So now assuming you are still reading, I am NOT giving out my NBA Allstar teams, no that will come later on this week. But instead I'm giving you all the top 12 players in the game TODAY!
Now this list is based on talent overall this season ONLY. Their positions and the team they play for have nothing to do with the results. Remember this is of today and not the last few years or in the years to come.
Let’s start out with the three players who didn’t make the list. Starting in reverse order.
3) Amare Stoudemire (F/C Knicks): First off I want to give my respects to Stoudemire for the recent loss of his brother who died in a car accident. But the reason why Stoudemire didn’t make the cut is because of his injury concern. Stoudemire has had knee, back, and eye issues during his time during the NBA. When healthy and playing with a good pick-n-roll point guard, Stoudemire can be a top 12 player in the NBA.
2) Blake Griffin (F Clippers): Before you send the mob to my house, Griffin is not on this list because he doesn’t have a great offensive game and he isn’t anything more than solid on defense. Yes Griffin’s game has gotten better with Chris Paul in LA but still he scores most his points thanks to his athleticism. Once he develops a better jump shot and a go to move in the post he will be a top 12 player.
1) Rajon Rondo (G Celtics): I’ll go ahead a give a hint, the top 12 have four point guards on it and it was real hard keeping Rondo from being the fifth. If he had a more consistent jump shot and hadn’t gotten hurt earlier this year he would be on my list instead of the 12th man on my list.
Now it’s time for my 12 man list. Again in reverse order starting at 12.
12) Carmelo Anthony (F Knicks): If Rondo hadn’t gotten hurt he be here instead of Melo but Anthony has been the only scoring the Knicks have had this season (whether that’s Melo’s fault or not is debatable). But he is hurt now with a groin injury which he will be out 1-2 weeks. Anthony has been asked to play some point forward and start the offense this year which he can’t do and it has hurt his rank on this list.
11) Deron Williams (G Nets): Williams has had a solid season so far but his team has struggled because of the loss of Center Brook Lopez. IF (and yes that’s a huge IF) the Nets can land Dwight Howard and keep Williams the Nets become a top four team in the East just like that.
10) Chris Bosh (F/C Heat): The big two plus one…. Well the one is Bosh and that one is the underrated part of the big three. When Dwayne Wade went down with injuries Bosh stepped up big increasing his scoring and in the game against the Hawks when Lebron James and Wade were both out with injuries Bosh led the Heat to a double overtime win against the Hawks in Atlanta making big shot after big shot. He should be an Allstar starter instead of Melo.
9) Kevin Love (F/C Timberwolves): Love has his own way of playing the game. He can bang inside with the biggest forwards and centers as he is averaging over 13 rebounds a game. But yet he is averaging five three-pointers attempted a game. He has an all-around game and if the Timberwolves trade Michael Beasley for an actual good starting center the Timberwolves could make a run at the playoffs.
8) Russell Westbrook (G Thunder): Westbrook has turned out to be a better player than even I thought he would be coming out of UCLA four years ago. The one-two punch of him and Kevin Durant is the best in the NBA and he is a ball hawk on defense just itching for steals. Another bonus he rebounds better than a lot of forwards do. The real downside with Westbrook, he doesn’t dish the ball much and his overall bad decision making and his high turnover numbers keep him from climbing up the list.
7) Dwayne Wade (G Heat): SURPRISE!!! Yes this is correct, Wade is the seventh best player in the NBA today, he is 30 (the oldest of the big three) and has had injury concerns over his career, including missing nine games this year. Am I saying Wade is starting to slow down? No but I'm saying the Heat is his team but LeBron is clearly the better player now.
6) Dwight Howard (C Magic): Well he is a Magic player right now but that is likely to change before the season is over. Because of all the trade questions and rumors and acceptable team trade list has caused him and the Magic to play like crap. Howard’s biggest (on the court) weakness is his free throw shooting; he is a career 59% shooter but he is shooting 48% this year. He took 39 free throws against the Warriors earlier in the season making 21… that’s 54% for you folks who can’t do math.
5) Derrick Rose (G Bulls): No your eyes aren’t playing games on you; yes I have the MVP fifth on my list. He has had injuries missing a few games here and there but he has led the Bulls to the best record in the East. Rose is the best SCORING point guard in the NBA but not the best overall. Rose doesn’t play that great of defense and doesn’t dish out that many assists, all though his assist numbers are up this year.
4) Chris Paul (G Clippers): Yes I still think Chris Paul is the best point guard in the NBA. The reason is his defense and passing. This year Paul averages 2.4 steals per game while Rose averages 0.9 steals and Paul averages 8.9 assists per game while Rose averages 7.9 assists. But for their careers Paul averages 9.9 assists a game compared to Roses 6.8 assists. Paul has turned the Clippers into a top four team in the West despite not having a great bench like the Bulls do.
3) Kobe Bryant (G Lakers): Yes Kobe is third on my list. Now if this was a career list he would be first by a mile but Kobe has played for 15 seasons now and despite being only 33 years old he just passed his former teammate Shaquille O’Neal to become fifth on the all-time scoring list. He is keeping his Laker team afloat in the playoff picture but he still isn’t getting any younger. Scoring is Kobe’s game but that’s about all he can bring at this point to the game without having much help.
2) Kevin Durant (F Thunder): Durant is the BEST scorer in the game today. He can shoot the three-ball and drive to the rim and hit a shot from just about anywhere on the floor once he passes half court. He rebounds and defenses above average for his position and height. His scoring average is down from last year but he is looking to be the first three peat scoring champion since a guy named Michael Jordan. If Durant could dish the ball better he would be number one on the list but then again it is his job to score and score some more.
1) LeBron James (F Heat): LeBron has been scoring like crazy this year and is on his way to his third MVP award. LeBron is not as clutch as Kobe and Durant but he does everything. This year he is averaging 29 points, 7 assist, 9 rebounds, just less than one block and just under two steals a game. He brings everything to the court, both on offense and defense. Only if he was more clutch in the fourth quarter.
These top 12 players all have strengthens and weakness and a team made of these 12 would never work but you now have my list of the best 12 players in the NBA today.
