2012-2013 NBA Predictions: Top 5 Shooting Guards

2012-2013 NBA Preseason Position Rankings: Top 5 Shooting Guards: While the center position has suffered from a lack of depth in recent years, the shooting guard spot isn’t far behind. There just aren’t that many dominant shooting guards in the NBA these days, and there aren’t a ton of young players at the position waiting to change the trend either. Granted, many teams have been playing defensive-minded players at shooting guard and sacrificing offense, but there are plenty of players at other positions that can dominate on both ends of the court. Despite being one of the thinner positions in the NBA, there are a few elite shooting guards, and here is how they stack up for the 2012-13 season.

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

1.      Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers

At 34 years old, the end of Bryant’s NBA career is in sight. However, he isn’t exactly coasting into retirement. Last year, he just missed out on the scoring title, averaging 27.9 points per game, and he can still get to the rim as evidenced by his 7.8 free throw attempts per game. He also chipped in 5.4 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game, along with solid perimeter defense. He isn’t going to have to shoot as much after the Lakers beefed up his supporting cast in the offseason, but Bryant should be in for one of his most efficient years in recent memory.

2.      Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat

He is probably the best all-around player at the shooting guard spot. Battling through injuries last year, Wade averaged 22.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.3 blocks. At his best, Wade has been a scoring champ. He hasn’t had to carry the scoring load since LeBron James came to town, but he has exchanged his high point totals for improved field goal and free throw percentages. Wade can still slash to the rim as well as any guard in the league, and while he may never develop a reliable 3-point shot, he does just about everything else on both ends of the court at an elite level.

3.      Monta Ellis, Milwaukee Bucks

Playing in Golden State can cause a player to fly under the radar, and moving to Milwaukee didn’t exactly help Ellis’ cause. That being said, the guy can flat out put points on the board. Ellis has averaged more than 20 points a game in each of the last four seasons, and he has chipped in more than five assists per game in each of those years to go along with 1.7 steals per game. His biggest strength is his strong mid-range game, and he has no problem creating his own shot. At the end of the day, a shooting guard’s main job is to score points, and Ellis is one of the most productive scorers at the position.

4.      James Harden, Houston Rockets

Don’t let his Sixth Man of the Year Award fool you, Harden is more than capable of starting for any team in the NBA. As the Thunder’s top scoring option off the bench last season, he averaged 16.8 points on 49.1 percent shooting, 4.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists. Harden is a versatile scorer, as well, getting to the foul line six times a game last year and knocking down 1.8 3-pointers at a 39.0 percent clip. Throw in the fact that he has a habit for knocking down clutch buckets, and Harden is one of the top shooting guards in the NBA and will prove it this year for the Houston Rockets.

5.      Eric Gordon, New Orleans Hornets

Injuries basically cost him all of last season, but Gordon is ready for the 2012-13 season, and he showed a ton of potential in his first three full seasons in the NBA. He improved his scoring average in all three seasons, averaging 22.3 points per game in 2010-11. He is an excellent perimeter shooter, and Gordon averages 1.8 3-pointers per game for his career at a 37.0 percent clip. Overall, he has a respectable 45.2 percent field goal percentage for his career. More importantly, Gordon has been expanding his game, increasing his free throw attempts in every year of his career. As long as he stays healthy, he has all the tools to be a 25-plus point scorer.

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