Speculation rose after my Kemba Walker comment, so I figured I’d give you all my top ten list of point guards. The Point is the most important position in the game because it dictates what the other nine guys do on the court. It’s really the only position that can control the tempo of the game, and those with the talent acquire the “keys” to the offense.
10. Dennis Schroder – ATL
Schroder is a shifty guard with a quick first step similar to what Derrick Rose used to look like in his prime days, but I won’t get ahead of myself. The Hawks have implemented a lot of trust into the guard out of Germany, and at 24 years old he finds himself the franchise piece of a struggling Atlanta team. Schroder’s averaging a healthy 19.5 points with 6.2 assists as a two-way PG. Five players on the Hawks are averaging double-digits this season, and Schroder has a helping hand in the process.
9. Kyle Lowry – TOR
Going into this season the Raptors were under the radar behind the Celtics and Cavaliers, but besides Demar Derozan give credit to Kyle Lowry for the team’s success. They sit comfortably as the top seed in the East, and Lowry’s all-around play is keeping them ahead. His game often goes unnoticed because of DeRozan, but they are one of the best backcourts in the league. Lowry’s ability to use the pick-n-roll is lethal in the sense of getting guys like Serge Ibaka and Jonas Valanciunas involved. It’s a bit more difficult than getting DeRozan and CJ Miles open looks. Let’s not shy away from the fact that Lowry’s an All-Star, and most years when he wasn’t he’s been snubbed.
8. James Harden – HOU
Even though Chris Paul is at the point this season, Harden’s been the team’s secondary point guard. His ability to score the basketball is so high, people forget about his ability to pass. He made the adjustment a year ago and the team has benefited ever since. With Paul running the point, Harden is still holding his own averaging around eight assists per game.
7. Ben Simmons – PHI
Simmons is a great player, and I’ve often referred to him as this generation’s Magic Johnson, but he’s got a great supporting cast around him. His ability to stuff the stat-sheet is amazing, and not many players in the league are capable of doing what he does on a nightly basis. Simmons is the future of the league and with more development, he’ll be sure to move up my list in years to come.
6. John Wall – WAS
John Wall is probably the second most explosive guard in the league behind Russell Westbrook. Flirting with averaging a double-double, Wall is a younger Chris Paul. The only difference is Wall attacks the rim with ease. It takes him just one or two dribbles to get by his defender, and once he gets to the middle of the lane, he has shooters that surround him in Bradley Beal and Otto Porter Jr. The Wizards have been building the franchise around him since he stepped foot into the league from Kentucky, but unfortunately, he’s been experiencing a few injuries this season setting him back, and sixth is a healthy spot for him.
5. Damian Lillard – POR
Lillard has been making everyone a believer, and when the majority of the starting lineup chose to part ways a few years back, he was left with nothing….literally. He’s built the Trail Blazers franchise from the ground up and helped make CJ McCollum into a rising star. I always hesitated in the past to consider him an All-Star, but he gives us every reason to snub him no longer. With 26.6 points and 6.5 assists per game, it’s clear that Lillard has the keys to the offense and is the true definition of what a point guard is supposed to look nowadays. The Blazers find themselves at the third spot in the postseason, and they haven’t been in that position since the 99-00 NBA season
4. Kyrie Irving – BOS
With Irving on the Celtics the point guard in him has really shown this season in particular. We haven’t seen this much energy and talent on a Celtics team since 2008, and Irving had a lot to do with that. He’s made Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum into stars at such an early stage in their careers, and it’s fun to watch. Irving doesn’t hog the ball anymore like he did at times in Cleveland, and it just shows how much his game has matured.
3. Chris Paul – HOU
CP3 is the last of his kind in his generation of point guards, and he’s one of the best pure point guards in the game today. His pass-first mentality is a style that is very rare amongst the NBA’s newest generation of guards. Paul is getting into his older years as a player, but he’s still able to make a huge impact on any team he’s on. Guards all around the league need to take notes!
2. Russell Westbrook – OKC
Mr. Triple Double. Like Ben Simmons, he can fill up the stat sheet every night, and as I mentioned in my latest article, he literally does it EVERY night. He’s the cornerstone for the Thunder. He’s Rajon Rondo times five. Someone who can be at the same level as Oscar Robertson (the only other player to average a triple-double) deserves to be considered this high.
1. Steph Curry – GSW
The first of his kind, and the fact that he started the newest generation of guards in the league is why he’s at #1. It took him a few seasons to develop his game, and now he’s on one of the best teams in NBA history, and it’s all because of him (and Mark Jackson). Don’t forget that Jackson turned Curry into the player he is today and built that Warriors team up. Steve Kerr is a great coach, but he was in the right place at the right time.
For the record, Kemba Walker is #11 in my book.