NBA: Top Players at the All-Star Break
1. LeBron James: The best player in the world, and there’s still a king-sized gap between him and the No. 2 player, who I’ll get to in a bit. With that being said, no one can match LeBron’s combination of playmaking, slashing, tough shot making, jump shooting, physicality, and defensive versatility. LeBron’s offseason elbow injury led to him raising his release, and with that change, he improved his already effective jump shot, making the already impossible task of guarding him even harder. My only real complaint about the King: He jogs back on defense more often than he should, leaving his teammates to play 4-on-5 for precious seconds in the shot clock. But that’s not really a major issue when you literally do everything else for your squad, right? Lebron is arguably the best player ever, and in his 15th year, he's still the most effective player in the league.
2. Kevin Durant: A seven foot forward with elite guard skills and an unblockable release? Good luck checking him. KD’s ability to score against a set defense is rivaled by few, and his ability to create for others has only improved as his career has gone along. With his Defensive Player of the Year level efforts on the less glamorous side of the ball, it’s hard to poke any real holes in KD’s game. He is putting up 26.0 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game in his second year with Golden State, including a 50-point performance in his most recent outing against the Portland Trail Blazers.
3. James Harden: Harden is the frontrunner for NBA MVP, and he's been one of the most consistent players in the league over the last five years. He has become more efficient since the beginning of last season, and now that Chris Paul has joined him in the backcourt, the Rockets have a shot at upsetting the mighty Warriors, something we wouldn't have been able to say a year ago. The Beard is putting up 31.3 points, 9.0 assists, and 5.1 rebounds per game with a PER of 30.53. And in his last 10 games he has only stepped it up even more, averaging 32.5 points per game as the Rockets have won 10 consecutive games. He's on his way to All-NBA First Team for the fourth time in the last five seasons.
4. Russell Westbrook: Westbrook is fresh off of his MVP campaign after averaging a triple-double for the first time since the Oscar Robertson days. The 9.4 rebounds per game for Russ are keeping him back from doing it again, but that's not too shabby. He's also putting up 25.4 points and 10.4 assists per outing. He has helped turn the Thunder back into a competitive team, defeating the Cavaliers, Rockets, and Warriors this season. Including taking down Golden State twice. Westbrook is able to impact the game in so many ways. He is one of - if not the - most athletic point guard we've ever seen and shows that off as he gets to the rim with ease. Westbrook also rebounds the ball better than any guard in the league and despite scoring so much, he still gets his teammates involved (more on them later).
5. Stephen Curry: When defenses start trapping you 47-feet from the basket, you might be a problem from opposing defenses. When you can hit from 47-feet, finish at the rim at an elite rate, and create for others, you become a nightmare. Curry does all that and more. That’s before I even get into his defensive impact. In my opinion, Chef Curry is among the most underrated defenders in the league. He’s always in a stance. He plays passing lanes extremely well. He’s very strong. To top it all off, he has very quick hands. It’s not his fault that he plays major minutes alongside four better defenders in Andre Iguodala, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, and Durant. He deserves credit for his defensive prowess. If I wanted to nitpick, I’d say that he turned the ball over too much and lost focus while making simple passes a little too often. However, it’s hard to criticize someone who brings so much to the table.
6. Giannis Antetokounmpo: Antetokounmpo has seen a rise like not many others have, and it's rare for a player to see this type of increase in productivity and popularity playing for a team like the Bucks. But Antetokounmpo has done so, and it seems like he has some staying power. After a scorching first month of the year, he's cooled off a little bit, but is still in discussion for the MVP, as he's averaging 27.8 points and 10.4 rebounds per game. His length has created a ton of issues for opposing players, and he's able to show off his defensive versatility, blocking 1.3 shots a night. Antetokounmpo has a bright future ahead of him, especially if he can continue to stay healthy, which is part of the reason he is so high on this list. The three guys right under him have all had injury concerns as Demarcus Cousins is out for the remainder of the season and Kawhi Leonard has only played nine games this year. Antetokounmpo appeared on all of our lists and had a high of fifth and a low of 10th.
7. Kawhi Leonard: Leonard hasn't been the same since going down with an ankle injury in the Western Conference Finals, but when he's able to play, there aren't a lot of players that can compete with him. He is the best on-ball defender in the entire league, has transformed into one of the most efficient three-point and free throw shooters, and has nearly perfected the mid-range game. He shows a lot of similarities to the great Michael Jordan, and not being able to see him on the court regularly is frustrating for everyone in and around the NBA. His head coach, Gregg Popovich, said "Nobody wants to come back more than Kawhi." With his team in third place in the West, the Spurs have continued to grind out wins without their best player, but when he returns, we'll see how quickly they can return to form of competing with the Warriors and Rockets. During his shortened season, Leonard is averaging 16.2 points and 4.7 rebounds.
8. Anthony Davis: Davis has developed his game more than most after being drafted, and is now a very good outside shooter, instead of just being a force inside the paint like he was when he was first drafted. You can't leave him alone anywhere on the court. Davis has guard-like skills, despite being 6'10 and 254 pounds, and is able do just about anything asked of him. He is averaging 27.4 points per game to go along with 10.7 rebounds and 2.1 blocks. He has been named to the All-NBA First Team twice in his career and is potentially going to add another to his list of accomplishments. Davis is also starting in the All-Star Game again, after receiving the MVP last season. He has helped the New Orleans Pelicans earn a spot in the playoffs once before and is hoping to do so again this year. The Pelicans have won three straight games all by 10+ points, including a 22-point drubbing of the Los Angeles Lakers behind 42 points, 15 rebounds, three steals, and two blocks from Davis.
9. Demarcus Cousins: It was tragic to see Cousins go down with a season-ending Achilles injury, especially in the final year of his contract, but that doesn't diminish his talents. After coming out of Kentucky, he has turned into an all-around player instead of just a post playing big man. He has developed a three-point shot and is a very good catch-and-shoot player. Not to mention that he's a dominant rebounder, coming down with 12.9 boards per game. He was third in the league with rebounding behind only Andre Drummond and DeAndre Jordan. With 25.2 points per game, Cousins also ranked ninth in the NBA in scoring average. It's obvious that he has matured since his time with the Sacramento Kings, and it has helped him become a more efficient player. Hopefully he has a full recovery prior to next season.
10. Paul George: George is the second Thunder player on the list, which only two other teams can say. Despite being dealt to Oklahoma City over the summer, George has continued to be a great player on both ends of the floor. He is averaging 22.5 points per game with Westbrook passing him the ball, and carried the team when his point guard was out with an ankle injury last week. George dropped 29 points and 33 points when Westbrook sat, and combined for 11 assists in the two games. He is also a Defensive Player of the Year candidate as he is annually one of the best stoppers in the league. George is able to use his quick feet and length to defend the other teams best player on a regular basis. George will have a chance to climb up this list even further if he can get it done in the postseason, something we haven't seen from him in a while, since he and the Indiana Pacers reached the conference finals in 2012 and 2013.
Full Results From Our Voting:
Photo Credit: Sports Illustrated.
