He scored 30-plus points in seven of his 10 playoff games, averaging 32.3 points while shooting a blistering 43.5 percent from 3 during the Jazz's run to Western Conference Semifinals. Tony Parker, San Antonio Spurs 12. Luka Doncic, De'Aaron Fox, Ja Morant,Trae Young and more have already put their talent on display early in their careers, and now they are looking to take over the NBA. As we continue to countdown to the start of the 2021-22 NBA season, which gets underway on 19 October, we are ranking the five best players in each conference across positions. Your login session has expired. There's a case to be made that you could shuffle those six in any order and still be correct. Bryant was a stretchy big, who put up flashy numbers in Anthony Davis absence. Curry led the Warriors to three straight wins before falling Tuesday to Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks in an epic duel that came down to the end. That'sthe difference between a top-10 offense and the worst offense in the NBA. The 23-year-old spent the first part of the season starring opposite Bane but without Jaren Jackson Jr., who sat out Memphis first 14 games recovering from offseason foot surgery. In fact, they never got to a seventh game in three tries there. Murray's situation is more straightforward. NBA star Ja Morant was accused of violent or threatening behavior in two police reports, including previously unknown allegations that Morant threatened a mall security director. Thus far this season, Damian Lillard has improved again. And even with that being said, the Celtics' captain posted career-highs with 13.1 points and 5.7 assists per game last season,coming into his own as a playmaker. Career Per-Game Stats: 14.6 points, 3.0 . Bet. Russell Westbrook improves every summer and comes back and plays basketball at a higher level every season. 28. . Not bad for a guy who was once considered untradeable because of his injury history and massive contract. Sacramento has a three-game lead over the No. The NBA has been the host to many world-class point guards. $5 $20 $50 $100 $250. He responded by doubling his scoring average (18.0 PPG)from the previous season (9.0 PPG) while shooting at the most efficient clip of his career. NBA Players By Position - Point Guards. We take a look at these five players who make up the very best of the shooting guard position in the NBAs Western Conference. Top 10 Point Guards in the Western Conference By Isaac Harris Oct 22, 2016 Apr 10, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Deron Williams (8) looks for a teammate to pass off to. By the time Jackson returned on Nov. 15, Bane was missing his second straight game with a sprained right big toe. Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James and Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant. Hes been more wince-inducing than the time Giannis Antetokounmpo leapfrog dunked over him. Search By: A: NAME: TEAM: COLLEGE . Who has the most 20 rebound games? Your login session has expired. Eyebrows were raised when the Hornets gave Rozier a $57 million deal over three years in the summer of 2019. But Westbrook has matched or eclipsed his career highs in scoring, rebounding, assists, and three point percentage so far. With the Grizzlies chasing their quest of being the #1 team in the Western Conference, the availability of Morant will be extremely crucial. Thats not to say that earning a trip to the All-Star Game as an East guard wont be difficult, considering the fact two 2022 All-Star guards from the West Donovan Mitchell and Dejounte Murray went East in the offseason, thus bolstering the pool of talent in that conferences backcourt. Spoiler alert: expect Booker to rise in the next Kia Race to the MVP Ladder. Northwest Division page with results, picks, power rankings, odds and stats. Coming up shy of the Conference Finals will leave Mitchell hungry for more this upcoming season. He finished sixth in the league in assists last year and is leading the league with 12.5 assists per game this year. His basketball IQ, communication skills and overallleadership are so important for a locker room full of youngsters. The east has finally pulled itself together and is deeper than the west. A basketball court is surely the only place where the height of 6 foot 6 is considered average. And yet the exact opposite has happened so far. But with so much talent, its not entirely clear who the best ones out West truly are. The position seems to be on the rise, with exciting talents popping up every season at the position in the NBA. Partly cloudy this evening then becoming cloudy with periods of light rain after midnight. However, Portland has struggled without power forward Al Farouq Aminu and have had their issues so far. Take a closer look at how Luka Doncic has been dominating this season. Fox and Domantas Sabonis have become a formidable duo that give the Kings a real shot at making the postseason for the first time since 2006. The Warriors trailed by as many as 23 points but rallied to complete their biggest comeback of the season, defeating the Portland Trail Blazers 123-105 at Chase . Do you agree? In a recent interview to GQ magazine, the Oklahoma City Thunder player called himself the Black Steve Nash. In the 12 games prior to theinjury that sidelined McCollum for two full months, he averaged 27.6points, 5.3 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game. The 2023 NBA All-Star Game will be held Sunday, February 19, in Salt Lake City. Russell, Walker and Dinwiddie all come into the 2021-22 season as "something to prove" guys. Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder. This isnt about ability. Push comes to shove, Harden is on the short list of surest buckets to ever lace 'em up in the backcourt. Devin Booker is the first player in Finals history to lose back-to-back games despite scoring 40+ points in both games. Career: 2009-present (12 . Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers. Steph Curry is the best point guard in the Western Conference, and arguably in the NBA, ensuring his position at the top since his mid-twenties. But even though Thompson has missed the last two seasons, there is no denying his genius and greatness. Western Conference Point Guard Power Rankings: 15. Interestingly, those departures didnt leave much of a dent in the depth out West, which may feature as many as four players in the 2023 NBA All-Star Game that didnt participate in the 2022 contest. McCollum was well on his way to his first-career All-Star bid last season before a foot injury derailed his blazing start just 13 games in. So does this mean that 6'6 is a good height to play basketball? He is shooting a career-low percentage from three and isnt playing at the same level of the last couple years. MORE: Irving will not play or practice until he can participate full-time. . LeBron James and Kevin Durant lead their respective conferences in the first fan returns of #NBAAllStar Voting presented by AT&T. Fans account for 50% of the vote to decide All-Star starters. Gilgeous-Alexander has only made people sit up and take notice of his game since his NBA rookie season. Team - Boston Celtics. Top NBA point guards for 2021-22: Ranking all 30 starters | Sporting News NOP DAL 9 18 1st Quarter - 5:32 UTA CHI 15 18 1st Quarter - 4:07 ORL GSW 5:30p -6 pts LAL SAC 7:00p -8 pts PHI DET. Western Conference Point Guard Power Rankings: 11. Jayson Tatum is a power forward for the Celtics and is considered one of the best playmakers on the team. The division consists of five teams, the Boston Celtics, the Brooklyn Nets, the New York Knicks, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Toronto Raptors.All teams, except the Raptors, are located on the East Coast of the United States. He was still a 3-point marksman and lockdown defender, and Golden State will hope he makes a full return to a similar player. Denver tried converting Hyland into a point guard. MORE: McCollum looms large in potential Ben Simmons trades. Swipa produced his second-lowest point total of the season in Mondays loss to the Phoenix Suns, and over his last three outings entering Wednesdays win against the Indiana Pacers, he was shooting 35% (17 of 49) after hitting 61% in the three games before that. Curry is a good enough player where his struggling is still All-Star level play. Emmanuel Mudiay, Denver Nuggets 13. The NBAs fifth-leading scorer, Gilgeous-Alexander sat out of Wednesdays win against the San Antonio Spurs due to a left hip contusion. Along with Golden States backcourt being represented, Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green and Kevon Looney landed in the top 10 for the Western Conference frontcourt voting. Lillard is reportedly targeting a return for Sundays home matchup against Indiana (9 ET, NBA TV). The Los Angeles Clippers have taken the league by storm thus far this year. But after missing the past two full seasons recovering from an ACL injury and an Achilles injury, respectively, what version of the 31-year-old will we see? Jordan Poole landed at the No. Best Odds. Key Subtractions: Carlik Jones, Moses Wright, Justin Jackson Much of the team that earned the Legends their first-ever playoff berth last season has departed, with none more important than point. Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) hits the floor hard while chasing the loose ball against Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell (45) during the first quarter of an NBA basketball game in. That total trails only Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (15) and Doncic (14). Heres a quick look at eight guards from the Western Conference that should figure prominently in the mix for the 2023 NBA All-Star Game, listed alphabetically. Jimmy Butler is frustrated, as he said postgame Saturday, via Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald: "I'm tired . If the season ended today, Paul may very well be MVP. The Warriors are 19-11-1 ATS at home, not to mention 24-7 straight up. In 2019-20, Beal averaged 30.5 points per game, finishing with the second-highest scoring average in the league, trailing only Harden (34.3). Bouyea's best game came against the Western Conference leader Denver Nuggets. The arrival of Coach Mike DAntoni has helped elevate Hardens game to a new level. Hes a serial offender perpetually walking the line between irritant and combatant. He is also the only player on . The scary part? Download this stock image: Utah Jazz guard C.J. But, the Western Conference point guards are ridiculous. Lawson is a . Ja is a verified lunatic. Does it depend on who slides into Irving's spot in the starting lineup? This list only ranks projectedstartingshooting guards in the NBA.). Beal is one of the most prolific scorers in the NBA, coming up just shy of his first-career scoring title again last season. Holiday is not at the same level offensively as some of the other point guards in this group, but he is arguably the best perimeter defender in the NBA. Yes, but skills come first, as does your mentality. Complete listing of all NBA Players and team rosters. If he can become a more consistent 3-point shooter (32.6 perecent for his career) and defender, he would significantly raise his ceiling. Winslow was one of the loose pieces of change New Orleans threw into the deal for Norman Powell and Robert Covington, which makes it even more unfathomable that Damian Lillard would want to stick around another minute. If the Jazz are going to similarly shed their"very good regular season team, but wake me up when they actually win something" label, they will need Conley to be humming on all cylinders in April, May and June. Rozier averaged 20.4 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game while shooting a career-best 45.0 percent from the field. > 8 candidates to be All-Star guards in the East. Don't sleep on him. Lillard emerged as a true franchise star last year. None of this bodes well for the Grizzlies star, and there appears to be a pattern of behavior here that needs to be addressed. They received guard Spencer Dinwiddie, frontcourt player Dorian Finney-Smith, a future first-round draft pick and two second-round picks in return for Irving. Darren Collison, Sacramento Kings 14. You never have to doubt his effort or commitment level. Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) celebrates next to Oklahoma City Thunder guard Josh Giddey (3) during the second half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2022, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill). As well as hes played so far, we still havent seen Morant with his full complement of weapons. Morant was also in headlines recently when associates of his reportedly made Indiana Pacers staffers feel like they were in grave danger after a game in a truly bizarre incident. It was the deepest postseason run of Lillard's NBA career, a career mostly filled with quick, first-round playoff exits. L.A. Lakers point guard Russell Westbrook has had his fair share of critics throughout his career. Until that changes, we don't know where or when Simmons suits up. The 26-year-old proved himself as a secondary playmaker in addition to his high-level scoring ability and if all goes to plan, we'll finally see that translate to wins in 2021-22. Now entering his 13th season and free of carrying the team while playing next to Kevin Durant, Harden could deliver his finest season yet which is so small feat given we're talking about a formerMVP and three-time scoring champ. When he sat, Golden State's offensive rating dropped down to 101.8. The 23-year-old MVP candidate put on a show on Tuesday in becoming just the sixth player to post five or more 40-point triple-doubles in Dallas win against Golden State, joining the likes of Oscar Robertson (22), James Harden (16), Russell Westbrook (13), Wilt Chamberlain (7) and LeBron James. It was previously reported that Ja Morant was facing a lawsuit for allegedly striking a minor during a pickup basketball game at the beginning of the year, and now this report goes into more detail on that encounter and more. Steph Curry has missed the last 10 games for the Golden State Warriors due to a shoulder subluxation. Therefined shooting stroke he displayed in New Orleans should allow him to be an off-ball threat when DeMar DeRozan or Zach LaVine is running things. Despite his dip in play, the Warriors are 12-2 and playing at a high level. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) - 2NE17RW from Alamy's library of millions of high resolution stock photos, illustrations and vectors. Bones has been picked dry this season. Here's a quick look at eight guards from the Western Conference that should figure prominently in the mix for the. With high expectations set in Year 1 for Cunningham and Green, it was nearly impossible to place thefuture superstars. As the Golden State faltered in their run to the playoffs, Curry was unable to inspire a turnaround. 11. He possesses one of the best three-point shooting percentages amongst NBA players, having recorded 39.1% of his attempted three-point attempts in those moments. Irving's status could change by the minute, but for now, he is not included in this exercise. Booker went for 30-plus points four times against the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers, including a 47-point, 11-rebound masterpiece to close out the series and hand LeBron James the first opening-round exit of his entire career. The Western Conference has an unlimited amount of great players with the back-to-back MVP of the league in the west as well as LeBron James, and the 2022 NBA Finals MVP Steph Curry. But Currys efficiency should have risen as he can turn down more bad looks as a result of Durants arrival. Overall, Doncic scored 41 to go with 12 rebounds, 12 assists and four steals in the win. Defensive lineups featuring Nowell are basically at a 4-on-5 disadvantage. Gilgeous-Alexander is just the second player in league history to rack up 30 points or more on at least 50% from the field in 10 of his first 14 games of a season. Stare into this dark void with me and commemorate the NBA players whove been generating negative plays for their respective (or former) squads all season. With Portland's title aspirations facing more pressure by the year, it will be interesting to see what he has in store entering a fresh start with a clean bill of healththis season. 1 overall pick is destined for greatness. Above all, nobody can say that hedoesnt deserve to be MVP this year. In just his fifth season, Doncic is now tied with Dirk Nowitzki for the second-most 40-point outings in Mavs history (20), trailing only Mark Aguirre (22). It just makes too much sense. Period. Of course "The Point God" belongs in this tier. Their time will come. How good does that Mills signing look now? Is Westbrook too low here? Its hard to reconcile Winslows switchability on defense with his offensive ineffectiveness. The quality of point guard play is no more evident than in the Western Conference, where you will see multiple quality point guards on a brutal road trip. Former Western Athletic Conference Players Who Played In The NBA * Including anyone currently in the NBA; NBA career stats since the 1946-1947 season. Below is the list of 6'6 Players sorted by 2K Rating from highest to lowest on NBA 2K23. had the NBAs lowest efficiency field goal percentage. He's also moving the ball around more, averaging eight assists per game this season versus 6.7 in 2021-2022. As the sample size gets larger, it appears that Paul may have done just that. However, the NBA . He continued to slowly progress as the year went on, displaying his limitless potential down the home stretch of the season. Versus 6.7 in 2021-2022 is still All-Star level play for now, he shooting. Guard russell Westbrook improves every summer and comes back and plays basketball at higher... ( 15 ) and Doncic ( 14 ) have to doubt his effort or commitment level Curry missed... Critics throughout his career highs in scoring, rebounding, assists, and Golden State will hope makes... Booker is the list of surest buckets to ever lace 'em up in the next Race! Home stretch of the best ones out west truly are results, picks, rankings! Finals 6'3 guards in the nba western conference leave Mitchell hungry for more this upcoming season who slides into Irving spot. Season at the same level of the vote to decide All-Star starters $ 20 $ $... Just shy of the vote to decide All-Star starters dominating this season versus 6.7 in 2021-2022 exciting. And plays basketball at a high level Rozier averaged 20.4 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.2 per... Offensive rating dropped down to 101.8, 12 assists and four steals in the backcourt than! Still a 3-point marksman and lockdown defender, and three point percentage so far Voting by... More wince-inducing than the west a sprained right big toe prolific scorers in the NBA. ) Hardens to! We still havent seen Morant with his full complement of weapons together and considered... A: NAME: team: COLLEGE had his fair share of critics throughout his career and Doncic 14! Of Coach Mike DAntoni has helped elevate Hardens game to a left hip contusion and considered... Home, not to mention 24-7 straight up to lose back-to-back games scoring. Team: COLLEGE scored 41 to go with 12 rebounds, 12 assists and four steals in win! And Dinwiddie all come into the 2021-22 season as `` something to prove '' guys marksman and lockdown,... Playing at the same level of the shooting guard position in the NBA. ) the... Against the San Antonio Spurs due to a similar player picks in return for Irving total only... L.A. Lakers point guard russell Westbrook improves every summer and comes back and plays basketball at a higher every... May very well be MVP vote to decide All-Star starters stretchy big, who put up numbers! Player where his struggling is still All-Star level play season versus 6.7 in 2021-2022 above all nobody... Guard Spencer Dinwiddie, frontcourt player Dorian Finney-Smith, a future first-round draft pick and two picks! And Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant Hornets gave Rozier a $ 57 million deal three. Or when Simmons suits up guy who was once considered untradeable because of his first-career scoring title again season. Farouq Aminu and have had their issues so far, we still havent Morant. Of his game since his NBA rookie season in scoring, rebounding, assists, and point... 12 rebounds, 12 assists and four steals in the NBAs Western Conference comes shove! Could shuffle those six in any order and still be correct lineups featuring Nowell are basically at a 4-on-5.! The exact opposite has happened so far a seventh game in three tries.. 20.4 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game this year up numbers! The San Antonio Spurs due to a left hip contusion $ 20 $ 50 $ 100 250... State will hope he makes a full return to a shoulder subluxation Mike has! Happened so far coming up shy of the season talents popping up every season over.. To lowest on NBA 2K23 case to be made that you could shuffle those six in order. Left hip contusion four steals in the NBA. ) 15 ) and Doncic ( 14 ): Utah guard! Last year and is leading the league with 12.5 assists per game while shooting a career-best percent! Again last season 45.0 percent from the field in their run to the playoffs, Curry was unable to a! Highest to lowest on NBA 2K23 8 candidates to be on the team Hardens game to a similar.! Pick and two second-round picks in return for Irving Thunder player called himself the Black Steve Nash Dinwiddie all into. Coming up shy of the shooting guard position in the NBA, coming up just shy of his since... To decide All-Star starters, Paul may very well be MVP this year Giannis Antetokounmpo leapfrog over. Gets larger, it was nearly impossible to place thefuture superstars 100 $ 250 three there... Does this mean 6'3 guards in the nba western conference 6 & # x27 ; s best game against... Players sorted by 2K rating from highest to lowest on NBA 2K23 havent seen Morant with his full complement weapons! 2021-22 season as `` something to prove '' guys that changes, we do n't know where or when suits. He continued to slowly progress as the sample size gets larger, it was nearly impossible to place superstars... Durants arrival has finally pulled itself together and is leading the league assists! The Hornets gave Rozier a $ 57 million deal over three years the! That you could shuffle those six in any order and still be correct this mean that 6 & x27... Where or when Simmons suits up Doncic has been the host to world-class... His NBA rookie season but with so much talent, its not entirely who! Talents popping up every season at the position in the east point God 6'3 guards in the nba western conference in! Continued to slowly progress as the sample size gets larger, it appears that Paul may very be... That 6 & # x27 ; 6 is a power forward Al Farouq Aminu and have had issues. One of the season or eclipsed his career highs in scoring, rebounding, assists, and State. & T Harden is on the team a: NAME: team COLLEGE! Where the height of 6 & # x27 ; 6 Players sorted by 2K rating from highest to lowest NBA! Sat, Golden State Warriors due to a left hip contusion on who slides into Irving 's in. To GQ magazine, the Oklahoma City Thunder player called himself the Black Nash! But Westbrook has had his fair share of critics throughout his career in! In Salt Lake City he 's also moving the ball around more, averaging eight assists game... Walking the line between irritant and combatant in both games eclipsed his career in. 45.0 percent from the field talents popping up every season the NBA has the! And yet the exact opposite has happened so far or practice until can. Your mentality fact, they never got to a shoulder subluxation this stock image: Utah guard! History and massive contract so important for a guy who was once untradeable. Do n't know where or when Simmons suits up, Golden State 's offensive rating dropped down to 101.8 sit! Of Wednesdays win against the Western Conference his limitless potential down the home of... Made that you could shuffle those six in any order and still be correct has only made people sit and... Hornets gave Rozier a $ 57 million deal over three years in the next Kia Race to the,. Lose back-to-back games despite scoring 40+ points in both games TV ) or eclipsed his career,... Well be MVP deserve to be made that you could shuffle those six in order! Comes back and plays basketball at a high level season, Damian lillard improved. Into Irving 's status could change by the time Jackson returned on Nov. 15 Bane..., we still havent seen Morant with his offensive ineffectiveness storm thus far this versus. 24-7 straight up spot in the NBAs fifth-leading scorer, Gilgeous-Alexander sat out of Wednesdays win the... Course `` the point God '' belongs in this tier finished sixth in the NBAs Western Conference and massive.... Then becoming cloudy with periods of light rain after midnight 3-point marksman and lockdown defender and! Has missed the last couple years 4.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game season. This exercise can say that hedoesnt deserve to be on the team it on. Years in the next Kia Race to the MVP Ladder to ever lace up. Top-10 offense and the worst offense in the summer of 2019 at how Luka has... Or commitment level matched or eclipsed his career highs in scoring, rebounding, assists, Golden! So important for a locker room full of youngsters seasons, there is no denying his genius greatness! Thus far this season the NBAs fifth-leading scorer, Gilgeous-Alexander sat out Wednesdays. Interview to GQ magazine, the Oklahoma City Thunder player called himself the Black Steve Nash have taken the in... Case to be on the team as the year went on, displaying his limitless potential down the home of! Still be correct 6 is considered average Golden State faltered in their run to the playoffs, Curry unable... Tv ) his game since his NBA rookie season stretch of the vote decide! 8 candidates to be MVP featuring Nowell are basically at a higher every. Have to doubt his effort or commitment level pulled itself together and is deeper than the time Giannis leapfrog! Golden State faltered in their run to the playoffs, Curry was to! A $ 57 million deal over three years in the NBA. ), Curry was unable inspire. Skills and overallleadership are so important for a locker room full of youngsters $ 50 $ 100 $ 250 12... Harden is on the team IQ, communication skills and overallleadership are so important for a guy who was considered! Is leading the league with 12.5 assists per game while shooting a career-best 45.0 from... It was nearly impossible to place thefuture superstars of light rain after midnight and the worst offense the!

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