Top 10 NBA Players
The NBA, like any sport, has its own fair share of superstars. Here is a ranking of the top 10 as of now.
LeBron James
Many other players are grasping and clawing at James' throne as the best basketball player on the planet. There are days when players such as Curry and Davis look like they have finally surpassed the King, but then LeBron throws up a 30 8 and 8 and he is the best again. Overall, his crazy efficiency at being otherworldly on offense and defense along with his physically intimidating frame make him, well, the king.
Stephen Curry
Curry is hot on LeBron's trail, starting the season on fire, with averages of 33.7 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds, 2.4 steals and 5(!!!) three pointers a game. Curry is on pace to obliterate the league's current record of 282 three pointers made in the season. The threat that Curry possesses that makes him so deadly is that he can legitimately swish 30 footers off the dribble at any time. Just by having the ball in his hands, he stretches defenses to the breaking point. When in a pick and roll, the defender guarding Curry must go over to prevent a three-pointer, but then Curry just takes advantage of an open driving lane. His defense has even improved along with being the reigning MVP and Finals champion.
Russell Westbrook
Westbrook, like many other players on this list, is a monster. Except for somebody as vicious and freakishly athletic as Russell, he is a monster's monster. Westbrook has fully formed into a top two point guard in the league, due to his excellent passing skills that he has worked on immensely since day one. He is a threat to drive, pull up and pass in the offensive attack, while on defense he is swarming when he wants to be. With Westbrook, sometimes his hyper competitive motor can work against him. He shoots some of the worst shots in basketball, yet he makes some of them, and that is what makes him great.
Kevin Durant
Durant is the silkiest player in the league, sporting a beautiful shooting stroke that rivals that of Steph Curry's. Being a virtual seven footer, the fact that Durant can slash, score, shoot and defend the way a guard would shows how special a player he is. He is also an incredibly clutch player as well, just consistently finding different ways to score. His passing IQ is also on a high level, and he makes some tough passes. An unselfish, clutch player, Durant is one of the best.
Kawhi Leonard
Leonard simply suffocates whoever he is guarding in a game. He basically erases players from games, using his long and pesky arms to stop penetration and enable steals from him. When your nick name is "the Claw", you simply have to be a top ten player. As the Spurs have aged, Leonard has taken on a much larger offensive burden. His usage rate from last year to this year is basically the difference from Richard Jefferson to Dirk Nowitzki. All fear the Claw.
Anthony Davis
While the Pelicans are struggling, Davis is still a monster when he is not injured. He stuffs the stat sheet, can play power forward or center, is swarming on defense and poses a multi-faceted offense where he has now integrated a three pointer into his game. Not to mention he already has one of the better midrange jumpers in the league. Once the Pelicans are finally able to fully surround him with NBA caliber talent, he should immediately reap the benefits of not being triple teamed every time he gets the ball, with not-so-savory outlet options Ish Smith and Toney Douglas.
Blake Griffin
Griffin has evolved from a crazy teenager who would attempt to dunk the heck out of the ball every time he touched it. Now, Griffin is virtually a complete player. On defense, he is great at hedging on screens, being able to contain quick guards on the move and bang with bigs in the post. On offense though, is where Griffin validates his top ten ranking. He has developed a deadly midrange jumper and is also a point forward who can effectively run the offense when Paul is out. Now though, Griffin doesn't try to dunk it every time. He picks and chooses his moments, and when he smells blood, he humiliates poor, unsuspecting Aron Baynes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idnICrEhNsI
DeMarcus Cousins
When his head is screwed on, which is definitely sporadically, Cousins is a physical force on offense who can bully his way to the basket, swish it from deep and make some nifty passes. On defense, he has quietly improved to one of the best in the league. Also, the Kings are a .500 team with him on the court, yet a .359 with him off it.
Chris Paul
Paul's grating personalty can sometimes make an under appreciated player ponder to leave the team (awkward silence). Besides his inconsistent three-point shooting, Paul is the most complete point guard in the league other than Curry. Paul is relentless yet patient on defense and offense. He threads the needle in the pick and roll like a yoyo, sports a deadly midrange jumper, and is always good for one incredible ally top throw to DeAndre Jordan.
Paul George
His return to greatness from a gruesome freak leg injury has been one of the best storylines of the season so far. He is back to his old ways of shutting down whoever he is assigned on defense and keeping the Pacers offense afloat. George is kind of like a hybrid Kawhi Leonard-Kevin Durant in the way that he has touches of the Claw's swarming defense sprinkled in with a touch of Durant's efficient offense. Let's just end this by saying its great to watch George thrive again.
LeBron James
Many other players are grasping and clawing at James' throne as the best basketball player on the planet. There are days when players such as Curry and Davis look like they have finally surpassed the King, but then LeBron throws up a 30 8 and 8 and he is the best again. Overall, his crazy efficiency at being otherworldly on offense and defense along with his physically intimidating frame make him, well, the king.
Stephen Curry
Curry is hot on LeBron's trail, starting the season on fire, with averages of 33.7 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds, 2.4 steals and 5(!!!) three pointers a game. Curry is on pace to obliterate the league's current record of 282 three pointers made in the season. The threat that Curry possesses that makes him so deadly is that he can legitimately swish 30 footers off the dribble at any time. Just by having the ball in his hands, he stretches defenses to the breaking point. When in a pick and roll, the defender guarding Curry must go over to prevent a three-pointer, but then Curry just takes advantage of an open driving lane. His defense has even improved along with being the reigning MVP and Finals champion.
Russell Westbrook
Westbrook, like many other players on this list, is a monster. Except for somebody as vicious and freakishly athletic as Russell, he is a monster's monster. Westbrook has fully formed into a top two point guard in the league, due to his excellent passing skills that he has worked on immensely since day one. He is a threat to drive, pull up and pass in the offensive attack, while on defense he is swarming when he wants to be. With Westbrook, sometimes his hyper competitive motor can work against him. He shoots some of the worst shots in basketball, yet he makes some of them, and that is what makes him great.
Kevin Durant
Durant is the silkiest player in the league, sporting a beautiful shooting stroke that rivals that of Steph Curry's. Being a virtual seven footer, the fact that Durant can slash, score, shoot and defend the way a guard would shows how special a player he is. He is also an incredibly clutch player as well, just consistently finding different ways to score. His passing IQ is also on a high level, and he makes some tough passes. An unselfish, clutch player, Durant is one of the best.
Kawhi Leonard
Leonard simply suffocates whoever he is guarding in a game. He basically erases players from games, using his long and pesky arms to stop penetration and enable steals from him. When your nick name is "the Claw", you simply have to be a top ten player. As the Spurs have aged, Leonard has taken on a much larger offensive burden. His usage rate from last year to this year is basically the difference from Richard Jefferson to Dirk Nowitzki. All fear the Claw.
Anthony Davis
While the Pelicans are struggling, Davis is still a monster when he is not injured. He stuffs the stat sheet, can play power forward or center, is swarming on defense and poses a multi-faceted offense where he has now integrated a three pointer into his game. Not to mention he already has one of the better midrange jumpers in the league. Once the Pelicans are finally able to fully surround him with NBA caliber talent, he should immediately reap the benefits of not being triple teamed every time he gets the ball, with not-so-savory outlet options Ish Smith and Toney Douglas.
Griffin has evolved from a crazy teenager who would attempt to dunk the heck out of the ball every time he touched it. Now, Griffin is virtually a complete player. On defense, he is great at hedging on screens, being able to contain quick guards on the move and bang with bigs in the post. On offense though, is where Griffin validates his top ten ranking. He has developed a deadly midrange jumper and is also a point forward who can effectively run the offense when Paul is out. Now though, Griffin doesn't try to dunk it every time. He picks and chooses his moments, and when he smells blood, he humiliates poor, unsuspecting Aron Baynes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idnICrEhNsI
DeMarcus Cousins
When his head is screwed on, which is definitely sporadically, Cousins is a physical force on offense who can bully his way to the basket, swish it from deep and make some nifty passes. On defense, he has quietly improved to one of the best in the league. Also, the Kings are a .500 team with him on the court, yet a .359 with him off it.
Chris Paul
Paul's grating personalty can sometimes make an under appreciated player ponder to leave the team (awkward silence). Besides his inconsistent three-point shooting, Paul is the most complete point guard in the league other than Curry. Paul is relentless yet patient on defense and offense. He threads the needle in the pick and roll like a yoyo, sports a deadly midrange jumper, and is always good for one incredible ally top throw to DeAndre Jordan.
Paul George
His return to greatness from a gruesome freak leg injury has been one of the best storylines of the season so far. He is back to his old ways of shutting down whoever he is assigned on defense and keeping the Pacers offense afloat. George is kind of like a hybrid Kawhi Leonard-Kevin Durant in the way that he has touches of the Claw's swarming defense sprinkled in with a touch of Durant's efficient offense. Let's just end this by saying its great to watch George thrive again.
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