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Point Guards are the players that are crucial to a team's success. Most teams that struggle mostly do so due to a lack of production by their PG.
The 76ers have invested heavily in their point guards by getting point guards as their #1 picks for the last 2 seasons. The Los Angeles Lakers without a top talent at that position for a long time but have now invested in the youth by drafting in Lonzo Ball. The Kings have drafted in De'Aaron Fox, the Knicks have gotten Frank Ntilikina and the Mavericks have gotten Dennis Smith Jr.
Let's look at the top 5 Point Guards in the NBA right now based on their form:
Honorary Mentions:
Kemba Walker (Charlotte Hornets):
The Hornets man has been doing amazingly well for the past 2-3 years but unable to crack the top point guard list for a while. He has been the only bright light in a very bad Hornets roster, which has now been boosted by the arrival of Dwight Howard, who has surprisingly been in amazing form.
He has been averaging 22.3 points per game, 6.2 assists, and at least 4 rebounds a game. His all-around ability has been carrying the Hornets into contention. He has also been shooting 44.3% from the field, quite a deserving candidate for the top 5 list. But he gets pushed out only due to the form of the other players being a level of exceptional beyond Walker. But there is no reason you can't enjoy his amazing handles, such as the one in the tweet above.
Ben Simmons (Philadelphia 76ers)
Ben Simmons has been a revelation this season. He had missed the whole of 2015-16 season with a broken foot. Everyone had questions as to whether he would be at the same level everyone had expected him to be. But he has exceeded all expectations in his first season with the NBA.
He has been averaging 18.1 points, 9.1 rebounds and 7.4 assists per game. These stats are unknown for a rookie, almost averaging a triple-double every game. He is also averaging 2.1 steals a match and almost a block a game, contributing to every department for the 76ers.
He stands at just under 7 feet, making him impossible to defend at the point guard position. The only reason he is not making the list is due to failing jump shot. He has taken only 7 3-pointers this season, making none, allowing opposing guards to just leave him beyond the arc, forcing him to pass the ball around. But Simmons has such a great ceiling, that he has nowhere else to go but up.
#5 John Wall (Washington Wizards):
John Wall is one of the most seasoned point guards on this list. He has been playing for the Washington Wizards since 2010, a one-man team.
He has been putting up stellar stats, despite dealing with nagging injuries, the latest of which had put him out of action for about 2 weeks. His numbers nevertheless have been at the level that everyone expects it to be. He has been averaging 20.3 points per game and recording 9.2 assists per game as well.
He has also been averaging 1.1 blocks and 1.1 steals per game. He has also been shooting well from the field, a steady 43.5%. Expect him to move up the rankings once he's back from his injury.
#4 Damian Lillard (Portland Trailblazers)
Damian Lillard is one of the stars of the league and was also the only bright point on a faltering Portland roster. Since CJ McCollum has started performing and taking on some of the load, they have become a force to reckon with.
Damian Lillard has been averaging 25.7 points per game, along with 6.1 assists and 5.0 rebounds per game as well. His 3P shooting percentage is down to 33.1% which is quite a concern.
Even though his shooting percentages are down, Lillard is providing a steady source of points this season and his other stats haven't taken a hit. With McCollum also performing on the other end, watch out for Lillard to take it to the next level.
#3 Kyrie Irving (Boston Celtics)
Kyrie Irving is currently having the best season of his career, even if the statistics say otherwise. He is currently in the early MVP discussions. After the blockbuster trade move from the Cleveland Cavaliers, he had become the face of the Celtics - a franchise player.
He has been averaging 22.8 points per game with 5.3 assists and 3.2 rebounds per game too. His contributions to the team have been all-around, inspiring the youngsters around him to do their best, with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown posting their best numbers.
His handles have also become a delight to watch, destroying defenders.
He could arguably be the #1 point guard on this list based on how he has made the Celtics unbeatable, taking them to a 16 game win streak. But his statistics just aren't the level of the other point guards on our list.
#2 Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City Thunder):
Russell Westbrook, the MVP last year, has started the season in blistering form, alongside his new teammates, Paul George and Carmelo Anthony, even though his form hasn't translated into wins for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
He has been averaging 21.6 points per game, along with 9.1 rebounds and 9.7 assists per game. Even though these numbers are below his last year MVP numbers of 31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds and 10.4 assists, he is still overreaching to what everyone expected even after the addition of George and Anthony.
He deserves being on the list due to his sheer production numbers and with George and Carmelo slowly coming into their own, his assist numbers might go higher but expect his points per game to stay around this level this season.
#1 Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors):
Stephen Curry is arguably the best point guard in the league right now. He and the Golden State Warriors have been an unstoppable force for the past few years now and he has been the driving force behind their unparalleled recent success.
Steph has been truly unstoppable this season, averaging 26 points per game, with 6.3 assists per game and 5.2 rebounds as well, giving his team a boost in all the statistics. His main attraction is his 3-point shooting, which is extremely accurate and he has shown it this season too, averaging at least 3.5 made 3-pointers per game while shooting 46.5% from the field.
Those are just amazing numbers to put up and guarding Curry is a very difficult task, with a range of shots that he possesses.
He has been doing it all for a while and deserves to be the #1 point guard at this moment. The Warriors have been on a roll and it is in most part because of the threat that Steph Curry manages to create and opening up the space for his teammates to shine as well.
