With just a little under a week until the NBA season is underway, we will once again look at the point guard position. The point guard position has by far been the most deepest and talented position the in NBA. A point guard is like the quarterback of the team. He sometimes determines the plays of the game and even the pace. With a new season coming up, let us break down the top five point guards in the NBA for the upcoming season.
5. Tony Parker
Tony Parker is by far the most underrated point guard in the game. The 32-year-old guard is past his prime but, despite only playing limited minutes under Gregg Popovich, Parker still finds ways to get the job done. Parker has shown that even in his advanced stages of his career that he can carry the Spurs on his back. He is a four-time champion with the Spurs and a former finals MVP. Even after the things he has accomplished in his great career, he is at number five because he is not the player he once was and since then, there have been a lot of good point guards who have been on the rise and have proven that they are the future.
4. Stephen Curry
You can make a point that Stephen Curry, in some ways, plays like a shooting guard, as he is the best shooter in the league. The second Stephen Curry passes half court, players are scared because they know he can pull up from anywhere. Last season, Curry improved his assist numbers and proved that he is more than just a shooter. He had a career-high with 8.5 assists per game. He also rebounds well for his position. His defense is an issue and is something he needs to work on. He does have some length, which is something Curry should use to his advantage to prevent passing lanes. He has yet to accomplish something huge in his career, but he will have to carry the success of the Warriors for years to come.
3. Derrick Rose
Going into the season, Derrick Rose is finally 100 percent healthy and will be looking to bring the Bulls their first championship since 1998. His athleticism is probably the best in the point guard field, and he has great footwork. Every day he is on the court, he is looking to prove he is the best point guard in the NBA. People have criticized Rose for not being a pure point guard because he is an extreme scorer, but he improved his play making and passing during his MVP season, and his scoring will be key to Chicago's success. With Rose out all of last season and playoffs, the Bulls were not able to score the ball, which was a big key on why they went home in the first-round. If the Bulls can have success and Rose remains healthy, he could arguably be the best point guard in the league and will be a sleeper for the MVP award.
2. Russell Westbrook
Heading into the season, Westbrook will have to do what his buddy Durant had to do during the 2013 playoffs when he went down with an injury during the first-round of the playoffs. A lot will be put on Westbrook's shoulders since Durant will be out 6-8 weeks with a foot injury. Westbrook has arguably the best pull up jumper in the game. He uses his handles and speed to his advantage when it comes to making those shot. His strength at the point guard position is amazing. With that strength, he can attack the basket and can finish at the rim with contact. Westbrook can draw double teams and pass out of it as well. He is one of those guys who does what his guts tell him and is not afraid to take big shots but, sometimes, he takes up terrible shots. Westbrook would need to improve his turnovers, though. Often times, he makes bad decisions which lead to fast break points for other teams on the other end. The thing that separates him and other point guards is his playoff resume.
1. Chris Paul
There is no doubt that Paul is the best passer in the game. He is incredibly unselfish and is all about the name on the front of the jersey not the back. "CP3" remains the best all-around point guard and what separates him from most of the other point guards is he has the whole package. He is everything you want from a player. He is the ball distributor, defender, leader, and timely scorer of the Clippers. He is very similar to that of John Stockton. About the same size, not the greatest scorer, but excellent court vision He has received a lot of criticism because he has never played past the semifinals but has a good shot of taking the Clippers further this season. In his career, all he needs is a championship and if he gets that, it is fair to say that he is one of the best point guards of all time.