NBA 2018-19: Players with the best PER this season

This NBA season is almost about to reach the midway stage. There have been numerous stories that have developed so far in the season.

The defending champions, Golden State Warriors are struggling for consistency this season. LeBron James changed teams and there is a great buzz surrounding the Los Angeles Lakers now in every game they play. The Houston Rockets have looked a shadow of a team that they were last season.

Meanwhile, in the Eastern Conference, the Raptors are off to a great start. They have already swept the Warriors this season and look like the team that have the best chance to emerge out of the East.

The Bucks have been the pleasantly surprising team this year and are one of the top teams in the NBA. Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers are also close and look poised to mount a challenge in the East.

In this slideshow, we will have a look at the players with the best PER this season. PER is a per-minute rating developed by ESPN.com columnist John Hollinger. It determines the per-minute rating for a player, summing positive accomplishments and subtracting negative accomplishments.

Here are the players with the best PER:

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#3 James Harden (PER - 28.52)

James Harden is again having an elite season

James Harden has been on an absolute scoring tear this season. He has amassed 388 points in his last 10 games, the most over a 10 game period since Kobe Bryant in 2007.

The Houston Rockets were struggling for consistency in the early part of the season. But they have turned their season around behind MVP level displays from Harden.

Harden has been averaging a career-high 32.7 points per game this season. He is also averaging 8.3 assists and 5.5 rebounds per game. Harden has been going to the free throw line 11 times per match, making it impossible for the opposing defences to guard him.

If the Rockets continue to rise in the rankings, Harden will again be a leading contender for the MVP award.

#2 Giannis Antetokounmpo (PER - 28.65)

The Greek Freak is taking the NBA by storm

Giannis Antetokounmpo is having a very dominating season. He is destroying the oppositions with his dunks and inside scoring. The Bucks with a 24-10 record are the best team in the NBA at the moment. Giannis is the curator behind the surprising dominance of the Bucks.

Giannis is averaging 26.5 points, 12.8 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game this season. His field goal percentage is an astonishing 58 percent. No team has been able to prevent the dominance of Giannis. He is averaging the most points scored in the paint since Shaquille O'Neal in the 2002-03 season.

Giannis is currently the leading contender for the MVP award. The Bucks have surrounded him with a good supporting cast and that is showing dividends this season. It will be very interesting to watch how the season unfolds for Antetokounmpo and the Bucks.

#1 Anthony Davis (PER - 30.32)

Anthony Davis has again been great for the New Orleans Pelicans

Anthony Davis is having a statistical season for the ages. He currently leads the NBA in PER.

Davis is averaging 28.8 points, 13 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 2.7 blocks and 1.7 steals per game this season. He is Top 5 in points, rebounds, and blocks per game. Davis is putting unreal numbers like these in every game.

Davis is also one of the top contenders for the MVP award this season despite the struggles of his team. The Pelicans started the season on a very hot note. They were 5-1 in the early part of the season but are struggling for consistency and are out of the playoffs standings right now. The Pelicans hold a 16-20 record and are the 14th ranked team in the West.

Davis has also been surrounded with plenty of trade rumours. He has continued dominating the NBA irrespective of these rumours.