2012-2013 NBA Predictions: Top 5 Point Guards

2012-2013 NBA Preseason Position Rankings: Top 5 Point Guards: The depth at the point guard position in the NBA right now might be better than it has ever been, and breaking down the top point guards is no easy task. Keep in mind that this year’s list doesn’t even include former MVP Derrick Rose, who will be out until later in the season because of a knee injury. It also doesn’t include rising stars like Kyrie Irving, Ty Lawson or John Wall. Like I said, the position is extremely deep. To see which point guards did crack the top five, here is a look at how the best players at the position stack up heading into the 2012-13 NBA season.

2012-2013 NBA Preseason Position Rankings: Top 5 Point Guards

1.      Chris Paul, Los Angeles Clippers

Paul does everything a point guard is supposed to do, and he does it at an elite level. Last year, he averaged 19.8 points and 9.1 assists, and he can dominate the game as both a scorer and a distributor. Paul makes the players around him better, and he takes and makes big shots at the end of games. He has excellent court vision and decision making skills, and his ability to know when to shoot and when to pass are as important as his actual scoring and passing abilities. Paul is the ultimate floor general. After all, you don’t take the Clippers to the playoffs without being a special player.

2.      Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder

He may be the fastest player in the NBA with the ball in his hands, and Westbrook has emerged as the top offensive weapon at the point guard spot. He has improved his points per game average and field goal percentage in every year of his career, and last season, he finished fifth in the NBA in scoring (23.6). His assist total was a bit low last year, but in the two previous seasons, he averaged eight or more assists per game. He is also an excellent rebounder at the point guard spot, averaging 4.7 boards per game for his career. Westbrook’s dynamic scoring ability already separates him from just about every other point guard in the NBA, and if he continues his upward trend, the top spot could be his in the coming years.

3.      Tony Parker, San Antonio Spurs

Sometimes, a player’s value and impact go beyond the stat sheet, and Parker is a perfect example of this. Last year, he posted career highs in points (18.3) and assists (7.7) while remaining one of the most efficient backcourt scorers in the NBA. More importantly, he is a leader on the court. While Tim Duncan’s minutes have been reduced, Manu Ginobili has been hurt, and the role players have changed, Parker has been the one constant for a San Antonio team that has won the most games in the Western Conference in each of the past two seasons. He seems to have the ability to raise his game to whatever level he needs to in order to keep the Spurs winning games, and at the end of the day, that is the main job of any point guard.

4.      Steve Nash, Los Angeles Lakers

Yes, Nash has put up some monster assist numbers when he has had excellent supporting casts, but he continued to amass impressive numbers and keep Phoenix relevant long after the rest of the talent left town. His court vision and ability to keep his dribble alive is unmatched at the point guard spot. In his last eight seasons, he has average double-digit assists seven times. Not to mention the fact that he has shot more than 50 percent from the floor in seven of the eight seasons, as well. Granted, Nash is a pass-first point guard rather than a high-volume scorer, but he sure is efficient. For his career, he has a 49.1 field goal percentage, 42.8 3-point percentage and a 90.4 free throw percentage. He is getting older, but now that he is in Los Angeles, he still has a few years left of elite production.

5.      Deron Williams, Brooklyn Nets

From a physical standpoint, Williams is a unique specimen at the point guard spot. He has the size and strength to get to the rim, and he can also step out and knock down perimeter shots. Williams is an excellent distributor, as well, and he has averaged at least 8.7 assists in every season with the exception of his rookie year. A poor supporting cast in recent years has forced him to shoulder the load and resulted in several injuries. Now that he is healthy and playing for a revamped Brooklyn team, it is time for Williams to show just how good he can be.

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