ago, and Steve will turn 37 before the All-Star break. Still, it's Steve Nash. The guy was playing nearly as good a brand of basketball last season as we've ever seen from him, and while the Suns might be a bit low on off-pass finishers ... it's Steve Nash.
3. Rajon Rondo(notes), Boston Celtics (last year: eighth)
A big jump for Rajon, who could be incredibly overrated or playing the role of the point guard at a level that my tiny brain just can't understand. I'll split the difference, and hand him the top-five spot. Some Celtics fans were a little upset at the way Rondo let a good group of point men fly past him last season, but that's the way the position works in this era, with no hand checking to help stop these flyweights. Rondo is just 24, he nearly cracked double-figure assists last season, and he led the league in steals as well.
2. Deron Williams(notes), Utah Jazz (last year: second)
Deron had the most consistently brilliant season of any point man last season, though in actuality his scoring average dropped a bit and his turnover rate shot up compared to 2008-09. He still averaged 18.7 points and 10.5 assists with an improved rebound mark (four per game). The 26-year-old will probably take on an increased load this season with Carlos Boozer gone and Al Jefferson(notes) taking a little while to acclimate himself to the Jazz system.
1. Chris Paul(notes), New Orleans Hornets (last year: first)
Paul ran through a frustrating 2009-10, losing significant time to injury and a head coach he liked (Byron Scott) to the firing line. He then topped missing out on the playoffs with an embarrassing trade-demand-that-he-swears-really-wasn't in the offseason. Healthy in 2010-11, with a new coach (Monty Williams) and a new finishing partner on the break in Trevor Ariza(notes), one can only hope that Paul can work his way out of this funk and lead the Hornets back to the playoffs.
Even if New Orleans makes another lottery appearance, it hardly matters. Paul is the cream of this crop.
Nice article. I disagree on One through four though. But it was great following the article through all the Ty Lawson Pictures.
I would have went with
1. D-Will
2. Cp3
3. Nash
4. Rondo
But it's a good list either way.
And I also doubt Devin Harris is better then a healthy Tony Parker.
Mediocre list from 30 to 1 IMO, as usual..
George Hill shouldn't be behind Ty Lawson and Jack, horrible..
Ramon Sessions is too high, his career is pretty much 1 season from a few years ago..he hasn't done anything other than that..
Aaron Brooks at 21 is too low, he's definitely better than that..
Calderon at 20 is way too high..he's a mediocre player that hasn't been good in a few seasons..
Lou Williams is too high..
Baron seems a little high..
Devin Harris is too high, he was always overrated, but he's on the decline now..
The rest isn't a huge problem..you could argue Nash over Rondo and Williams over Paul, so whatever..
1. D-Will
2. Rondo
3. Nash
4. CP3
5. Rose
I'm not actually sure if you're serious.
when healthy:
1.paul
2.nash
3.parker
4.williams
5.rondo
No way can you put TP ahead of Williams ^
I love how Ty Lawson appears in every picture for 30 to 1. That is the only good thing out of the list.
Parker above Williams.
That is amazing.
Not to Mention Parker above Rondo or Rose.
sons that is a pretty good list, however the top 5 should be ...
1. Paul
2. Nash
3. Williams
4. Rose
5. Parker (when healthy could be #4 or as high as #3)
Last edited by BRHornet45; 08-18-2010 at 11:12 PM.
this is when they are healthy..tony parker has about the same numbers or better not counting last year over williams..parker when healthy is more of a threat attacking the basket than williams, and jump shots are about even
no way rose is as good at rose at this point of his career and when rondo gets a jump then he may a spot higher but Rondo is very overrated by many
I love TP, but Williams is much better, even when healthy..
He's the better shooter by a fair margin, he's a better defender and he's a much better passer..
sons the Tony Parker of 2005-2009 was neck and neck with Williams in my opinion ..
- Scoring wise they are relatively even with Parker getting a slight edge
- getting their teammates open/assist Williams blows Parker out of the water
- shooting accuracy they are relatively even. Parker is a much better inside/medium range scorer and Williams is a far better outside scorer.
- Parker is just as good, if not a better rebounding point guard than Williams. Which is hilarious because Parker is shorter than Williams (just like Paul), yet Parker still out rebounds the "giant" Williams.
- defensively they are pretty much even, but Parker is quicker. Williams is terribly overrated on THIS message board whenever it comes to defense.
Paul is better than rondo nash too...
Off of last year alone:
10. Darren Collison
9. Aaron Brooks
8. Chauncey Billups
7. Tony Parker
6. Derrick Rose
5. Russell Westbrook
4. Steve Nash
3. Chris Paul (injury)
2. Rajon Rondo
1. Deron Williams
Unsung hero: Jarrett Jack with Toronto. He averaged 12 and 6 as a starter last season. People still talk about Calderon.
Where is Fisher?
I bet Collison will make a HUGE splash this season. Probably will break the top 10 this season.
If Nash dies of exhaustion, will Goran Dragic get any love?
Damn good list.
I think it's clear at this point that Hornets fans watch next to no Utah games per year.
Awesome excuse. I could use that same logic and turn it around for you.
As I already stated before, Chris Paul is a better shooter, passer, rebounder, and scorer than Deron Williams. He's more efficient and he turns the ball over fewer times.
Lol if you think Paul is better then D-Will then that's your opinion, you're a hornets fan I expect this.
But that really wasn't the point of my post.
And you are a Jazz fan, so stop calling me a Hornets fan as if you are some unbiased observer.
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Posting Permissions
