Over the last week we’ve learned a few things basketball wise: LeBron doesn’t give a damn about forgiveness from Cleveland, the Lakers rely way too much on Pau Gasol and that everyone has a bizarre fascination with asking Steve Kerr to rank PGs. I’ve seen 4 games this week in which someone asked the poor guy to make sense of the elite group of distributors in the NBA – and 4 times where he couldn’t. We here at B&B want to make it a little easier for Steve Kerr, so we’ve undertaken the effort to rank the 1’s around the NBA
#7) Monta Ellis
Yeah, Ok. He’s listed as a 2 guard, but have you seen him play? A dominant scorer who puts up some of the most efficient numbers in the NBA, Ellis only passes when he’s got a teammate who is more likely to score than himself. In other words, rarely. He’s got some great lane-jumping steals, but his high risk style leaves him open to get blown by in the fast break. Monta would lead the NBA in points if you put him on a team that had big men to set screens for him (like Portland, Sacramento or Atlanta). He reminds me of a Chauncey Billups circa 2004, great shooting, serviceable D, but knows he’s got to be “The Guy.” Ellis’s inspired performance over the last year has been the only thing keeping Curry off this list. Curry could potentially crack the top 5 in the next two years, but he’s stil one of those few guys whose fantasy performance is far better than what he brings to the table in real life.
#6) Russell Westbrook
It kills me having to rank this guy. He’s maddening to watch. Simultaneously the most beautiful and ugliest game in the Association. Pretty jumper, beautiful hussle, great feeds, but when he’s cold, he’s an icicle! Unquestionably the MVP of the first month of the 2010 season (look for B&B’s MVP watch coming soon!!). He looks like one of those guys you love to play with, because his own game covers up all the problems with yours. He may eventually steal the title of Mr. Clutch in the NBA, with absolutely breathtaking overtime performances against Portland and New Jersey in the past month. He's the only guy outside of the top 2 who could be #1 someday.
#5) Derrick Rose
The first three times I wrote out this column, I had Rose at #3, #7 and #5. He’s got all the skills in the world, but he seems that one small step away from being “The Guy” for this Bulls team. He’s averaging a career high in points, assists and steals right now, courtesy of improved offseason workouts and the great gameplan that Thibs makes for every Bulls game. But, you can’t help but feel something is off with his chemistry on the team. Rose does great things with guys he can acclimate to, but for some reason doesn’t play too well with the Bulls’ veterans (Deng, Ben Gordon, Nocioni…). Smart moves by the front office have maximized his talent, but I hope he spends the 2011 offseason (or maybe the 2011-2012 lockout) working exclusively on a jumper. If/when he learns to sink 3’s, he vaults up this list.
#4) Rajon Rondo
The what-if nobody outside of Detroit ever talks about: Rajon Rondo/Ray Allen for Tayshaun Prince/Rodney Stuckey/Rip Hamilton trade offer after the Celtics won the title in 2007-2008. With apologies to three class-act HOF players in Garnett, Allen and Pierce, Rondo is the best guy on that team, hands-down, no debate. If Rajon was in Motown these last 2 years, the Celtics are a first-round exit in ’08-09 to the Bulls and don’t even squeeze into the 09-10’ playoffs. He steals the ball like a cat-burglar. Through a month of the season, Rajon is averaging an insane, mind-boggling, death-defying 14 dimes a game. Nobody but the immortal John Stockton has ever put up numbers like that. Making it even more impressive: the Celtics’ pace is one of the slowest in a league that’s far slower than it was 20 years ago. His only weakness is his utter lack of a J, but his game is predicated on never exposing his vulnerability. A fast, effective and smart player.
#3) Steve Nash
How does he do it? Steve Nash is old enough to be my father, but he’s still putting up numbers that land him MVP votes every year. Nobody finds the open man like Nash does and nobody is such a joy to play with. Nash has earned more money than anyone else in the NBA over the last 4 years – most of it for his former teammates. Do Joe Johnson and Amare Stoudemire make $200,000,000 over the next 6 years if they never run the court with Nash? Does Phoenix pay $60,000,000 between Hakim Warrick, Jason Richardson and Channing Frye if they don’t believe Nash finds them for an open shot at least twice a game each? His downside: no D. Guards carve up poor Steve Nash, and Phoenix never brought in anybody to hide it. I hope he finds his way out of that situation in Arizona, because he deserves a chip before his carreer is over.
#2) Chris Paul
Putting Chris Paul at #2 spits in the face of my personal belief that he's the #1. Objectively, CP3 is the best pure passer in the game, even if his assist stats don’t always show it. Paul has to lead the league in beautiful-assists-followed-by-awful-shots. He can put up 30 points or 20 assists with equal ease. He hits the 3’s, spins around for easy layups and basically created David West’s career with his bare hands. He plays some of the most amazing on-ball defense on guards that you’ll ever see. Somedays you’ll swear he’s prescient because he knows just where to get the poke-checks on the ball. Paul has such a complete game, but the only guy he never beats is at the top. Can’t argue with that.
#1) Deron Williams
D-Will is fast, accurate and clutch. Last year he put together some awesome 4th Q comebacks and the Jazz are already the most dangerous team in the Association when playing from behind. D-Will is the reason why. He’s equally dangerous spotting up, driving, running the Pick and Roll and finding the open man. He’s got no holes in his game, ideal size and stays on the court week-in, week-out. Rondo was the only guy on this list to even make him look average. Next time someone asks Steve Kerr who is #1, he can’t go wrong saying ‘Williams.’
-Note on the Rankings-
I would say any of the above guys are #1 options on any team you put them on. They can all be “The Guy” on a championship team, even ‘Crash’ Ellis. With apologies to Jason Kidd, Jameer Nelson, Devin Harris, Chauncey Billups, Tyreke Evans and Mike Conley, I just don’t feel that they can bring enough to a team to put them in the highest eschelon of the NBA. I’m leery of Conley, Augustin and Felton as system players who will never put up great games, regardless of stats, against quality competition.
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