The NBA is full of fantastic and talented point guards, however, there's a select few point guards that have taken their game to the next level this season. In this article, I'll take a look at the 10 best point guards right now based on who is actually playing at a high level this season.
My list will comprise of players based on performance from this 2013-14 season, so throw reputations and past accomplishments out the window.
Here’s my rundown of the NBA’s top 10 point guards.
10. Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers
Season stats: 20.7 PPG, 5.6 APG, 3.5 RPG, 0.8 SPG, 42% FG, 18.6 PER
Lillard at 10? Yes, to some people reading this article it might seem like I placed Lillard too low. Hear me out, though. Lillard is a great young player in this league, and at 23 years old he can only get better.
What's holding Lillard back from being higher on my list is his defense, efficiency and playmaking ability. Averaging only five assists and under one steal isn't great at all. However, Lillard's 3-point shooting and his overall skill level for a sophomore puts him in the top 10.
Lillard is young and he has room to grow, so no need to rush him on this list.
9. Ty Lawson, Denver Nuggets
Season stats: 17.6 PPG, 8.8 APG, 3.5 RPG, 1.6 SPG, 43% FG, 19 PER
Even though the Nuggets were ravished with injuries all season long, Ty Lawson has quietly put up solid numbers. The four-year man out of the University of North Carolina averaged a career-high in assists and points this season.
The Nuggets need to get Lawson back in the playoffs after he missed the playoffs for the first time in his career this season. In my opinion, Lawson is one of the most underrated point guards in the game.
If Lawson and the rest of the team can stay healthy, the Nuggets might have a shot at the playoffs next year.
“He’s the one guy on the team that you feel like you can almost pencil in whatever his averages are for points and assists,” Nuggets head coach Brian Shaw said. “He’s playing at a high level. He has the green light to do his thing on the floor, so we’re going to let him do it.”
8. Kyrie Irving, Cleveland Cavaliers
Season stats: 20.8 PPG, 6.1 APG, 3.6 RPG, 1.5 SPG, 43% FG, 20.1 PER
Kyrie Irving is a great young point guard; however, this season the Cavs star took a few steps back. The Cavaliers missed the playoffs when most NBA analysts expected Cleveland in the postseason. I
f this was a list of the top 5 skilled point guards in the NBA, Uncle Drew would be on the list for sure, but this isn't just about being skilled. Irving has a reputation of being a lazy defender that doesn't make a teammates better.
When Irving fixes those issues he'll be a top 5 point guard, but for now he's just a second-tier point guard.
7. Tony Parker, San Antonio Spurs
Season stats: 16.7 PPG, 5.7 APG, 2 RPG, 0.5 SPG, 49% FG, 18.9 PER
Tony Parker and the Spurs did it again, With the Spurs capturing the first seed in the West for the fourth consecutive season, the team has a great chance at making the NBA Finals once again.
Parker isn't near the same player than he was before, but he's still a great point guard come playoff time. Parker is a quick, crafty point guard that is great in the postseason.
I know some Spurs fans think he's still a top 5 point guard, but I beg to differ. Parker has been injury prone the last couple of years and his defense is suspect.
Yes, I know he has three championships, but based on this season purely on this season I feel like there have been better point guards out there.
6. Kyle Lowry, Toronto Raptors
Season stats: 17.9 PPG, 7.4 APG, 4.7 RPG, 1.5 SPG, 42% FG, 20.1 PER
Kyle Lowry has been a pleasant surprise for the Raptors this season. Last year, he wouldn't have even made the top 20 point guard list, but with his breakout season this year he gets the No. 6 spot on this list.
At 6-feet and 205 pounds, Lowry is a physical point guard that loves to attack the rim. Lowry is an unrestricted free agent this summer, so his improved play has increased his value in the free agent market.
Wherever Lowry goes, he'll be a solid point guard for years to come.
5. Goran Dragic, Phoenix Suns
Season stats: 20.3 PPG, 5.9 APG, 3.3 RPG, 1.4 SPG, 50% FG, 21.4 PER
Dragic, the 6-foot-3 former second round pick, has been the driving force to this Phoenix Suns team. He might not be the most flashiest point guard, but he might be the most consistent one.
ESPN’s Chris Broussard interviewed NBA scouts and asked them to name some underrated players. Goran Dragic got high praise from the scouts.
Says one Western Conference scout: ”I think he can do what he’s done this year for the next four or five years. We all saw Dragic play in Europe, and he couldn’t make a shot over there. He was fast. He can run, he can jump, he’s fast-twitch. And he’s made himself into a shooter.
“You go underneath the pick, and he’s going to make shots. He’s really good. It’s a credit to his work ethic. He’s a little bigger than you think he is. He’s thick, and he’s strong. To have a team with no other stars that lost Eric Bledsoe to injury be in the playoff hunt in the West? He’s a damn good player.”
Says an Eastern Conference scout: “He’s got it all. There’s nothing he doesn’t do well. If there’s anything, it’s that he may not have the greatest speed. But with the ball in his hands, he’s fast, and he gets by people. He’s got a great first step and he’s quick as hell when it comes to that.
“He can make open shots, he’s big, he’s got skill, and he can finish. I love size. I don’t like small guards. I think a big point guard is an advantage. I’ve seen enough of him to know that if I was a GM, and I needed a point guard, I’d do whatever it takes to get him. If I was looking for a point guard, he’d be right at the top of the list. I think he’s the real deal.”
He's definitely the real deal for sure.
4. John Wall, Washington Wizards
Season stats: 19.3 PPG, 8.7 APG, 4.1 RPG, 1.8 SPG, 43% FG, 19.5 PER
Wall has been the MVP for the Wizards this season. With his excellent on-ball defense and his explosive speed in transition, Wall has pushed the Wizards in the playoffs for the first time since the 2007-08 season.
Says Wall's backcourt mate, Bradley Beal: "Wall makes everybody's lives so much easier on the court. Honestly, if you can run with him in transition, you'll be fine. He can find you in the corner to shoot a three, or somehow he gets it done. You can be at half court, and he'll beat you down to the baseline and shoot a layup. That's just how fast and terrific he is."
3. Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
Season stats: 24 PPG, 8.5 APG, 4.3 RPG, 1.6 SPG, 47% FG, 24.1 PER
Stephen Curry has been great this year for Golden State, and the Warriors might have underachieved due to some team injuries but Curry has been consistent all season long.
Last year, Curry set the record for 3s made in a single season. Curry took his 3-point shooting to the next level this year, becoming the only player in NBA history to knock down 250 3-pointers in more than one season.
Curry is known for his shooting, but he has shown this season that he's more than just a shooter. Curry recorded four triple-doubles this season and has averaged a career high 8.5 assists.
If Curry can improve his defense and decision-making, he could possibly become the best point guard in the NBA.
2. Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder
Season stats: 21.8 PPG, 6.9 APG, 5.7 RPG, 1.9 SPG, 43% FG, 24.7 PER
For a guy that had two consecutive knee surgeries, Russell Westbrook has had a great season for the Thunder. After being sidelined for 35 games this season, Russ had been forced to watch the Thunder mostly succeed without him. However, when Westbrook came back the Thunder continued to win game after game.
Westbrook after the All-Star break (20 games): 22.4 PPG, 6.9 APG, 5.4 RPG, 46% FG
"I learned different things about my teammates," Westbrook said. "I learned how they react. I learned the game more from sitting on the sidelines. I saw different things as a point guard that are good things to know.
"When you're looking at the grand scheme of things and see how quickly you can come off the floor and be sitting on the side," Westbrook also added "you think to yourself and realize you have to take every moment on the floor and cherish it."
MVP favorite Kevin Durant chimed in as well: "He looks like he is more explosive and he's making good decisions. It looks like he learned a lot just sitting there watching. You think the game more just sitting and watching."
With the Thunder poised to make another playoff run, Westbrook needs to play like the All-Star we know. The Thunder have a chance to make noise in the playoffs this year and Westbrook will be the X-factor.
1. Chris Paul, Los Angeles Clippers
Season stats: 19.1 PPG, 10.7 APG, 4.3 RPG, 2.5 SPG, 46% FG, 25.9 PER
And the last man standing is Chris Paul. CP3 is the best point guard in the NBA and it's not really debatable as of now. He does it all: from elite passing (10.7 assists and only 2.3 turnovers per game) to his lockdown defense and more.
After missing 18 games in the middle of the season Paul has been great since he has came back. With the Clippers facing the Warriors in the first round, it is crucial that CP3 is on his A game. Even though Paul's playoff record isn't good, he still puts up solid numbers in the playoffs.
While Blake Griffin has had his best season as a pro, I feel like the MVP on this Clippers team is CP3. Paul has proven to us that he can elevate his game in the playoffs (20.9 PPG, 9.5 APG, 48% FG in 40 career playoffs game). Can his teammates do the same?
Even though Stephen Curry has had a great season, it's clear to me that it is CP3 that takes the crown for best point guard.
