DonovanMcnabb for H.O.F 2,241 Posted August 29, 2012 (edited) I'll admit, this one was hard as shit. And some might not agree. lol. As always, you are welcomes to post yours. Outside looking in: Paul George, SG, Indiana Pacers GP: 66, GS: 66. MPG: 29.6 12.1 PPG, .440/.385/.802, 55.5 TS% 5.6 RPG, 2.4 AST, 1.6 SPG 16.57 PER George has a lot of potential. He's young, got leaping abilities, quickness, nice tough from outside, can finish around the rim. He's not a slasher though, at least not yet. He can finish around the rim but not get to the rim. He's a good shooter, but he needs to add something else to his offense game. Either create his own shot off the dribble or find a way to get to the rim and finish/draw fouls. Once he does that he's going to be a very tough player to guard. His defense gets overrated at times, but he is very good in one on one situations, and is tough and physical. He may not be the 11th best SG in the NBA, but I have him on the outside looking in because I love his potential, and I like him as a player. He may move to the 3, but for the time being he is a 2. 10. Jason Terry, SG, Boston Celtics GP: 63, GS: 1, MPG: 31.7 15.1 PPG, .431/.378/.883, 54.1 TS% 2.4 RPG, 3.6 AST, 1.2 STL 15.82 PER Terry is a very good role offensive player, who is capable at times of being a pretty dynamic offensive weapon. He is a capable spot up jump shooter, from the mid-range area and the three point line, as well as he has an effective pick and roll game. He’s very active off the ball and can often be seen running through screens, etc as well as he is a capable passer, one of the better SG passers in the NBA. Defensively he isn’t a dominant force by any means, and he is undersized, but he makes his opponents work for every possession and is a high effort, high IQ guy. The move to Boston will help him stay very effective offensively due to his ability as a spot up shooter, he will probably see his minutes go down though. 9. Ray Allen, SG, Miami Heat GP: 46. GS: 42, MPG: 34.1 14.2 PPG, .458/.453/.915, 60.7 TS% 3.1 RPG, 2.4 AST, 1.1 STL 14.85 PER Allen, at his age is still one of, if not the best shooters in the game, and the Heat made a great acquisition. Allen doesn’t just have range; he has varied range. He can catch-and-shoot off screens in the half court. He can spot up in transition. He can shoot off the dribble. He can shoot off the bounce at the end of a pick-and-roll. And he requires very little space or time to do any of this. He still has a very efficient game, one of the most in the league, and was a huge piece of Boston’s health when he was on the court. Defensively he has become better with age, probably somewhat to do with playing with KG, but not only do you see him work on defense, but he can be a hassle at times as he is very strong. 8. Kevin Martin, SG, Houston Rockets GP: 40, GS: 40, MPG: 31.6 17.1 PPG, .413/.347/.894, 55.4 TS% 2.7 RPG, 2.8 AST, .7 STL 16.66 PER There is no denying the obvious, Martin is a liability on defense, and he is pretty bad at it at times, and the reasons for him being bad on defense vary from struggling against stronger players and sticking with guys off of screens. Martin didn’t have one of his best years last year offensively and maybe it will be the norm for him now, but when he is on his game, he is very deadly offensively. He is one of the most efficient scorers in the league, and is capable of scoring in a lot of ways, varying from behind the arc, to around the rim. His scoring is what gets him this high on the list, on a list of guys who vary in efficiency and volume, Martin is one of the better in both regards. 7. Manu Ginobili, SG, San Antonio Spurs GP: 34, GS: 7, MPG: 23.3 12.9 PPG, .526/.413/871, 66.8 TS% 3.4 RPG, 4.4 AST, .7 STL 24.27 PER Manu played sparingly last season before the playoffs, so his stats this past season should be looked at with caution. There isn’t much to hate on when it comes to Ginobili. He’s a great two way player, and is probably one of the more skilled, and complete SG in the NBA. Not only that, but he steps up a lot in big game situations, even at his age. He can pass at times like an elite point guard, finish around the rim, take and make jumpers off the dribble as well as spot ups. Defensively, he is very fundamentally smart, savvy, and active, capable of using his range to bother a lot of players. Only reason he isn’t higher is because of a mixture of guys I believe to be on their way up, and the fact that he does play minutes a lot more sparingly now. Edited September 2, 2012 by DonovanMcnabb for H.O.F Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
housemd 338 Posted August 29, 2012 My 10-7: 10. Paul George 9. Ray Allen 8. Kevin Martin 7. Manu Ginobili I don't know,I've always liked George more than Terry. I'd put them both at #10 but I decided to go with George.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Milla4Prez63 678 Posted August 30, 2012 My top 10. 10.Jason Terry 9.Arron Afflalo 8.Paul George 7.Eric Gordon 6.Monta Ellis 5.Joe Johnson 4.James Harden 3.Manu Ginobli 2.Dwyane Wade 1.Kobe Bryant 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DonovanMcnabb for H.O.F 2,241 Posted August 30, 2012 I don't mean to start up the Kobe/Wade argument early but, I am surprised to see you have him ahead. lol. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
seanbrock 1,684 Posted August 30, 2012 My top 10. 10.Jason Terry 9.Arron Afflalo 8.Paul George 7.Eric Gordon 6.Monta Ellis 5.Joe Johnson 4.James Harden 3.Manu Ginobli 2.Dwyane Wade 1.Kobe Bryant Uhhh ... where's Nick Young? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BwareDWare94 723 Posted August 30, 2012 I'll take Kobe ahead of Wade every time. I don't think they'll even compare in the end. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BwareDWare94 723 Posted August 30, 2012 Dmac, this is why I love your basketball posts. You're studied enough when it comes to the game to know players like Kevin Martin, while not great, are certainly top 10 at their position. Most people have forgotten that Kevin Martin exists. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
housemd 338 Posted August 30, 2012 Dmac, this is why I love your basketball posts. You're studied enough when it comes to the game to know players like Kevin Martin, while not great, are certainly top 10 at their position. Most people have forgotten that Kevin Martin exists. Kevin Martin played on a top 10 SG level last season so unless you've forgotten him,there's no excuse for not putting him on the list.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DonovanMcnabb for H.O.F 2,241 Posted August 30, 2012 Dmac, this is why I love your basketball posts. You're studied enough when it comes to the game to know players like Kevin Martin, while not great, are certainly top 10 at their position. Most people have forgotten that Kevin Martin exists. Yea I watched some Houston games when Lowry was still there, and Martin always stood out to me. If he wasn't so skinny he'd probably be even better imo. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DonovanMcnabb for H.O.F 2,241 Posted August 30, 2012 Anyway, this is where it got a little interesting for me. 6. Monta Ellis, SG, Milwaukee Bucks GP: 21, GS: 21. MPG: 36.0 16.6 PPG, .432/.267/.764, 49.3 TS% 3.5 RPG, 5.9 AST, 1.4 STL 15.41 PER One of the biggest reasons why Ellis is looked down at is because some believe him to just be a volume scorer, and nothing more. Anybody who says that just hasn’t watched enough of Ellis, or has and watches with an already established opinion. Ellis, when needed is a guy capable of scoring A LOT of points, but he isn’t a black hole, he’s far from it. The combo guard had one of the best assist rates in the NBA for SG over the past couple of seasons now, and is a willing passer. To go along with the assists, he turns the ball over at a decently low amount for a guy who handles the ball as much as he does. Ellis is a fierce competitor, a crafty scorer who hates losing and was the true definition of a Warrior during his time with GS. Defensively is the side where he has a lot of work to do, but I think the switch to the Bucks could make a world of difference now that he is playing with a defensive minded head coach. He is still very young, and you would expect with a full offseason will only improve. And he's pretty good in 2k12... 5. Joe Johnson, SG, Brooklyn Nets GP: 59, GS: 59, 35.1 MPG 18.5 PPG, .453/.384/.860, 55.6 TS% 3.6 RPG, 3.9 AST, .8 STL 18.51 PER Joe Johnson often gets put in the category of guys overrated so much to the point where he is becoming slightly underrated. Most of it is due to the hefty contract he was given, but I think by now people understand that players who get max contracts are usually overpaid anyways. The fact of the matter still remains that while Joe Johnson isn’t as great as his contract may suggest, he is the best offensive player ATL had, and when he wasn’t on the court, ATL wasn’t the same offensively. Johnson is big enough to play SF, and quick/crafty enough to play PG. He has a very complete game offensively, and can beat you in many ways, from the pick and roll, to the spot up, to off dribble. Defensively he’s an on/off type of guy that sometimes lags, but when he commits, his size and athleticism can cause problems. Should be interesting to see how his game fits in with Deron’s this upcoming season. 4. Eric Gordon, SG, New Orleans Hornets GP: 10, GS: 9, MPG: 31.0 18.5 PPG, .450/.250/.754, 54.9 TS% 2.5 RPG, 3.1 AST, 1.3 STL 19.25 PER Gordon had his breakout season two years ago (albeit was a short one), and unfortunately was hurt for a large majority of this past season. His ranking here is based on the potential he has shown, and how much better he can become. Before the injuries started piling up, Gordon was showing huge strides and was developing a very good offensive game that included more shots around the rim, and more fouls. What sets Gordon here is how good he is already as a scorer and how much better he can get. He has been scoring with a very high efficiency, and while the three is something that he is working on, he is so young that you can only imagine how much more complete his game will be once he gets that shot down. He is undersized, and you don’t see that play out anywhere more then on defense where he can get bullied often by bigger guys, but he is very tenacious on defense, and he is extremely strong. His size holds him back from being an elite defender at his position but he could develop into a very good one. I like Gordon’s potential a lot, and I think he could climb into the top 3 with a full season and how well his game fits in with a Rivers (who seems like a black hole in college at times) and Davis. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
housemd 338 Posted August 30, 2012 My 6-4: 6. Eric Gordon 5. Monta Ellis 4. Joe Johnson Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Milla4Prez63 678 Posted August 31, 2012 Dmac, this is why I love your basketball posts. You're studied enough when it comes to the game to know players like Kevin Martin, while not great, are certainly top 10 at their position. Most people have forgotten that Kevin Martin exists. I know he exists, I just didn't put him in my list because he sucks. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DonovanMcnabb for H.O.F 2,241 Posted September 1, 2012 Getting around to finishing this. 3. James Harden, SG, Oklahoma City Thunder GP: 62, GS: 2, MPG: 31.4 16.8 PPG, .491/.390/.846, 66% TS% 4.1 RPG, 3.7 AST, 1.0 STL 21.28 PER The sixth man of the year, offensively James Harden brings a very efficient offense to the team when he’s on the court, one of the most efficient of any player in the NBA. He improved in virtually every category. Harden’s offensive game relies primarily on driving left (usually with a euro step-esq move), either getting off a layup or getting fouled, or taking and making threes. He excels at what he does, and is capable most of the time of getting his points even when the defense is game planning against him. His great scoring efficiency and the fact that he is so young is the biggest reason why he makes it so high on this list. He also grabbed rebounds at a great rate for a SG, and is crafty with the ball and capable of being a playmaker, and playing some point guard. He often gets looked down on because he comes off the bench but he doesn’t do so because he isn’t capable of playing the minutes. He comes off the bench because the Thunder don’t have much of a scoring option on the second unit, and Thabo brings a lot in terms of first team defense. Going forward defense is an area where James Harden needs a lot of work in. Another area where Harden will need to work on is developing a mid range game so he isn’t as reliant on hitting threes, and/or driving, as well as being able to drive to his right. So many times we saw in the playoffs (Spurs, Heat) where Harden committed an offensive foul because he was forced to go right, and shooting the three was not an option. I personally believe if Gordon could stay healthy, he'd be the better of the two, but Harden at such a young age has already shown immense potential. 2. Kobe Bryant, SG, Los Angeles Lakers GP: 58, GS: 58, MPG: 38.5 27.9 PPG, .430/.303/.845, 52.7 TS% 5.4 RPG, 4.6 AST, 1.2 STL 21.94 PER Even at the age of 34, Kobe Bryant is still one of the best players in the NBA, and one of the absolute best shooting guards in the NBA. He is one of the greatest all-around players in the game, a creative (and efficient) iso attacker, a solid pick-and-roll handler and the league’s best post-up guard. The triangle offense helped him become a smart cutter and a dynamite passer. When Kobe is playing at his best, and most unselfish, he is the best offensive player in the game, capable of dishing out assists at a great rate to go with his scoring prowess. He is up there in rebounding as well as one of the best among guards and wing players capable of grabbing a lot of rebounds both defensively and offensively. On the defensive end, though he saves his best for later in the regular season because of his age, he is capable of being one of, if not the best wing/guard players in the game. Even as his athleticism is leaving him, he is still able to rely on his great technique and instincts to be a menace on defense. Kobe Bryant is versatile enough to play small forward when need be, which is always a plus. Although he is still a great player, there is no question that his game in general has taken a few steps back. His three point percentage, something that he was never great at to begin with has regressed, although he continues to insist on taking a lot of them. He does have the tendency to take too many shots now, something that probably won't become as much of a problem with Nash at the point. But he is a crafty player who generates points, and plays defense with instincts, fundamentals and skill more then natural athleticism, so Kobe will probably remain in the top 3 till he retires, unless if he plays for another 10 years... Dwyane Wade, SG, Miami Heat GP: 49, GS: 49, MPG: 33.2 22.1 PPG, .497/.268/.791, 55.9% TS 4.8 RPG, 4.6 AST, 1.7 STL 26.46 PER Dwyane Wade has been the best shooting guard in the NBA for at least the past two seasons now. This past season his minutes took a dip, primarily due to injuries, but when he was on the court, he was as dynamic and as efficient as ever. Offensively, outside of hitting the three, there isn't much else he can't do. He can work the pick-and-roll as both a ball-handler, and shooter. He can post up, rain from the mid-range and draw fouls as well as anyone. He is one of the best passing guards in the NBA, and is capable of running an offense when asked to. Even playing next to Lebron James, another great facilitator, Wade is still able to dish assists at a high rate. Wade was also the best rebounding guard in the NBA last year, and has been for a while now. Even with Lebron and Chris Bosh being able to handle most of the load when Wade went down, the Heat's offense was still at its best when Wade was on the court. Defensively wade can be an absolute force of an on ball defender, capable of disrupting any perimeter player, and is very versatile. His help/team defense is another valuable asset as he is capable of rolling off of guys very well, and is famous (like Lebron) for swooping in and blocking shots. There are very few players in the NBA who can bump and disrupt players rolling to the hoop and jump back to whoever they are defneidng the way Wade can, and the Heat have built a defense off of Wade and Lebron doing it consistently. Injuries are always a problem when you have a guy like Wade who likes to get really physical, and you wonder when those injuries will add up. I personally see Wade playing at this high of a level for at least three or four more seasons if injuries don't derail his career. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
housemd 338 Posted September 2, 2012 ^Same as his. Now we can start the Kobe vs Wade debate. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BwareDWare94 723 Posted September 2, 2012 I'll always take Kobe, but that's just me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
56AceInDaPlace 110 Posted September 4, 2012 Wade has Kobe by a tinyyyyyyyyyyy pinch. Due to Kobes age. Id still take Kobe just based on his drive for the game. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Phailadelphia Posted September 4, 2012 I like the list except for KMart at 8 over JET and Ray Ray and Wade over Kobe. Everything else I agree with. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
