Point guard is possibly the deepest position in the NBA. Since there is such a massive amount of point guard talent, there are quite a few players who could've climbed onto this list such as John Wall, Kyle Lowry, and Isaiah Thomas. These are who I believe to be the best point guards heading into the 2016-17 NBA season.
5. Damian Lillard
Last season was his first where he was the unquestioned leader of the Blazers. With the loss of four starters from the prior season, they were predicted by most to not even sniff the playoffs. Led by Lillard and the much anticipated breakout of C.J. McCollum, they finished as the fifth seed in a tough Western Conference. They even won their first round series against an injury-riddled Clippers team. He is an explosive athlete that can score at an elite clip. He has the rare ability to take over a game and win it by himself, putting him in a small group of elite NBA players. Dame averaged 25.1 points per game last year, while scoring 35.1 points per 100 possessions. At the age of 26, Lillard can only get better. The real concern is his efficiency as he only 37% from beyond the arc and 43% from the field for his career. Being snubbed from the all-star team, and once being cut from team USA puts a giant chip on his shoulder. It is no secret that he is one of the League’s brightest young stars. Lillard and the Blazers are going to be a tough Western Conference team for the foreseeable future.
4. Kyrie Irving
Uncle Drew’s game-winning three in game seven of the Finals over the back to back MVP, is iconic, to say the least. It will be a shot that goes down in history as one of the most clutch buckets ever. He was absolutely tremendous in that entire finals series, which now solidifies his status as a top five point guard, if he wasn't considered one already. He is one of the most creative finishers at the rim that the league has to offer. He scores at will and his ability to handle the ball is one of the best in league history. He is a three-time all-star and received all NBA honors in 2014-15. With LeBron leading the charge for the Cavs, it takes a ton of pressure off of Kyrie and allows him to play his game freely. He in turn also takes a ton of pressure off of LeBron with his ability to dynamically score the ball. Kyrie is the second best player on a championship team and a top five point guard in this league.
3. Chris Paul
Chris Paul is without question the best leader in the NBA at the point guard position. He is more often than not calling the shots on the court. Paul is also the undisputed best pure point guard in the league, averaging nine or more assists for nine years of his 11-year career. He is also a career 18.8 point per game scorer to go along with his elite playmaking skills. Being selected for All-NBA honors eight times, it’s no secret Chris Paul has been an elite player for the majority of his career. One of the only legitimate knocks on CP3 is his lack of success in the playoffs. If he and Blake Griffin had not run into injuries in their first-round series against the Blazers last season, they would’ve had their best chance to date at reaching a western conference final. They would have run into a Steph Curry-less Warriors squad and had a real shot at his much desired post season success. The Clippers and their core of Blake Griffin, Paul, and DeAndre Jordan look to take one last shot at a postseason run. At age 31, Paul is easily still an elite point guard, and will be until proven otherwise.
2. Russell Westbrook
The walking triple-double comes in at number 2. Simply put, Russell Westbrook is a machine that never runs out of fuel. Westbrook plays every game like it is truly his last, leaving nothing on the floor every time he steps foot on it. He has made the All-NBA team five times and is a five-time all-star. He is easily the league’s most explosive athlete, and one of the fastest up and down the court. Averaging 23.5 points per game, 10.4 assists, 7.8 rebounds, and a whopping 18 triple-doubles last season got him to fourth in MVP voting, and that was with Kevin Durant. We have some sample size of Westbrook without Durant which took place in the 2014-15 season. He was the scoring champion that year averaging 28.1 points per game accompanied by 8.6 assists and 7.8 rebounds. This season he is most likely going to play even angrier than he always does after being left in the dust by Kevin Durant. However, Westbrook wins as many games as he loses for the Thunder. He tends to try and do too much and often makes poor decisions. He is one of the worst three-point shooters in the league by percentage and yet still takes over four a game. Westbrook is easily one of the scariest players in the league. He has to find a balance in his game and be able to delegate to his teammates. I expect an amazing statistical season from Westbrook, but only finishing as about the fifth or sixth seed in the west when it’s all said and done.
1. Stephen Curry
In the past two seasons, Steph Curry’s greatness has redefined the “wow” factor. He is coming off of one of the most ridiculous offensive seasons in league history while winning the first ever unanimous MVP. He treats the single season three pointers made list like an arcade game with his high scores plastered all over it. He occupies seventh, fourth, second, and first on this list, beating his second place total by over 100 makes. He is also highly efficient from beyond the arc, as 42% is his WORST three-point shooting year of his career. Also this past season, he was a member of the 50-40-90 club, shooting 50% from the field, 45% from three, and 91% on free throws. He is an elite scorer in every sense. He has the ability to take over the game at any moment. As soon as he steps past half court, he has the ability to put the ball in the basket. He was the scoring champ last season, averaging 30.1 points per game while playing only 34 minutes per game. His ball handling skills are also among the most elite. His ability to keep the ball on a rope and make a defender look silly at any moment is remarkable. All of this piled on top of an NBA Championship is why Steph is easily the best point guard in the league. Steph, KD, and company look to make another run at the championship, probably to find LeBron there waiting for them once again. Let’s hope he Steph shows up for this one.
We all love to watch our favorite point guards fly around the court and make plays. Depending on the night we could see Steph throwing up a 30 footer just because he's open, Westbrook taking off from the free throw line for a nasty jam, or Kyrie snapping a defender off at his ankles. We won't have to wait much longer to see what these guys bring us this year. Maybe someone else will crack the list.
